We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A wooden puzzle that is like a real life Tetris, minus the screen time. This puzzle can be played over and over for some fun away from their tablet. And, it's small enough to fit on their lap, so you both can lounge on the couch and play together.
For ages 3 and up.
Promising review: "I was pleasantly surprised with how popular this was! I just bought it as a side gift for a child just because it was cheap and it was a puzzle-type toy. However, this kept both kids and adults immensely entertained for hours. It was challenging for everyone but a fun challenge. I’m purchasing another so we can race each other to finish at the next gathering." —Mrs. Dinkleberg
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
2. An LCD writing tablet so your little one can get creative without a desk or a bunch of supplies. It's a mess-free (and hassle-free) activity to keep your child busy while you kick back.
For ages 3 and up.
Promising review: "This tablet has entertained my 4-year-old grandson for hours at a time. He loves that he can erase at will and that the drawings are multicolored. I highly recommend this item for 18 months old and up. I bought a pink one for our 18-month-old granddaughter, and she too is just enthralled with it and the 'power' she has to erase, create, erase, create! They loved them so much, that we bought another set of two different colors so that they would have them at home as well as at 'Grammy's.'" —Kindle Customer Red Heart
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors).
3. A Gravity Maze game to challenge your little brainiac to use spatial reasoning, planning, and engineering to figure out how to get the ball through the maze and on its target. Sounds super technical, but it's learning that feels like fun.
The game comes with 60 challenges that range from beginner to expert so it will hold their interest as they work their way up to the trickier ones.
Promising review: "What a great combination of construction, puzzles, and games! My 5-year-old and 8-year-old niece were able to challenge themselves to some of the levels (the 8-year-old was was more capable of solving them on her own). The adults also found themselves fixated on playing the different levels as well! It was challenging and fun! We love marble runs and games so this was a perfect fit. This is one of the few games that everyone asks to play and it's perfect when we have guests of kiddos over and keeps everyone busy and engaged for hours!" —Crystal Brown
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
4. A pack of popping tube sensory toys, because they're wayyy less messy (and not as painful to step on) compared to a ton of tiny Lego bricks. Your child will be able to use them to build shapes, letters, numbers, or anything they can imagine. And, they're simple to pop into place and pull apart.
For ages 3+ and up.
Promising review: "Grandchildren love these! Kept them busy for over an hour!" —Theresa Transue
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $5.97 (also available in a eight-pack).
5. A Melissa & Doug activity book with a pair of safety scissors so your kiddo can develop fine motor skills and tap into their creativity. This book is filled with mazes, puzzles, and hands-on activities that will keep your child entertained for a while.
Promising review: "Scissors skills are important both in and of themselves and because it strengthens the hand muscles to be used for learning to write. My 4-year-old LOVES this book. We received it this week and she has used it for a couple of hours each day. Many of the pages are cutting things out and putting them together (four-scoop ice cream cone, pizza with pepperonis, the components to build a house or a car, puzzles). We've used tape or glue to put the components together. This book is interesting enough to have caught the attention of my older children as well, although I make them let her do the cutting. :D Would make a great gift as it is so unique." —Mom of 7
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
6. An affordable drone, because kids (and adults) are just amazed by these things. I won't tell that you basically bought it for yourself and just lend it to your kiddo every once in a while to keep boredom at bay so you can rest.
Promising review: "Awesome, easy to use and learn drone that entertains me and my 2-year-old for hours. Very steady, fast, and with two long-lasting batteries with two chargers. I bump it into walls. Sometimes drops from 10-plus feet without issues. It goes pretty high outside without issues but I think it's intended as an indoor drone. Very sturdy. Bottom has soft plastic rubber pieces for soft landings and bumpers around blades help protect it. Love it!" —Laura Pena
Get it from Amazon for $31.99+ (available in two versions).
7. A Stomp Rocket launcher that your kids will have a *blast* with (while learning a thing or two about physics). These rockets launch up to 200 feet high when your child jumps or stomps on the launch pad — no need to stock up on batteries.
Promising review: "I purchased this as one of my stepson's birthday presents this past fall. He just turned 8, and I was trying to get some more outside toys to play with. I thought that he'd enjoy it, but I had no clue how popular this freakin' toy would be. All of our kids, ages 2–8, LOVE this thing and so do all of the neighbor kids. It is played with every single time the kids are outside, sometimes for hours. I have never seen my kids play with ANYTHING for hours, but they sure do with this. Taking it out guarantees that every kid under the age of 12 will appear in our yard." —TheLeeFamily
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available with four or six rockets and with or without LED lights).
8. A solar-powered DIY robot kit, a STEM activity where your child can build 12 robots that can move with the power of the sun! And while they're busy building, you can take a moment to read, scroll on your phone, or maybe even nap?!
The kit includes 190 pieces, a solar panel, and detailed instructions.
Promising review: "I purchased this as a gift for an 8-year-old boy. He loves to build, loves robotics, dinosaurs, and Godzilla. :) He LOVES this set! He sits for hours on end, which is an amazing accomplishment for any 8-year-old, playing with and building all the different robot toys. A friend's 8-year-old daughter loves them, the 48-year-old parent loves them, and the 75-year-old grandpa loves them. Fun for the whole family!" —MBC
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
9. A flower-building activity set so your *budding* genius can tap into their imagination and build amazing flower displays. This STEM activity comes with hundreds of pieces for endless possibilities.
Promising review: "I bought this flower garden as a gift for my 3-year-old daughter. She absolutely loves it! She has always enjoyed blocks and this is something different that has kept her engaged for hours! We highly recommend this product to others!!" —Ashley Petersen
Get it from Amazon for $11.98+ (available in two sizes).
10. A rechargeable bubble machine that'll ~blow away~ any bubble wand in sight. Parents, you will no longer have to huff and puff or lose your breath blowing bubbles again! And, it's a fun activity that'll keep your kiddo busy for a long time.
This bubble maker includes: bubble gun, two bottles of bubble solution, a rechargeable battery, a charger, and a plate to place the bubble solution.
Promising review: "This bubble gun is so much fun and an entertaining toy to play outdoors. Easy to use. Lightweight. Battery lasts forever. It produces an impressive amount of bubbles that keep my child busy for hours on a regular day at the park. Overall, it's great purchase." —Sona
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in three colors).
11. Or a giant bubble wands kit for some outdoor fun the whole family will enjoy. The huge bubbles are all thanks to the two-handle wand design, which has been used to set big bubble world records!
The kit comes with the giant bubble wand, two pouches of bubble concentrate, and a booklet to help you become a skilled bubble creator!
Promising review: "Fantastic product!! My 8-year-old son played outside with them for two solid hours...unplugged...happy as can be! I definitely recommend and will buy again!" —Pxysis
Get it from Amazon for $15.19+ (available in six styles and a family pack).
12. An Orbeez Sensation Station playset with 2,000 beads that soak up water and expand. This set comes with all the necessary tools so your child can satisfy their need to make a (contained) mess! They can roll, shape, and crush the Orbeez for endless sensory fun!
My daughter has been asking for this set for a long time but I was nervous to get it for her because it just seems like a messy toy that will require a lot of cleaning afterwards. She received it as a gift, and I hesitated when it was time to finally open it up. I'm happy to report that not only is this set SO much fun, but if you use the included container, it keeps all the messy stuff contained. And this set will definitely keep your child entertained for a long, long time. We love it.
Promising review: "My son loved the sensory play with these Orbeez rainbow beads — we were both shocked by how large they grew in water! They provided hours of creative play for my 8-year old and eventually he ended up putting them in a glass vase as decoration! He will still pour them out every week for some play time and has enjoyed them in the bath as well — just be sure to properly scoop all the beads out b/c they should not go down the drain! Great gift for kiddos with lots of hands-on play!" —Sara Ahmed
Get a set of from Amazon for $12.93+ (available in three set options).
13. A two-tier water table — it includes so many activities, your child will have hours of fun playing with it. And, you can attach it to a hose for a sprinkler and waterfall effect. It also includes an umbrella for protection from the scorching sun.
14. A glow-in-the-dark fort building kit for your soon-to-be architect or engineer. Your little builder can create anything they can think of, like a castle or rocket. The best part is, when you shut the lights off, their creation will glow.
Promising review: "Got this for my niece who was 4 and she could play this for hours. She put her blanket over it, made flags, turned it into a wand, and bunch of other versatile ways to play. It’s a great buy if you want to keep the kid busy for hours. It’s a bit challenging at times to get it dissembled but it was super fun for her. Easy to store back in the bag or box." —S Cheung
Get it from Amazon for $59.97+ (available in three styles).
15. A necklace activity set to help your little one stay out of your jewelry box and create their very own one-of-a-kind necklaces.
This set comes with a carrying case, five Disney Princess rubber charms, 150 beads, and four silicone necklaces.
Promising review: "My 3-year-old twins loved it, entertained for hours which is rare. Perfect for teaching coordination, color patterns, encourages creativity. The necklaces are a soft, stretchy material with a safe breakaway clasp but that also stays on well. I wore a necklace for hours around the house and didn't fall off. The beads are cute and a good variety of colors. Overall great project, loads of fun for toddlers." —Lyss
Get it from Amazon for $11.09+ (available in 15 styles).
16. A marble run set so your little one can create their own maze that marbles can roll through. This will keep them interested for a long time and help them *build* their problem-solving skills. It's the perfect activity when you need to keep them busy because your to-do list is a mile long.
Promising reviews: "My 5- and 3-year-olds (and me) have spent hours building towers and watching marbles clatter down these chutes, steps, gears and spirals, HOURS! And they’re not bored yet! It’s also educational learning the physics of slopes by experience. Plus, it comes with enough marbles so that losing a few doesn’t matter." —Joyce Parker
"This is a really neat toy that has provided literally hours and hours of enjoyment for my 4-year-old nephew. (And me!) The pieces fit well together, it is very sturdy and stands up well even on carpet. There are an infinite number of ways to build these runs, and this toy never gets boring. Highly recommended." —Becca
Get it from Amazon for $44.99+ (available in three different quantities).
17. A color-your-own-castle playhouse, because it's the perfect indoor activity that will make your child's imagination run wild, yet doesn't require a lot of effort on your part. Just whip out some crayons and markers and let the fun begin.
18. A roller coaster for kids when you can't make a trip to a theme park but your little thrill-seeker is bored. This can be used indoors or outdoors, so it's great for rain or shine. And, reviewers say it's easy to assemble and to store.
Promising reviews: "So if you're like me, you've come to the reviews to talk you into or out of buying this. Well, no further scrolling is needed. Buy it. Just do it. It's worth every penny I spent on it. My son LOVES it. It's easy to put together and to take apart when you want to move it. It's built really well and shipped faster than expected. It's hours of fun indoors and out." —Mariah Manley
"This product is great, my toddler loves playing with this toy. He can play with this for hours." —Janine Santiago
Get it from Amazon for $139.99+ (available in two styles).
19. A 3D printing pen so your older kiddo or teen will be able to create just about anything they can think of.
Promising review: "This pen is SUPER COOL!!! My tweens are loving it! I actually am having fun with it too! I thought it is like a magical crayon!!! It is easy to use and you can create endless creations. You don't have to be an 'artist' to use. You just have to have a great imagination! Has kept my daughters entertained for hours. So happy with this purchase. Bought one for each of my daughters. Would recommend to anyone." —Whoopie Pie
Get it from Amazon for $65.99.
20. An Uno Minecraft card game because this classic game is fun for the whole fam and your kiddo will want to play over and over again.
Promising review: "My sons (7 and 4) love Minecraft! I purchased this for my 7-year-old as a birthday present and we play almost every day. So easy to play that my 4-year-old can play too and doesn’t need to ‘be on a team.’ Hours of fun for such a simple game." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $6.44.
21. A Melissa & Doug ice cream station so your kiddo can run their own ice cream shop (minus the sugar rush) and dive into pretend play. Your child will love taking your order and scooping ice cream into cups and cones.
The wooden ice cream counter comes with eight ice cream scoops, six toppings, two cones, cup, scooper, tongs, wooden spoon, reusable menu card, and six pretend dollar bills.
Promising review: "My newly turned 3-year-old daughter instantly fell in love with this set! She loves seeing how high she can stack the ice cream cones and pretending to serve Mom and Dad her creations. She's been obsessed with climbing things around the house and we *desperately* needed a distraction to get her to stop, and this is working so far — she plays with this thing for HOURS!" —West Family
Get it from Amazon for $54.99.
22. An interactive The Floor is Lava game that will get your kids off of the couch and off of their tablets. This is also the perfect rainy day activity.
Players must imagine the floor is made of lava and their only hope of survival is to spin the color wheel in order to find out which colored foam “safety stone” to jump to, while avoiding touching the floor — because that would mean certain death (aka the player loses).
Recommended for up to six players, ages 5+ (That being said, my 4-year-old understood the game right away and plays it at least once a week).
Promising review: "I purchased this game for my granddaughter's 5th birthday. Right after she opened it, we had to play it. No kidding, we literally played for hours. She just loved the game. It was really fun. The rules are simple and easy to follow. Even the adults had fun playing it. The one aspect of the game that my daughter really liked was the fact that you were standing & moving around, not just sitting. This game would be great for all ages. I could see older children liking it as well." —Book Worm
Get it from Amazon for $16.97.
23. A Lego set so your dino-obsessed kid will be able to create three dinosaurs fit for Jurassic Park.
Promising reviews: "I purchased this for my 8-year-old son and his eyes lit up since he loves dinosaurs. It can be constructed into three different builds and keep him busy for hours. He loves it and its low price point makes it a great option for an affordable Lego gift." —Anthony T.
"Fantastic Lego set! Simple enough for kids to do with very little help but difficult enough to keep them busy for hours assembling it and playing with it afterward! I also love the fact that they can take it apart and choose to build another model as it comes with three instruction booklets." —SR
Get it from Amazon for $11.
24. Or, a pack of Mega Bloks perfect for your toddler who isn't quite ready for Legos but loves to stack and knock things down.
The set includes 80 building blocks and a storage bag.
Promising review: "My 2-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter absolutely love these! They spend hours playing with these and as a family me and my husband and the kids build things together. The great things about them is that they are large so they aren't a choke hazard. My daughter will sometimes try to put these in her mouth so we are happy that we don't have to worry about that with these jumbo-sized blocks. The blocks are colorful and are made of good-quality plastic so you don't have to worry about small pieces or worry about them breaking and being harmful. These are highly recommended and very much worth every penny. Probably the best toy I have bought for my kids in a while." —Dee
Get a set of 80 from Amazon for $16 (also available in three sets with accessories).
25. A large castle tent with fab lights and drapes fit for your little princess. This will definitely become your child's perfect, cozy hideaway.
Promising review: "I purchased this tent for my granddaughter who is 4. She really loves it and spends hours playing in it with her dolls and baby sister." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $39.95 (available in three styles/colors and with a play mat).
26. A construction-themed play set for sensory play without a sandbox. This set comes in a carrying case with two pounds of kinetic sand, a dump truck with three brick molds, and a crane with attachments. After your builder has constructed and deconstructed their creations, you simply fold it away!
27. A Magna-Tiles set that parents are raving about (including myself) because kids and adults can't stop playing with them. Whatever your child creates will look like a work of art with these tiles.
The set comes with 32 translucent magnetic pieces to build 3D creations. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Promising review: "Seriously the best gift we have ever gotten our son. He has these at his preschool and, since Christmas, at home too and he never tires of them. In fact he plays with these almost every day and his creativity astounds me. He learns so much about how to put things together and his imagination runs wild. He would play with these for hours if he could!!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
You, ordering another ~pretend~ sundae for your little one to whip up:
