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 foldable indoor slide so rain will not ruin your little one's day. This slide will come to the rescue if you need a fun activity when your kiddo is on the verge of crying out "I'm bored!" but the weather isn't ideal for a trip to the park.
Promising review: "I got this for my 2-year-old daughter's birthday and she LOVES it. She is a little nervous on the playground and she took to this right away. It folds down easily and sets up easily — the design is brilliant. It was actually so easy that I watched the 30 second set up video just to be sure I got it right lol. My 8-year-old son got on it too and it held up. We live in an apartment so this is something that she can climb on safely without taking up a ton of space. Love this product!!" —jenna
Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in three designs).
2. Or a Montessori indoor play gym if you need your child to play inside but they have a lot of energy. The best part? Your kiddo won't scorch their bum sliding down one of those overheated metal slides at the park — ouch!
Good Evas Kids is a small biz based in NY that sells wooden children's play sets, climbing walls, and bookshelves.
Promising review: "This product is amazing! I did so much research regarding quality and cost before purchasing one and this was the best one! My baby absolutely loves this! It is very sturdy and strong. It came with everything you need and the website has the instruction videos which made it so easy to follow and put it together. Also, customer service is so quick to respond and very caring! I love that you can adjust the height and angle of the triangle ladder. You can also move around the 4 products and change it up so you can have different set up which i like!" —teni240
Get it from Good Evas Kids on Etsy for $99+ (originally $198+; available in seven variations and two colors).
3. 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 $39.99+ (available in two versions).
4. 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. Plus, it'll give you some time to chill on the couch.
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 $33.99.
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 $6.47.
6. 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 $14.97.
7. 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 $19.98.
8. A sensory swing so your tiny acrobat will be able to swing and bounce up and down to channel all of that energy they have after a really good nap (especially when you're not ready to get up from your nap yet).
Recommend for ages 3 and up.
Rest Nets is a small biz based in Israel started by a mom who created these hammocks as a way to give parents "an extra pair of hands" for entertaining kids.
Promising review: "My 4.5-year daughter loves this swing! We have it installed in a French doorframe and has been very secure. She loves to swing while we are cooking or hanging out. I anticipate it will get so much love over the years. We love having it indoors during the winter since playgrounds aren't as practical. It was one of her favorite Christmas presents." —Chris Wiegand
Get it from Rest Nests on Etsy for $116 (available in nine colors).
9. Or a Wiwiurka wooden trapeze bar for your little gymnast, which can be used indoors or outdoors. They'll be able to climb, spin, and swing to their heart's content.
Recommend for ages 3 and up.
Note: Mounting hardware not included.
Wiwiurka is a Mexican woman-owned business located in Tepoztlan, Mexico that creates sustainable children's toys using water-based paints and non-toxic materials that are inspired by Pikler, Montessori, and Waldorf’s educational standards.
Promising review: "My kid won’t get off this trapeze! He loves it and he is getting so much better at his 'tricks' every day. When we ordered it we hopped it would keep him busy but we never imagined how much time he would spend on it. It’s beautiful, high quality and so much fun. I wished I would have had one as a kid." —Montserrat K.
Get it from Wiwiurka for $75 (available in three colors).
10. 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).
11. 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: "I ordered this for my daughter's birthday and she has always loved bubbles!. So when I found this bubble gun on TikTok, it was a no-brainer. The amount of bubbles that you get out of that is so fun and it lights up. It's easy to use and pretty inexpensive for what we wanted. Even the adults enjoyed it." —Tina
Get it from Amazon for $35.99+ (available in two versions and three colors).
12. 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 $15.95+ (available in five styles and a family pack).
13. A DIY kaleidoscope kit so your nature lover will be able to collect items in the backyard, while on a walk, or at the beach to create their own pattern. Your kiddo can add leaves, flowers, sea shells, and more inside a magnetic lid. Then, they'll be able to rotate and view objects as they create kaleidoscope images.
Dreamer Kids is a family-owned small biz that sells unique wooden toys for kids.
FYI: This kit requires some assembly and includes 10 plastic flowers.
Promising review: "We love it! We enjoyed the plastic flowers that came with the kit, but had the most fun when we started putting in natural objects —flower petals, tiny ferns. Lots of creative play ahead." —martharich3
Get it from Dreamer Kids on Etsy for $57.79 (available with custom text or with two quote options).
14. An Orbeez Challenge 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 $24.68.
15. 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.
Promising review: "Best purchase of summer! This has become my daughter’s favorite toy! She loves playing in the water. Love the attached sprinkler and umbrella to offer shade on hot sunny days." —Crystal Libby
Get it from Amazon for $129.
16. A Montessori climber set, because your kiddo will get so much use out of this multifunctional play set. They'll learn how to climb, grasp, and balance while getting all of their energy out. Then, (when they're exhausted) simply flip it over and add a cushioned pillow to turn it into a rocker.
Kidodido is a small business that sells wooden Montessori toys, children's furniture, and nursery decor.
Promising review: "This toy is an amazing purchase! My son is 13 months old and loves climbing. He immediately climbed to the top of the arch and beamed at his dad and I. The pillow is also super comfortable!" —Katherine Hines
Get it from Kidodido on Etsy for $85.09+ (originally $127+; available in various sizes and configurations).
17. 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 two styles).
18. A wooden puzzle that is like real life Tetris, minus the screen time. This puzzle can be played over and over for some fun away from their tablet — while giving you some time to take a breather.
Reviewer's say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3 to 12.
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.
19. A Disney Princess 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 $11.54.
20. A shape-shifting puzzle cube, that will keep your child captivated while they manipulate it into over 70 different shapes. It's like origami, but with magnets.
For ages 8 and up.
You can also collect all 12 puzzle box designs to connect multiple magnetic cubes to build even larger structures and sculptures.
Promising review: "I was hesitant about spending $25 for this toy and even more concerned when it showed up and I saw the size, but this got the award for favorite Christmas gift. Both my 9-year-old and 12-year-old play with it constantly!" —Blair001
Get it from Amazon for $20+ (available in 18 designs and a two- or four-pack).
21. 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: "These are fun for kids of all ages. My grandbabies love them because they can hold them in their baby hands. They are brightly colored and flexible. Unlikely to hurt anything. Older kids like them for the noise they make when they are stretched or closing. They create long chains (they attach to each other) and wild twisty things. All in all, a good toy for this grandma to have in her house." —Katy
Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $8.97 (also available in a four-pack or a larger size 5-pack).
22. A Melissa & Doug Paw Patrol magnetic puzzle that keeps puzzle pieces together so you won't have to get up to search for them. It also makes it easier for your little one to complete it on their own. BTW, this puzzle is also portable and makes the "perfect travel companion."
Promising review: "Great for traveling with a 3- and 4-year-old. It’s a great quiet time toy. The puzzles are magnetic and they don’t make a big mess." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
Your kiddo after a long day of playing:
