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 pack of TikTok-famous Crayola Globbles you can hurl against a wall and slowly roll back down without leaving a sticky residue! Because there is something so satisfying about sticking things to walls, these are fun for adults to play with, too!
Watch this mom explain why Globbles are her "new favorite thing ever" on TikTok.
Promising review: "My 15-year-old asked for these after seeing them on TikTok. I got them as a stocking stuffer, thinking they’d be tossed aside. Unbelievably he and his 17-year-old brother have spent time lying on the floor, tossing them up to the ceiling, and waiting for them to fall so they can catch them. I never expected them to get this much use. Bonus is they’re off their phones and in the family room with us." —Amazon Customer
Get a set of six from Amazon for $10.69.
2. A flower-building activity set that will allow them to create their own little garden. With tons of possible combinations, this is a toy that's ~budding~ with 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 $13.98+ (available in two sizes).
3. An amazingly ridiculous Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek game because if you can't beat your kid's love of bathroom humor, you might as well have fun with it. Simply hide the poopy, and your kiddo can follow the flatulent clues to find it! Plus, it's easy enough for your kids to play by themselves while you take a moment to sit for once.
Promising review: "This game is HILARIOUS. My kids love playing with it and taking turns hiding it. (8, 6, and 3 years). They all think poop is funny and run around yelling 'Silly Poopy, where are you?' It keeps them busy for at least half an hour at a time and they leave me alone. Also? It's pretty durable. I found it outside in my garden in the 20-degree winter weather. I guess my 8-year-old left it out there for a few days. It also gets thrown down the stairs and Silly Poopy just keeps on giggling and having fun." —Adele
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
4. A box of 72 mini dinosaur toys that any dino-loving kid will think is absolutely ~rawrsome.~ The set comes with enough figures to set up some extended play, but also won't be so upsetting if one accidentally goes extinct.
Also great as cake toppers and party bag favors!
Promising review: "HI, we were quite amazed at the variety of dinosaurs included in our pack. We expected the usual three but got quite a variety of dinosaurs and we got three or more of each. The colors were fantastic. Bright vivid blues and greens and purples. The size was relatively small which worked well as my daughter used them as homemade Valentines for her friends. Overall, we were very happy with our purchase." —H. Bowen
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
To see some other inexpensive goodies, check out our roundup under-$10 parenting products with a ton of five-star reviews!
5. A delightful "Bouncy Pals" unicorn hopping toy that will have them bouncing around the room and burning off energy. This simple toy is ridiculously fun and will have your kid trying to bounce high enough to seem like they're actually using those little wings.
Apparently it's actually an "alicorn" since it has wings, but I'm just assuming that means your little mystical creature enthusiast is going to be doubly excited.
Promising review: "It was super easy to inflate, came with an extra 'plug,' and is cute enough to give a T-rex a cavity. The material is VERY sturdy…reminds me of what you would make an inflatable raft with…really tough! My granddaughter loves it, even just to sit on and watch tv. The cover is easy to clean (by hand, allow to air dry) and not difficult to put back on and zip. I’m pretty sure it will be around for a long time!!!" —Athena L.Stallman
Get it from Amazon for $29.69.
6. An LCD writing tablet and doodle pad that gives your kid something to do without having to keep track of 47 crayons, 12 markers, and tons of wasted paper. It also stores easily for an awesome toy for on-the-go.
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).
7. A Dyson toy vacuum that actually has a bit of suction for any kid who just HAS to "help" with chores around the house. There's nothing cuter than a kid seeing a mess and confidently saying, "I've got this one."
Promising review: "Our son is addicted to our vacuum. So much so that he makes a mess just so he can watch the vacuum clean it up. Thank the heavens for this little vacuum. It looks just like our Dyson and is the perfect size for our little man (18 months now, 15 months when we bought it). It fits his hand perfectly, makes noise, and actually vacuums fine (not very well, but enough to where we have to empty every week or so). Nevertheless, this product is very durable. It has been dropped down our wooden steps more times than I can count with zero issues. Completely satisfied." —Tom W.
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
8. A pack of 500+ puffy stickers for whatever stickering needs your child has. Distracting a crying toddler? Taking a stab at that baby book? Buying yourself 10 minutes of quiet to take a phone call? Grab the stickers.
The stickers feature letters, numbers, vehicles, butterflies, deep-sea life, animals, fish, dinosaurs, and more.
Promising review: "My 1.5-year-old is obsessed with these. Not sticky enough to do any damage but can also be reused a few times." —Katie Merkatoris
Get a pack of 20 sheets from Amazon for $5.99.
9. A light-up, squirting whale bath toy that will level up bath time. There is nothing quite like the squeals of delight from babies with squirting toys, and this toy delivers. Reviewers are amazed at just how much their kids love this toy! Get ready to be overwhelmed by cuteness.
See why this parent says this toy is a hit with their 7-month-old on TikTok.
Promising review: "My grandson LOVES this! He has so much fun! Loves the colors and how it squirts the water. Really cute for a 1- or 2-year-old. Heck I think it's fun and cute! Definitely a must-have for bath time!" —Faye
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four colors).
10. A Melissa & Doug ice cream station that includes play money to train up your little entrepreneur. Toddlers and small kids love ice cream toys for some reason. Those icy treats have a hold on the entire lot — and it's so much fun. This set includes stackable ice cream and toppings, a scoop, and even a wooden spoon to give out free samples. The creations are fun, and your toddler will love charging you for the biggest ice cream treat you've ever seen.
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 $45.99.
11. A wooden puzzle you can use to create fun images or to start your kiddo on the complexities of Tetris from an early age. Either way, they'll love this tech-free toy and the creativity that comes with it!
Reviewers say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3 to 12. Each puzzle is 40 pieces and helps improve fine motor skills, problem solving, and critical thinking.
Promising review: "Excellent for learning! Must-have! Such a wonderful toy/puzzle! Similar in some way to tangrams. Great for stimulating thinking and problem solving. My 3-year-old's teacher was blown away by her working the puzzle so easily." —tigerhax
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
12. A pair of Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers for kids who need to get that big energy out. Since they're going to be wrestling anyway, might as well put some protective suits on and let them have at it. The giggles are included free of charge.
PSA: Make sure helmets are worn during bump battles to keep everyone's noggins safe.
Promising review: "Great for the kids. The kids have been playing with this for hours. One of them even asked if they could sleep in it. It’s great for winter indoor fun. I highly recommend this product." —RyanAndFaith
Get it from Amazon for $21.99, and get a kids helmet for $28.38+ (available in two sizes and nine colors; suitable for ages 2–14).
13. A Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes musical toy that's perfect for on-the-go or at home. My own kids had this, and I loved that it kept them occupied while out and about without the music grating on my nerves as I was trying to drive.
14. A kids' camera for any aspiring photographers. At last, a break from, "hey, take a picture of this" or from finding 152 fuzzy shots of a bowl of cereal on your phone.
It comes with 32 GB to store thousands of photos. In addition to taking normal pictures, it can also take selfies and record videos. It's also made of tough plastic, making it durable enough for a kid who is still working on coordination.
Promising review: "My 8-year-old niece has documented her life for the past year on this camera. She really loves it, which is great because she got it with her birthday money. It's great when a child's choice turns out for the best." —Teresa
Get it from Amazon for $27.19+ (available in five colors).
15. A Lite-Brite because some toys never go out of style. Relive the magic of your childhood with this classic toy — pegs and design template sheets included!
My daughter got this as a gift a few years ago and the simple joys of Lite-Brite have really held up. It's been so fun watching her enjoy something I loved so much as a kid!
Promising review: "Y’all, talk about a throwback gift! I got this for my daughter for Christmas in 2019 — and within the first day she and I both played with it for hours! To say it’s her favorite might be an understatement. And it totally takes you back to your childhood. Get it you won’t regret it!" —Danielle Lavender
Get it from Amazon for $14.97.
16. A Learning Resources Botley The Coding Robot 2.0 activity set that teaches coding for young kids without even needing a screen! Your kid is going to love controlling their own robot, and you're going to love a toy that is sneakily working their brain.
Promising review: "I purchased this toy for my daughter who just turned 5. She absolutely loves playing with Botley and the coding is very straightforward and easy for her to understand. She loves that she is able to program different codes to turn Botley into a frog, train, ghost, and more. I love that she is able to learn how to program things in a sequence and use if/then logic when playing. This is a great toy for children who love to learn about technology, and I love that it's a screen-free activity that encourages children to use their thinking cap and imagination during playtime!" —Southern Made Simple
Get it from Amazon for $64.63.
17. Or this DIY robot kit to create a new robot over and over for a major STEM win. With solar-powered movement, tons of building combinations, and the ability to work on multiple types of terrain, this robot is sure to keep their attention.
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. And, this isn't just for little boys. 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 $24.99.
18. A wooden geoboard that uses rubber bands to create fun images! This set comes with 35 pattern cards, but don't be surprised if your kiddo starts creating their own patterns, too!
Promising reviews: "This item was exactly what I needed for some of the younger children because handling the rubber bands helps develop their fine motor muscles. It also encourages imagination and creativity and counting. They make designs and love it. For older ages there are cards with designs for them to try and duplicate. Young children can also make shapes and letters thus developing math and literacy skills. This is a sturdy, well-made geoboard." —Kathleen Loden Barbuti
"Bought the geoboard for my 4-year-old grandson who enjoyed making his own pictures and designs. As a retired math teacher, I can tell you that geoboards are great hands-on learning tools for children of any age. My seventh-grade students loved when our lessons involved 'playing' with geoboards!" —anne porter
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
19. A Disney princess necklace activity set so your jewelry-obsessed bebe can achieve true beading nirvana. Don't be surprised if you get lots of little beaded gifts to match — a true upside of having kids who love making bracelets.
Promising review: "My 3-year-old twins loved it, entertained for hours, which is rare and so worth $7. Perfect for teaching coordination, color patterns, and 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 $12.99+ (available in 17 styles).
20. A battery-free race track that'll challenge them to get to the finish line through obstacles without over-stimulating sirens or race music for you. This multifunctional toy can teach cause and effect and problem-solving, but the real selling feature for your kid will undoubtedly be the helicopter that can actually lift up the cars. Whatever allows you to drink hot coffee, amirite?
The track includes a toy police car, ambulance, and fire engine.
Promising review: "You know how you want to give gifts that are educational and fun? Gifts that encourage kids to explore and figure things out for themselves through play? Gifts that do not involve screens or videos or batteries, that do not flash or make annoying noises or 'talk' in a squeaky voice that sets the dog to barking? This is the gift you want to give. Easy to assemble, fun for adults to play with before wrapping, perfect for little kids upon opening. A little challenging for the 2-year-old to always keep the cars on the tracks and to line up the car with the helicopter for pickup, but something to learn and grow into. The 4-year-old declares it his favorite toy. This grandma loves it because it's kid-powered, appealing, and sturdy, and who doesn't love to push buttons, turn cranks, and close up a drawbridge. Very pleased I found this and broke my rule about no plastic gifts!" —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
21. A set of beautiful, nontoxic constellation blocks that are so much more fun than plain wooden blocks for your little stargazer. Enjoy learning about the stars together while building yet another epic tower of blocks!
Uncle Goose is a Michigan-based small business that specializes in making wooden block toys made in America.
Promising review: "Beautifully crafted and just the right size for toddler hands, these blocks have different information on each side. The perfect gift for that little future astronaut in your family." —Val Webb
Get it from Amazon for $28+ (available in 12 designs).
22. A set of parachute toys because there is something inexplicably fun about throwing things off the stairs and watching them float down. This classic toy has been updated to stay tangle-free, meaning fewer frustrating episodes of trying to untangle a woebegone parachuter as you also try to keep your cool.
Promising review: "I bought these for my 4-year-old nephew and 2-year-old niece for when they come to visit. Right out of the box, they were excited and loved tossing them up in the air and watching them fall. I was amazed as to how long it kept their interest and the different ways they played with them. They dropped them off the stair landing, off the couch, in the yard and held them behind them to expand as they ran. My niece liked 'dancing' with them and twirling it around. Good colors and very well made. Hours of fun and the best $7 I ever spent on a toy!" — hiker0811
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $9.29.
23. A National Geographic geodes kit to inspire the next generation of geologists. Science is 150 times more fun when you're smashing things with a hammer — just try to prove me wrong.
My 6-year-old LOVES geodes, and her love began with a set similar to this one. Learning about volcanos and minerals has her convinced she's going to be a geologist one day and I will gladly support any and all STEM endeavors. There's something so cool about learning the force needed to safely crack open a geode, and — unlike other science kits — they get to keep the findings as long as they want.
This science kit includes 10 natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, three display stands, and one learning guide.
Promising review: "My daughter is 10 and this kept her busy for HOURS! She had so much fun and was excited every time she got a glimpse of what might be inside. A couple of them were pretty cool, while the rest were just white. She didn't care, she loves them all. She was so proud to gift them to her grandparents." —Michelle
Get it from Amazon for $19.05+ (available in four sizes).
24. A Stomp Rocket launcher that can launch a rocket 200 feet into the air. Kids love watching the rockets fly up, and you'll love watching them chase the rockets and start all over again. This award-winning toy allows your kiddos to adjust the angles and pressure applied, creating different levels of height every time — a STEM masterpiece!
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 $19.97+ (available in three styles).
25. A set of Crayola Scribble Scrubbie pets that can be colored and washed over and over again. Finally — an art project that doesn't take up wall space AND encourages creativity.
The Peculiar Pets set includes: one dragon, one narwhal, one yeti, one unicorn, one sparkly scrub tub, one scrub brush, nine washable markers, one standing play mat, and an instruction sheet.
Promising review: "My daughter LOVES coloring, stickers, drawing, etc. so when I saw this prior to her fourth birthday, I thought she would enjoy it. It was a HUGE hit and it will regularly keep her occupied for an hour or so at a time coloring, cleaning, and coloring again (with only minor help when asked for more help cleaning and drying). Even my 6-year-old son who doesn't usually color or draw will join her periodically and seems to enjoy it. The markers are short and skinny, great for small hands." —Flame_On_Mal
Get it from Amazon for $16.90+ (available in two styles).
26. A two-sided Learning Resources "Big Feelings Pineapple" that helps teach emotional awareness much better than that *better-known* potato. They can create faces on both sides to help learn a wide range of emotions and — BONUS — all of the pieces fit inside the pineapple for easy storage.
Promising review: "We love this pineapple! It’s been a great help for us when we talk about emotions as a family. I really like the feelings poster (would love if it was a bit larger!) and I love that the pineapple has two sides. Learning Resources products are impressive! I also appreciate the online resources they have (free printables) that can be used with the pineapple. Highly recommend!" —Katie Shuknecht
Get it from Amazon for $7.19+ (also available as a deluxe set).
We've also got you covered with recommendations for under-$15 parenting products with five-star reviews, BTW.
27. A construction-themed folding play set perfect for any construction enthusiast! They will love the working crane, wrecking ball, and digger, and when they're done, it's self-contained, so they can pack it up easily.
Promising review: "Received this as a gift for my 4-year-old and he LOVES it and could spend an hour with it at a time. It has become an outdoor toy, due to not wanting sand in my house — it’s definitely cleaner than regular sand, but let’s be realistic, it’s still sand so it does have the potential to get out of the box. Love the case for it, it closes up tightly. The trucks and molds are cute. We also got the two expansion kits, which are great, as well. I do suggest getting an extra bag of sand." —Sam I Am
Get it from Amazon for $18.69.
28. A nontoxic Hape wooden toolbox and accessory play set for your little builder! My kids have a toolbox and I continue to be obsessed when they come up with their tools at the ready to "fix" something. Absolutely, my overconfident toddler — you've got this one.
Includes: wooden toolbox, hammer, screwdriver, wrench, three sets of screws and screw caps, board connector, two gears and plastic nail. It may also be one of the toys that'll make the kids put down the iPad.
Promising review: "After watching his dad and me put together his new toddler bed, my son got super excited over 'helping' to fix things, but of course letting him use real metal tools wasn’t something I wanted to do just yet...so I was trying to choose between a plastic set of tools that were cartoonish styled, and this wooden set that was a little more expensive. I am soooo glad I got this set instead! It’s not been out of the box more than 30 minutes, and he has learned how to hammer in 'nails,' take them out again with the back of the hammer, use a wrench and screwdriver in tandem to work a 'screw' and 'bolt,' as well as put gears on the side of the kit so that they spin each other. The tools are all very well made but not heavy, so there’s no fear of him breaking stuff if he decides to run around hammering things." —Khestra
Get it from Amazon for $19.30.
29. A Polly Pocket unicorn party play set for a portable play set that includes a carrying handle for scree-free play anywhere. With over 25 surprises, this play set has all of the joy from the Polly Pocket of your childhood but travels even more easily with a handle — because did Polly Pocket ever REALLY fit in a pocket?
PSA: One of the surprises is *deep breath* confetti. Keep the vacuum at the ready.
Promising review: "All I can say is WOW!!! As an original Polly Pocket fan from back in the day I would have DIED to get this as a kid! There are soooo many fun surprises in this thing! My daughter couldn’t believe her eyes! You get so many versatile pieces — there’s all kind of cute little things you can put on necklaces or rings (anything with the little heart on the bottom can go on a ring) my little one plays with this all the time and loves switching out her jewelry with the different little pieces! The only con is be careful when you open it — there’s tons of confetti in the things! So make sure you are over a trash can or have the vacuum ready :)." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $13.49.
30. An electric Kid Trax USPS mail delivery truck to allow your kid to live out their dream as one of their close personal heroes: a mail carrier. With letters to deliver, working headlights, a radio, and a horn get ready to make their mail delivery dreams adorably come true!
Promising review: "I purchased this specifically for my best friends' kids and they love it! They also enjoy the included mailbox and envelopes to deliver! If you're searching for a ride on that sparks imagination, then this one is a great choice! I've purchased ride-ons before but none of them had the advanced features that this product does. Not only does it have working headlights and a horn, but it even has a FM radio/MPS player input! The tires seem to have decent traction too. The instructions for assembly were clear. Some of the parts came pre-assembled, such as the spacers on the wheels. (So if you think you are missing a part, simply double check the product pieces.) It feels sturdy and will work really well for the recommended ages!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $319.99.
31. A Bluey Mega Bundle Home & BBQ playset for ultimate Heeler family imaginative play. Fair warning: They WILL ask you for a round of musical statues and/or demand you call them by their alter-ego, Janet.
Promising review: "My kids love this Bluey house. It was cheaper to buy this set than the house on its own with the separate barbecue and family sets. My kids play with it all the time and they can be a little rough on the toys. They’ve held up extremely well although we’ve only had the set for a couple of weeks. Mine was packaged in a separate box so the contents were hidden (which was great since my kids always come with me to the door)." —JMBreviews
Get it from Amazon for $59.99.
32. A Leapfrog learning pot for any kid who loves to help in the kitchen or who is ready to embrace their inner pressure cooker master. Along with open-ended play, this toy can walk them through simple recipes AND can help them learn counting and colors! This toy is literally *chef's kiss.*
Promising review: "My 3-year-old grandson has one of these, and when I brought my granddaughter over to his house to play, she immediately fell in love with this toy. I had to buy her one for her fourth birthday and this became her favorite toy at her party. The crockpot talks to the kids, tells them what to put in it and counts with them, and does other activities. For some reason, it captivates the children and they love it." —XanetiaZ
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
33. Or a Play-Doh Kitchen Creations "Rising Cake Oven Bakery" play set for any kid who watched The Great British Baking Show and ran with it. This toy allows them to "bake" impressive cakes, practice their piping skills with Play-Doh, and even create cakes with surprises inside! "Ready. Set. BAKE."
Includes five Play-Doh colors.
Promising review: "This is a great Play-Doh set. Super adorable, LOVE how you can fill the pan with 'cake batter,' then lock it into the stove and use the lever to make the cake 'rise.' The kids are thrilled with it. A couple of things to note: Make sure the cake pan is locked into the oven by sliding its lower edge under the notches. After pulling the lever, you need to put it back into its original position BEFORE trying to open the oven door. Don't force it or it could break. Also note that the set will need additional Play-Doh if you want to make any color of cake other than pink. It comes with enough pink Play-Doh to make a cake but not enough of any other colors to make a cake. That wasn't a problem for us, we have PLENTY of Play-Doh." —elise
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.