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 itspublishingpartners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Check out these trendy toys before they sell out.
1. A transforming Batmobile playset that opens up into a command center where Batman can reconvene and work with your kiddo to fight crime. The set has 20+ sounds and LED lights to make playtime really come alive.
Amazon
There's plenty for the 4-inch Batman figure to do in his command center! Fly on his Batglider, shoot villains with the blasters, gear up at the armory, and chat with Alfred on the Batcomputer.
Promising review: "My child still plays with it today six months later, so it's the best investment I ever got for him. I'm satisfied with the construction and stability. It's a fun toy for a 7-year-old. " —William
Get it from Amazon for $59.99.
2. A Bluey advent calendar so festive fun can start early. The set comes with 24 tiny treasures that'll make every day in December feel like mini Christmas. There are 16 accessories and five stickers in all; there's even a Christmas tree figure so Bluey's family can celebrate with you!
Amazon
Promising review: "Talk about holiday spirit in a box! Each day brings a new surprise that adds to the excitement leading up to Christmas. From mini figurines to cute little decorations, it’s a daily dose of joy. The kids eagerly await their turn to open the next door, and it’s become a cherished part of our holiday routine. Perfect for families looking to make the countdown to Christmas even more special." —Becca
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two styles).
3. A Dyson Ball toy vacuumthat *actually* sucks (in a good way)! Your kids will love the chance to help you around the house and you'll love having an at-home miniature cleaning service on call. Win win!
Amazon
There's a storage compartment you can remove that'll hold all the debris your kid picks up.
Promising review: "I bought one for 2-year-old child’s birthdaygift. Around this age loves pulling and pushing, this is perfectly developmentally appropriate material. Plus it does look like a real Dyson and sucks some real dust. It was absolutely thebestgiftfrom the party, the child dragged it all over the backyard. Once he put it down, his 2-year-old cousin played for next hour until he claimed it back. His parents were very happy too that he learns how to help round at home." —Kim
Get it from Amazon for$24.99+(available in two colors).
4. A very impressivedino race trackboasting 144 pieces of flexible track, dinosaur figurines, and — OMG — cars shaped like T. rex heads that *light up* when pushed along the track. Pretty impressive for the price, I have to say!
Amazon
Promising reviews: "If you think that you are buying a toy for your pet dinosaur, you will be mistaken. Don't let the description fool you! It's a TOY DINOSAUR train set. (I feel quite foolish now.) My grandson loves it. You can rearrange the track to lots of different configurations, and it is relatively sturdy. I don't expect this to last 50,000 years or so, but with care a good 5-10 should do it. Needs batteries. (Unlike REAL dinosaurs.) But it's also cool that, when you push it on the ground, the eyes light up even without batteries! (Teach your kids about generating electricity from dinosaurs, without having to go through the tedious oil to power station connection!)" —Fisack
"My son received this set as a gift for Christmas and he really loves it. I asked the gifter where they got it and I have since bought the same set two times as a gift to other toddlers my son's age. And each time it's a huge hit! Kids are just obsessed with this. Even myself had fun playing this with my son. I like how versatile the tracks are. Totally worth it!" —olive
Get it from Amazon for$28.99.
5. A shockingly elaborate toy that lets your youngster mix a potion and bring forth a new magical friend. After all the ingredients are added, the cauldron will smoke and deliver a plush toy.
The Mixie toy has several modes, which can be toggled through with a tap of the included wand. Wish mode lets young mages make a wish (they know it was granted if the toy's gem turns green), and enchantment mode lets the toy interact with the cauldron.
Promising review: "My whole family is impressed with this toy! My daughter has been playing with it constantly since she opened it. I saw it in an Amazon ad and knew she would love it. My hat’s off to the creators of this toy. They hit every mark, from originality, to playability, to cuteness. My daughter loves this toy and we are very happy with it!" —JonD
Get it from Amazon for $49.99+(available in two colors).
6. Or aMagic Mixies Pixie Supremes Magic Mirroroffering a quest for your young wizard to solve — there's a pixie trapped in a magic mirror and only they can free her! The fun continues long after the doll is freed — the mirror also tells fortunes. Hey mirror, is this the best gift ever?
Amazon, www.youtube.com
Here's how it works: Your child mixes a potion while the pixie oversees from the mirror and comments on their progress. Once the process is done, the pixie pops out of the mirror and is ready to play. The mirror also has a fortune telling mode that answers yes or no questions.
Promising review: "The price admittedly is high but honestly since you’re getting two toys for this and a magical experience to get the doll, I’m fine with it. The appearance of the doll and mirror toy is great and the quality is pretty decent. The mirror is sturdy and the doll is well made — my only complaint is the dress and the wand look and feel cheaper than the rest of the doll, but otherwise it’s great. Not to mention the experience was adorable and fun, it’s kind of like Build-a-Bear where your kid gets the feeling that they’re 'making' the doll by making this little potion. And the surprise at the end that reveals the doll was super fun and memorable. All in all, you get a fun magic-eight-ball-style magic mirror toy, a doll, and a fun little memory!" —Laura
Get it from Amazon for $55.80+ (available in two styles).
7. A Craft-tastic "Make a Fox Friend" kitso your little fashionista can create an equally fashionable pal. The kit comes with everything needed to make a fox stuffed toy along with on-trend accessories. Your little one will learn basic sewing skills, and they're sure to love putting on fashion shows with their new model.
Amazon
Promising review: "I got one of these for my little niece and her mother said she wished she could have one for herself to decorate her bedroom with. It's just darling." —Placeholder
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (also available in bunny).
8. Silly Poopy's Hide and Seek, a game that's pretty self-explanatory — take turns hiding this rainbow, light-up poop toyaround the house. It'll offer clues and eventually sing a victory song when it's found. Thank you, poop!
John Mihaly / BuzzFeed
Relatableis a small business that sells card games/toys, plushies, and pool floats.
Promising review: "My 6- and 3-year-olds are OBSESSED. They play for an hour at least! Played with daily since we got it. When it’s my turn to hide, I make it tricky enough that I can actually be productive until it’s my turn again." —Cara Lentz
Get it from Amazon for$12.99(also available as an egg).
9. A water gel art kit so cool, it's even on my wishlist. Aquatic artists can squirt the magic gel into an included mold before dipping them in water to bring squishy, 3D aquatic creatures to life. We Bought a Zoo? No, but we built an aquarium.
According to reviews, your new friends can stay fresh and squishable up to three days out of water and can retain their shape in water for about a week.
The kit comes with magic gel, molds, gloves, a scooper, and magic powder to get things started.
Promising review: "These were so cool! And such a good value for your money! They were so easy to make, they take maybe three minutes to make one to put in the water to form — we sat for over an hour last night making them! My son and I both had a great time. They are firm once formed, so they can easily be played with! We truly loved this find!" —Maddie
Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in three styles).
10. Kanoodle Ultimate Champion game, an updated version of the TikTok classic that your tween has probably seen 100 videos of. The new and improved version has 500 2D and 3D puzzles, plus a timer for an extra challenge. Despite being a social media darling, it is in fact a welcome break from screen time.
Amazon
Here's a TikTok video that shows how to play. It requires AAA batteries, so pick some up here.
BuzzFeed contributor John Mihalyhas this to say about this game:
"We love the classic version in our home, and it's been in heavy rotation since we got our hands on it. The object of the game is to finish a puzzle using all 12 Kanoodle pieces. The 2D version lies flat, while the 3D version (you can play both with this set) requires you to build a pyramid of pieces. Simple, fun, and challenging (harder puzzles reveal fewer pieces to start)."
Promising review: "Very easy to use and fun for all ages. Greatgiftidea and is small and compact, so you can take it anywhere with you!" —Jocelyn
Get it from Amazon for $19.95.
11. Anairbrush design kit bringing Jersey Shore boardwalk magic to your home. Your kid can deck themselves out with temporary tattoos, body art, and hair decals. Do I sense a future Inked contestant in the making?
Target
The kit comes with a cordless, cosmetic-grade airbrush pen, an adhesive stencil with 10 designs, four washable markers, gloves, hair extensions, two temporary tattoo sheets, and project guide.The washable markers and pen are formulated without parabens, phthalates, or harsh ingredients.
Get it from Target for $19.99.
12. A marble run setto start your child on their very own Rube Goldberg machine journey.They can dabble in problem-solving and basic physics while watching marbles zoom through tracks and obstacles.
Tip: The Super Set (seen above) is the 'Goldilocks' size — enough pieces to really have fun, but not too expensive.
Promising review: "My 5- and 3-year-olds (and I) 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 that losing a few doesn’t matter." —Joyce Parker
Promising review: "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 $34.99+(available in four sizes).
13. A Hello Kitty claw machine (!!!) that would have knocked me out cold if I received it as a kid. Your lucky duck can have fun trying to nab the eight included Sanrio character figures using the miniature controls. Now you can say, "we have claw machine at home."
Amazon
Once they've won them all, the capsules can be refilled with other toys or treats.
Promising review: "This item arrived super fast and in great condition. The crane game itself takes a little skill, but that's how they all are. The look on my child's face the moment we 'won' our first prize made it worth it right away. It's now going all day. :)" —David NJ
Get it from Amazon for $44.99.
14. A set of Crayola Scribble Scrubbie petsfor kids who never want to stop coloring. These critters can be colored with the included markers and then washed clean with the tub and brush (OK, cute!) so the fun can start again.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
The Peculiar Pets set includes: dragon, narwhal, yeti, and unicorn toys, a sparkly scrub tub, a scrub brush, nine washable markers, a 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 $25.
15. A Snap Circuits kit, a no-tools-needed STEM toy set for giving future engineers an introduction to electrical circuit basics. It has over 30 electronic parts that safely snap together in a variety of configurations. There are over 100+ projects to complete!
Amazon, www.amazon.com
The smallest kit comes with over 32 electrical components including snap wires, slide switches, an alarm circuit, a music integrated circuit, and a speaker. (Each piece is numbered and color-coded to make identifying them easy.) Plus, a plastic grid and a project manual with 101 different electronic projects.
Promising review: "Can I give this 6 stars? My 6-year-old son didn't ask me ONCE today for his tablet, video game or to play on my phone. He ignored a new movie on TV (one he had been BEGGING to see) because he was playing with this toy. He spent a couple of hours working with his dad, a couple experimenting by himself and another few HOURS working through the projects with his aunt. I LOVE THIS TOY!" —SnappinMom
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+(available in four sizes).
16. A"Bouncy Pals" hopping toyready to be the trusty stead for your active tot. The inflatable but sturdy mount will help let your little one get someshpilkes out without having to resort to jumping on your new couch.
iPlay, iLearn
It comes with a pump and is recommended for ages 18 months–4 years.
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 $29.99+(available in four animals).
17. A 100-piece set of Picasso Tiles, which is a parent favorite because they're not only comparable to expensiveMagna-Tiles,but also work withthe Magna-Tiles you might already have. If you're unfamiliar, these magnetic tiles snap together to create an endless array of buildings and sculptures, offering kids hours upon hours of open-ended play.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "I wish I had known about these sooner! PicassoTiles are *exactly* like Magna-Tiles but way more affordable. We just received the 100 tile set today — an early birthday gift for our soon-to-be-4-year-old. We have two sets of Magna-tiles — one with the grommets (purchased new last year) and one without (purchased second hand [no idea how old they are]). The PicassoTiles are the same weight and size as the MagnaTiles and have the same exact magnets. They do not have metal grommets, but the old MagnaTiles are indestructible, so I know that these will be too. And PicassoTiles are much prettier in my opinion, because they are slightly more translucent and have brighter colors. They integrate into the collection seamlessly. I highly recommend this product. And if you are considering buying any kind of magnetic tile toy for your child, I recommend purchasing as big a set as you can for versatility of play. Our son has played with these all day and night off and on every single day since we bought them last year. After integrating the new PicassoTile set, he hugged his enormous structure and declared them his favorite...twice. A wonderful toy!" —skater mom
Get it from Amazon for$39.99.
18. A Bitzeethat's a new take on the classic digital pet, aka the tried and true method for avoiding the "can we get a puppy?" conversation. Inside this ring box-like capsule, your child can interact with one of 15 virtual pets that responds to touch, tilts, and swipes. As they play, they can unlock more pets.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
When their pets evolve into Super Bitzees, they can find cool outfits and mini games. In a rare turn of events: Batteries are included!
Promising review: "My 8-year-old loves this thing so much that she hasn't put it down since she got it. It was the star of the show forChristmasand I got so many hugs for getting it for her.
This is basically the modern take on the old school Tamagotchis, but it has a fluttering LED bar that zips up and down at an extremely high rate of speed to mimic the appearance of an actual digital pet floating in midair. Seems weird at first, but that fluttering light bar also allows you to feel like you are really touching the animal — very cool in action.If you are a parent looking for the perfect gift for a 5-10-year-old child, then do yourself a favor and grab one of these, you will not regret it! Really awesome toy for a very reasonable price." —M. Myers
Get it from Amazon for $29.99(available in three styles).
19. A durable metal Big Dig sandbox digger crane with 360-degree rotation to help with serious excavations at the beach, playground, or backyard sandbox. That sandcastle needs a second pool, treasure room, *and* dungeon, so your little one has their work cut out for them.
Amazon
For ages 3+ years (weight limit of 110 pounds).
Promising review:"I don't write reviews often but we have had this for two days and my boys (3 and 5) woke up at 6:30 a.m., ate breakfast and got dressed and hustled outside on a gloomy rainy mid February morning in Seattle to play with this. They normally fight over whose turn it is, but instead they have been taking turns and playing like civil humans for an hour already. Best toy ever, bought a second one already so they don't have to share because there's only so long siblings can go before someone throws down." —Rk
Get it from Amazon for$47.80.
20. A rainbow-colored saucer swingto turn an otherwise boring living room into a playground. The seat can be mounted to the ceiling and is the perfect place for lounging, bouncing, and swinging. It's made for kids 5 and up, but it's sturdy enough for adults too — up to 260 pounds!
Amazon, www.amazon.com
The water-resistant swing works both inside and out. The small swing can hold up 220 pounds and the larger swing 260 pounds.
Promising review: "Very, very sturdy and easy assembly. We had a reunion and this swing kept the kids busy for hours. I definitely will be buying another." —msbakwudhic
Get it from Amazon for $37.99+ (available in two sizes).
21. Cra-Z-Art Disney Crystal Surprise figures that take a page from '00s toys and change colors when wet! The blind box features one of 12 characters, plus slime or "Cra-Z-Sand." Your kids will have fun trading with friends for their faves!
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review: "My daughter LOVES her Disney Crystal Surprise. She says the characters are cute and loves the slime and sand that came with her surprises. She loves playing with the accessories that came with each character. As a mom, I love this collectible toy. It’s something different and I see the value in it. The slime and sand are great, easy to play with and to clean up — no mess. We both like that everything fits back into the ball when she’s finished. I will definitely be using this for birthday gifts from now on." —RD
Get it from Amazon for $7.97.
22. ALittlest Pet Shop playset complete with two pets (a hamster and the exclusive capybara) and 20 accessories to provide only the best care. The hamster can run on the wheel, the capybara can enjoy a nice bath, and they can both tuck into a nice meal of cheese, cake, and lettuce afterwards. Oh, to be a pampered Littlest Pet.
The set comes with a collector card with personality deets about the capybara and a code that unlocks five digital surprises like pets and accessories. For more fun, grab more pets to add to the playset!
Promising review: "This set is made with durable plastic and will not fall apart easily. The pieces that come with it are mostly small, so I recommend this being stored somewhere it won't get lost.Overall, a fantastic set for a great price — only thing I can think of wrong with it is the capybara. The eye embossing is especially bad." —chammich
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
23. A Stairslide kit to turn any straight set of steps (boring) into a SLIDE (whimsical, fun, huge improvement). This major home upgrade will be a big hit with kids and perhaps win you a "you're my favorite parent" if you're lucky.
Amazon
Each slide covers about three steps, depending on the height of the stairs. You can customize the slide speed by laying them out at different angles, making it great for ages 3–13. It can hold up to 155 pounds.
Promising review: "Exactly as described! Well worth the price. Toddlers can use it with supervision and a soft landing on the stairway in our house. Easy to put on stairs, bed, or couch — my kids slide everywhere in the house! You can make it as big as you'd like. When put all together and steep it does go really fast, so be cautious. It's very strong and durable! It’s easy to collapse and put away onto itself in a corner or out of sight. Takes five seconds to put back up. No damage has been done to furniture or stairs. It has tired the kids out and also made them laugh so hard! All three take turns over and over again. We love it." —Jess
Get it from Amazon for $264.99+ (available in sets of four or eight).
24. A miniature baking set with everything you need to make mouse-sized meals. Kids as young as 6 can have fun making up to 20 tiny treats, like dainty deep dish pizza, mini monkey bread pie, and baby bacon quiche.
The set comes with a storage tin, rolling pin, wee knife, pizza/dough cutter, mixing spoon, three wee spoons, mixing bowl, pizza/pie pan, pie server, sheet pan, silicone cake and cupcake molds, two silicone finger mitts, and 48-page recipe book. The recipe book comes with explanations on how the food chemistry works so it's great for newbie food scientists.
Promising review: "I gave this to my sister for Christmas and she immediately used it to make mini treats with the kids. They LOVE it! I just kept getting texts and pictures from them about how functional and FUN it is." —Leslie Palmer
Get it from Amazon for $28.99.
25. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza — a card game delivering a heavy dose of high-energy, adorably illustrated fun right when your kid needs it. This has been a long-time bestseller because people of all ages absolutely love it!
Amazon
Here's how to play: You deal all the cards out to your two to four players, and everyone keeps their mini-deck face down. Everyone takes a turn putting a card down in the middle of the table, saying one of the words "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza," in that order. If the picture on your card matches the word that's said, everyone slaps their hand on the card in a pile as quickly as possible. The last person on the pile has to take the stack and add them to their cards, and whoever runs out of cards first wins!
Promising review: "Ridiculous in a good way! I was skeptical about how much I may enjoy this game being in my mid-30s. But it's a lot of fun! Easy to learn, easy to play, my 8-year-old has lots of fun with it. Its a great family game with the potential to be a late-night more adult-oriented event if you’re picking up what I'm throwing down. Cheers!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $9.84.
26. A splurge-worthyrechargeable laser tag setthat'll bring the arcade home. Shorter days will suddenly feel like a good thing because your kids will be able to run outside to play right after dinner. Your house is going to be THE playdate spot once word gets out.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
This set includes four rechargeable guns, four rechargeable vests, and one charging station. You can play approximately eight games per charge. The little LCD screens on the vest keep count of how many lives you have and the vest vibrates when you get shot/tagged. You can play with up to four teams and have to eliminate your enemies to win the game.
Promising review:"I am the aunt of five nephews (ages 3, 4, 8, 11, 21) and mother of a 3-year-old boy. I was hesitant to purchase this item as the price is a bit steep. It came almost fully charged so my 11-year-old nephew and I were able to test out it immediately. Upon opening the package the guns and vests were securely encased in foam. My nephew thought it looked great. Instruction were quick and easy to read and understand. We powered up the vest, then the gun as instructed — everything synced nicely. When the gun spoke my nephew's mind was completely blown.🤯 I strapped a vest to my nephew when my 3-year-old son came in the room so of course I had to suit him up as well. Guns and vest were lightweight and size went well on the 11-year-old as well as the 3-year-old. So easy to use, my 3-year-old had no problem reloaded and shooting. The accuracy and distance for gun to target IS GREAT! My son and nephew and myself had such a great time with this set, I got online and purchase another four-player set!" —Rebeccah Walker
Get it from Amazon for $199.99.
27. A pack ofplastic ballsso your child can experience a smaller (and cleaner) version of the ball pits we grew up with. This pack comes with enough for a pet or small child to have fun but...you could also buy more...and adults could join...just an idea...
Unsure how many to buy? Use this handy calculator. And grab a ball pit here.
Promising review: "I purchased for my children’s ball pit. They love them. I like the vibrant colors, and it's a great size for toddlers (they can’t fit the balls in their mouths). They're super easy to clean and very durable. Two years later and they are still intact!! Highly recommend. Good amount and priced well!!" —Yokasta Disla
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available four pack sizes and two colors).
28. A DIY puffy sticker kit because the only thing better than puffy stickers is making them yourself. The kit comes with a 16-page book and enough material for your kiddo to make 60 stickers.
Amazon
Promising review: "These are actually quite cute. The kit comes with everything needed to make the stickers — pre-colored images as well as images to color yourself. It can be a little tricky for little hands to layer everything correctly and get a nice good seal on the edges, but with a little help, little ones can make impressive puffy stickers. The instructions do state to not cut too close to the edge, which was done accidentally, and the sticker came apart — but after that, we made them correctly. I was hoping for a refill kit, but I don't believe one is available." —Annamarie
Get it from Amazon for $16.07.
29. A *magic* Crayola watercolor set that only works on the special included paper. That means your petite Picasso can let their paintbrush fly without you constantly worrying about them getting paint on the table, their clothes, the cat, etc.
The kit comes with a paintbrush, 18 special pieces of paper, and six clear paints that change colors when they hit the paper. The brush lights up to indicate what color is currently on the brush.
Promising review: "I saw this everywhere and wanted to get it for my kids. My kids love this magic light brush paint set. It's perfect for toddlers who want to paint but you don't want the whole mess. The only problem I found was the yellow after a few swipes wouldn't make yellow anymore no matter how much I rubbed the brush on the palette. It would be an orange-brown color. It wasn't a deal breaker for us. Overall, it's fun, and the kids love it." —Ashley
Get it from Amazon for $24.88.
30. A solar-powered DIY robot kitoffering your fledgling scientist the ability to build12 different types of moving robots.The kit includes 190 pieces, a solar panel, and detailed instructions that kids 8 and up can easily understand.
The kit comes with everything needed to build one of 12 robots that can move on land and water.
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 $31.99.
31. A pair of kid binocularsthat'll expand their worldview and let them sneak peeks at birds, squirrels, and other critters in their backyard. These are durable, easy to use, and perfect to make your next hike together even more fun.
Amazon
The binoculars have oversized eyepieces, 2x magnification, and a breakaway neck strap.
Promising review:"Even a year later this toy is going strong in our household. It was a gift to our then-2-year-old and she LOVES it. Its made to last, so no matter the beatings, it's still going strong." —Jarynette Montejano
Get them from Amazon for$9.69+(available in two colors).
32. A National Geographic geode science kitbecause nothing breaks up the monotony of everyday life quite like literally breaking up some rocks. Depending on what size you get, the kit comes with 4–10 geodes your mini geologist can hammer open to discover dazzling crystals.
www.amazon.com, Amazon
Promising review: "I’m anadultin my 30s, but I was such a rock nerd as a kid, so when I saw this kit, I knew I had to buy it! I ended up buying it for myself and myadultsiblings as a Christmas present — we had so much fun cracking open the rocks on Christmas Day, it brought be back to my childhood! Highly recommend this kit; you get a lot of rocks for the price, and it’s so fun cracking open a rock and discovering what’s inside." —Anna
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes).
33. A set ofGlobbles, TikTok-famous fidget toys that are squishy, colorful, and stick to any surface you throw them at without leaving a residue. Your kids will have fun launching these across the room when it's too cold or rainy to go outside.
Promising review: "Bought a six-pack for my neurodivergent family. We are all either ADHD or autistic. I struggle with compulsive hair pulling and bought these to help keep my hands busy. They are the perfect size, more satisfying than a stress ball, clean easily, fun to hurl at the wall or ceiling, and so far have lasted very well. I did test the durability of one and did break one when I pulled it as hard as I could — the inside looked something like shaving cream and didn’t smell or anything. But if you have a kid who is an aggressive chewer, perhaps keep an eye on them." —Amazon Customer
Get a set of six from Amazon for $9.99.
34. A snappingfort-building kitto bring their fort making to the next level. Your future engineer can build igloos, forts, castles, tunnels, and even McMansions — all without disassembling the whole living room. Your kid stays busy and your couch cushions stay in place.
Amazon, www.amazon.com
Promising review: "My 4-year-old old loves them! I'm running out of room in her play area! I ordered two of the 82-piece sets because she's constantly trying to rearrange our basement furniture so she could build forts. Took her a bit to figure out how to get the perfect angles out of the connecting balls but she is now a pro. Our basement currently has a large spaceship and an igloo shaped fort that she wants to sleep in. We still have pieces left and she insists that I buy more to build bigger. 🤣" —Michael B Wright
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
35. A flower-building activity setthat's both literally and figuratively a STEM toy! Kids 3 and up can use their imagination to build elaborate floral arrangements and then use the included watering can to keep the pretend play going.
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 $15.98+(available in three sizes and a storage case option).
Reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
