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
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
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
The kit comes with the giant bubble wand, two pouches of bubble concentrate, and a booklet to help you become a skilled bubble artiste.
Promising review: “Love this!! Easy for kids to use — my six-year-old son figured it out pretty quick — and fun for adults as well (my husband and I might have played with it as much as our son did…) Makes amazing bubbles. The bubble mix it comes with is fantastic.” — Thomas Durant
Promising review: “This works like magic! It’s easy to use and makes a beautiful gift from the kids!” — Sj773
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
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
Use the coder CYBER.
This is great for kids 5 and up. It comes with everything they need to build an ice skating rink with three skaters.
Promising review: “Perfect for my 7-year-old! She LOVED putting it together and was able to follow the instructions easily. Once built, it worked perfectly and the quality is good enough to keep as a Christmas decoration for years to come!” — Suzanne
Relatable is 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
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
It’s recommended for ages 8 and up! 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: “Oh my…super fun game. Laughter all around. Gave to my son as a little extra something in Christmas stocking, he’s 18. I could tell he was thinking, what is this? But when we played as a family over the holiday, we had so much fun and laughed a lot, great memories will be shared over this game for a long long time!! Later, same day after playing, he told me he thought it wasn’t going to be fun at all but now it was the best stocking stuffer ever;-). He and college roommates have the best time with this game. My oldest daughter has since purchased the game as well. Great fun! Buy it!” — Horse Girl
Here’s a TikTok video that shows how to play. It requires AAA batteries, so pick some up here.
BuzzFeed contributor John Mihaly has 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. Great gift idea and is small and compact, so you can take it anywhere with you!” — Jocelyn
Promising review: “Rather than toys, I love giving gifts that kids can do and explore. I recently gave this set to an awesome 9-year-old, and I’ve been told many times how awesome the set is and how much he’s enjoying it! Recommend!” — T.M.B
The indoor jungle gym has a trapeze swing, rope ladder, rock wall, ramp climber, slide, pull-up bar, and more. There’s a max weight is 220 pounds per person and a total weight capacity is 500 pounds.
Promising review: “Like many parents, we are always looking for ways to give our little acceptable outlets for his energy. We retooled a spare room for his playroom and looked for something that would look great, hold up to abuse, give him hours of fun, and be a good value. This structure ticked all the boxes. We were a bit intimidated by the assembly, but it was completely unnecessary! The instructions are clear, well documented, you can see every screw in the picture which is incredibly rare. Every piece lined up exactly right. This is a stellar value and we are so happy we made this purchase.” — Katherine
The LED basketball turns on when bounced and turns off automatically when not in use. LR44 batteries included.
Promising reviews: “Oh my goodness! This was the hit of the Christmas! The grandkids all loved this basketball. It completely lights up and shines bright playing at night. It’s regulation size and weight. Bounces just like a regular basketball. We couldn’t get the kids to come back inside. This is a great gift for any kid who loves playing basketball!” — JJ
“I thought this couldn’t be as cool as it seemed — BUT IT’S COOLER!!!! It’s very bright, and just everything I thought and more. We usually have to wrap up once the sun goes down, but this has opened our world.” — Copus Christi
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
,
BuzzFeed editor Heather Braga has this to say: “My mom got these for my son (who is 2.5-years-old at the time of this writing), and it has been SUCH a game changer for us. He loves to color and paint, and demands to do so often, which usually results in a lot of setup, a lot of cleanup, and only about 10 minutes of him actually being entertained. With this kit, we can leave the markers out alongside the coloring book, and he can come and go to it as he feels fit. Thankfully, they really do ONLY color on the magic paper. It’s become a must-have item in our home, and I’ll totally be gifting it to other toddler parents.”
See it in action on TikTok!
This gadget is both a blessing and a curse. On the very positive side, my son loves it! He uses it to fill up cups, “clean” his toys, and tickle his own feet (adorable). I’ve used it to thoroughly wash his hair and rinse soap suds off of him in a bubble bath. However, I gotta warn any fellow parents that there is a VERY high chance you are going to get sprayed by your child at SOME point. If you don’t mind getting a little wet on occasion, this toy is a 10/10.
Promising review: “A baby registry must-have! I saw this item on TikTok and knew I had to have it! It’s great for all ages! My 3-month-old loves it and so does my 5-year-old! All you need are batteries and then your good to go!” — brittany
Find out why this parent calls it “one of our favorite toys for our son” on TikTok. My toddler was just running around like a creature yelling “WHERE IS MY WORD BOOK?” as I attempted to write this post. It’s been a fan fave in our home — and for good reason! It’s very easy for him to operate all on his own, he learns tons of words from it (duh) and it has the ability to play in both English and Spanish. I’ve already purchased it as a gift for one of the other kids in my life today.
Promising review: “This may be my favorite LeapFrog toy yet!! So much to teach children, two languages, and it has actually kept my 1-year-old’s attention for more than 60 seconds!!! It’s a must-have toy in my opinion!” — Megan Hennegan
“Our 18-month-old toddler loves it! Clear words makes it easy for babies to repeat. A must-have toy 👍” — Zaida
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
,
See this bubble machine in action on TikTok here.
This bubble maker includes: bubble gun, two bottles of bubble solution, a rechargeable battery, a charger, and a plate to place the bubble solution. My sister got it for my son for his first birthday and we’ve been using it through all the seasons — bubbles don’t discriminate! We broke it out during a Labor Day BBQ with a bunch of toddlers present and they all were bursting with excitement! I mean, just look at the GIF above — the bubbles really come atcha!!
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
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
Promising review: “I purchased this set for my daughter’s first birthday and she loves it! She loves play food and I wanted to get her a shape sorter. This set has both, is really cute and, best of all, is self-contained! It has three different play settings, two different volume settings as well as “off,” isn’t obnoxiously loud, and my daughter enjoys it even when it is turned off entirely with no music, sounds or lights at all (for now)! I would highly recommend!” — Fierce Logic
The set includes three reusable puffy sticker activity books with dress-up, princess, and mermaid themes.
Promising reviews: “These are perfect sticker books for younger kids and toddlers because of the puffy stickers. The stickers aren’t very sticky, but that’s why I like them. My 2-year-old can play and play with them and I don’t have to worry about them damaging my coffee table! Also, they make great gifts and are wonderful to bring on planes or to restaurants to keep kids busy!” — RaeK
“I know all kids are different but these kept my toddler busy and interested like almost nothing else I bought during this shelter-in! She has had for weeks and continues to go back and reuse quietly for up to 30 minutes by herself! We’ve tried some other similar products, but these stickers are so easy for her to peel off and they stick over and over again. Very very happy with this pretty simple product!” — Stephanie McCullen
The templates includes designs for a boat, unicorn, elephant, and more.
Promising review: “My grandchildren LOVE it! Colors are great, easy as plug -nd-play…or, play, then plug in for a big WOW effect at the end. Great buy, shipped very fast, fun for all ages.” — Placeholder
,
Promising review: “We thought this for our baby for as a Christmas gift. I’ve been eyeing it for a while. It’s better than we expected. Very soft and cuddly. I can’t wait to see him open it in a month!” — MC
,
Collect matching sets of three cards, then challenge other players to duels, battles, and wars! Duck, dodge, and have a great time playing this dodgeball card game. Recommended for ages 7+.
Promising review: “I saw the reviews on this game, and it seemed silly enough that my 7-year-old nephew might enjoy it. I was nervous because it wasn’t on his Christmas list, and he is VERY particular. He was unsure at first, but after playing some rounds with his mom, dad, and brothers, it was clear that it was definitely NOT a bust!! As my 38-year-old sister would say, ‘It’s so much chaotic fun; the more people, the better!’ This game reminds me of dodgeball mixed with a card game, Spoons, that I played in middle school. I personally would recommend that people of the same age play together, but kids and adults can have a great time together, too!” — Wife and Mom Getting By
,
Promising review: “This McLaren Lego set is fantastic! The two cars included are incredibly detailed and adorable, making them perfect for both kids and car enthusiasts. The build process was fun and satisfying, with easy-to-follow instructions. The set is a great gift, especially for McLaren fans or anyone who loves sleek, sporty cars. The finished models look great on display and are also sturdy enough for imaginative play. Highly recommended! There were extra pieces that I just added on somewhere for added features. It’s about hand size and great for 10+.” — Bre
Promising review: “I love that it has sounds for the stovetop, and lights for the oven. Perfect for playtime. Feels sturdy and was super easy to put together. My toddler is pretty hard on it too and it’s holding up.” — Samantha Vasquez
Promising review: “We got this ball pit bundle for my son’s first birthday, and he absolutely loves it. It’s nice and soft but keeps its shape nicely. I do wish it came with more balls, but other than that it’s great!” — Katelin E.
Promising review: “So many things you can do with these rocks. We played with them for an hour once we opened them.” — MCE
Don’t forget to check the 10% off coupon for a deeper discount!
,
Promising review: “My son loves this toy! It’s perfect for the Little toddlers that have a habit of messing with your Kitchen utensils/appliances.” — Nona
We originally got this toy for my son and have now passed it along to my daughter. They both still get a real kick out of it — I’ve found them both giggling while the adorable elephant plays peek-a-boo. So cute!
Promising review: “Best toy ever. We gave this to my 9-month-old granddaughter, and it quickly became her best friend. She was and still is enthralled by the moving ears and is learning to clap to the musical tune. She even giggles every time the elephant does. The toy is very soft and is a good size. Quality and fun!” — Sari
Promising review: “Beautiful design, sturdy build, and my kids can’t get enough of it. Perfect for imaginative play and looks great in the playroom. Highly recommend!” — Customer
,
Promising review: “Got my toddler aged son this train set and he loved it so much that we have bought others as gifts for our friend’s kids. Great price for the amount of pieces that it comes with, and I love that you can make basic tracks for younger kids or more complex ones for older kids to play with. It also comes with lots of accessories to add to hours of imaginative play. Wood is great quality and smooth and all of the pieces fit together easily. It’s definitely a set that will last a long time and is worth the investment.” — Megan P
Promising review: “I gave this to my grandkids for Christmas and they were thrilled. They had so much fun making the notes with their feet and they loved hearing back what they ‘composed.'” — MammaMe
,
While it’s not on sale, I can’t help but recommend you also check out the Ms. Rachel singing doll. My kids are obsessed!
Promising review: “The surprise learning box is excellent, with top-notch packaging and durability. It’s easy to use and loved in our home. It offers great value for money due to the variety, quality, and design. The safety features and attention to detail are commendable. My twins enjoy Ms. Rachel’s video and playing with the box. It’s highly rated for little ones!” — Kimberly