I’m lightyears away from having kids of my own. Although I’ve dreamed of being a mom ever since I was younger, I’m not rushing to make it happen. Let’s face it, I still feel like a child myself (even though I’m almost 30, but that’s beside the point). Luckily, the older I get, the more children I have in my life—aka I get to be the cool aunt that spoils them without having to take care of them 24/7. It’s a job that I thoroughly enjoy.
Not only are my friends having kids of their own, but I also have younger siblings that I see pretty much every weekend. And of course, I have to make them love me more than anyone by spoiling them with new toys and games all the time. Because of this, I know exactly what kids are loving right now. From splash pads you can use to beat the heat to a pretend farmers’ market stand to giant Jenga that the whole family will love to play together, these 37 toys and games are sure to keep your kids out of trouble.
Work on Hand-Eye Coordination
Am I almost 30 years old? Yes. Do I also have a fascination with these water beads? Also yes. I could play with them for hours. Simply add them to water and watch them expand in a matter of minutes. Not only are they fun to play with, but they’re also great for enhancing hand-eye coordination.
Play Shop with This Farmers’ Market Stand
I loved playing shopping when I was younger. It’s like my younger self knew that I was going to have a shopping addiction. With this farmers’ market stand, you can continue the game of shopping with your own children. They can “sell” you your favorite ingredients to whip up the tastiest fake meal around!
Keep the Fun Going
Just because the sun has gone down doesn’t mean that the fun should have to stop. This football has built-in LED lights, so you can play with your children all night long, no matter how dark it is out.
Play Paleontologist with This Dino Egg Kit
Complete with 15 dino eggs (that have a toy inside) and 15 large dinosaur learning cards, this dino egg kit will get your child’s imagination running wild. It allows them to hone in on their exploration skills. They’ll love learning about their favorite creatures that once wandered Earth.
Fight Crime with This Police Action Figure
“The design is amazing. The articulation is incredible. High high high quality. I bought 8 for my son’s birthday and both my boys are just in love. You can not go wrong… GI Joe was the only toy my son would play with due to the quality issues of other toys but these are right there with the GI Joes … just bigger. You will not be disappointed. I just got these, rarely do I go up and give a review right away but this company deserves a big high five.” I’d say that’s a pretty great raving review for this police action figure!
Get Outside with This Swing
It may be over 100 degrees out now, but you can bet that’s not going to stop me from enjoying the outdoors as much as possible. And now you can do the same with your children with this tree swing. Attach it to the sturdy tree in your yard and it will keep your kids entertained for hours. Plus it’s big enough for the whole family.
Feel Nostalgic with This Cabbage Patch Doll
As an early 90s kid, I love finding toys on the market that I had when I was younger. And a Cabbage Patch is one of those. Not only did I have one when I was little, but my mom did, too. So I love that you can still treat your little one to this doll. They’re never going to want to go anywhere without it.
There Are So Many Activities to Play
I’m all about toys that have multiple functions in one. And this 5-in-1 table is just that. It has a building board that can be used for legos and can also be used for sand and water play. Your little one will never get bored with this one, trust me.
This Plush Cat Is Multiple Toys in One
There’s something about stuffed animals that makes me nostalgic for my childhood. And with this adorable stuffed cat, you get multiple toys in one. Open up the zipper on its belly and you will find that it’s filled with three smaller cats, so your little one gets four stuffed animals to cuddle up with.
Enjoy Family Competition
As someone who lives in the desert, I spent most of my summers in the pool. In fact, I still do. It’s the only way to survive the heat. And we had a ridiculous amount of pool toys. If you spend most of your time in the water with your kids, you need these pool floats. They’re such an easy way to keep your kids entertained. I promise you, with this thing, you won’t be bothered by them for an entire day (at the minimum).
Start a Battle with Laser Tag Guns
I absolutely loved playing laser tag when I was a kid. It’s something we would do every summer to beat the Arizona heat. Luckily, now you don’t even have the leave the house to play. These laser guns have everything you need for a real game—armband receptors, flashing lights, realistic sounds, and vibrations.
This RC Truck Can Drive on All Terrains
This RC car is meant for exploring, crashing, and smashing everything in sight, which your kid is going to get a kick out of (of course). It’s built to be durable and explore even the roughest terrain, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking the minute you open it. As a parent, you know how important this is.
Impress Friends with This Magic Set
Growing up, both of my parents worked. So I always went to a family friend’s house who would nanny me during the day. Her husband had a fascination with magic and was always teaching me new tricks. I was obsessed. And I still have a love for all things illusion because of it. If you think your kids would love it too, this magician costume set is a must-have. It comes with a cape and top hat, a deck of cards, trick supplies, and a step-by-step hour-long DVD explaining the magic tricks.
Your Kids Will Be Obsessed
“What a fun game. I bought this for family game night (i have a young daughter) I hear a lot of complaints that the game pieces are cheap, and indeed they are but they are unique and make for great storytelling. I was afraid it wouldn’t be fast-paced enough to keep my daughter’s interest but boy was I wrong, she loves it and begs to play it all the time. I bring it to play dates with her friends, it truly is fun for the whole family. I’m even interested in trying it out at a dinner party with some adult friends.” Tall Tales is a game perfect for adults and kids? Sign us up!
Let Their Creativity Run Wild
“Best building toy ever! We construct all types of vehicles and creatures for and with our three-year-old. His cousin can build with it independently (she’s almost 6). We laminated the example sheet with clear adhesive shelf paper making the paper almost as durable as the colorful building pieces.
Have already purchased more sets for other kids.” Need we say more about these building blocks?
Wild Kratts Fans Will Love This
If your kiddo is a fan of the show “Wild Kratts,” they’re going to love this power suit. The set includes the vest, the gloves, and two discs that “activate” when placed in the gloves and vest. Reviews say, “This was a huge hit! I had debated making my son a vest myself, but so glad I bought this one! It looks awesome and was well worth the money. Got it for his birthday party but he wears it all the time!”
Get Outdoors with Binoculars
My parents were never super outdoorsy. In fact, we never camped, hiked, etc. Luckily, those are things that I learned to enjoy once I got older, but I definitely plan on getting my own kids into them at a young age. The next time you bring your kids outside with you, bring along these binoculars. They’re perfect for bird watching, spy games, and other outdoor activities.
Entertain Your Blippi Fan
I may not have kids of my own and I may not be familiar with Blippi, but with a perfect 5-star rating and over 1,000 reviews, it’s no secret that parents are loving these Blippi cars.
Reviews say, “My Blippi-obsessed toddler absolutely loved this. He loves any kind of truck as well, so this was the perfect gift.”
Your Kids Will Geek Over This Squishmallow
Squishmallows have made their way all over the internet, so there’s a good chance that you’ve heard of them already. The Gen Zs even made them go viral on TikTok. Well, now you can surprise your little one with one from Amazon. I promise their day will be absolutely made.
Hit the Beach
If you can’t hit the beach, you can at least pretend to with this Peppa Pig playset. The 13-piece set comes with all of the bigger characters including Mummy, Daddy, and George, along with beach accessories like sand castles, surfboards, and more.
Play Dress Up
Every little kid deserves to feel like a princess, and there’s no easier way to do that than by treating them to this princess play set. It comes with a 55-piece puzzle, a matching game, rings, headbands, and a hairbrush. Just be prepared to call them “your highness” from here on out.
This Easel Set Is Entertaining and Educational
Help kids express their creativity with this easel set. It includes a double-sided whiteboard and chalkboard, 26 magnetic letters with pictures, seven dry-erase markers, 15 pattern cards, five chalk colors, and an eraser. Your little one will love drawing and learning with this one.
Beat the Heat with a Splash Pad
You don’t have to have a pool or spend money on the public pool to enjoy a way to cool down this summer. This splash pad will do the job of cooling you down for under $35. Just connect it to your hose and enjoy some water play. Not convinced? Look at the perfect 5-star ratings.
Hit the Greens at Home
If you want to keep your kid active and it’s too hot for mini-golf, try out this mini-golfing kit instead. It comes with five different clubs kids can experiment with, golf balls, a “water hazard,” chairs, an umbrella, and more.
Everyone Loves Giant Jenga
No matter how old you are, you most likely enjoy giant Jenga. I mean, who doesn’t?! It’s the perfect family game. The next time you have family and friends over, break it out for some light competitive fun.
Flarts Is Fun for the Entire Family
Flarts, aka floor darts, allow everyone to kick back and relax yet stay laughing and playing for hours on end. Set them up in your backyard or bring them into your living room for hours of gameplay. Either way, there’s nothing like a little friendly competition.
Build Over 20 Types of Cars
With almost 2,000 reviews, this car set has earned its perfect 5-star rating thanks to its 60 included blocks and traffic accessories (like traffic cones and lights). Your little one will be able to make 20 different kinds of cars, so they’ll never get bored.
Make Bath Time Fun
Make bath time fun with this bath toy. It attaches to the tub and generates a double chain reaction of water effects that your child is sure to love. Even kids who despise bath time will want to play for hours with this thing.
Join Peppa for a Tea Party
Join Princess Peppa Pig and Princess Suzie for a royal tea party with this castle play set. For less than $40, you get figurines, a treasure chest, a princess bed, a full-size mirror, a throne, dining chairs, and a dining table with a mini tea set. There’s nothing better than tea at high noon!
Stay Entertained for Hours
There’s something therapeutic about doing puzzles. I love being able to focus on them, forgetting about everything else in the world. This puzzle, in particular, is not only beautiful, but it’s also 1000 pieces so it will keep you busy.
Go to War with This Military Action Figure
With an authentic and highly-detailed uniform and accessories, this military action figure has everything you could need for some serious fun. Reviews say, “I grew up with GI joes and transformers, this throws it back before my time when the joes were tall and had more of a doll look. Barbie ruined it for big action figures. Not anymore, if you like accessories this is the figure for you. It’s awesome my son loves it. He can outfit his soldier and go into battle with everything you could think of.”
Build a Track with Dominos
There’s nothing quite as mesmerizing as building a domino train and then knocking it over and watching them all fall one by one. This 1,100-piece domino set takes that to the next level thanks to its multiple colors. There are 100 of each color (11 colors total), so you can create a work of art.
Dribble, Bounce, and Pass This Watermelon
Listed as an Amazon’s Choice product, there’s a reason that families all over the world love this watermelon ball. Bring it into the pool with you, fill it with water, and use it like a basketball—dribbling it, bouncing it, throwing it, and more.
This Toy Hauler Is Easy to Transport
“This semi is great for my grandson to put his hot wheels in. It is made of all plastic & very light. It’s great for him cause he’s only two. It’s great.” A toy hauler that also acts as storage? That’s a parent’s dream come true!
Get Cooking with This Chef Set
I was never a big cook growing up. We lived on fast food, for the most part. And it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I got into it and I’m bummed it took me as long as it did. Make sure this doesn’t happen with your kids with this chef set. It’ll get them excited to bake and cook—skills they need for the rest of their lives.
Make Your Own Slime
I may be pushing 30 but you can bet that I am still obsessed with slime, and this kit allows you to make some at home in minutes. The mermaid-themed set comes with glitter, molds, stickers, measuring cups, and more.
This Play Mat Reminds Me of My Childhood
I most definitely played on this area rug when I was in elementary school. I vividly remember driving toy cars around on it, going around town in the imaginary town. If you’re appreciative of all things nostalgic like I am, let your own kids do the same with this rug from Amazon. They’ll love it just as much as you did when you were little.