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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. 27 Toys Your Picky Toddler May Actually Pick Up For A Second And Even Third Time If you're tired of one-and-done play sessions, it's time to invest in some toys with serious longevity. 1. 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 reviews: "It's a great toy to teach cause and effect, patience, and also to help with motor skills. I bought it as an educational toy for my toddler, but everyone from older kids to adults tends to gravitate toward it." —kate "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 $25.99. 2. 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. 😉 Amazon Includes: wooden toolbox, hammer, screwdriver, wrench, three sets of screws and screw caps, board connector, two gears and plastic nail. Promising review: "After watching his dad and I 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 $19.16. 3. A flower-building activity set that'll 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 $15.98+ (available in four sizes and with a storage box). 4. A set of tempera paint sticks if you're tired of cleaning 18 different-sized brushes after arts and crafts hour. They also use the pencil grip, which is great for keeping a steady hand and the paint on the project. Promising review: "My 2-year-old LOVES these! I Bought these to entertain my toddler, and they do that! She can color for hours! They’re easy to use, easy to clean, and aren’t a huge mess! So I love them too!" —Caitlin Moore Get a set of 24 pens from Amazon $21.99. 5. A garden-themed shape sorter where they can pull veggies, sort fruit shapes, or use a magnetic rabbit to pull out some pesky worms. Sure, education and motor skills are great, but really, it's never too early to pass down your plant obsession. 6. A Little Tikes "Big Digger" sandbox that they can dig into and play with all of the included toys. The cover doubles as a ramp when in play, plus it comes with a dump truck, sifter, shovel, and rake. Reviewers love how much play it gets, as well as its smaller size that doesn't overwhelm a backyard. Sand is such a fun sensory toy for toddlers, and the cover keeps it safe and clean when not in use. 7. A wooden cleaning play set that'll make them feel like the mini-adults they are. Cleaning sets are inexplicably popular for toddlers. I wouldn't ask too many questions and instead, just allow them to enjoy being the small-footed custodian cleaning up all the messes out there. The set includes a mop, broom, dust pan, dust brush, duster, and a stand. Promising review: "I have a 2.5-year-old granddaughter and she is obsessed with this cleaning kit. She watches me clean all the time and she goes right over to her broom and starts sweeping. Good quality, sturdy, and worth the money. I am not disappointed." —gary e. Get it from Amazon for $34.99. 8. A Melissa & Doug ice cream station with 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 $39.97. 9. A screen-free, interactive sound stage that is SO much cooler than a Toniebox or Yoto. Rather than just hearing songs or stories, the different packs include interactive stories where they have to move the pieces around or games where they have to listen to prompts and follow directions. Since games are geared for younger kids and older, it's a toy that'll grow with them. 10. A set of Mega Blocks aka the perfect ~building blocks~ for introducing, well, building blocks. These are big enough not to be a choking hazard even when gummed without mercy but provide plenty of opportunity to work on those building skills. 11. A pair of GeoSafari Jr. binoculars that'll take your little explorer to the next level. These kid-friendly binoculars are durable, easy to use, and will delight kids of all ages. There's something so fun about binoculars for kids, and who knows, maybe they'll be just as excited to see hummingbirds at the feeder as you are these days. Promising reviews: "These binoculars are perfect for toddlers. They are lightweight, which makes it easy for my 2-year-old to hold and look through them. These make her very eager to be outdoors and learn. The only drawback is that the size of them is hard to travel with, and my daughter doesn’t go anywhere without them. Otherwise, great company and great toy!" —Courtni Leondard "My 3.5-year-old loves these! Perfect for toddlers wanting to explore. He uses them for bird watching, plane watching, checking out bugs, and just about anything! Great for learning!" —JillS Get them from Amazon for $13.40. 12. A dinosaur-themed Cozy Coupe, which adds a *rawrsome* spin to the classic childhood staple. These things last for YEARS and provide plenty of fun. Now that my kids are bigger, one drives while the other hangs on A-Team style on the top. Play... finds a way. 13. A kid-size trampoline with a handlebar to help young kids hold steady. Can you picture it? Your toddler, rife with energy, wanders over to the trampoline. They jump. They jump again. They keep jumping. You — stay with me here — just sit. Revel in that dream for a bit and then click "add to cart." 14. A delightful "Bouncy Pals" unicorn hopping toy that'll 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. iPlay, iLearn 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 reviews: "We own a play farm for kids. We purchased two of these bouncy pals because they fit our 'farm' themed attraction, but we had no hopes that they would last out the week. We have 500 kids a week come through our facility — and these bouncy boys are holding their own! They have not deflated one bit and get lots of rides from children ages toddler through 7-years-old. We are impressed, not to mention they're really cute, and you can wash the cover when needed." —Linlake "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 $32.99+ (also available as a cow, fox, or horse). 15. A magnetic bead board for creating mess-free pictures while working on those fine motor skills. All they need to do is use the magnetized pointer to bring the magnets into place. The novelty of seeing the magnets pop up is perfect for younger toddlers, while the older ones can try their hand at creating some actual pictures. 16. A car wash and service station that's simple enough for imaginative play and sturdy enough to withstand whatever a young kid will — probably literally — throw at it. 17. A set of fidget spinners to keep your littles occupied on the go, while potty training, or really any time where they need a little distraction. These fidgets have many functions, keeping them interesting far longer than your average spinner. 18. 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 on-the-go toy. 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 as 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 sizes and six colors). 19. A light-up, squirting whale bath toy to 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. Promising review: "My grandson LOVES this! He has so much fun! He loves the colors and how it squirts 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 $12.99+ (available in five colors). 20. A versatile doctor kit with plenty of accessories so your pint-sized doctor can run their very own make-believe clinic and have you in ship shape and on your way in no time! Doctor kits get years of imaginative use — my kids have played with theirs for five years now! 21. A play Dyson vacuum that'll have them earning their keep and looking adorable while doing it. Sure, it might not actually pick up anything, but if they think it does and are happy to help, it can be our little secret. 22. A set of magnetic tiles because they store easily and are extremely versatile. Kids love these universally, and while building castles and towers is awesome, the magnets mean they can be played with in more places. Refrigerator space? Magnetic tiles. A metal garage door? Magnetic tiles. Really, anything metal? You guessed it — tiles. 23. A comprehensive busy board to keep them both busy AND working on those motor skills at the same time. Busy boards are great for waiting rooms, travel, and restaurants for some novelty, but can be entertaining anywhere. And who doesn't love a supremely satisfying gear click, zipper pull, or buckle clasp? 24. A pipes and spouts bath toy that'll add a little more STEM to bath time. Your little one is going to love dumping water into the system, watching it travel down, and seeing what happens with each spout. You'll love finally soaping them up while they're delightfully distracted by ~SCIENCE.~ 25. And a pack of suction toys for the bath or ANY smooth surface, really. Stick them to surfaces or to each other, and enjoy that oh-so-satisfying *POP* as they pull them apart and start over. These toys are simple, store easily, and will not make you yelp in pain if you step on them in the middle of the night. 26. A small balance bike because it's never too early to teach them bike skills. This bike works as a scooting toy for young toddlers and a zooming toy for those fearless older ones. Whatever gets that energy out, right? 27. A Bluey-themed water drawing pad that's *magically* colored with water. Even the most aggressive of colorers will be able to color in the lines with only water and once it's dried, start all over again. Low mess, high reward: the sweet spot. Reviews for this post have been edited for length and/or clarity. Why Trust BuzzFeed Shopping? BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way. Raylyn Paquin is a freelancer who has been writing for BuzzFeed Shopping for two years, with a focus on products that make parenting just a bit easier — and hopefully more fun — home decor, kitchen gadgets, and whatever deals she can scope out. When not writing, teaching, or chauffeuring her kids, she spends the wisps of her weekend watching baking shows or exploring sunny Southern California.
