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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. 28 Toys Under $30 That Reviewers Say Their Kids Are “Obsessed” With They don't care what it costs. They just care that it's fun. 1. Silly Poopy's Hide and Seek because it's exactly what it sounds like, and it sounds pretty darn fun already. Take turns hiding this rainbow-colored gadget around the house — it'll shout clues, eventually playing a song when it's finally found. Now who's ready for another round?! John Mihaly / BuzzFeed Promising review: "My kids (8 and 4 years old) unwrapped this one early and have been OBSESSED with it since. They take turns and think it is the most fun game to play and love that silly poppy gives hints and sounds to help." —Rachel Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (also available in three other styles, including gingerbread). 2. A miniature baking set with a 48-page recipe book for the junior pâtissier so they can make teeny tiny versions of real dishes and learn all about food science without the usual big kitchen messes. 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 a 48-page recipe book. Promising review: "My 9-year-old daughter LOVES this — OK more like is obsessed with this! Everything holds up and is durable. The recipes are so simple to follow. She takes over the kitchen and does everything by herself. Cooks things in the toaster oven. She makes us delicious cinnamon rolls, apple pies, pizzas…everything! Everything is written and geared to have a child be able to do it. We have told all her friends, and now they all have this, too! The kids on the street all come to our house just so they can tiny bake! Every kid needs one of these!" —Summer Get it from Amazon for $24.04. 3. The NeeDoh "Dream Drop," since they exist at the center of a Venn diagram where "fidgeter" and "slime lover" intersect. This goo-filled sensory toy has the most delightful *squish*, a satisfying weight, and is magically not the type of sticky that picks up every fleck of dust in the tri-state area. Schylling is a small business that specializes in modern and retro toys, games, and sets. Promising review: " My teenager is obsessed with this fidget! She plays with it daily, and it hasn't burst. My other children want one too! The more you play with it, the softer it is to squeeze." —Mike Get it from Amazon for $7.10 (the color is either blue, pink, or purple and gets selected for you at random)! 4. An interactive scissor skills activity pad if you know a little one who needs a little work on their cutting skills (also me, tbh). This book is filled with mazes, puzzles, animal art, and more activities that'll have them snipping up a storm with the included safety scissors. Amazon Promising review: "Safe scissors for my almost three-year-old. She's totally obsessed. Super affordable gift that ensures hours of fun. Love it and my Daughter loves it." —Britney Get it from Amazon for $6.29. 5. A lightweight LCD writing tablet to provide mini Picassos of all ages with an endlessly reusable canvas for their creations. It's SUPER easy to travel with, so don't be surprised if they challenge you to a riveting game of tic-tac-toe in the car. Promising review: "I purchased this gift for my just turned 2-year-old daughter, and she is obsessed — and so am I! It is mess-free, nontoxic, endless coloring fun! She will scribble to her heart's desire, and with one push of a button, she has a clean slate. This clearing function also has a locking feature to prevent erasing, but she hasn’t used it yet! Highly recommend!" —Helen Get it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in four sizes and six colors). 6. A pack of tangle-free parachute toys that kids will love tossing from on high (i.e., the second floor) and watching as these colorful little guys float on down to safety. Promising review: "Bought these for my 3-year-old as a stocking stuffer and she's obsessed! They are pretty well-made and float nicely from our second story. Have had them for a few weeks and they're still being played with." —Emily Get a pack of four from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three styles). 7. A bestselling Take Along Tunes toy with volume control for a portable and surprisingly not annoying musical distraction that plays 10 different classical melodies. Promising review: "My little girl is obsessed with rattles and I wanted to get her something different but similar, and this was definitely a winner." —Jade Templeton Get it from Amazon for $9.96. 8. A logic puzzle Gravity Maze so you can trick them into STEM learning and hands-on problem solving with 60 multi-level puzzles they'll actually have so much fun completing. The game comes with 60 challenges that range from beginner to expert so it will hold their interest as they work their way up to the trickier ones. Promising review: "My nephew is so picky, so I was nervous about getting this for him — but he’s obsessed! My sister told me he woke up and played with it first thing the next morning." —Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $24.72. 9. A sprinkle whale bath toy with colorful flashing lights if you want to help make bath time the best time of the day. This *whaley* cute toy is rechargeable and can keep the water spraying fun going for 80 minutes straight. Promising review: "We got this for our 5-month-old since he loves to try and hold/catch running water. He LOVES this! In the tub, it gets him sooo excited. We have even taken it outside in his small, shallow splash pad, and it still works. He loves catching the water and picking it up. And in the tub likes to try to sneak a sip haha. He is now almost 8 months old and is still obsessed. There are sensors on the bottom that, when it hits wate,r will turn it on, and when it needs to be charged, the water does not go very high or will just shut off. A definite bathtub fave for sure!" —Jo Edith Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in five styles). 10. A colorful wooden puzzle to bring Tetris-like delight out into the real world after they've hit their daily screentime limit and you're out of entertainment ideas. Reviewers say this is a great toy for a wide range of ages — from 3 to 12. Promising review: "My toddler is obsessed! The construction is solid, pieces are well-finished (no splinters or uneven cuts), and I love that this particular type of puzzle will allow him to make different arrangements each time. Currently, he loves to assemble the same 20–30-piece puzzles over and over again, and I wanted to find him something that would present a little challenge with critical thinking as well as variety." —Alex Get it from Amazon for $8.99. 11. A game of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza that's super simple to learn, great for all ages, and anything but boring. Play this fast-paced party game once and they'll be begging to bring it out at every future game night. Amazon The rules are simple. Deal the deck out to all players (works with three to eight players). Everyone keeps their mini deck face down and goes around the table flipping a card face up and saying one of the five key words (taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza — in that order). Once the card played matches the word said, it's a race to slap that center card. Whoever taps in last has to take the center stack, and the round starts over. Whoever gets rid of all their cards first wins! Promising review: "Bought this as a gift for my game-loving mother-in-law, and she is obsessed! Our whole family was in tears from laughing so hard! Easy to learn and play. 10/10 would recommend!" —Linsey Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in two sizes). 12. The Cookeez Makery plush toy that's filled with even more surprises! Follow the included instructions to "bake" some dough in the oven. When the time goes off, reveal one of three different sweet-smelling plushies. Promising review: "My girls loved creating their pet. It smells good, not a strong odor, and the sounds and warmth add a special touch. They have been obsessed with them. They have also kept the oven and been playing with it, even adding different things inside. Definitely worth the price." —Candace Get it from Amazon for $27.35+ (available in three styles). 13. A set of satisfying tempera paint sticks for transforming craft time from a big hassle into a regular source of fun. These easy-to-hold pens deliver all the rich, creamy color they'd expect from regular paint, but without the risk of spills and other major messes, since they're washable and dry in just 90 seconds! Promising review: "My 2-year-old and 6-year-old are obsessed. It’s hard to blame them. They are fun to draw/paint with and dry so quickly that there is no mess. 100% recommend." —Kate Sousa Get a pack of 24 pens from Amazon for $21.99. 14. Or a nostalgic scratch paper art set because it's about time you share some of the technicolor fun you used to get up to as a kid. The set includes 50 scratch papers and plenty of styluses and stencils for multiple kids to enjoy at once. Promising review: "My kids are obsessed with these things. They can make their own design. Plenty of papers." —Sierra Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in pink and blue). 15. A realistic mini Dyson vacuum if your favorite little tyke's current obsession is copying everything the adults do — chores included. This bite-sized vacuum actually works (there's even a tiny debris tray to empty), so they can "help" with household cleaning. You'll need four C batteries. Promising review: "Purchased for my son's first birthday. He is completely obsessed. Two months later and he is still entertained for long periods of time by his vacuum. Highly recommend for active kiddos! I was worried he would be too little, but this did not disappoint." —Sarah Get it from Amazon for $21.37+ (available in three colors). 16. A silicone teething toy with a pacifier clip to help your favorite wee one find some on-the-go relief from teething-related pain. Amazon Ryan & Rose is a family-owned small business creating stylish, safe, and functional products for everyone in the family. Promising review: "My 5-month-old son is obsessed with his. I love the neutral colors and how easy it is to clean. We can clip it onto our Baby Björn or onto his car seat and gives him something to play with when we are on the go! Such great quality, too." —Mhinkle2518 Get it from Amazon for $13.98 (available in four colors). 17. A pair of GeoSafari kid binoculars because it'll help them get up close and personal with all the flora and fauna they've been increasingly captivated by without, ya know, actually getting too close. Promising review: "My son loves them, he is obsessed with them. Great quality, great size for him, and he loves to look around outside with them or even in the house. They aren’t even heavy, so he is able to hold them." —Holly Get it from Amazon for $13.40. 18. An eight-page busy board for a fun on-the-go way to improve their motor skills with practical activities like buttons, buckles, zippers, and a whole lot more. Promising review: "Our 20-month-old absolutely loves this. She is obsessed with clips and buckles, and plays with this for ages in the car! Well worth it for any toddler who loves to buckle." —Minnesotan Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 10 styles). 19. A too-cute "Make a Fox Friend" kit so they can get creative, add a new plushie to their collection, AND learn some sewing basics all with one superb gift. Craft-tastic is a woman-owned small business based in Michigan. All their products are focused on teaching kids new skills and limiting screen time. Each kit comes with six garments, eight accessories, a kid-friendly plastic needle, thread, a fox, and easy-to-follow instructions. For ages 5+. Promising review: "My niece was obsessed with this. I thought of this as a minor gift that I gave her (5 years old) with a bunch of other fun things, but this ended up being her favorite. My sister-in-law now buys this as a gift for all the kid parties they go to." —Amy Get it from Amazon for $20.67+ (also available in a bunny, pony, and unicorn version). 20. A mini Waving Inflatable Tube Guy if the backseat of your car explodes with excitement whenever they spot one of these wacky noodles out in the wild. Now they can have one of their very own to fire up whenever an impromptu dance party is in order. Promising review: "My youngest loves seeing these guys everywhere we go. When we drive around and she sees one outside, she yells, 'Look, it's a (color) guy!' So we got her this little one. She is just obsessed with how she has one of her own! It is so cool. Made of awesome material. The fan is strong, and it waves around just like the larger ones you can put in your yard." —Joe H Get it from Amazon for$11.66. 21. A LeapFrog 100 Words Book to help brainiacs-in-training expand their English *and* Spanish vocab. Don't worry — this book is no snooze-fest with touch-activated sound effects, songs, and fun facts. I certainly wish my old textbooks had been this interactive! Promising review: "My baby has been obsessed with this since she got it! I enjoy that she can flip through the pages herself, and she loves to touch the words she knows. It is built tough, especially against a toddler throwing it around." —Kelsey Get it from Amazon for $19.97. 22. A water gel art kit that'll populate their home with an aquarium's worth of squishy aquatic creations! Simply squirt the magic gel into an included mold, then dip it in water to bring colorful, 3D critters to life! 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: "My kids are obsessed!!! This is the second time I purchased this kit, and my kids are always so excited when we open the box! They spend hours playing with it! ❤️" —Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $18.99. 23. A Disney character matching game for a screen-free way to hang out with their favorite TV time characters! Number of players: 1+ Recommended age: 3+ Pieces: 72 picture tiles Promising review: "My boys are obsessed! We have played this game once or more a day for a month straight! It keeps them off screens and interested in Disney characters they never knew, which is fun for me." —Niki M Get it from Amazon for $9.99. 24. A mesmerizing fidget cube because somehow it can seamlessly transform into over 70 different shapes, which is blowing my mind so I have to imagine it's gotta be pretty exciting for a child, too. You can even combine multiple cubes to inspire larger creations. Promising review: "I bought one for myself as a fidget desk object during the work day but quickly found it pretty entertaining. It wasn’t long before my 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old found it and are OBSESSED. They were literally fighting to play with it. I ordered three more the next day so everyone has one they can share. I’m so impressed at how they find this puzzle box more entertaining than screens. Awesome product!" —Raian Get it from Amazon for $19.59+ (available in 19 patterns and in larger multipacks). 25. A sophisticated wooden piano for training up the next mini maestro with a toy that plays real music and even includes six sets of beginner "sheet music" so they can gradually learn to play classic melodies. Promising review: "Our 10-month-old is obsessed with this toy. She loves the music mode and will dance to it. It's also pretty easy for her to figure out the keys and make her own music. It's sturdy enough that she can pull herself up and stand using this." —Katherine Lenninger Get it from Amazon for $29.99. 26. A set of magnetic building tiles because kids of all ages (and a lot of adults, too) will have a blast becoming the architect of their own colorful creations. If they already have a pack of the pricy Magna-Tiles, these are fully compatible. 27. A massive dino race track complete with cars shaped like T. Rex heads and tons of flexible pieces to build the topsy-turvy track of their dreams. And don't be surprised if adults looking to indulge their Jurassic Park nostalgia join in on the fun, too! Promising review: "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 I had fun playing this with my son. I like how versatile the tracks are. Totally worth it!" —olive Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in three colors). 28. A value pack of 500+ puffy stickers because who doesn't love stickers in their stockings?! Especially ones with a textured, 3D look that can easily be reused without leaving behind a sticky mess. Amazon The stickers feature letters, numbers, vehicles, butterflies, deep-sea life, animals, fish, dinosaurs, and more. Promising reviews: "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 "I love that they are removable. They don’t leave marks on your window. You can even place them back on the plastic sheet and use them again. I have a busy box for my toddler, and these stickers are in there. She peels them off and puts them on the lid of the box and then peels them off again and puts them back. She creates scenes with them. She puts them on windows at home. I peel them off and put them back. They really are fantastic stickers." —Elizabeth A. Zapf Get a pack of 20 sheets from Amazon for $5.59+ (available in two styles). Your face when they love your gift *and* you stayed under budget: 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. Danielle Healy is a freelancer and former BuzzFeed Shopping editor who loves finding new problem-solving products, zero-waste swaps, and home organization hacks. After work, you can find her playing D&D, gushing about her favorite games, crocheting, and eating her way through New York.
