44 Toys That Reviewers Say Kept Kids Busy For Hours

Legos, brain games, coloring books and much more.
A Magic Mixies interactive cauldron with plush toy, a Sorbus saucer swing, SmartLabs' squishy anatomy teaching toy, and remote-controlled drone for kids.
Amazon
A Magic Mixies interactive cauldron with plush toy, a Sorbus saucer swing, SmartLabs' squishy anatomy teaching toy, and remote-controlled drone for kids.

Popular items from this list include:

• A solar-powered robot kit that allows little builders to create 12 different robots using the same 190 pieces, as well as two complexity levels to help challenge developing minds and manual dexterity.

• A pair of Bump N’ Bounce inflatable body bubbles that allow kids to run into each other and bounce off safely.

•A remote-control stunt car that can flip, rotate, spin and tumble on a variety of surfaces, including dirt and carpet.

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.

1
Amazon
A complete "Make a Fox Friend" craft kit that teaches sewing basics
This kit also comes in a mouse design.

Promising review:
"My daughter opened this on Christmas day and worked on it for hours. She could do most things by herself, or with a quick demonstration. She especially loves that she can change the fox's clothes and potentially make more herself, patterned from the ones included. Perfect gift for any fox-loving girl!" — VBB
2
Amazon
An anatomy-teaching toy that features 21 removable body parts and squishy organs
Promising review: "Great learning toy. I got this for my kids (7, 9, and 11) while we are studying the human body for science and they are obsessed with this! They want to play with it all the time and can sit there for hours. They have learned so much just by playing with this toy and reading the book it came with." — Jacqueline
3
Walmart
An ATV ride-on complete with engine sounds, headlights and a horn
Promising review: "My 5-year-old is OBSESSED with this ATV, and has a blast zipping around our yard on it. She loves that it looks realistic and I love that it's stable enough to handle her hair-raising maneuvers without tipping over. Plus, the speed is just right (up to 3 mph) — fast enough to feel thrilling but not so fast that I can't keep her from crashing into things. It has definitely become her favorite outdoor toy and she has even been begging to ride it to school." –– Chandni Reddy, Buzzfeed

Promising review: "After we received the Rollplay Powersport ATV, my son's reaction was everything I'd hoped — a scream of delight, a 'you're the best mommy ever,' and a lot of nagging to put it together. In just a few short days my 5-year-old son has already logged hours and miles of fun. Some of the benefits of the ATV are the tires, which aren't just hard plastic but have rubber grips, meaning the vehicle can go on pavement, up small hills like our driveway, and even over packed dirt. It also has enough functionality to move easily forward and backward, meaning my son can practice turning, parking, and fit through narrow areas like the backyard gate on his own. This is a fun, functional, sturdy toy and we're delighted with it." — Meredith
4
A marble maze set
Promising review: "My 5- and 3-year-olds (and me) 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
5
A Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek game
Promising review: "Let me tell you that if you want hours of endless fun of hide and go seek without having to hide yourself, this is a must get! When its hidden it makes various toot noises and says stuff so the kids know if they are close. And when they find it and press the button to do and sing the silly poopy dance....even you will dance and sing along!!! Doesn't need batteries and come on, its poop? Who doesn't think poop and toot noises are funny and if they don't they are lying to themselves. A must have for fun with your kids without barely doing any work!!." —andrea kelli gorman

Promising review: "The Easter Bunny brought this for the kids, and it has been such a hit! Months later, they play with it almost daily! We adults even got into the fun and had a three-hour game of "hide-and-seek." One of my favorite Amazon purchases EVER! Hours of fun!" — Rochelle P.
6
Amazon
An Encanto necklace activity set
Available in 17 styles.

Promising review: "My preschooler is OBSESSED with making these necklaces and I love that it keeps her off the screen. She totes her creations around in the adorable carry case and enjoys making Mommy (and Daddy!) wear them."–– Chandni Reddy, Buzzfeed

Promising review: "My 3-year-old twins loved it, entertained for hours which is rare and so worth $7. Perfect for teaching coordination, color patterns, encourages creativity. The necklaces are a soft, stretchy material with a safe breakaway clasp but that also stays on well. I wore a necklace for hours around the house and didn't fall off. The beads are cute and a good variety of colors. Overall great project, loads of fun for toddlers." — Lyss
7
Amazon
A scratch paper art set that reveals rainbow colored design underneath your etchings
Promising review: "I can not give these enough stars! These are the best thing ever, they keep my 5-year-old entertained for hours!" — turbo1795
8
A classic Playskool Sit ‘n Spin toy
Recommended for ages 18 months+.

Promising review: "I had one of these growing up, and couldn't pass it up for our 2-year-old. Just gave it to him yesterday, and he's spent hours on it already. Which is, of course, hilarious when he tries to get up! Good fun for him, good price for me. Win win." — B Thomas
9
Amazon
A wooden puzzle Tetris toy to help develop problem solving skills
Reviewers say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3 to 12.

Promising review: "I was pleasantly surprised with how popular this was! I just bought it as a side gift for a child just because it was cheap and it was a puzzle-type toy. However, this kept both kids and adults immensely entertained for hours. It was challenging for everyone but a fun challenge. I’m purchasing another so we can race each other to finish at the next gathering." — Mrs. Dinkleberg
10
A six-pack of mess- and residue-free sticky globs by Crayola
Promising review: "Promising review: "If you are a parent of little (or big!) kids, this is a gift that keeps giving. My kids have played with these for hours and hours. We have dogs and the balls easily wash and do not leave any residue on the ceiling or walls. The kids have created different games with them. Great $10 purchase!" — Abigail.
11
Amazon
A Hot Wheels car wash set with a spiral racetrack
Promising review: "Best Hot Wheels toy we’ve ever bought! The entire family was impressed by this toy! My 6- (almost 7-) year-old built the whole thing on his own and couldn’t believe how much bigger it was than he expected! The car reveal was awesome as it goes through the wash and it’s very well designed to launch the car around and squirt water etc. We love all the hook ups for other tracks to go through and around the track. Kids (4-year-old girl included) played with this for literally hours on day one because it’s so cool! Minimal fighting over the shower octopus part. Very impressed, so glad we bought this! More fun than we even expected!" — ShopSui
12
Amazon
A color-your-own haunted castle playhouse
Promising review: "My girls (2, 5) have spent hours and hours playing pretend in this castle. They work on decorating it gradually, but often stop to just play. Easy to set up. Great price." — ElaFree
13
Amazon
A Dyson Ball toy vacuum with realistic sounds and mild suction powers
Promising review: "Our son is absolutely obsessed with our Dyson (the real one). Which is why we purchased this toy Dyson vacuum for his birthday. He's 2-years-old and he is really enjoying having his on 'working' vacuum cleaner!!! He seriously plays with it for hours during the day. Turning it on and off and pushing it through the house just like we use our real vacuum. I would buy this again! It was his favorite gift!." — Amazon customer
14
Amazon
A Pixicade mobile game maker that turns your kid's creations in a playable video game
This game comes with washable markers, instruction and quick start guides, and three activity books that cover 50 game design concepts, 30 instructional activities, and over 100 example games. You also need to download the Pixicade app available for iOS and android. The app only requires a camera and an internet connection. (iOS 8.0 and up, android 6.0 and up).

Promising review: "Such a fun game. My kids love playing this game and have played the game for hours at a time. There is nothing like creating your own video game. We use this as a family game night. Create a game and see who can win." — BDTINY
15
Amazon
A DIY puffy sticker kit
Promising review: "This is a great craft for my 7-year-old to do on her own! It's quick, easy to use and gives her hours of fun. So much that I ordered another one. I love how this craft kit is something she can do with no help. Yes the stickers are cheap to an adult but to a 7-year-old who colors and makes it on her own, its magic." — Coop
16
Amazon
A learning sight word Bingo game
The set comes with 36 playing cards, 264 playing chips, caller's mat and cards, and a storage box. This version is a fun twist on the classic, but instead of calling out numbers, the leader calls out words (there are 46 most-used words), players search their cards for a match and place a red chip on the match. Once a player has covered the spaces on their card needed to win, they call BINGO!

Promising review: "Getting my daughter to do sight words has been a nightmare lately, she pretends she has no idea what anything is and refuses to sit down and try. But, with this game, she wants to play for hours!!! I give her two cards and we all play together as a family, she thinks it is the best game and it really is helping her learn her sight words!! Finally something that gets her excited about learning!!" — Rebecca
17
Amazon
A puzzle-solving game that challenges kids to use spatial reasoning
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: "What a great combination of construction, puzzles, and games! My 5-year-old and 8-year-old niece were able to challenge themselves to some of the levels (the 8-year-old was was more capable of solving them on her own). The adults also found themselves fixated on playing the different levels as well! It was challenging and fun! We love marble runs and games so this was a perfect fit. This is one of the few games that everyone asks to play and it's perfect when we have guests of kiddos over and keeps everyone busy and engaged for hours!" — Crystal Brown
18
Amazon
A Stomp Rocket launcher that launches rockets up to 200 feet
Promising review: "I purchased this as one of my stepson's birthday presents this past fall. He just turned 8, and I was trying to get some more outside toys to play with. I thought that he'd enjoy it, but I had no clue how popular this freakin' toy would be. All of our kids, ages 2–8, LOVE this thing and so do all of the neighbor kids. It is played with every single time the kids are outside, sometimes for hours. I have never seen my kids play with ANYTHING for hours, but they sure do with this. Taking it out guarantees that every kid under the age of 12 will appear in our yard." — TheLeeFamily
19
A miniature baking set perfect for curious bakers
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.

Promising review: "This keeps my daughter busy for HOURS!My daughter saw this online somewhere, and she asked for it as a birthday gift. I expected it to be cute, but not useful. As it turns out, I was completely wrong. She has regularly made mini chocolate chip cookies, and she'll be doing mini calzones tomorrow. It's adorable and the recipes totally work. She and her friends LOVE it." — Elura C. Kish
20
Mollybee Kids
A scavenger hunt booklet that utilizes objects you already have around the house
Promising review: "My grandchildren are 4 years apart!! The older one loves this game; sending the little guy running all over the house to find items!! Keeps them occupied for hours!!" — holly
21
Amazon
Otrio, a twist on the classic tic-tac-toe
To win, players must get three circular pieces of their color in a row in either ascending or descending order; get the same-sized pieces in a row; or get three concentric pieces in the same space, but beware of other players attempting to block you! It's recommended for two to four players ages 8+.

Promising review: "Perfect game for all ages. My 8-year-old daughter, 12-year-old son, and 70-year-old mother enjoyed playing together for hours." — A. Rosen
22
A National Geographic geodes kit
This science kit includes four natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, one display stand, and one learning guide.

Promising review: "My daughter is 10 and this kept her busy for HOURS! She had so much fun and was excited every time she got a glimpse of what might be inside. A couple of them were pretty cool, while the rest were just white. She didn't care, she loves them all. She was so proud to gift them to her grandparents." — Michelle
23
An affordable remote-control drone
Promising review: "Awesome, easy to use and learn drone that entertains me and my 2-year-old for hours. Very steady, fast, and with two long-lasting batteries with two chargers. I bump it into walls. Sometimes drops from 10-plus feet without issues. It goes pretty high outside without issues but I think it's intended as an indoor drone. Very sturdy. Bottom has soft plastic rubber pieces for soft landings and bumpers around blades help protect it. Love it!" —Laura Pena
24
Amazon
A construction-themed folding play set that comes with kinetic sand and dump truck
Promising review: "My 3-year-old son loves this so much. He can sit at the table for hours building castles and then crushing them. It’s so good for creative play and he absolutely loves it." — JRae
25
Amazon
A Lego movie activity kit
The set includes a 78-page book of ideas and inspiration, 36 official Lego Minifigures and props, foldout paper backgrounds, and punch-out animation frames.

Promising review: "My son saw this book in his school book order sheet and HAD TO HAVE IT. So I bought it off Amazon for his 6th birthday. He built his own mount for his iPad Mini and was making stop-motion videos in no time! I was worried it would be too advanced for him, but once his dad showed him how to use the program and how to move the pieces just right, he was all set! It keeps him occupied for HOURS and I love that it’s an interactive way to channel his creativity and do something else fun with the millions of Lego sets he has. Definitely pleased with this purchase!." — justcruzn
26
Amazon
And a budget-friendly Lego set that can create three different dinosaurs
Promising review: "I purchased this for my 8-year-old son and his eyes lit up since he loves dinosaurs. It can be constructed into three different builds and keep him busy for hours. He loves it and it's low price point makes it a great option for an affordable lego gift." — Anthony T.

Promising review: "Fantastic Lego set! Simple enough for kids to do with very little help but difficult enough to keep them busy for hours assembling it and playing with it afterward! I also love the fact that they can take it apart and choose to build another model as it comes with three instruction booklets." — SR
27
An Uno Minecraft card game
Promising review: "My sons (7 and 4) love Minecraft! I purchased this for my 7-year-old as a birthday present and we play almost every day. So easy to play that my 4-year-old can play too and doesn’t need to ‘be on a team.’ Hours of fun for such a simple game." — Amazon customer
28
Amazon
A Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game that's a laugh for the whole family
Pass out all the cards to the players and keep all the stacks face down. Everyone takes a turn putting a card down in the middle, while saying "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza," in that order. If the picture on your card matches the word that's said, everyone races against each other to slap their hand on the central pile of cards. Whoever is last must take the pile of cards and add them to their stack, and the person who runs out of cards first wins!

Promising review: "The title says it all! You must buy this game if you’re looking to get your kids off their butts, computers, phones, or TV! My children sat for hours, five to be exact, just playing this and laughing. It was a lot of fun for my husband and I to hear them not fighting and doing something together. Loads of fun!! We even loved playing with them!!" — Melinda Haiden
29
Amazon
A classic Melissa & Doug ice cream station
The wooden ice cream counter comes with eight ice cream scoops, six toppings, two cones, cup, scooper, tongs, wooden spoon, reusable menu card, and six pretend dollar bills.

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
30
A solar-powered robot kit that helps develop manual dexterity and problem solving
The kit includes 190 pieces, a solar panel, and detailed instructions.

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 friends 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
31
Amazon
A Magic Mixies misting cauldron with a mystery plushy inside
The Magic Mixie pet and the Magic Cauldron come with 50+ sounds and reactions for a truly bewitching experience.

Promising review: "This is by far the cutest and most creative game to come on the market yet! It’s like a chemistry set that comes with a magical animal for future spell castings! All the parts are very well made. My sons and daughters love this magical cauldron. Each magic mistie is different as well so you never know which magical familiar animal you’re getting! The cauldron bubbles and expels mist plus the clean up is very easy! Unscrew the bottom of your cauldron to empty the left over spell mixture! Gonna get refill spell ingredients for my kids! Great buy!! They were entertained for hours!" — Cathy B
32
A pair of Bump N’ Bounce inflatable body bubbles
PSA: Make sure helmets are worn during bump-offs.

Promising review: "Great for the kids. The kids have been playing with this for hours. One of them even asked if they could sleep in it. It’s great for winter indoor fun. I highly recommend this product." — RyanAndFaith
33
Amazon
A glow-in-the-dark fort building kit
Promising review: "For years my kids had a similar fort building toy from a different brand, but when we saw this one was available in glow in the dark (which is perfect for Halloween btw), we had to get one! We were happy to see that the quality is actually superior to the other fort we have (stronger plastic for sure) and were able to combine it with the other fort to make a huge castle (we're talking three king size sheets required to cover it!!). My spouse who is an Occupational Therapist also commented on how this toy is great for developing/improving fine motor skills which is a plus. Very happy with this purchase which keeps my kids entertained for hours on end." — TDB
34
Amazon
A set of Crayola Scribble Scrubbie pets that can be reused over and over again
The Peculiar Pets set includes: one dragon, one narwhal, one yeti, one unicorn, one sparkly scrub tub, one scrub brush, nine washable markers, one 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." — a.b.
35
Amazon
An LCD writing tablet, great for practicing numbers and letters
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 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
36
Amazon
A Melissa & Doug activity book with a pair of safe scissors
Promising review: "Scissors skills are important both in and of themselves and because it strengthens the hand muscles to be used for learning to write. My 4-year-old LOVES this book. We received it this week and she has used it for a couple of hours each day. Many of the pages are cutting things out and putting them together (four-scoop ice cream cone, pizza with pepperonis, the components to build a house or a car, puzzles). We've used tape or glue to put the components together. This book is interesting enough to have caught the attention of my older children as well, although I make them let her do the cutting. :D Would make a great gift as it is so unique." — Mom of 7
37
Amazon
An interactive cube toy that helps toddlers develop motor skills
Promising review: "I ordered this for my 2-year-old's birthday who has Down syndrome. He absolutely loves putting things inside of other things. This toy out of many he received for his birthday was the absolute best. He will literally play for hours with it!! He definitely enjoys this!! Great buy, great toy!!! Y’all did amazing on this!!!!" —Ruthie Brenneman

Get it from Amazon for $25.95.
38
Leap Frog
An interactive word-learning book that helps build vocabulary
This 100 Words Book teaches words in both English and Spanish.

Promising review: "
My 2-year-old loves this interactive book. I really enjoy the dual-language feature and the way the book works by simply touching the pictures. My son loves sitting on the floor playing with this book for hours listening and learning. It's one of his favorite toys at the moment." — Crystal Grasso

Promising review: "Best learning toy ever! My 1-year-old granddaughter absolutely LOVES this toy!!! We have played with it for hours on end. Great product. Well built and sturdy. Luv, luv, luv it!" — Kimberly Conrad
39
A STEM-based flower-building activity set
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
40
Amazon
A rainbow-colored saucer swing
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
41
A remote-control stunt car that works on a number of surfaces
Promising review: "My 6-year-old son plays with this every day since we opened it up! He has brought it to the neighbors to show it to them and everyone thinks it's such a fun little toy with all the tricks it can do. I am quite impressed with how easily it glides from concrete to the grass, and over obstacles without getting stuck. Hours of fun!Rebecca A
42
Amazon
An easy-to-use foam pogo jumper with a sturdy foam base
Promising review: "I was happily astonished upon receipt of this pogo stick. It kept my 4-year-old grandson busy for hours at a time during the bitter cold days of this holiday season. It is well made and adjustable as children grow in height. It encourages developing a fine sense of balance. The material is tough enough to withstand use outdoors, but gentle enough to be used on hardwood floors or rugs. It is a great birthday gift for any child 4 to 8-years-old." — frankie
43
A giant bubble wands kit
The kit comes with the giant bubble wand, two pouches of bubble concentrate, and a booklet to help you become a skilled bubble creator.

Promising review: "Fantastic product!! My 8-year-old son played outside with them for two solid hours...unplugged...happy as can be! I definitely recommend and will buy again!." — Pxysis
44
Amazon
A pack of jumbo-sized Mega Bloks
The set includes 80 building blocks and a storage bag.

Promising review: "My 2-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter absolutely love these! They spend hours playing with these and as a family me and my husband and the kids build things together. The great things about them is that they are large so they aren't a choke hazard. My daughter will sometimes try to put these in her mouth so we are happy that we don't have to worry about that with these jumbo-sized blocks. The blocks are colorful and are made of good-quality plastic so you don't have to worry about small pieces or worry about them breaking and being harmful. These are highly recommended and very much worth every penny. Probably the best toy I have bought for my kids in a while." — Dee

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