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Because sometimes you just wanna have a Zoom call without hearing Mario Kart at full volume in the background.

Promising review: "A year later, this obstacle course I purchased has proven to be remarkably sturdy and easy to clean. It's incredible to see how creative the children are while playing with it, and they absolutely love it. Although it's a bit on the expensive side, the hours of entertainment it provides make it totally worth the investment. Highly recommend." —Misao

Get a six-piece set from Amazon for $46.58 (also available in sets of three).

The set includes kinetic sand, a dump truck, a working crane, a wrecking ball, and brick molds. PERFECT for getting a few things done around the house while your little amuses themselves with all manner of construction projects in the meantime.

Promising reviews: "I bought this for my 3.5-year-old for Christmas, and it’s been one of his favorite things to play with! He loves the construction truck and block molds, and the box that opens into a little play area. We have a rule of only allowing him to play with it in the little box provided and on the table, so keeping it clean and together hasn’t been a problem." —Michelle

"My son really struggles to play independently, and there are no toys or activities that he ever wants to do for any length of time. I bought this on a whim, because I thought he may enjoy it, and the first time playing with it, he sat rather quietly and very focused for upwards of 45 MINUTES and played independently. He has now played with it dozens more times and LOVES it. It does tend to make a bit of a mess, but we just do it in the kitchen and grab the vacuum when he's done! This is some of the best money I have ever spent!" —Michaela Garand

Promising review: "I would recommend this product. The storage case is really handy, keeping everything organized. The set includes five tools and four colors, which keep kids busy for hours. The pizza cutter and cheese grater add a fun touch. Overall, a great sensory toy that encourages creativity and play." —Katie Hernan

The wooden ice cream counter comes with eight ice cream scoops, six toppings, two cones, a cup, a scooper, tongs, a wooden spoon, a reusable menu card, and six pretend dollar bills.

Promising reviews: "I purchased this for my 3-year-old nephew, and he loved it! It's the only toy that he has played with for months and months. By far, the best gift I've purchased yet. Highly recommend!" —Amazon Customer

"I'm so glad I bought this for my daughter! She's had it for five days now and spends hours just playing ice cream shop. Definitely worth the money! It's very sturdy, has openings in the sides to carry around, and every piece has a fitted space, so she knows if something is missing. Comes with a sturdy plastic menu that stands on its own and six dollar bills. She really believes she's a worker, and I think it's adorable!" —BWiatrek

Promising reviews: "This is the cutest little house and honestly very impressively constructed! Way nicer to look at in the yard than the plastic ones and very worth the extra money. Having the kitchen, doorbell, and phone are a huge hit for my daughter! She squealed when she first walked in! The directions are very easy to follow. I did it mostly myself with a drill. I would recommend doing the roof last, because otherwise assembling everything on the inside is not ideal for an adult!" —Fair Customer

"This playhouse turned out SO cute! It was easy to put together, and the kiddos (2 and 4) absolutely LOVE it!! They were pushing us out of it before we had it all put together! The first thing they did was use the play phone that’s included to pretend to order pizza for us to deliver to them via the front door and doorbell. (It was adorable) The doorbell was a HUGE hit! The next thing was cooking the rest of dinner on the stove and serving it up. We ended up putting it together in the garage because it had turned cold outside. They’ve had so much fun with it that we’ve decided to keep it in the garage and let them play with it there through the winter and then move it outside in the spring when it warms up. We’re looking forward to it keeping them entertained for hours!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $249+ (also available in white).

Promising review: "This is a really great product, not just for the value, but you definitely get your money's worth and more. My 3-year-old loves this, and he's hard on things, so the sturdiness is always a plus. He's played in it in the sun, he's played in it in the rain, and I love that you can put the top on to protect your sand from the rain. You can't get a better value for your money. I definitely recommend this." —Lacie

"Great product. Sturdy, well-made little sandbox with a snug-fitting lid that 100 percent keeps cats and other critters out without any worries of the wind blowing it off either. My 2-year-old grandbaby plays for hours in this thing. We love it. Would definitely recommend it for anyone with a toddler." —Kamille b.

I was actually surprised at how eager my son was to try the poses. I figured there would be a lot of rolling around of the yoga buddy and not much else, but the pose cards really game-ified it for him, and he has played with it NUMEROUS times for long stretches, bless. Plus, now we can do yoga together! 

Promising review: "Got these for my great nieces. I think they're going to love it, and I have also seen that on YouTube, you can follow some exercise videos along with the cards." —Walmart Customer

Get it from Walmart for $24.97 (also available in penguin and unicorn versions).

Mollybee Kids is a family-run small business creating high-quality toys that promote learning, staying active, and most importantly, fun! 

Promising review: "A must-have. My 2-year-old son is obsessed. Always asks to play the 'find you' game, LOL. Then we play it, and every option in the game, he actually thinks really hard, then says, 'Come on, mommy,' and runs me through the house to find the object. Highly recommended from a mom of four." —Britney bansley

"Entertainment for hours and days. We used this indoors and outdoors, and bought both sets. It was a lot of fun to keep the walk adventurous. Plus, when it’s rainy and cold, it's a nice activity inside too." —Kevin the Seer

Get it from Amazon for $11.04 (available in two other styles).

Promising reviews: "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 

"This kept a 3-year-old's attention for hours. The different colors of the blocks really make it satisfying to complete." —Cambri H

Promising review: "Such a great quality toy that has endless options and entertains for hours." —Lauren

Get it from Target for $39.99 (also available in a splurgy deluxe version).

Promising reviews: "My 4-year-old is obsessed with the Glitter Unicorn Pack! The colors are bright and sparkly, and the glitter tiles make every build look magical. The magnets are strong, and the quality is great. She's built the unicorn a few times and is now using the glitter tiles to make other things like castles and towers." —GirlMom

"Great product. My granddaughters play with this for hours." —Anita K.

Nugget Comfort is a small business based in Butner, North Carolina, that specializes in play furniture made from foam cushions.

Promising review: "We absolutely love our nugget couch! The kids love using it as a crash pad, building forts, and climbing all over it. They’ve spent hours in their room playing with all the different pieces. The material is super soft and wipes clean easily from messes. Highly recommend this couch! Talked so highly of it that my sister bought one for her son’s birthday!" —Sydney R.

Get it from Nugget Comfort for $249+ (available in 23 colors and four fabrics) or Amazon for $249+ (available in 12 colors and two fabrics).

Promising reviews: "My grandkids love it! The color was true to the picture, and the material is durable. It stores down to an ottoman, which is now an extra place to sit in the playroom. The kids can do so much with it, building different things or just sitting inside the ring and looking at a book. Definitely recommended. It’s their second Nugget, and they love them both." —Terri J.

"We got our 4-year-old and 1-year-old a Chunk and Nugget for Christmas, and they both play on them for HOURS. My daughter loves to play pretend restaurant, pizza shop, ice cream shop, and roll around inside the ring. Both of my kids' favorite builds with both Nugget and Chunk are slides and obstacle courses. If you’re even thinking about getting one, do it. You will not regret it." —Jocelyn M.

Get it from Nugget Comfort for $199+ (available in 15 colors and two fabrics).

Promising review: "These are great toddler-friendly binoculars. They are safe (with the break-free neck cord) and do a wonderful job of centering the eyepiece over your kid's eyes because of the built-in goggles. We have endless hours of fun looking for birds and bugs with our daughter with these 'kidnoculars.'"—maristella huerta

My kiddo, my partner, and my whole FAM are obsessed with these. Forget slothing around on the couch: You've got a grocery store to run, a spaceship to build, and (confusingly) an outhouse to clean. Yes, my son turned his into a toilet. This is inexplicable to me but hilarious to him. Regardless of where your kiddo's imagination leads them, you've got nothing to lose but hours of boredom by adding this to your imaginative play repertoire.

Promising reviews: "My kids have always loved building forts, but Superspace tiles take it to the next level! It has been so fun to watch them create, build reading nooks, spaceships, tunnels, and a Christmas shop. Allowing them to use their imagination and create is so valuable! This is the ultimate gift that will be used for many years to come!" —Ashley H

"Our toddler is huge on pretend play, and this toy is by far his favorite. We bought it over two months ago, and he has been playing with it every day since receiving it. He is 3 years old and builds everything comfortably on his own. I would strongly recommend." —Phebe V.

Get it from Superspace for $429 (available in five colors).

There are lots of other Bananagrams options, including a winter wonderland version!

Promising reviews: "My niece and I enjoy hours of fun. She learns as well when she plays." —Sophy Allen

"I really enjoy this game. Being a Scrabble lover, this really hit home. I like that you can play by yourself, too. I played with my nephew and brother. We kept saying 'one more game.' :) This one is a real winner." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in classic, kids', and double versions).

Promising review: "Excellent toy for my grandson! Easy to put together, makes for a fun toy to play with many people! Makes for hours of fun! Sturdy plastic material, which is awesome for longevity! Easy to store, which is a huge plus for me!" —Exactly what you need

Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in two colors and a shark version).

Promising review: "My grandkids aged between 2–10 years love it, plus it's simple to use. One button to push to clear the screen. Has an attached pen that is great to use, but you can use other things to write on the screen. Definitely worth the price. So far, it has offered hours of entertainment, which lately seems pretty impossible when competing with an iPad." —Lori

Get it from Amazon for $13.29+ (available in four sizes and six colors).

Promising review: "Love that they are tangle free! My son is obsessed with playing with them and hasn’t put them down since we received them!" —LAURA L.

Get a pack of four from Amazon for $8.49 (available in three sets of colors/designs).

Promising reviews: "My 2-year-old is obsessed with it! Can spend hours washing dishes, his cars, practicing pouring from containers, etc. He loves to organize his dinnerware and utensils. Love the beautiful look of the kitchen as well (just like anything Lovevery. :) The separate containers for clean/dirty water are great and pretty safe from toddler access. Worth the money in my opinion and I am happy we upgraded from an Ikea (functional) kitchen." —Katrina P.

"I brought this for my little one's second birthday. HE LOVES IT. Already a pro at pouring and washing dishes. Keeps him entertained and immersed in imaginative play for ages. It’s such high quality, I can tell this will be a playroom staple for years to come." —Lauren P.

Get it from Lovevery for $300 (available in six backsplash designs).

This bundle comes with a mix of 10 Daniel Tiger and classic story cartridges, plus the Daniel Tiger and Owl figurine. Additional characters are also available for adding to their collection.

Promising reviews: "This is a life-changing experience for parents who have active kiddos. Brought this for my grandsons so that they had something else better than their electronic devices, and my daughter thanks me so much. It keeps them busy for hours, she says, and it gives her time to do other things around the house. I highly recommend this." —Stephen Savage

"This projector is a bedtime game changer. Stories and songs are the perfect length to include in your little ones' schedule and help them calm down before sleep. Both my 3- and 4-year-olds love all the stories and look forward to choosing a story and a song every night. We have had it for a few weeks now, and it works perfectly. Batteries last long. We got four cartridges to start, and the kids have not been able to listen to all the stories yet, because they love and learn through repetition, but I think eventually we will end up purchasing them all. It's not inexpensive, but it's something they can grow up with and learn different things at different ages." —Maria

Get a projector with a character cartridge from Amazon for $59.99+ (also available with two characters and as individual characters).

Promising review: "We bought this toy as a surprise for our then 10-month-old to fly from America to the Middle East. It has been a great airplane toy, keeping her happy and occupied for hours. We travel with it in a gallon baggie to ensure the 'blocks' don't get lost, and do a count before we leave the plane. Sometimes we keep the shapes that roll in the baggie so they don't end up 12 rows back. So far, we still have all nine. Several long flights, four countries, and nine months later, it's still one of her favorites." —Lauren Carter

Promising review: "My daughter absolutely loves this climbing gym! It keeps her entertained for hours and provides a great way for her to stay active indoors. The design is sturdy and safe, and the 5-in-1 setup offers plenty of variety to keep her engaged. I love that it’s Montessori-inspired, encouraging independent play and motor skill development. Highly recommend for any parent looking for a fun and functional play gym!" —Carlos

Get it from Amazon for $219+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "Huge hit! My 5-year-old grandson and I played it for two hours straight right after opening the package! Do not hesitate to purchase this card game. Lots and lots of fun. I can’t wait to play it with my other grandchildren." —groovagirlie

Promising review: "So perfect for what I need. It's small, but a good value for the price. There were some small pieces in it, too small for my kids (1–2 years old); however, they were appropriate for the recommended age range. The kids love it, played for hours. Several light modes (with different colors and brightness levels) are available, which is very cool. I love that there are a few pattern sheets that come with it, also. Good bargain for the price." —Nicole

Promising review: "I bought this for my son when he was 3. Two years later, I’ve come back to write my unbiased review, so you have one to trust. At the time, I bought these on a whim and had no idea what I would unlock. For more than two full years now, these gears have been played with DAILY. Every. Single. Day. They have held up to crashed airplanes, tidal waves hitting sea creatures, and have been catapulted into castles. Very rarely have they been played with as shown on the product pictures, as my son uses them to build different things every day. Dusty Crophopper (plane), Lightning McQueen (race car), and so much more. Our only regret is that sometimes we don’t have enough pieces to build an entire fleet. These creations have an entire shelf for display in his bedroom to feature what he builds each day. This toy is durable, open-ended, grows with the child, fits a variety of abilities and ages, and is only limited by imagination. I could not recommend this toy more!" —Traveler

Playper is a small business committed to fostering a love for learning with sustainable toys. Joy, education, and A+ Earth vibes in toy form? Yes, please. I'd also like to note that I appreciate their affordability (not just for this list!) because they are dedicated to making their imagination-fueled toys accessible to as many families as possible.

Promising reviews: "Can’t believe how sturdy this thing is!!! When I read the description, I didn’t quite understand what it was and assumed it was some cardboard castle…so I was a bit nervous about it being too flimsy. I was wrong and worried over nothing! My 4-year-old has visibly become more interested in discovering the quests with numbers and puzzles. Since he started playing it, he is finding out that the combination of challenges has a lot to offer — all there to be discovered just by playing around with it. For a 'paper toy,' I am wholeheartedly super impressed. A++" —Jee

"Just bought it, and she looooves it. We did two hours without a break! The characters are cute and come with cute stories. I wish you could have seen the smile on her face when she snapped the first character (Snuffles the dragon) together by herself, but she had a great time just popping them out of the sheets they come in out of the box, and that’s not even the fun part. Also, amazing quality — really durable." —Kevin M

My son's first self-assigned project with this bench set was sawing our brick fireplace. He's still working on it some years later.

Promising review: "We got this for our daughter for Christmas, and it was an absolute hit. It continues to be her favorite thing that we got her for Christmas. She loves the drill and goes all around the house fixing everything with it. She loves the screwdriver; she uses it to open things like doors and boxes. She’s starting to learn how to use the tools with the screws. The light is really exciting for her, and she enjoys turning it on and off while she works on things. Our daughter isn’t even 2 years old, but this has been such a fun way to see her use her imagination and participate in creative play. She really likes the birdhouse, and I was surprised how quickly she learned to put it together." —Lizzibella

"Grandson loves it and keeps him entertained for hours. At 1 year old, he has learned even how the tools work." —David S

Reviews for this post have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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.

Ashley Schumacher is a freelancer who has been writing for BuzzFeed Shopping for over two years with an emphasis on home goods, parenting items and toys, beauty products, and anything that can make your day-to-day life run a little smoother.