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With summer vacation just around the corner (and at-home school becoming more of a frequent reality for many), you can never have too many options for keeping little ones busy if you're a parent. That's why we consulted kids, parents, and other editors to find the best activities for kids—and if you're on the hunt for new ideas, you'll want to keep reading.
We rounded up everything, from books to toys to games, that'll keep them occupied at home. There are card games they can play with siblings or friends, furry stuffed animals, kits for the budding chef... and if all that fails? We've also included some electronics on the list to give you a surefire guarantee for a little peace and quiet. Shop our top 49 options ahead; you might just want to stock up on multiple pieces to stay prepared.
Between the sound effects and LED fire-breathing, this robotic dragon seems surprisingly lifelike.
Sure, it's not a real tablet — but your toddler won't know the difference. This toy teachers numbers and letters, plays games, and — of course — plays the "Baby Shark" song at the push of a button.
In the Good Housekeeping Institute's test, kids couldn't get enough of this search-and-find maze game. Think of it as an at-home escape room, where they won't get out unless every member of the team works together.
Stage space battles from Star Wars after building this 60-piece set. Once it's ready, it has a blaster pistol, foldable wings, and a cockpit with an opening for minifigs of Poe Dameron and BB-8.
If your kids still aren't over the "Baby Shark" song, get them to stop stealing your phone to watch the video by handing them one of these colorful plushes; each one plays the song when you squeeze them.
These collectible dolls come in a flower pot, and you just add water to get it to "bloom," hair-first, and see which one you've got. Once it's done sprouting, you can open the pot to make a little playset, complete with surprise accessories.
It doesn't seem possible, but this is a new book by Dr. Seuss, just released in 2019. It's based on an unrhymed manuscript and sketches discovered in 2013, and completed by illustrator Andrew Joyner. The book gives a look at how artists like Picasso, Rosa Bonheur, Alexander Calder, Deborah Butterfield, and Jackson Pollock used horses in their work.
This slime-filled extra-terrestrial body comes with everything you need for a goopy alien dissection. Hidden among the slime in the body cavity are little surprise toys for your kids to find.
This fast-paced, family-family card game is a twist on the game Snap, but in a much more millennial-friendly vibe. It even comes in its own avocado carrying case so you can bring it with you on vacation.
Between the 12 different-colored slimes and three containers of add-ins, your kids are in for hours of fun.
CLACK! Magnetic Stacking Game
If you're looking to start a family game-night tradition, Clack! is easy for even the youngest players to pick up. You roll a pair of dice, and one will tell you a color while the other will give you a shape. Then, you all race to make a stack of discs that fit the criteria; the discs are magnetic, which makes the stacking easy and fun!
If you've never played Fluxx, it's a totally addictive card game where the rules keep changing depending on what cards you play. With the brand-new Marvel edition, special Avengers-themed cards make the game even more tailored for your comics fan at home.
Violet is a snuggly pal that can actually learn your child's name through an accompanying app. Once they become buddies, she can sing lullabies, count, and teach colors.
Flipside is the Rubix cube of 2019. Players have to quickly flip the colors to match flashing lights in this addictive, fast-paced game.
An aspiring baker deserves the best tools (all of which are free of BPA, naturally). With three color-coordinated sets to choose from, each includes the essentials — an apron, measuring spoons, a whisk, and more — for whipping up a great batch of decadent cookies.
This adorably packaged game lets family members (up to eight players) compete in 120 solo, cooperative, and head-to-head challenges involving the "ingredients" of a root beer float. For example, one challenge might involve having all the players suck up a cherry on the end of the straw — whoever holds it the longest wins!
Each Scruff-a-Luv comes as a matted ball of fur that kids need to wash, dry, style, and care for before their new pet is revealed!
Crayola Color Wonder Light Up Stamper
Art time is fun for them, but can also be a huge mess for you. With Crayola's genius mat, the stamps only show up on the specially formulated paper, not your walls.
Popular Playthings Playstix
Color-coded with grooves that interlock, these building tools (150 of 'em!) make dreaming up creations super easy.
Story time just got a lot more exciting. Clip this attachment on your smartphone and Moonlite will project colorful photos and play sound as you read to your little one.
Lindsey works with the Good Housekeeping Institute to test and review products including appliances, bedding, baby items, pet products and more.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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