27 Parent

Jun 29, 2023

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

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A UV-resistant, pop-up beach tent perfect for the beach, BBQs, or anywhere sunny. These tents provide the perfect place for a shaded nap or a way for your sand-resistant baby to enjoy the beach without crying.

A pair of kid binoculars that will take your little explorer to the next level. These 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.

A castle bounce house and blower — aka the perfect summer splurge — because bounce houses are second-to-none for getting kid energy out and the perfect excuse for you to sit down and watch the fun. Plus they tend to get their money's worth since they can be pulled out for parties or used inside if you have a space large enough.

"Wow honey. Yes. It IS a big bubble." *quiet sip*

Promising review: "Hours of fun with this extreme bubble machine. Small but mighty. I’m talking hundreds of bubbles a minute. My kids and their friends are obsessed! Make sure you buy extra bubble solution (it comes with one small bottle). Love how easy it is to pour in solution, no cords, and easy to store!" —Lauren

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

Note: the pool pictured above is *not* the pool included with the set.

My kids had a fishing game when they were younger and it got a surprising amount of play for a family that does not fish. It's a great game for hand-eye coordination and stores up easily. Putting the fish in a small pool adds to the challenge since the fish can move around a bit, but feel free to use it inside when the weather isn't cooperating.

Promising review: "Bought this for my 2-year-old godson to take to the beach house this summer. All summer he played with them in his pool and now that the weather is cooler, in the tub they go! I loved that it also came with a small little pool for them — so he can use it all year. :)" —Tina Martinez

Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in three sizes).

These balloons have a magnetic closure — inside the lining so that none can wiggle loose! — that stays closed for the throw but opens easily for splashing without pain for the kids. While you can use a hose to fill them up, reviewers suggest filling a bucket with water and allowing the kids to fill them up in there. They also come with a mesh carrying bag to keep everything in one place!

I recently got these for my kids and I cannot oversell how fun they are. We have had multiple full-family water balloon fights and the kids ask for them daily. When we're done, we dry them out and store them away for the next use.

Promising review: "We live in Texas where the heat is no joke. My kids love water balloons, but hate having to clean up the mess. I saw a friend share about these and I almost didn’t buy them because of the price — glad I did! Totally worth it. All the money and time spent on water balloons over the years had me convinced. Received them and they work great! My kids can’t get enough and constantly beg to use them. They can fill them themselves and they don’t hurt when hit. Super easy to use and clean up. Buying more for sure. My kids are ages 2, 4, 6, and 8 All could use them easily." —Eden

Get them from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in packs of four, six, 12, 14, and 18).

My kids have this exact set and I was honestly skeptical about how much use it would get. I was overwhelmingly wrong. They love it and I love that the tent goes up so easily that they don't need my help. It has plenty included for long stretches of play — the only downside is that they now want to go camping and apparently a hotel isn't it.

Promising review: "Cannot believe the great deal we got. We got this for our 2-year-old's birthday and both boys LOVED it. There was so much included with it — the pretend lantern and cook stove that LIGHT UP, and the food toys, and fake watch my 4-year-old wouldn't take off for a day. My run-on sentence could go on and on. They love it. They were entertained for hours so I love it." —Bianca

Get it from Amazon for $29.99.

"Ok, pay attention. First, you take the graham, you stick the chocolate on the graham. Then you roast the 'mallow. When the 'mallow's flaming, you stick it on the chocolate. Then cover with the other end. Then, you scarf." —Hamilton "Ham" Porter, The Sandlot

Promising review: "My preschool aged son got this for Christmas. It’s such a cute set and he and his older siblings have all enjoyed playing with it. I love that you can flip the marshmallows inside out to make them 'toasted.' The kids love being able to rearrange the wood and build the fire the way they like." —Kate

Get it from Amazon for $18.47.

Promising review: "My daughter loves this thing. Pretty much every time I'm home she runs me out to the trampoline and asks to play music and lights. It's pretty loud considering the speakers are so small. Don't expect great sound quality but kids don't care about that. The lights are super cool. A bunch of modes and colors all controllable. I would recommend this even if you don't have a trampoline. It could work over a pool, dance floor, patio, etc., super portable." —Mike Robbins

Get it from Amazon for $17.99.

Promising review: "I purchased three of these. One for my toddler who's just under three, one for my niece, and an extra for me and my toddler to do together on a rainy day in the future. I still have the one. My son and my niece loved them and enjoyed themselves. They are perfect plaster crafts to do with your children or even alone. I'm 30 and had just as much fun as my 3-year-old. I love painting with my son because it's a fun creative way to talk about colors and he's not very interested in sitting still and coloring, so painting grabs his attention longer. I highly suggest this. As a child, my neighbor and I used to make plaster to paint so I know how to compare the quality and this is good quality plaster. And it's the best priced on Amazon." —Dominique S.

Get it from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in packs of one or three and in14 designs).

Promising review: "This is the best breakfast invention after the waffle maker. LOVE IT! As someone who makes pancakes or waffles three to four times a week (my kids are pretty spoiled, but breakfast is key to getting through the first part of the school day), this is the easiest and fastest way to get that done. I just add everything to the bottle, shake, and pour into the waffle maker or griddle. When I am done, just add some water, shake again, empty, and then place everything in the dishwasher." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

Promising review: "These are unbelievable. We have the dinosaur ones and they are absolutely adorable. The mold peels off beautifully, and the size is just right for my preschoolers. I'm making healthy smoothies (frozen spinach! Chia seeds! Ground flax!) and making popsicles with them, and my kids think they're eating a fun dessert. Brilliant. I'll be giving these as gifts for a good while." —IonaSky

Get a pack of four from Amazon for $14.33 (available in four themes).

Promising review: "This is a beautiful, high quality bag that you will be so thankful your kids have. It has been great for the pool, beach, play dates, summer camps etc. I got one for my 7- and 4-year-old and the size is perfect for both of them. The quality is so nice, I’m making a list for Christmas and birthdays where I can get these bags for friends and family kiddos! So useful, great quality, you won’t regret this purchase." —Christine

Get it from Multiple Monograms on Etsy for $40.

Each camera comes with a removable waterproof case, a mount, a strap, a 32 GB SD card, and a USB cable.

Promising review: "My 7-year-old loves this little camera! It's basically like an earlier generation GoPro as far as quality/capabilities, and the included games are a fun extra. The included waterproof case works great! Overall, just as advertised and honestly better than I expected. Would definitely recommend!" —Mike Z

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in seven colors).

Each 15-piece set comes with a wagon, eight tools, four pots, a watering can, and a spray bottle for a variety of play options.

Promising review: "My 3-year-old is no gardener, but he loved playing in his dirt pile. Lots of different tools kept him busy. He loved filling up the wagon and dumping it. As he gets interested in planting, he can use the pots and actually watch something grow. It's nice and sturdy. Can be used in dirt or sand. Definitely a great buy." —Denise Davidson

Get it from Amazon for $29.99.

Promising review: "Really love this pool for my toddler boy. It's the perfect size and love how the water only gets to a certain level to be safe for kids. My son loves to splash and play with his toys and balls that are included with the pool." —Alicia

Get it from Amazon for $60.50 (also available with an air pump).

Promising review: "I got this to spend time outside with my 3.5-month-old while having protection from the sun. She loves it! It offers good sun protection. We use a little portable fan in it to help stay cool, too. Nice quality, easy to put up and fold away. I can put it up and put it away in under five minutes." —Marjorie

Get it from Amazon for $33.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "I got this for son on his fifth birthday and it is sturdy enough to take his weight — he is 50 pounds roughly. My 2.5-year-old also uses it and it hops very well. Very easy to inflate. Very easy to carry around. The ears serve well to hold onto and the tail gives slight support at the back, so you don't think you are going to just fall off. I inflated it the day I bought it and it's been a year since then. No air leakage, no soft bumps, still sturdy as ever!" —Pree G

Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in three designs and in two material options).

Promising review: "My 3-year-old loves having his own pair of binoculars. They really work well and are very durable. They've been dropped several times already and it doesn't phase these a bit." —BrookeLinn

Get them from Amazon for $11.99.

Promising review: "I bought these for my daughter who gets terrible reactions to bug bites. We put this on and within two days the bite was gone. It normally takes weeks for the welts from bug bites to go away. They were amazing and stayed on well." —BunnyRunner

Get it from Quitch for $49.99 (originally $69.94).

Promising review: "I can't believe how effective this product is! I used it on both of my kids and it actually worked! Wish I had known about it before instead of using creams to help bug bites. Awesome invention! You gotta try it — definitely a product that you will want to take with you everywhere!" —cibieq

Get it from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in six colors and four quantities).

Rest Nets is a small biz based in Israel and the design has been rigorously tested for safety.

Promising review: "This swing is probably the best thing that has happened to our house since we renovated. My daughter can’t go to OT because of the pandemic, so we turned the basement into a sensory gym. This swing is amazing! It’s simple, safe, and versatile. My kids love it!" —Leanne A

Get it from Rest Nests on Etsy for $98.60+ (available in 10 colors).

Promising review: "My kids love taking these to the pool and the beach. The compact case snaps closed so I don’t have to worry about the cards falling out. They are totally waterproof. Very cool!" —April M Woodard

Get them from Amazon for $6.97.

Promising review: "This splash pad is the best money we’ve spent on our kiddos! They’ve used it every summer since we purchased it three years ago! The splash pad itself has held up really well for all the use it’s gotten, too. Would absolutely recommend this to anyone with children that enjoy being outdoors!" —Andrew Sroka

Get it from Amazon for $27.95+ (available in three designs).

Promising review: "We’ve been through two summers with this water table so far and it has held up wonderfully. We clean it and dry it out after each session, so we don’t have to worry about mold or sitting water. A few very simple toys have our kids busy in this for a while. Great way to cool off when we don’t have a pool and don’t want to set up sprinklers. Lots of space for three kids to play (ages 1, 3, 5 this past summer)." —Sarah Vigliotta

Get it from Amazon for $84.99.

Promising review: "Easy to assemble — 30 mins with a drill — and perfect size for our two toddlers! I was worried that there would be a risk of slammed/pinched fingers, but the way the lid opens/closes — our little guys won’t be able to open/close without assistance for quite awhile. Also love that the lid is not a separate piece to become clutter or tripped on in the yard. Very happy and highly recommend!" —Emily

Get it from Amazon for $99.99.

Have a kid not quite ready for two wheels? Three-wheeled scooters are a great starting point for the younger crowd and this one has great reviews!

Promising review: "My kids each got one for Christmas, my boys are really hard on things so I didn't buy the expensive scooters. My boys have crashed them, left them out in the rain and my husband ran over onto one they left in the driveway and they still work great." —Bill simons

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in seven colors).

This slide holds up to 50 pounds, so be sure not to bring it out for yourself.

Promising review: "I got this for my 2-year-old daughter's birthday and she LOVES it. She is a little nervous on the playground and she took to this right away. It folds down easily and sets up easily — the design is brilliant. It was actually so easy that I watched the 30 second setup video just to be sure I got it right lol. My 8-year-old son got on it too and it held up. We live in an apartment so this is something that she can climb on safely without taking up a ton of space. Love this product!!" —jenna

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in four styles).

Promising review: "Oh my — the bounce house is well worth the investment. I bought this bounce house last year for my son’s second birthday. Last November we put it up for a group of ten boys aged 9-13. There were 3-4 of them in there at a time. We let our nephew use it for his second birthday. I used it for my baby shower last October. Now, I just used it again for my son’s third birthday party. About five kids — aged 2-5 — in it having a blast. Then, my 10-year-old and his friend bounced on it for a while. This bounce house is durable, well made, and has been well loved! And, we will still be using the bounce house many more times." —Stephanie

Get it from Amazon for $249.99.

Promising review: "The holy grail of sippy cups!! This cup is THE BOMB! No leaking, easy to clean, my 18- month-old, who wants to do and have everything like his 6-year-old brother, loves this cup! Both boys use them. Not too babyish for my older one and easy enough that my little guy can use them, we now have four of them! I’m sure a couple more are in our future! And the price is great." —shoelover

"I was skeptical that these were ACTUALLY leak proof. After all I have a toddler, they can make literally anything leak or spill. I have been through sooooo many cups trying to find ones that will not leave a puddle of water behind when it's left in its near permanent horizontal resting place on the floor or break or pour when my son inevitably bashes it onto the hardwood floor. The only liquid that comes out is what is left behind in the top of the straw after he drinks from it, which there is nothing you can do to even fix that. These are magnificent! They are easy to clean but then again I only use these for water so thicker liquid or drinks that tend to spoil may be more difficult to clean out. Overall this is the BEST cup I've come across when it comes to capacity, functionality, and most importantly ACTUALLY NOT LEAKING!" —Ashley

Get it from Amazon for $10.16+ (available in 10 prints and as a two-pack).

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.