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Summer goals: keep kiddos cool and keep them from saying “I’m bored” on repeat.

I am a contributor and former BuzzFeed Shopping writer based in Cincinnati, OH where you can find me curating lists on ~a little bit of everything~ (and adding a few things to my own cart in the process).

Urban Infant is a Chicago-based small business run by a brother/sister duo  making unique and useful parenting products.

Promising review: "Our 1-year-old loves these. It was his first time using chalk and he had no trouble with them. They are pretty thick; doesn't matter how he holds them, there will be contact with the surface and there will be color!" —JW

Get a pack of five from Amazon for $9.95+ (available in seven color combos).

Promising review: "Love it and both my kids do as well. Perfect for starting out, WAY better than getting a scooter!" —Steven Benike

Get it from Ookkie for $139.99 (available in five colors).

It comes with a pot, ladle, two bowls, two flowerpots, a sieve, water tank, sink, faucet and oven plate.

Promising review: "This is so cute. My kids are eight, six, and three, and they play with this for HOURS. It was easy enough to assemble that I was able to do it myself. So far, it seems high quality and durable. Versatile for all ages!" —Jessica S.

Promising review: "Great little pool. Big enough for my wife, son, and me to sit and splash around. Honestly, it's more convenient than going to the public pool and dealing with crowds, other kids, and loud noises. Fills up in about 30 minutes and blows up in about five minutes. Drains a little slow but folds nicely and stores when we are done." —Tim R.

Hilltop Wood Shop Co is small biz is located in Oregon and owned by Kelsie, who makes custom name signs, puzzles, and other woodcut crafts. 

Promising review: "Colors are very vibrant! It is such a neat idea and gift, and it came exactly as ordered!" —Tori

Get it on sale from Hilltop Wood Shop Co on Etsy for $16.80+ (originally $24; available with or without paint). 

Promising review: "I ordered this for my granddaughter's fourth birthday. It was easy to assemble and has that great cedar smell — it's also lightweight but well-made. My granddaughter, along with her 1-and-a-half-year-old brother, has already gotten a lot of playtime in the sandbox. They love it!! It is beautiful, and my son loves the fact that it closes up to protect the sand and then opens up to benches for the children to sit on. He has sent me a couple of pictures and videos of them playing in it. I highly recommend this sandbox." —lisa burroughs

Get it from Amazon for $89.99+ (available in seven colors).

This toy is ideal for ages 24 months–6 years.

Promising review: My daughter loves this toy! It requires no batteries and blows a lot of bubbles out really well. My 3-year-old has had no issues pushing it around, even on grass. It was very easy to assemble and it's holding up." —Kacie

Several reviewers shared that this little pool kept their kids engaged for hours.

Promising review: "My kids love this. It is soo easy to plug the hose into and turn the water on and the kids can have hours of fun. Once the kids are done playing, I disconnect the hose, let the water drain, and hang it over the porch." —Austin

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in six themes and sizes).

Promising reviews: "If you have little ones, this is a practical toy that keeps them busy for hours, especially if they love cars and racing." —Cindy Hamann

"This is light enough to take apart and move or store. My 2-year-old grandson loves this not just for riding down in the car itself, but also for the ramp portion, which he uses for his own entertainment (i.e., racing his toy cars down it or using it like a balance beam). It's very sturdy, and I feel it is worth every penny spent." —PL

Get it from Amazon for $139.99 (available in two colors).

Promising review: "Hours of humongous fun! I purchased the dinosaur for my 3-year-old son! He loves it! Easy to inflate. This thing is huge! My item arrived with three stakes to secure in the ground. There are three sleeves with holes off the side of each leg and tail to insert the stake. I live in Florida, and with the winds we had, this didn’t blow around. I was shocked at how far and wide the water sprayed. Highly recommend." —Amazon Customer

Promising reviews: "This might be the only toy that keeps my young boys busy for more than an hour...They work SO well. Play with them outside on a windy day and watch how far they go! They also love the option of switching the back wing for 'straight' or 'swirly whirly' mode lol." —Em Ped

"Wow!!! These things REALLY work as advertised!! To be honest, my expectations were pretty low. But I was very pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong! The looping mode is so awesome, the kids and adults were giddy with excitement! It’s also very durable — it can handle hitting the ground pretty hard without taking any damage. Definitely best airplane toy I’ve ever played with." —kliles

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $12.34+ (available in two colors and different quantities).

Promising reviews: "Different modes, and keeps kids busy for hours." —Amazonian

"Given to our 4-year-old during her birthday party. Our 8-year-old grandson put it together with a little help from grandpa. The 4-year-olds to 8-year-olds all had fun running and jumping. I even got asked to play the tossing rings! Fun was had by one and all." —Joann

Promising review: "I got these for my kids to play in the pool with, and they most certainly didn't disappoint. The maximum range on these (around 30 feet with a little elbow grease put into it) surpasses any Super-Soaker that I've ever tried, and they're extremely easy to use. Granted, they have no water reservoir, so you have to use them in the pool, lake, ocean, etc., for them to be effective, but aside from that, they are a fantastic water toy. Plus, they're brightly colored and float on the surface of the water so almost impossible to lose." —iEspresso

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $15.21.

Promising reviews: "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

"So first off my kids LOVE this swing! It has been one of the greatest purchases I have purchased so far for their playroom!!! We use it inside to keep them busy on rainy days or when they need to get their energy out! I give the swing itself 5 stars for sure!!!!" —Samantha Brooke Main

Get it from Amazon for $36.99+ (available in two sizes).

Promising review: "Best purchase! We bought it for the kids but my husband and I stayed up until 1 a.m. playing!! It was a hit at our party! Great quality. Yes, you can hit the bar and release the discs, but it hasn't happened to us and wouldn't be a big deal if it did! Totally worth it! So glad we got it!!" —Rechel B

Promising reviews: "These reusable water balloons were a great buy! My 2-year-old and 4-year-old had so much fun with them! We filled them with water from a pan and then squeezed them out and threw them around! They were very easy to fill, and they closed with magnets with a very secure seal that does not leak at all." —Rivka Simon

"The adults in this house love water balloons but not the mess…plus with toddlers around, it didn’t quite make sense to have water balloons, but we saw a random video on TikTok and HAD to find reusable water balloons to try out. These were the first ones we bought to try out, and WHOA, we were blown away! Super easy for the 2- and 3-year-olds, too, which means more fun for all of us!! Do not think twice or continue with regular water balloons, you’ll waste precious time cleaning up and filling that could be used to make memories." —Taurus

Get a four-pack from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in nine pack sizes). 

The set includes four rechargeable guns, four rechargeable vests, and one charging station. You can play approximately eight games per charge. The cool LCD screens on the vest keep count of how many lives you have, and the vest vibrates when you get shot, aka tagged. Play with up to four teams and eliminate your enemies to win the game. Recommended for ages 8+.

Promising review: "Let’s just say I’m officially the coolest mom in my kids' eyes! We played for hours and ran around the house, and they didn’t even realize they were exercising. They are so easy to set up, my son figured it out immediately. I love the charging station it comes with because there is no need to worry about batteries. no complaints here." —Julie Gutierrez

Promising reviews: "This keeps my 19-month-old busy for a long time...it is very cute in his room, it doesn't take up too much space, and it is very durable. My 3-year-old grandson even plays with it as well." —Danielle Townsend

"I went out and bought this after my grandkids showed interest in basketball. It was so easy to put together, it is sturdy enough for the kids to slam dunk, and it's durable enough to leave outside in the weather. Very happy with this purchase." —Amazon Customer

Promising reviews: "My grandkids love these and keep them busy looking through them at many things." —Tammy

"These are absolutely the best for preschool-age children. There is no need for adjustment. You just look into the binoculars and see a clear image. My son used these this past summer for getting a closer look at the hummingbirds at our feeder. We also took these with us on nature walks. He really enjoyed using them, and after a full summer's use, they are still in great shape. Anything that makes a child curious about nature and the environment gets an A+ in my book." —Rachael P.

Get it from Amazon for $12.79+ (available in two colors).

This set includes binoculars, a compass, a butterfly net, a magnifying glass, a backyard exploration critter case, a whistle, tweezers, bug containers, a hat, and a backpack.

Promising reviews: "Oh my goodness I never write reviews but felt compelled to do so after gifting these to my two grandsons, ages 8 and 4. This kept them busy for hours, and seeing them walk around in those little explorer hats was the cutest thing ever. Everything seemed well-made, and hopefully, they will have many more hours of fun with these great kits. Highly recommend!" —L. Lovegood

"The binoculars are of great quality, as well as the awesome flashlight that doesn’t require batteries. It has everything you need for your little explorer. Cute camo hat that fits great. An awesome bag to hold all the items. The magnifying glasses are of great quality. Love that it includes fake bugs to play with. My son loves the small bug container and the larger netted one. He also loves the bug net and the little gripper tool that holds bugs. This could have easily been priced way higher, so it’s a great find for the price!" —Beth 

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

Get it from Amazon for $15.95+ (available in seven styles).

It comes with an inflatable basketball, volleyball, and soccer ball, four water guns, a hose assembly kit, a blower, eight stakes for the inflatable water park, two stakes for the blower, four repair patches, and a carrying bag,

Promising review: "Can I please just start off with THANK YOU!!! My husband and I talked for a long time about what to buy to entertain our kids, and let me tell you, we won PARENTS OF THE YEAR!!! Our in-laws are already planning out our summer get-togethers around our home!!! We literally are the hot spot for the summer! Thank you, guys, for bringing our family back together again!!! The materials on this thing are TOP NOTCH. Just unboxing our at-home waterpark from its box, we could tell it was made with durability in mind. I, a 31-year-old woman, got in there with three kids and had a blast!!! My kids couldn't get enough, and to tell the truth, neither can I. Thanks again!!!" —Stephanie Mayol

Former BuzzFeeder Chandni Reddy says: "I'm not sure who's more OBSESSED with our Liki Trike... my toddler or me? My active toddler, who absolutely hates being strapped into his stroller, loves that it allows him to sit upright and steer the handles (while I push him), making him feel like he's in control and going on an adventure. It has made trips to the park/mall/zoo so much easier because it is lighter than our stroller *and* folds up tiny, taking up minimal trunk space. (We also took it on a flight recently and were amazed at how easily it fit in the airplane overhead bin!) My fave feature is how seamlessly it steers. Unlike other trikes, you don't need to awkwardly force it to change directions. In fact, my 5-year-old has no trouble navigating my 2-year-old around the park. The best part? My little one is so happy riding around on this thing that he's had barely any meltdowns when we're out and about. I'd say that's a huge win!"

Get it from Amazon for $300+ (available in three colors and two styles).

Promising review: "I love these cards. Great for fun card games in the pool. Very durable and bright colors. I even ordered another deck! These dry off easily for storing." —Abbie Spencer

For ages 2–5. Be sure to grab a helmet, too!

Promising review: "This is a great scooter. We have four kids and have tried several different brands. This one is worth the money. It’s a smooth ride and easy for little ones to steer. It was also simple to assemble. 5 out of 5 would recommend!" —Unity Lunn

You'll find a handful of fun, free games already available, but you can also subscribe for a ton of other games. There are 3-month ($49) and 12-month Play Passes ($89) that reviewers say are totally worth it.

Promising reviews: "This is so fun and so much better than sitting around on the iPad, at least they are moving their bodies! We have only played one game so far, but the kids are obsessed! Adults love to play it, too!!" —Nicole

"So much fun!! My kids are obsessed!! We are having such an amazing time with our Nex Playground!!! There are so many fun games to play, and it’s a surprisingly good workout and way to stay active. SO much more engaging than screen time and a great way for our family to have fun together!! We’re huge fans!" —Jordan Simkovci

This includes one reversible arch, one reversible rock wall/slide ramp, and one Pikler triangle.

This isn't only for toddlers; it's a great developmental tool for younger kiddos, too. My daughter used it to help her learn to sit up on her own by hanging onto the bars of the semi-circle, and practiced standing by holding on to the triangle. Now that she's pushing two, she's been really getting into climbing up the ladder and going down the slide. Actually, she prefers to send all her toys and cups down the slide, but same different, right?

Promising review: "We've wanted a climbing gym for a while now and fell in love with the aesthetic of this one! I love the natural wood paired with the multi-colored pastels. It looks gorgeous even in our living room. It was easy to set up and very sturdy. Our son loves the rock climbing ramp and slide. It's been hours of fun so far!" —Mercedes Ross

* Products That’ll Help Your Pets And Kids Thrive This Summer

* Things That’ll Keep Your Kids So Busy They’ll Feel Like A Co-Parent

* It’s Beach Season, Baby: Here Are 30 Products You’ll Want If You’re A Parent Of Babies Or Toddlers

* Affordable Products That’ll Help Keep Your Kids Entertained All Summer Long

* Just 27 Affordable Parenting Products That’ll Make Your Life With A Baby A LOT Easier

Plus, finds from Nordstrom, Target, Uncommon Goods, Walmart, and Wayfair.

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.

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