Back-to-school time is here and in addition to searching for deals on supplies, as well as outfits for school, it’s also time prep for birthdays and the holidays. That means seeing what the coolest toys are out there, past and present. Since things will get a lot busier for parents and they’ll have less time to keep their kids occupied, it’s important to get toys kids can play with on their own. Which is fine because solo play is a good thing!
Instead of handing them an iPad — which is fine sometimes! — we found toys to help keep children busy, alone or with others, that don’t need mom to get involved or help with. From dolls to memory games to trucks and playsets, here are toys that kids will take up all the time playing with, so mom can have some of her own.
Box & Balls Game
$35
from
Fat Brain Toys
Wooden boxes seem so boring and uninspiring, but it turns out that they make for a great kid’s toy. This Box & Balls game has so many uses kids can get out of it that we’re almost positive they’ll be occupied for hours bouncing the ball to try to get one in a designated cup, stacking them (unstacking them), and rolling a ball down the line.
Magic Mia Baby Doll
A baby dolls is a classic toy. It’s also a toy that’ll really get their imaginations going. Give them a doll and they’ll come up with a whole make-believe situation in their heads — feeding the baby, putting it to sleep, and even changing its diaper. (Props for pretending come with this Amazon Magic Mealtime doll baby.)
'Space Jam: A New Legacy' Super Shoot & Dunk Playset
Space Jam is a classic movie that likely lots of parents saw when they were growing up. The reboot, Space Jam: A New Legacy, with NBA player and actor LeBron James, came out in 202. Kids will love this basketball-style toy that can help them pretend they are in the movie, too. It comes with a LeBron action figure for maximum dunking.
Playmobil Duck Family
Sticking water in a small bowl (and under a towel) will on its own keep kids busy — water is fun. But this water game guarantees maximum solo play time. The Playmobil Duck Family game allows the child to try to scoop up floating ducks in the duck boat water with a spoon, which is great to “help your toddler develop language and fine motor skills,” too.
L.O.L. Surprise! Tweens Fashion Doll
L.O.L. Surprise! toys are all the rage, still, with younger kids. The brand has multiple dolls to choose from, including this fashion tween edition. She comes with her own clothes and accessories to keep that imagination going for solo play, especially if there are other dolls around to get involved, too.
Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog Fidget Friend
Remember fidget spinners? They’re great for everyone who fidgets now and then, but especially kids. Now there are a few types of fidget toys out there like this Fine Motor Hedgehog Fidget Friend (named Spike) that can keep kids occupied on its own, or be a supplement to another activity to keep the child focused and occupied.
L.O.L. Surprise Car-Pool Coupe
Dolls make for great playtime toys (especially when it’s imaginative play that takes up some time and doesn’t involve moms needing to join in). That’s where this L.O.L. Surprise Car-Pool Coupe comes in. More props for kids to use in their play, the more time they’ll want to play with it. Sounds like a win-win situation to us.
Whack a Frog Game
Whack-a-Mole is one of the most popular arcade games (as well as the board game Hungry Hungry Hippo). This whack a frog game allows kids to have fun whacking stuff with a similar style game at home instead of having to go to an arcade. The more whacks they can get in, the better. The best part is that it’s portable.
Play Kitchen
Play kitchens have been keeping kids happy for generations, that’s why they’re such a popular toy to have at home or at play centers and day care centers. The mini kitchen allows kids to use their imagination while also getting a taste of what it’s like to be a grownup in the kitchen (sort of). This set has so many little things for them to play with they’ll be occupied for hours.
Scratch Art Activity Book
Keeping kids busy at home is hard, but in the car or while traveling, it can be even harder. That’s likely why these Melissa & Doug Scratch Art Activity Books are so popular on Amazon. They’ll come in handy when kids need to occupy themselves at home or on the go, on a plane, in the back seat of a car, in a restaurant, or in a hotel room.
Kid Connection Utility Trucks
Toy cars and trucks are classic kids toys that are super simple but really take up prime real estate in a child’s imagination. This set comes with four different trucks for kids to play with, and they work both on the floor or in a sand box. The different types of construction truck encourage imaginative play in building things.
Garden Wheelbarrow Set
$85
from
Maisonette
Sometimes kids get bored when the toys they have have been played with a lot or they’re not really inspiring their creativity. We don’t think that’ll be the case with this garden wheelbarrow Set. It’s a charming toy that’ll have them pretending to plant a garden for a while. The set comes with all the things they’ll need to plant and tend an imaginary garden.
Lincoln Logs
Lincoln Logs might be one of the oldest and simplest toys on this list, but they truly delivers when it comes to entertaining kids. Of course, the obvious is that kids can build an array of different structures and stack the logs as much as they want. But when kids also put them back in the tin, it can also be part of the experience.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Set
Kids love toys that allow them to pretend to do the things that grownups do. It’s just a matter of them being able to do it safely. That’s where this Melissa & Doug wooden ice cream serving set comes in. Kids can pretend to scoop ice cream for others and themselves and do it mess-free with the kid version of the scooper supplies, including the money!
Melissa & Doug Personalized Beauty Salon
$66
from
Personalization Mall
Budding child hair and beauty enthusiasts will love this beauty salon set and mini vanity from Melissa & Doug. It can be set on a table top or bed (just about anywhere) while the kid uses all of the accessories to pretend to do style hair on themselves, a sibling, or a doll. The set comes with wooden hair tools and makeup items. This one can be personalized with the child’s name.
Deluxe Double-Sided Tabletop Easel
$43
from
Melissa & Doug
Art is an activity that is really made for everyone to do on their own and find joy in it, kids especially. That’s why this Melissa & Doug Deluxe Double-Sided Tabletop Easel is a great way to get their artsy juices flowing and have everything set up for them to create an artistic piece of art all on their own.
Teeter Popper
$40
from
Fat Brain Toys
Sometimes it’s the simplest toys or items that pack the biggest punch when it comes to getting — and keeping — a child’s attention for solo play. Enter the Teeter Popper. It literally is a mini seat that kids can sit in to rock back and forth on while suction cups stick and peel off of the floor as they do it and listen to the popping sounds it makes.
Dilly Dally Turtle Target Game
$27
from
Melissa & Doug
Bars and pubs often have darts for adults to play with to keep busy, and so the concept applies for kids, too. Of course, darts would be too dangerous for kids to play with unsupervised. With this game, can throw self-sticking bean bags at the turtle target and see what number they land on. If they’re playing with others, it becomes a competitive game to see who cam score the most.
Transformers Bumble Bee Action Figure
Transformers was a great movie. It’s even still a ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, and kids today love to play with the characters from the movies. That’s why they’ll love to play with their own Bumble Bee transformation action figure. It’ll spark their imagination on its own, but also because of the cool things the toy does.
Ladybug's Garden Memory Game
$25
from
Fat Brain Toys
Playing with toys doesn’t have to just be about pure fun or imagination. It can also be an opportunity for kids to get their brain juices flowing, which can be fun, too, in a different way. The goal of the ladybug memory game is to find two matching ladybugs (they each have a partner with the matching number of spots.)
*Psst: if you choose to purchase an item from this post, CafeMom.com may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
