31 Toys Under $30 That Kids Are “Obsessed” With

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

Don't be surprised when one of these tried-and-tested gifts beats out the pricy "must-have" toy of the season.

BuzzFeed Staff

Relatable is a small business that sells card games/toys, plushies, and pool floats.

Promising review: "My 6- and 3-year-old are OBSESSED. They play for an hour at least! Played with daily since we got it. When it’s my turn to hide, I make it tricky enough that I can actually be productive until it’s my turn again." —Cara Lentz

Get it from Amazon for $12.99.

The set comes with a storage tin, rolling pin, wee knife, pizza/dough cutter, mixing spoon, three wee spoons, mixing bowl, pizza/pie pan, pie server, sheet pan, silicone cake and cupcake molds, two silicone finger mitts, and a 48-page recipe book.

Promising review: "My 9-year-old daughter LOVES this — OK more like is obsessed with this! Everything holds up and is durable. The recipes are so simple to follow. She takes over the kitchen and does everything by herself. Cooks things in the toaster oven. She makes us delicious cinnamon rolls, apple pies, pizzas…everything! Everything is written and geared to have a child be able to do it. We have told all her friends, and now they all have this, too! The kids on the street all come to our house just so they can tiny bake! Every kid needs one of these!" —Summer

Get it from Amazon for $20.45.

Promising review: "A huge hit with my children. We bought them for one child with autism, and he’s obsessed with these. Christmas morning has been pure joy for him playing with these, and all of us joined in on the fun. They are not exploding on us nor are they 'peeling' our ceiling paint or plaster off. Overall, I would absolutely buy these again and recommend them to anyone else. Especially anyone who has a special needs child or child with sensory issues."—SamSurgany

Get a set of six from Amazon for $9.99 (also available in a pack of 16).

Promising review: "My son is obsessed with this activity scissor kit! The scissors are perfect for a toddler or even younger! They're not dangerous at all, which gives this mom one less thing to worry about! Many pages to cut, and each page is also an activity to play with over and over again! Love this item!" —Kristina Wells

Get it from Amazon for $7.99.

Promising review: "I purchased this gift for my just turned 2-year-old daughter, and she is obsessed — and so am I! It is mess-free, nontoxic, endless coloring fun! She will scribble to her heart's desire, and with one push of a button, she has a clean slate. This clearing function also has a locking feature to prevent erasing, but she hasn’t used it yet! Highly recommend!" —Helen

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two sizes and four 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 $8.99+ (available in two styles).

PicassoTiles is a small business developing creative toys that encourage open-ended play.

Promising review: "My daughter is obsessed with these magnets. She absolutely loves them. They are durable and have lasted nearly a year so far. I don't see them being unusable anytime soon. Definitely worth the price." —Chelsea

Get a 60-piece set from Amazon for $25.99.

Promising review: "I have a son who is almost 2 years old. If I could only have one toy for him, this would be it. He has been obsessed with this toy since he was old enough to hit the button on his own, and he still loves it now that he's almost 2. I never would have thought that this toy could be so essential or important. It seemed neat and popular, so I got it along with a lot of other stuff before he was born. I had no idea how endlessly entertaining such a simple toy could be. If I ever have another child, I will probably buy a new one just because the sticker has become so worn with use." —JHev

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

The game comes with 60 challenges that range from beginner to expert so it will hold their interest as they work their way up to the trickier ones.

Promising review: "My 10-year-old son is obsessed with this game. He loves figuring out each maze. It makes him use problem-solving skills and logic. This is a great toy for an only child whose parents can't entertain the child every minute. He chooses this over video games! Now that is saying something." —Amy P.

Get it from Amazon for $24.72.

Promising review: "We got this for our 5-month-old since he loves to try and hold/catch running water. He LOVES this! In the tub it gets him sooo excited. We have even taken it outside in his small, shallow splash pad, and it still works. He loves catching the water and picking it up. And in the tub likes to try to sneak a sip haha. He is now almost 8 months old and is still obsessed. There are sensors on the bottom that when it hits water will turn it on, and when it needs to be charged, the water does not go very high or will just shut off. A definite bathtub fave for sure!" —Jo Edith

Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in six styles).

Reviewers say this is a great toy for a wide range of ages — from 3 to 12.

Promising review: "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

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

The rules are simple. Deal the deck out to all players (works with three to eight players). Everyone keeps their mini deck face down and goes around the table flipping a card face up and saying one of the five key words (taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza — in that order). Once the card played matches the word said, it's a race to slap that center card. Whoever taps in last has to take the center stack, and the round starts over. Whoever gets rid of all their cards first wins!

Promising review: "This game is a hit! My 5-year-old is obsessed, and my teenage sisters were fighting over who got to bring it to camp, so I had to buy two copies! It's such a fun party game, it is guaranteed to bring the laughs." —Jennifer Simms

Get it from Amazon for $9.95.

Promising review: "My daughter is obsessed with this little monkey, super cute and interactive!" —Krista

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in blue and purple).

Promising review: "These are my favorite art accessory ever! My girls are obsessed, they work on paper...rocks...anything! We can't get enough." —R. Ras

Get a pack of 24 pens from Amazon for $22.99.

Promising review: "My kids are obsessed with these things. They can make their own design. Plenty of papers." —Sierra

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in pink and blue).

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 on 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

Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (available in three other styles).

You'll need four C batteries.

Promising review: "Purchased for my son's first birthday. He is completely obsessed. Two months later and he is still entertained for long periods of time by his vacuum. Highly recommend for active kiddos! I was worried he would be too little, but this did not disappoint." —Sarah

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three colors).

Ryan & Rose is a family-owned small business creating stylish, safe, and functional products for everyone in the family.

Promising review: "My 5-month-old son is obsessed with his. I love the neutral colors and how easy it is to clean. We can clip it onto our Baby Björn or onto his car seat and gives him something to play with when we are on the go! Such great quality, too." —Mhinkle2518

Get it from Amazon for $13.98 (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "Bought this for my husband for Father’s Day, but my kids (4/6) are obsessed with this. It is little, and they can carry around with them or place really anywhere! It is easy to connect with device, and sound is actually really good and clear. Price is great, too!" —Amy

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

Promising review: "I got a set for my girls (3.5 and 1.5), and they are obsessed. We use them on hikes and at the zoo. I did end up tying the string together because the anti-choke clasp just kept coming undone too easily, and I was constantly fixing it. Yes, it is only a simple magnifying view, but that’s all they need at this age." —Eliza

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in green and pink).

Promising review: "Our 20-month-old absolutely loves this. She is obsessed with clips and buckles, and plays with this for ages in the car! Well worth it for any toddler who loves to buckle." —Minnesotan

Get it from Amazon for $22.89+ (available in five styles).

Craft-tastic is a woman-owned small business based in Michigan. All their products are focused on teaching kids new skills and limiting screen time.

Each kit comes with six garments, eight accessories, kid-friendly plastic needle, thread, a fox, and easy-to-follow instructions. For ages 5+.

Promising review: "My niece was obsessed with this. I thought of this as a minor gift that I gave her (5 years old) with a bunch of other fun things, but this ended up being her favorite. My sister-in-law now buys this as a gift for all the kid parties they go to." —Amy

Get it from Amazon for $22.98 (also available in a bunny version).

Promising review: "My youngest loves seeing these guys everywhere we go. When we drive around and she sees one outside, she yells, 'Look, it's a (color) guy!' So we got her this little one. She is just obsessed with how she has one of her own! It is so cool. Made of awesome material. The fan is strong, and it waves around just like the larger ones you can put in your yard." —Joe H

Get it from Amazon for $8.58.

Promising review: "My baby has been obsessed with this since she got it! I enjoy that she can flip through the pages herself, and she loves to touch the words she knows. It is built tough, especially against a toddler throwing it around." —Kelsey

Get it from Amazon for $12.97.

Each ball contains five surprise mini-brands!

Promising reviews: "My 8-year-old daughter is obsessed with these. She uses them to play with her dolls as their food source. It’s adorable to watch her at play in her world of pretend. I even join her to play with these." —Tappe328

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $24.99.

Promising review: "I bought one for myself as a fidget desk object during the work day but quickly found it pretty entertaining. It wasn’t long before my 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old found it and are OBSESSED. They were literally fighting to play with it. I ordered three more the next day so everyone has one they can share. I’m so impressed at how they find this puzzle box more entertaining than screens. Awesome product!" —Raian

Get it from Amazon for $25 (available in 20 patterns and in larger multipacks).

Promising review: "My 1-year-old is obsessed! Love that it will grow with her. Right now she just loves the music and sounds, but later on, she can learn from the cards that come with it." —Heather

Get it from Amazon for $28.65.

Promising review: "My 4-year-old is so obsessed with this particular product that she has made me five or six different things already. She really loves what she's doing. Great product for the price. Especially if your child loves to be creative." —John Bartley

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

Promising review: "The doll itself is gorgeous, the face sculpt and makeup is really well done and pretty, and the tail is also super detailed. My kid is obsessed with it so I have zero complaints." —Paige M

Get it from Amazon for $10.99.

Promising review: "My son received this set as a gift for Christmas and he really loves it. I asked the gifter where they got it, and I have since bought the same set two times as a gift to other toddlers my son's age. And each time, it's a huge hit! Kids are just obsessed with this. Even I had fun playing this with my son. I like how versatile the tracks are. Totally worth it!" —olive

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

The stickers feature letters, numbers, vehicles, butterflies, deep-sea life, animals, fish, dinosaurs, and more.

Promising reviews: "My 1.5-year-old is obsessed with these. Not sticky enough to do any damage but can also be reused a few times" —Katie Merkatoris

"I love that they are removable. They don’t leave marks on your window. You can even place them back on the plastic sheet and use them again. I have a busy box for my toddler, and these stickers are in there. She peels them off and puts them on the lid of the box and then peels them off again and puts them back. She creates scenes with them. She puts them on windows at home. I peel them off and put them back. They really are fantastic stickers." —Elizabeth A. Zapf

Get a pack of 20 sheets from Amazon for $5.59.

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