31 Things That’ll Keep Your Kid Occupied On The Weekends

Your kid gets to have a fun weekend, and you might just get a few minutes of peace and quiet. That's our definition of a parenting win-win.
Coloring castle, Door Pong game, Melissa & Doug activity book
Amazon
Coloring castle, Door Pong game, Melissa & Doug activity book

Popular items from this list:

  • A Melissa & Doug activity book with a pair of safety scissors that’s full of puzzles, mazes, and lots of other hands-on activities
  • A color-your-own-castle playhouse in case a rainy Sunday traps your children inside
  • A Fat Brain door pong game that’s essentially like playing ping-pong without having to use a table

HuffPost receives a share from retailers on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.

1
Amazon
A Melissa & Doug activity book with a pair of safety scissors
Promising review: "Scissors skills are important both in and of themselves and because it strengthens the hand muscles to be used for learning to write. My 4-year-old LOVES this book. We received it this week and she has used it for a couple of hours each day. Many of the pages are cutting things out and putting them together (four-scoop ice cream cone, pizza with pepperonis, the components to build a house or a car, puzzles). We've used tape or glue to put the components together. This book is interesting enough to have caught the attention of my older children as well, although I make them let her do the cutting. :D Would make a great gift as it is so unique." —Mom of 7
2
A pack of Crayola Globbles
Watch this mom explain why Globbles are her "new favorite thing ever" on TikTok.

Promising review: "My 15-year-old asked for these after seeing them on TikTok. I got them as a stocking stuffer thinking they’d be tossed aside. Unbelievably he and his 17-year-old brother have spent time laying in the floor, tossing them up to the ceiling, and waiting for them to fall so they can catch them. I never expected them to get this much use. Bonus is they’re off their phones and in the family room with us." —Amazon Customer
3
Amazon
A color-your-own-castle playhouse
Promising review: "My girls (2, 5) have spent hours and hours playing pretend in this castle. They work on decorating it gradually, but often stop to just play. Easy to set up. Great price." —ElaFree
4
John Mihaly / BuzzFeed
A Silly Poopy's Hide and Seek game
Promising review: "This game is HILARIOUS. My kids love playing with it and taking turns hiding it. (8, 6, and 3 years). They all think poop is funny and run around yelling 'Silly Poopy, where are you?' It keeps them busy for at least half an hour at a time and they leave me alone. Also? It's pretty durable. I found it outside in my garden in the 20-degree winter weather. I guess my 8-year-old left it out there for a few days. It also gets thrown down the stairs and Silly Poopy just keeps on giggling and having fun." —Adele
5
Amazon
A Fat Brain door pong game
We have a hunch people of ALL ages will have fun with this.


Promising review: "I was looking for something fun that my son and I could do together. It's getting too cold to go outside, and I want to have plenty of options besides video games. My son was skeptical at first (cue the eye rolls) so I set it up (super-duper simple), and began practicing myself. Within minutes my hubby and son wanted to join in! It's in a wider-than-standard doorway in our house, which I'd suggest if you have one, it is easier to practice shots that swing wild. You can play together or as a single. Comes with an additional ball and string, which we haven't needed yet. Very happy with my purchase!" —Shawn A Lodico
6
The Coloring Table
A machine-washable coloring tablecloth
When it's all filled in, put it in the washing machine, and all the colors will disappear. And now your kids can start from scratch!The Coloring Table is a small business based in San Antonio, Texas, that creates colorable, washable, reusable fabric tablecloths.Promising review: "The kiddos love it, and even the adults started coloring. Fun, fun, fun. Will see how it washes up, but so far very nice product!" —jatandra
7
Amazon
A Dyson toy vacuum if your kid loves watching you clean
Promising review: "Our son is addicted to our vacuum. So much so that he makes a mess just so he can watch the vacuum clean it up. Thank the heavens for this little vacuum. It looks just like our Dyson and is the perfect size for our little man (18 months now, 15 months when we bought it). It fits his hand perfectly, makes noise, and actually vacuums fine (not very well, but enough to where we have to empty every week or so). Nevertheless, this product is very durable. It has been dropped down our wooden steps more times than I can count with zero issues. Completely satisfied." —Tom W.
8
Amazon
A DIY puffy sticker kit
The kit includes enough material to make 60 stickers, including a custom puffy sticker maker, a 16-page book with detailed instructions, and a selection of designs that are either pre-colored or that can be colored in.


Promising review: "These are actually quite cute. The kit comes with everything needed to make the stickers — pre-colored images as well as images to color yourself. It can be a little tricky for little hands to layer everything correctly and get a nice good seal on the edges, but with a little help, little ones can make impressive puffy stickers. The instructions do state to not cut too close to the edge, which was done accidentally, and the sticker came apart — but after that, we made them correctly. I was hoping for a refill kit, but I don't believe one is available." —Annamarie
9
Amazon
A Melissa & Doug loom
The loom comes with an oversized wooden needle, craft materials, an illustrated design booklet, and 91 yards of rainbow yarn. Recommended for ages 6+.

Promising review: "My granddaughter loves it. She is 8-years-old and had no problem watching a YouTube video and getting started. She is on her third project and can do this without any help. I have purchased other looms that where not as user-friendly and are collecting dust. Great loom, would not hesitate to buy it." —lily
10
Amazon
A light-up disc
Promising review: "What a great idea! Been a Frisbee fan and player for years, and this is an awesome disc! Flies true and easy to throw, perfect weight and balance, and you can FOR SURE see it at night! We had a blast playing with this! Surprisingly durable, even hit a tree trunk once or twice pretty hard and the light never even flickered. We had half the campground join us throwing this around in the dark! I had the coolest toy at camp!! Great purchase, highly recommend for some fun with friends and kids!" —Ken
11
Chronicle Books
A book of 642 tiny things to draw
Promising review: "I bought this book a year ago and I absolutely love it. I have not filled it out as much as I would like but I get really excited every time I find the time to fill out a square. You do not have to be a very skilled artist to enjoy this book; you can draw at whatever level you are or would like. I like that some of the prompts are explicit objects and others require you to use your imagination and come up with something unique. I also skip through the pages to find a prompt I feel like drawing at the moment. This is a great gift for anyone who enjoys drawing or doodling!" —mowglibear
12
A mini projector so they can feel like they're at the movie theater without leaving the house
Promising review: "Originally bought this for Halloween hologram decorations but after playing with it, this will be a year-round device in our house. Just plug in a Roku or other streaming stick and you're good to go. The kids love watching movies outside with it. Perfect for neighborhood movie nights. Can't wait to try it with external speakers, but I was really surprised it has built-in audio. Even came with a projector screen!" —Ryan W
13
Amazon
A Slammo game set
This set includes the net, a carrying case, and three balls. Slammo is similar to volleyball: You and your partner have three hits to bounce or spike the ball into the net on the ground. Once the ball bounces up, it's the next team's turn. Whoever lets the ball hit the ground loses that round. Get ready for some fierce rivalry once this game gets going!Promising review: "This is a well-built game that uses high-quality plastic to hold it in shape. There is a groove along the bottom that prevents the feet from twisting and falling over. The three balls included are also of high quality. Overall, I am extremely impressed with the entire set. Everything feels of the highest quality." —TheProfessor101
14
Amazon
A classic Melissa & Doug ice cream station
The wooden ice cream counter comes with eight ice cream scoops, six toppings, two cones, cup, scooper, tongs, wooden spoon, reusable menu card, and six pretend dollar bills.


Promising review: "My newly turned 3-year-old daughter instantly fell in love with this set! She loves seeing how high she can stack the ice cream cones and pretending to serve Mom and Dad her creations. She's been obsessed with climbing things around the house and we *desperately* needed a distraction to get her to stop, and this is working so far — she plays with this thing for HOURS!" —West Family
15
A glow-in-the-dark fort-building kit
Promising review: "Got this for my niece who was 4 and she could play this for hours. She put her blanket over it, made flags, turned it into a wand, and a bunch of other versatile ways to play. It’s a great buy if you want to keep the kid busy for hours. It’s a bit challenging at times to get it dissembled but it was super fun for her. Easy to store back in the bag or box." —S. Cheung
16
Amazon
A Disney princess necklace activity set

Promising review: "My 3-year-old twins loved it, entertained for hours, which is rare and so worth $7. Perfect for teaching coordination, color patterns, and encourages creativity. The necklaces are a soft, stretchy material with a safe breakaway clasp but that also stays on well. I wore a necklace for hours around the house and didn't fall off. The beads are cute and a good variety of colors. Overall great project, loads of fun for toddlers." —Lyss

Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 17 styles).

17
Pick 'N Peel Stones / Etsy
A TikTok-famous pick 'n' peel stone
Pick 'N Peel Stones is a Pennsylvania-based Etsy shop established in 2020 that specializes in pickable painted lava rocks. Owner and creator Renee Benn designed this clever fidget toy to "calm your anxious mind."

Promising review: "I love my stones! I think it's a great idea and as someone who struggles with skin picking I have found these really helpful. I will definitely be buying some of the refill paint so that I can keep using them." —Etsy reviewer
18
An affordable drone your kids have probably already been begging you to buy for months
Promising review: "My son LOVES this drone. It is easy to use, flies beautifully, can be used indoors or outdoors, and has a pretty long battery life (…for a drone. Be advised that most drones will only fly for about 7-14 minutes on one battery. This drone gets a good 12-14 minutes, easily). Most drones are pretty fragile and of course, this one is no exception, but it is definitely built to take a little more of a beating. The lights are a fun bonus and make knowing which direction the drone is facing foolproof. This is a great beginner drone or the perfect drone for someone (like my son) who just wants to fly without the fancy apps or cameras." —Angela
19
A kids' selfie camera
It comes with 32 GB to store thousands of photos. In addition to taking normal pictures and selfies, your kid can also record videos on here. And because it's made from soft plastic, nothing's going to happen to it if your kiddo drops it.

Promising review: "My 8-year-old niece has documented her life for the past year on this camera. She really loves it, which is great because she got it with her birthday money. It's great when a child's choice turns out for the best." —Teresa
20
Rest Nests
A sensory swing
Tamar Rozman created these useful hammocks for her small business as a way to give parents "an extra pair of hands" both for entertaining older kids and for safely holding babies. The shop has baby hammocks that'll safely snuggle your baby and provide the necessary muscle support in early infanthood. The larger versions are designed for creative play with older kiddos. All products are made from soft, organic materials.

Promising review: "My kids love it! This swing is the best! It is very well made and so much fun! It is a stretchy fabric but strong. The stretchy fabric makes it fun for the kids to swing as well as bounce and get really creative with movement. My kids wake up to swing and want to swing before bed even now a month after installing it! It's the best! Such a great buy, worth the money! I highly recommend it. My kids are about 40 (5-year-old) and 55 (8-year-old) pounds and I can confirm it's great for that weight range." —Lauren Cardenas
21
Amazon
Or this rainbow-colored saucer swing
Promising review: "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
22
Amazon
A 12-pack of sustainable all-natural pure beeswax crayons
The large circumference of the crayon is great to help little hands grip onto them.

Promising review: "So I bought these worried about my 2-year-old potentially eating a crayon and having that toxic kind of stuff in her system. But, I really should have been more worried about my dogs eating crayons, which so far they've snagged one and a half of these babies with no health problems for them after, so I'd say that's a major win. What's also fantastic about these crayons is that they are the perfect size for little hands. My daughter just loves to color with them and they color as smooth as Crayola and they're not all plastic and waxy like the crayons you get at the dollar store. So I'd definitely recommend these to anyone with a toddler, just watch for sneaky dogs. They'll gobble them up." —Cassandra S.
23
A snack spinner to turn snack time into a fun game
Promising review: "I bought these before they were on Amazon. I’m obsessed. My kids think it’s a game, and they’re so intent on eating all the food inside. Even my picky eater. As a mom who absolutely hates to hand wash things, I’m so grateful that a) the entire thing comes apart for washing and b) it’s completely dishwasher safe. This thing is awesome. One of a kind. I own five right now. Will probably be getting more in the future for when the baby is old enough to snack independently." —Jordan Christman
24
A round rainbow puzzle
Promising review: "Beautiful puzzle, very high quality, fun to put together. Not too hard for kids. Our 9-year-olds put it together and loved it!" —Christine Rommereim
25
Amazon
A set of handcrafted, nontoxic constellation blocks
Promising review: "I got these blocks and the planet and moon phase sets for my 3-year-old who loves all things space. He loves them, he counts all the stars on the constellations and carries them everywhere. They are a good size for building and seem sturdy but we've only had them about a week so I'll update if they don't hold up well, I like that the images are all painted on and not stickers." —Melissa
26
Amazon
A two-sided, A-frame art easel
Promising review: "Very nicely made product! Took 45 minutes to built but well worth the minutes and looks awesome too. Excited using it with my kid and being able to multitask all in one area with the chalkboard, white board and painting being optimal without the layout mess. Love that it has the built in clips to dry the painting also the storage area and the shelf to place extra paints. Really recommend for a long durable product to use and/or gift." —beauty4life
27
Amazon
A three-wheeled micro scooter
This has an adjustable handlebar so the scooter will grow with your kid.


Promising review: "Best scooter ever! It’s an easy assembly. It’s a smooth ride and the perfect size for a 2-year-old. Spend more money and go with the deluxe model especially if your child is only 2. I brought this to the park today and two more of my mommy friends went home and bought their kids these today too! They come in the most beautiful colors. Kids are not really taught how to use these, they seem to just get on them and go! It was amazing to see my 2-year-old-take off like a champ!" —Tex_spaceman 12
28
Amazon
A 24-piece Melissa & Doug pet vet playset
Promising review: "My 2-and-a-half-year-old has not stopped playing with this since Christmas morning, definitely a favorite gift. I love the bag for all the storage of small parts! This toy teaches curiosity, compassion, fine motor skills and so much more. I love Melissa & Doug toys and this one does not disappoint. My child is now playing doctor and caring for her animals (and dolls, and everyone else) and asking really great questions as a result. You won't be disappointed in this purchase!" —Kayla Phillips
29
Amazon
A 10-pack of Play-Doh because a classic is a classic for a reason
Promising review: "Colorful, nontoxic Play-Doh has been great for my son who has many allergies including skin allergies. He has had no problem with these. This keeps him occupied for quite some time, often when I am cooking or cleaning. I played with this as a child myself and have fond memories of it." —Brandy P.
30
Loog
A three-string Loog Mini acoustic guitar
Promising review: "My daughter and I are learning how to play the guitar together. Even if we don't become rock stars the quality time we are spending together is all the justification I needed to make the purchase. The strings are perfect for her little fingers." —JSpriggins
31
Amazon
This simple magnetic maze game
Promising review: "Happy with this purchase. It is well constructed. The balls and several internal pieces are metal (react to the magnet) and it’s all sealed up so nothing can get lost (yeah!). The string is long enough for me (adult hands) to manipulate everything so my kiddo should be just fine. Also, saw a comment about the board not having a goal — first, yes it does: get the balls into the matching slots. Second, I doubt my toddler, preschooler, will care. Overall a good buy and perfect for any diaper/busy bag." —sally

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