25 Target Products That Will Help You Make The Most Of Being Stuck Indoors With Your Toddler

Buzz Feed

10-02-2025

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.
Things that'll keep them busy with as few beeps, bops, and buzzes as possible.
1. A play kitchen — aka the ultimate imaginative play station. They'll love serving meal after adorable meal and embodying a one-small-person waitstaff. This model also comes with lots of storage, meaning the food and dishes can easily be stored away rather than turning the room into a toy food-speckled obstacle course.
Target
Promising review:"Perfect gift for my nieces. Compact so it fits nicely against a wall or in a smaller space. Very easy to assemble as well!" — MK
2. A computer workstation play set so your little one can mimic your WFH setup with ease. Here's hoping they don't ask you to ~circle back~ to that extra snack conversation.
Target
Promising review: "High quality. I love Melissa & Doug and this is just full of fun!!! Definitely awesome for pictures!!! You better believe Daddy and baby will be taking a picture of them both working from home!!!!" — TJL
Price: $15.39
3. A mess-free coloring book set they'll love coloring, but that doesn't include the added fear of a toddler who can't or *won't* color on the page. These markers only color the page and are invisible otherwise — a truly overdue innovation.
Target
Each pack comes with five markers and 18 coloring pages.
Promising review:"The Color Wonder packs are our go-to for little kid gifts, and the Bluey coloring sheets are so fun. They're a safe bet for gifting to toddlers (and not being responsible for giving something that'll ruin the walls). We have several packs in our house and feel comfortable letting our own young kids enjoy these without much supervision." — Mamasaur
4. A versatile balance beam kit to help them set up an extra awesome obstacle course or an epic game of the floor is lava. This beam has eight bars and five sensory step-stones that can be set up in any number of fun combinations — keeping things interesting and definitely memorable.
Target
Promising review: "This balance beam has provided countless hours of entertainment for my 3-year-old! We love that the pieces can be made into different configurations and that they don't slide around while using them. We love it and use it daily!" — Dearaby
5. A low-to-the-ground wooden play structure which can help them burn some energy without worrying about height. It converts into a climbing structure, a slide, a rocking arch, or a fun place to calm down for a bit — making it a versatile option for keeping them entertained.
Target
Promising review:"Great product. Easy to piece together. Sturdy enough for young children. It can be adjusted to meet our toddler's physical needs and challenges. As he thinks more, we can add bigger steps or other obstacles to it. That's great!" — Tarin
6. A convertible play couch that'll make fort building quick, easy, and creative while avoiding mess and flattened couch cushions. Plus, once they're done with the fort, it converts back into a kid-size couch for some relaxing, quiet play. Talk about easier than cleaning up an entire room of cushions and blankets.
Target
Promising review:"My kids use their sofa everyday. The slipcover is machine washable, which is great!" — Jess
Price: $179.99
7. A set of Mega Blocks aka the perfect ~building blocks~ for introducing, well, building blocks. These are big enough not to be a choking hazard even when mouthed without mercy but provide plenty of opportunity to work on those building skills.
Target
8. A set of washable tempera paint sticks if you're tired of cleaning 18 different-size brushes after arts and crafts hour. They also use the pencil grip, which is great for keeping a steady hand and the paint on the project.
Target
9. A magnetic bead board for creating mess-free pictures while working on those fine motor skills. All they need to do is use the magnetized pointer to bring the magnets into place. The novelty of seeing the magnets pop up is perfect for younger toddlers, while the older ones can try their hand at creating some actual pictures.
Target
Promising review: "My 2-year-old loves this toy — its definitely a worthy screen free toy that will keep the kids occupied for a while and I love how it helps motor skills and concentration 10/10." — Myara
10. An explorer play set to give them something to help burn all of that energy no matter what the weather is. And since everything is low to the ground, little tumbles don't mean big problems.
Target
Promising review: "My 2-year-old granddaughter loves this. The slide is not slick and is perfect size for small spaces" — Kat
11. An indoor camping set for your kiddo who loves the outdoors even when the temps are ever-plunging. With a tent, "campfire," and camping supplies, imaginative play will last no matter how far away summer campouts seem.
Target
12. A pipes and spouts bath toy to add a little more STEM to bath time. Your little one is going to love dumping water into the system, watching it travel down, and seeing what happens with each spout. You'll love finally soaping them up while they're delightfully distracted by ~SCIENCE.~
Target
13. And a pack of suction toys for the bath or ANY smooth surface, really. Stick them to surfaces or to each other, and enjoy that oh-so-satisfying *POP* as they pull them apart and start over. These toys are simple, store easily, and will not make you yelp in pain if you step on them in the middle of the night.
Target
Promising review: "My son adores these toys. They stick to the tub so easily and he loves the sound when he pulls it from the tub. He could play with these things for hours! Loving the fact that they are super easy to clean because I can stick them on the top rack of the dishwasher. Would definitely recommend these!!" — Rachel
Price: $9.99
14. A three-pack of Water Wow books for art that you don't need to keep an eye on. Just fill the pens with water and let 'em have at it while you sip your coffee in peace for a few minutes.
Target
15. A set of *turtle-y* cool stepping stones to encourage balance and mobility or to just level up their "floor is lava" game.
Target
Each set comes with six turtle-shaped stepping stones, a spinner, activity cards, and an instruction booklet, in case you need inspiration for games.
16. A set of stacking stones for your little who loves to stack things. Stacking toys can help with coordination, motor skills, focus, and frustration tolerance — but your kids just care about how much fun they're having. And if you grab these during nap time to test your own skills, that's nobody's business but your own.
17. A tabletop easel to inspire creativity without taking up a ton of space. This easel comes with a 50-foot-long roll of paper, alphabet and number magnets, a dry-erase marker, chalk, and an eraser. Get ready for art projects that can actually be contained. 🙌
Target
Promising review: "Nice quality and I love that it stores easily and doesn't take a ton of space. Great for our 2-year-old!" — Ashleys925
Price: $46.99
18. An adjustable, toddler-size basketball hoop for the sports enthusiast in your life. Honestly, even if sports aren't their thing, the eternally satisfying motion of putting a ball through a hoop will carry them through to playtime victory.
Target
Promising review: "My almost 3-year-old nephew loves this basketball hoop. He plays with it daily. His older brother (almost 7) likes shooting baskets with it, too. It is very sturdy and was easy for me to assemble." — Lori
Price: $34.99
19. A high-quality, wooden busy board to help them learn some of those fine motor skills while letting them have fun while they're at it. With an excellent assortment of locks, latches, and peek-a-boo doors, this is a home run for any toddler.
Target
20. A classic spinning toy for some simple, fun, and genuine giggles. They just have to sit, spin, laugh, and repeat.
Target
I bought a spinning toy for my kids in 2019 and it's still getting play. My youngest (not yet born when this was purchased) will lay belly down on it and spin at incomprehensible speeds. She still loves it and I still love saying "HOW ARE YOU GOING SO FAST??" as she laughs.
Promising review: "My almost 2-year-old son loves the popping the top where the little balls are and is still learning how to spin, but is a good challenge for him and keeps him occupied! Much better price than other sit and spins!" — Lauren
Price: $19.99
21. A set of animal-shaped ice pop molds because every season is ice pop season if you believe it. Homemade ice pops are easy to make, delicious, a great way to get a little extra fruit in, AND an easy way to occupy your kids when you need a moment.
Target
I have a dinosaur-themed set from the same brand, and I love them! They're super easy to make (I usually just throw in leftover smoothie) and my kids love the shapes. Best of all: thanks to the silicone mold they stay upright in the freezer so I don't need to be so worried about spills as they're in the freezing process.
22. A pack of glow sticks that'll keep the winter doldrums a bit more interesting. Glow stick baths are the true MVP for turning sour moods around, so keep these on-hand and thank me later.
Target
Each pack contains 52 glow sticks in three sizes, plus connectors, clips, and cords. As a reminder, all baths with young kids should be supervised.
Promising review:"LOVE these! They're great for power outages, birthday parties, holidays (especially July 4!), and our new favorite thing — glow baths!" — Cristina
Price: $7 for a pack of 100
23. A Yeti In My Spaghetti board game they'll want to play again, and again, and again. Take turns pulling noodles out one by one and make sure the lil' snowy creature doesn't fall in the plate — whoever removes all the pasta first wins! It's less complicated than Jenga, quieter than KerPlunk, and destined to stay fun longer than an enthusiastic first day.
Target
This is the first game I ever got my kids and it's still a favorite several years later. They still enjoy it and when it's not used as a game, they have been known to "cook" bowls of spaghetti in their restaurant. Gotta love a multi-use toy.
Promising review:"Really fun game for the whole family! I love how simple and easy it is to play this game. My 3-year-old loved playing it!" — michelle90
Price: $9.99
24. A washable finger painting kit for the future Jackson Pollock in your life. Creating sensory-exciting art is such a great activity to keep kids occupied and having some fun. And when you're finished, it's the perfect time to transition to an extra long bath. Look at you filling up those long toddler hours left and right.
Target
Promising review: "My toddler loves these! They're so easy to clean up, too, so I can't complain." — Melgiraldo
Price: $16.99
25. A heated eye massager because after taking care of a toddler all day, you deserve some deep relaxation and some serious rest. Go ahead — you owe this one to yourself.
Target
Price: $199.99
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.