Know a Kid With Seemingly Limitless Energy? Get Them One of These Active Indoor Toys (2024)

There are tons of stepping stone games, and I have a few on my list. This is my favorite for the 2-and-up set. Each one is a bit of a different height and size, making the game more challenging. Stepping stones like these help kids with their locomotion and balance skills. And don't worry, they come in a regular box for easy wrapping.

Even pre-walkers can squiggle out their wiggles with this crawling tunnel and ball pit. This is a bit oversized, and has added games at multiple stations, but really, it’s all about the crawling and bouncing around in the balls. Even without the balls, it’s still a fun toy. So if this is a gift for your grands, and you maybe don’t want to chase balls around, it’s still fun.

If the kid you’re gifting is a bit older, or if they have an older sibling or parent who they’ll be playing with, this set of stepping stones is a great choice. Each turtle-back shaped stone is generously sized and has a softer feel underfoot. This stepping stone set comes with a game for maximum fun.

Mini trampolines are a gift from the gods. They are not only wonderful for vestibular input, and popular with autistic kids like my son, they are inexpensive, easy to store, and burn tons of energy. Just make sure that your little jumper is staying hydrated! They really work up a sweat while jumping.

I have never been great at ring toss, but my kids, my nieces and nephews, and all the children at my synagogue love ring toss, and this model specifically. It's a stackable game that's easy to put together and can be used inside or outside thanks to the lightweight, flexible rings.

If you're looking for a kid who loves board games but also has ants in their pants? The Floor is Lava is the game for them. It's exactly like you remember, but in a more gamified format that makes it easier to track. Also, no one is trying to leap from the counter to the sofa and busting their lips open. (I still have the scar.)

Our tester for this was a 7-year-old who'd never once picked up a basketball before in her life, and now? She wants to sign up for little league basketball. It's surprisingly quick to put together, and taking it down if you need to, isn't that tricky either.

Splurging a bit on a niece or nephew? Want to spend your tax refund on an active indoor toy that doubles as a piece of art? The Waldorf rocker is a stunning piece of child play furniture made from sustainable wood. It is durable, kids love rocking on it, and it couldn't be more gorgeous.

An oversized Velcro dart board that teaches kids about the placement and relative size of the planets. No, Pluto is not included, and yes, we think that's a deep, former planetary injustice, but we think this makes a great, affordable, active indoor toy all the same.

Take all the fun of mini golf, bring it in your house, and take out the sunburn, the weird-smelling moats, and the teens making out on the green ahead of yours, and you have this spectacular mini golf set from HearthSong. It has obstacles you can set up, holes that can be moved, putters, and balls.

I had one. My kids had one. You probably had one. The Sit ’n Spin is a classic toy that every kid should have. It’s an affordable gift that’s perfect for a second birthday. Kids will use it for years, too, because kids are wild creatures who weirdly love making themselves dizzy.

Play sofas are some of our favorite gifts here at Best. Foamnasium makes some of the best on the market, and since they paired up with Pottery Barn, they're also some of the most chic. It includes two of the foldable bases, and two of the wedge pillows. Kids can make slides, huts, and climbing apparatuses, having a great time inside.