The Best Gifts for Kids
November 17, 2023
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A collection of the best gifts for kids of all ages featuring tried and true products that my own kids have truly loved over the years. You'll find an assortment of games, items for imaginative play, STEM toys, tech, and more. If you are looking for Christmas gift ideas for little ones, you have come to the right place!
This gift guide was so fun to put together – and offered a moment of reflection to truly think about what items my kids absolutely love in our home, which has made it easy to share my top picks with you.
Below, I share all of the things my kids regularly play with or use over and over again – items that add so much joy, learning opportunities, problem-solving skills, and creativity on a daily basis.
Clothing + Accessories
The North Face Thermoball Hooded Jacket - All of the kids have had this jacket; I love that it is warm yet lightweight and not at all bulky. It lasts forever; Dominic is still wearing the one Joseph had years ago. Towards the end of last winter, the zipper pull on Joseph's broke (I'm blaming 2nd grade recess shenanigans); I took it to a local dry cleaner, they replaced it for $11, and he'll get another winter out of it, and eventually it will get to Dominic. Definitely worth the investment!
Babiators - We've been buying these since Joseph was a baby, and they are virtually indestructible. They make sizes for babies/toddlers and preschoolers.
Robe - Isabelle got this for Christmas a couple of years ago and still loves wearing it around the house on chilly mornings. A great investment!
Slippers - Dominic and Isabelle love wearing slippers once the cool weather hits. I love how cute these little animal ones are (especially since I have my own love affair with LLBean slippers for myself!).
Socks - If you like to include practical gifts, I cannot recommend these Adidas socks more highly! Joseph is ROUGH on socks and we are over three months in on these (which includes a baseball season, a dek hockey season, and daily wear to school) and not a single hole!
Games
My kids LOVE board games. They will often head downstairs on their own in the morning and set up a game for themselves. We have a pretty good selection, and these are their go-to-favorites:
For Preschoolers/Younger Kids
- Sneaky Snacky Squirrel
- Zingo + Zingo 1-2-3 Number
- Candyland
- Chutes and Ladders
- The Ladybug Game
- Hungry Hungry Hippos
- Go Fish and these card holders (they make cards so much easier for little ones!)
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar Card Game
For Elementary-Aged Kids
- Monopoly Junior
- Ticket to Ride First Journey
- Battleship
- Sorry
- Shut the Box
- Sequence
- Checkers and Chess
- Guess in 10 - Joseph especially LOVES this game! There are so many versions available including Animals, Dinosaurs, Underwater Animals, Countries of the World, Professions, Sports, Around Town, 50 States of America, Cities Around the World, Foods Around the World, Landmarks, American Cities, and Marvel.
Books
Books are everywhere in our house! Literally, overflowing from cabinets in our family room to every bookshelf the kids have in their rooms. They love to read and be read to; here are many of our favorites:
Favorite Board Books
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Little Blue Truck (as well as Good Night, Little Blue Truck and Little Blue Truck's Springtime)
- Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site (as well as Construction Site on Christmas Night)
- The Going to Bed Book and anything else by Sandra Boynton
- Goodnight Moon
- On the Night You Were Born
- Fox in Socks
- Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?
- Tickle Monster
- The Goodnight Train
Favorite Books for Preschoolers/Early Readers
- The Bad Seed (and the others in the series: The Good Egg, The Cool Bean, The Couch Potato, The Smart Cookie, The Sour Grape, and The Big Cheese). Isabelle also picked out a holiday-themed one at the book fair last month: As Cool As It Gets.
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (we have many of the others in this series and you can get the whole 9-book set, which is a great value)
- Frog and Toad Book Set
- The Berenstain Bears - Our kids LOVE these books; both my mom and my in-laws had saved these from when my husband and I were kids, so we have tons of old ones, and our kids have received some new ones along the way as well. There are too many to link to, but you can find dozens on Amazon.
- The Paperboy
- Go, Dog Go
- Should I Share My Ice Cream? (and so many more Elephant and Piggie books!)
Favorite Books for Older Kids and More Advanced Readers
- Hardy Boys
- Magic Tree House - That is the set of books 1 through 4; you can buy them in subsequent sets of four, and there is also a set of books 1 through 28.
- The World of Sports - Over 250 Unbelievable Facts
- Football Biographies for Kids
- A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mr. Rogers
- Harry Potter Illustrated Edition - We don't own this, but I have seen it talked about and got to page through them at the school book fair. Beautiful books that would make an excellent gift!
Pretend Play
Big Builders Pro Kids Workbench - Our friends bought this workbench for Joseph's 2nd birthday, and it was one of the most-used, best toys in our house for yearssssss. All of the kids would play there every.single.day. When my husband would get out a drill or screwdriver, they found their own tools and "helped" him. They even used it as a kitchen occasionally to stir up pasta, chicken, bread, or coffee with the tools and paint bucket :)
Kitchen Tools Play Set - Another big favorite! Isabelle will often bring a pot and some other things over when I'm in the kitchen and try to imitate what I'm using and making. The kids will sit and make pretend meals for themselves :)
Wooden Food Groups Set - My aunt bought these for Joseph when he was two, and the kids have all loved playing with them. They bring us food, and pretend to have picnics, and it's good practice to name the different foods. I'm a big, big fan of anything Melissa & Doug – they make such great toys!
Tea Set - Another big hit with all of the kids!
Baby Doll and Baby Doll Stroller - Isabelle LOVES her baby dolls and she got a stroller for them last Chrismtas; they get pushed all over the house.
Barbies - Isabelle loves to play with Barbies at school, and at home she has a Barbie doctor set that includes two baby dolls.
Doctor's Kit - Perhaps the single most-used toy in our entire house over the last few years. It gets played with nearly every single day, no exaggeration.
Scoop and Serve Ice Cream Counter - Isabelle got this for Christmas last year and it is played with almost every single day. A huge, huge hit.
Pirate Ship - This was one of Dominic's favorite gifts from last Christmas, he still plays with it a TON.
Action Figures - These also get daily use in our house in a million different ways. These are some of their favorites right now:
- Paw Patrol
- Peppa Pig
- Bluey and the Bluey car
- Barn with Animals
- Dinosaurs
Super Hero Capes - We have a handful very similar to these and they were used constantly when the kids were toddlers/preschool age, but Dominic and Isabelle will still put them on from time to time and fly around the house :)
Art + Projects
Double-Sided Easel - This has been in our playroom since Joseph was a toddler, and it gets an incredible amount of use. It has a chalkboard side and a dry-erase side that you can also clip paper onto. It's been used for drawing, letter writing, and even painting when we clip easel paper onto it!
LCD Writing Tablet - It's like a pseudo dry erase board but without the risk of getting marker on everything! We've had one for over a year and a half and it gets used pretty much every single day. The kids draw on it, practice writing, leave each other notes... love it!
Mosaic Creations Magnetic Designer - This is a big, big hit with both Dominic and Isabelle. They have so much fun building pictures and it's great for color and number recognition.
Kinetic Sand - This has been a big hit at our house and though the kids have pretty much outgrown it, they ask every once in a while for me to bring it out. A fun way to play with sand inside!
Classic Lite Brite - You seriously cannot go wrong! I secretly want to use it, too ;-)
Build Your Own Super Cars Sticker Book - A great activity for keeping busy in waiting rooms or restaurants. The boys love these books.
Stamp-a-Scene Stamp Pad - Another of Isabelle's favorites!
Art Supplies - Our kids love to make signs, cards, and design their own things, so I keep these things in stock (a combination of any of these would be a great gift set!):
- Cardstock, construction paper, and plain white printer paper
- Colored pencils
- Crayons
- Markers
- Watercolor paints and painting paper
- Glue sticks and regular glue
- Kids scissors
- Sketch Pad (regular size) and Mini Sketch Pads
For Little Cooking and Baking Enthusiasts
Personalized Apron – Nothing says chef status like an apron. There are so many cute patterns to choose from!
Wooden Baking Utensils – Usable wooden kitchen utensils, just at a smaller, kid-friendly size.
Pop-Up Cake Kit – A fun indoor project for a cold, snowy afternoon.
Cookie Puzzles – 12 puzzles in one that the whole family will have fun working on.
Intro to Baking Set - Includes an assortment of real, child-size, baking tools, as well as recipe cards.
13-Piece Kitchen Tool Set for Kids - A great set of tools to begin accomplishing kitchen tasks; includes cutting boards, child-safe knives, peeler, crinkle cutter, and more.
KiwiCo Science of Cooking: Bread & Butter Kit – This fun delivery provides a kid-friendly approach to gluten, yeast, and emulsions.
Cookbooks for Kids:
- My First Cookbook
- The Delish Kids Cookbook
- The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs
- The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs
- Kids Can Cook Anything!
Building
Magna-Tiles - A classic! The kids love building with these, and there are SO many different types of magnetic tiles expansion sets available if you know someone who already has the basic set.
Wooden Blocks - A childhood staple! We have one set of these, but with three kids, we could easily use two.
Puzzles - I have always loved puzzles and am thrilled when our kids take one out to build. Here are some of our favorites:
- ABC Train - This was used constantly during the toddler/preschool years.
- 24-Piece Puzzles - We've had this 3-pack for years and they are great "starter" puzzles for preschoolers.
- Floor Puzzles - Something about being down on the floor, the kids love these. We have the solar system puzzle, USA Map puzzle, fairy tale castle, and Blues Clues puzzle.
- We also have an assortment of old 100-piece puzzles that my mom saved from when I was a kid!
LEGO Classic Bricks Set - Our kids love building sets as well as using the loose bricks to come up with their own creations.
LEGO Technic Sets - The boys love these! Joseph can do them pretty much independently, and Dominic needs some help, but they are awesome cars.
More LEGO - Dominic (age 7) really likes the following types of sets, which he can do on his own (most of these he has received at the hospital):
- Creator 3-in-1 Sets (a great kid birthday gift)
- LEGO City Sets - He's done the police car, Arctic Explorer snowmobile, park tractor, and electric sports car, but there are dozens to choose from!
- Marvel Sets - He's done Spider-Man Webquarters Hangout, Spider-Man at Doc Ock's Lab, Spider-Man's Techno Trike Set, and Spider-Man's Car and Doc Ock Set, as well as Hulk Mech Armor and Captain America.
KiwiCo Subscription - Our kids have received these off and on since they were toddlers and Dominic, especially, REALLY loves them (he calls them his "project boxes"). They have boxes and subscriptions for different age ranges, and interests (including cooking), as well as themed boxes (Dominic received the holiday set for his birthday).
Vehicles
Hot Wheels Cars - Our kids (mostly the boys, but sometimes Isabelle, too!) have long been obsessed with any and all cars. Traditional Hot Wheels are most-used in our house and along with accompanying track pieces and sets, they can do so much with different setups.
Wooden Train Track Set - Another classic! We've had these tracks for years; at first, they would just build randomly, sometimes Joseph would try to copy the track on the box, and now that they are very into auto racing, they will actually build their favorite tracks out of the train tracks. Love the imagination! We have this expansion pack, and there are so many others, as well as extra trains.
Monster Trucks - We have one or two packs of these, that all of the kids love playing with.
Construction Trucks - A forever favorite here. As well as this pack of city vehicles, which has a garbage truck, fire truck, boom lift truck, and dump truck.
Character Cars - The kids also love the sets of Paw Patrol vehicles and Super Mario Character Cars.
Remote Control Cars - We have quite a few! Recent favorites are this stunt car, monster truck, and Mario Kart cars.
Sports-Related Toys for Indoor and Outdoor Play
Indoor Mini Hockey Rink Set - This gets SO MUCH use in our basement!! The kids have so much fun with it, especially in the winter when they can't get outside as often to get their energy out. (This is a half rink, we have two of them so we can connect them to a full rink.)
Guardian Bike – We got this for Joseph for his 8th birthday and he has ridden it non-stop since. My husband did tons of research on bikes (since this is likely one Joseph will have for many years before needing to get a bigger one) before deciding on this one and was really impressed with how well-made it is.
Nerf Football - A classic must-have for any sports-loving kid.
Trading Cards - My kids (Isabelle included) love trading cards and are always excited to go through a new pack. Don't forget the trading card binder for storage! Some ideas based on what your kids are into:
- Baseball cards
- Football cards
- Hockey cards
- Soccer cards
- Basketball cards
- Formula One cards
Electronics
Camera - Another guaranteed hit; our kids love being able to take their own pictures.
Nintendo Switch - We got one of these last year when Dominic began treatment and was spending A LOT of time in the hospital. It provides a great distraction, and the kids can also play together on a regular TV at home. Some of their favorite games include:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Mario Golf
- Super Mario Party
- Captain Toad
- Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
- The boys also play MLB The Show and NBA 2K on there.
Yoto Mini Audio Player - Each of the kids got one of these for Christmas last year and they really enjoy being able to pop in a story and listen either in the car, at night in bed, or if they're relaxing on the couch. There is also a "Yoto daily" podcast that the kids LOVE... it's full of little tidbits of information, quizzes, happy headlines, and jokes.
Yoto Cards - To go along with the player; you can purchase physical cards and also download them from the app. There is music and stories, including many popular books, both for young kids and older kids. You can buy single cards and there are also many packs to choose from.
Headphones - Perfect for ANY electronic device (or if they need them for school)!
Walkie-Talkies - My kids LOVE using walkie-talkies around the house, and I love that they actually make a three-pack of them instead of just a pair. If you only need two, then grab this set!
Other
Magnetic Calendar - Joseph got one of these when he was in preschool and then Dominic and Isabelle got their own. They've loved "doing their calendar" in the morning, especially during their preschool years. It's fun for them and a great learning tool, too.
Binoculars - A guaranteed hit for all kids!
Throw Blankets - My kids love to gather up their blankets and get cozy on the couch, too!
Stuffed Animals - Our house is overrun with them, but I get it; our kids all have a few special ones that they keep in their beds or close by at all times.
Planetarium Projector - All three kids have this in their rooms. Dominic loves to sleep with the "stars" on and they all love to cycle through the planets in a dark room and see if they can name them. A great, fun alternative to a traditional night light.
Owala Kids Water Bottle - My kids are always thrilled to get a new water bottle, so if you know someone who is due for a new one, it makes a great gift!
PackIt Freezable Snack Bag - Great for school, errands, traveling... we have four of these at our house!
Measuring Tape - Our kids measure everything and anything with this.
Stopwatch - I can't be the only one whose kids love to time everything, from how long it takes to do something to races outside, this will get constant use!
Handheld Tally Counters - Counting goes hand in hand with the timing above! Would be fun to have for traveling, too.
TELL ME! What would you add to this list? Are there any popular gifts that your kids or grandchildren absolutely love?
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