I’ve rounded up all my favorites to create the best holiday gift guide for kids!! I have you covered with simple categories for every age group, interest, and more!
In this holiday gift guide for kids you will find suggestions for:
- Sensory Play
- Gross Motor Development (Active Toys!)
- Fine Motor Development
- Babies
- 12-18 Months
- Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Big Kids
- Bigger Ticket (Worth the Investment!)
- Games
3 quick tips for using this holiday gift guide for kids:
** Think stages, not just ages.
In some sections of the kids’ holiday gift guide I will list kids’ ages to give a general idea when my children started to most enjoy these toys. As you’re looking for gift ideas, skim the lists for ages younger than your child – you may find items that they would enjoy, too!
** I prefer toys that grow with kids.
Time flies – I aim to choose gifts that will grow with kids over time. When in doubt I err on the side of buying toys my kids can grow into!
** I prefer toys that are open ended – rather than items that can be used only one way.
Overall, my favorite toys for open ended play are building materials (like LEGOs and magnetic tiles) and pretend play supplies (like a play kitchen, tools, or doctor kit). These materials can be used hundreds of ways and allow kids to get creative with their play!
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Holiday gift guide for kids starts here!
Sensory Play
- Best Gifts for Sensory Play
- Kinetic sand – the beach sand is our favorite!
- Mad Mattr – it’s like play dough and kinetic sand had a baby – so fun!
- Sensory tools – cheap and very versatile
- Magnetic wands or magnet sets
- Animal figures – small (we love these Safari Ltd. Toobs) or large
- IKEA FLISAT table (I know it’s hard to find – sharing the link and some alternatives!)
(My children started using items on this list at 2 years old. As always, please use your best judgment and do what’s safe for your child!)
Shop all Sensory Play favorites on Amazon here.
Gross Motor Play
- Gross Motor Play and Active Toys (all ages):
- Scooter (we love the mircro mini – started at age 2)
- Stepping stones (all ages)
- Spider web swing (all ages)
- Mini trampoline (started enjoying around 18 months)
- Stomp Rocket – if you have a kid 3-8, you 100% should buy this! It’s a blast!
Shop all gross motor gifts here.
Gifts for Fine Motor Development
- Fine Motor Play That’s FUN (all ages):
- Scribble Scrubbies – my kids LOVE these
- Spike the Hedgehog (geared for 18 months, but my kids still love this)
- Water Wow books
- Peg Boards
- Lacing beads
- Jumbo themed sticker books
- paint sticks
Shop all fine motor play gifts here.
Gifts for Babies
- Babies:
- Dimpl popper – we love both of these!
- Ball pit balls
- Climbing foam
- Tunnel – we’ve enjoyed ours for years and years
- Sguigz – awesome for ALL ages
- Play silks (all ages)
- Mobi Zippee (can’t make up these names…)
Shop all baby gifts on Amazon here.
- 12-18 months:
- Mini shopping cart
- Trucks – I like this Green Toys brand, and I often see them resold on Facebook marketplace
- Dolls – love these plush ones for little littles (always make a point to find diverse representation)
- Chunky puzzles
- Spin Again – this is another toy my kids loved for years – tons of learning benefits!
- Instruments
- Animal magnets
- Buckle toy – great for the car or long waits!
- Hide and Squeak Eggs
- MegaBloks – perfect for kids who are still a little young for LEGOs
- Pounding bench
Best Holiday Gifts for Toddler and Preschoolers
- Toddlers + Preschoolers:
- Stamps – letters, animals, they’re all fun! It’s an awesome affordable gift!
- DUPLO legos
- Play food
- Play kitchen
- Doctor’s kit
- Cleaning set
- Train set
- Cash register
- Magnetic tiles – Picasso Tiles, Magna-Tiles, and Connetix Tiles are all great!
Shop all toddler and preschool gifts here.
Gifts for Big Kids
- Big kids (5 and up):
Shop all big kid gifts here.
Best Games
- Favorite Games:
- Pop the Pig – excellent first game, math focus (age 3 and up)
- Hungry Hungry Hippos (ages 4 and up)
- The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game (age 3 and up)
- Tiny Polka Dot (age 3 and up)
- Zingo (age 4 and up)
- Trouble (age 5 and up)
- Don’t Break the Ice (age 3 and up)
Shop all of our favorite games here.
Worth the Investment
- Unexpected + Worth the Investment:
- CD player or discman (yes, like we used to have!) – it’s an awesome calming strategy for kids!
- Climbing dome – cheaper option than a swing set and a smaller footprint.
- Bounce house – great for get togethers with family and friends – or cold winters in the basement!
- Dual screen DVD player (if your car does not have one I recommend this over a tablet for travel – easier for very young kids on long car trips)
- Kitchen helper – if you don’t have one, they’re worth the money! It helps kids participate in the kitchen, and we still use ours daily!
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you found this Christmas Gift Guide for Kids helpful for your own shopping! Remember to sign up for my weekly newsletter here.
Getting ready for the holidays? Check out my favorite Christmas Books!
Have young kids? You will love these 50 EASY things to do with toddlers!!
Thank you for the reminders at the beginning! I love buying toys that the kids can grow with!