christmas gift ideas for kids and a smiling little boy holding a Christmas present

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Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids of All Ages Gift Guide

The best Christmas gift ideas for kids are usually something you would like to see them enjoy using or one that you think would be a great fit for them.

Some might choose to buy their children a toy, while others might choose to buy some books with favorite characters. There are so many options when searching for the perfect Christmas gift ideas for kids.

You just need to know what your children like so that you associate the purchase with their interests, and who in the world knows how much they will love whatever it is that you give?

Christmas is just around the corner, and we all know kids are hard to shop for. It doesn’t matter if you have a theme set in your mind, or even if you already know what games your child prefers best — there always seems to be something new out on the market.

On top of that, with so many Christmas gift ideas for kids ages five and under, it can be tough for any parent to find gift ideas for kids that will hold their attention for more than a few minutes.

And that’s where we come in! We compiled a list of perfect Christmas gift ideas for kids that will take into account the needs of nearly every kid out there — from outdoor and indoor toys to board games the whole family can enjoy and everything in between.

These Christmas gift ideas for kids may help find the right present that is the right kind of special:

If you are a busy parent who needs some unique Christmas gift ideas for kids like your toddler, or a young teen suffering from boredom, we got it all right here in this gift guide! So keep on reading.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers

There are tons of great options for younger kids, but they can easily be narrowed down by age.

Ages 1 to 3

For the toddlers, we’re going to look at toys that are easy to grasp, and don’t require a ton of focusing skills.

Look for non-hazardous toys and activities that will help them expand their vocabulary and imagination. Kids get into everything throughout their toddler years, so do your best to keep yours safe.

One of the best items for this age group is the classic shape sorter. These can keep toddlers busy for hours as they figure out how to fit the shapes back into their slots, as well as learn all of the different colors and shapes.

Here’s a list of the best Christmas gift ideas for kids – toddler edition!

Wooden Activity Cube

Activity cubes are one of our favorite Christmas gift ideas for kids because it has so much to do! Tots can slide, drive, and spin their way through playtime with five sides of brightly colored fun.

There’s so much to do in this childhood classic: doors to open and animal friends to find!

The design of this kid’s toy is exquisite, the construction is sturdy, and the colors are vibrant.

There are so many activities, such as driving the tractor around, zigzagging the beads up and down, and so on. There are many spinners to spin, spin, spin.

What’s so great about this type of toy is that it promotes hand-eye coordination, imaginative play, and cause-and-effect play to improve early learning.

Personalized Storybook Pillow

A sweet storybook pillow can feature a baby or a toddler as the main character, along with customized skin tone, gender, and (for the toddler option) hair color, for Christmas gift ideas for kids that will be treasured for many years to come.

These make lovely Christmas gift ideas for kids because they include the parents’ names as authors. With this delightfully personalized pillow, you can transform your favorite little person into an adventurous literary figure — whether a newborn making his or her debut or a young child in the first few pages of his or her adventure.

It’s an imaginative story for birth announcements for newborns, and it commemorates the magical story of early childhood for young children. It’s a soft, safe, and huggable tribute to each child’s uniqueness.

Personalized Wooden Name Puzzle

A classic wooden puzzle will help them get used to their name. This kind of puzzle, created with toddlers in mind, spells out their names in bright and colorful letters, assisting them in learning their names and colors while also strengthening their fine motor skills.

These are the perfect Christmas gift ideas for kids who love puzzles, plus this type of toy promotes cognitive development.

Palm-Grip Crayons for Toddlers

These types of finger crayons are ideal for toddlers’ small hands because they are palm-sized egg-shaped crayons that they can easily hold onto while scribbling and watching colors appear all over the paper.

The crayons are also excellent for development because they will not only teach them about colors but will also be able to stack them for even more fun.

Toddler Crayons are specially shaped for children; their small hands can easily hold these painting crayons, allowing them to draw and paint with ease.

The crayons are washable with soap and water; they write and draw very smoothly, allowing for easy and safe creativity.

The large round base is easy to hold and provides exciting ways to play and learn for little artists’ sometimes uncoordinated little hands.

Magnetic Tabletop Art Easel

Kids enjoy drawing and using art to express themselves, but it can quickly become a huge mess, and you’re the one who has to clean it up.

A double-sided tabletop easel has a magnetic dry-erase surface on one side and a chalkboard on the other, keeping everything neat and tidy.

This type of set sparks creativity and encourages hours of hands-on, screen-free play.

This children’s easel is designed for more basic kinds of play, such as drawing and painting. The simple plastic design in vibrant colors is ideal for children. With this easel, you’ll be able to teach your little ones how to become an artist!

BEST MAGNETIC TABLETOP ART EASEL: Gimilife Deluxe Easel
	SPECIFICATIONS The big standing kid's easel is made from natural, beautifully crafted wood. Although this art easel for kids is solid and well built, your kids will be able to move it around their creative space very easily. It's also quick and easy for you to assemble. On one side of the wooden magnetic easel, there's a chalkboard for classic sketches and, on the other, an easy-to-use, easy-to-clean whiteboard. The toddler easel includes an easel-length holder for crayons, markers, chalk, pens, erasers, and more, as well as storage bins/trays large enough for everything but the imagination.
WHAT WE THINK:
This children's easel is intended for more fundamental forms of play. Despite the fact that there are fewer options, the straightforward plastic design in bright colors is perfect for youngsters. This is the best children's easel for younger children available on the market. Every accessory, including magnetic letters for language play, is included in the purchase price of the toy. This is a fantastic option for people who just want to set it up and go about their business. A lovely, playful green bin made of cotton cloth that attaches with hook and loop fasteners is included with the purchase. It also contains chalk, markers, and crayons for quick use. The most notable characteristic of this kid’s easel is that it can be adjusted in height.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“It’s easy to put together, no external tool needed. I’m able to put it together sitting on the floor with only my hands. My son recently is really into drawing. So I was looking for drawing boards. Here are a few reasons that I chose this product. First the height is adjustable. My son is only 2 and half, about 100cm. I need something not too tall for him. It turns out the lowest setting is just right for him. Also it has both a black board and a white board, it also has a clip for a roll of paper. I would like him to try different textures when drawing, which can help his brain development. What I love the most is the magnet letters, numbers and big storage room it came with. The second I put it together my son started playing with the letters. And it helps me to spell out the subject and draw a picture next to it. He loves to learn this way. As I mentioned, the storage room is plenty. It lets me put everything the board came with in it with no messy left out. I love this drawing board, and more importantly my son loves it. He now spends more than 30 minutes a time standing in front of this board drawing or learning. It helps train his imagination, his hand eye coordination. I think he can use it for years and still be really happy about it. After all, I had such a good time drawing with him. It’s a family MUST HAVE.”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS The material used is environmentally friendly, healthy, and safe for kids It is easy and quick to assemble This large easel board for children is useful, playful, and versatile. It is a double-sided easel	CONS It would be better if it had more trays to put stuff in

Ages 3 to 5

For the preschoolers, we’re going to look at interactive Christmas gift ideas for kids—more of an introduction to arts and crafts. Again, the time spent playing with these will be up to your child.

They will be quite busy during their preschool years. Cutting, pasting, drawing, and singing is activities that take place daily.

Make sure your child learns numbers, letters, and simple instructions when they enter kindergarten at the age of five.

Note: They might have a few days of fun with these items on this list of Christmas gift ideas for kids and then move on, so do your best to make sure you get items they’ll enjoy for the longest amount of time possible.

We recommend purchasing a toy that helps this age group learn something either through play or interaction.

Design & Drill Robot

Snap a robot together, then practice screwing in the screws that hold him together with the screwdriver.

It’s a great way to introduce kids to robots and perhaps pique their interest in robotics, and who knows, they might end up inventing a new generation of them when they grow up.

Through basic engineering and construction play, this type of toy is the ideal introduction to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or STEM learning.

Little ones develop fine motor skills and math skills while learning the fundamentals of simple construction and engineering with tools designed specifically for small hands.

STEM-related alternatives and less costly gifts are available for parents seeking to pique their children’s interest in robotics. The ability of this robot to interact with humans is a feature that will appeal to children.

BEST DESIGN & DRILL ROBOT TOY: Ruko Smart Robots for Kids
	SPECIFICATIONS This smart robot named Carle can be controlled by a phone app, remote controller, voice command, and gravity sensor easily. Kids can have more fun at their age levels, easier to operate with their favorites, and indeed a friendly companion. The app supports 58 different actions in total and edits max. 102 times of actions in one program enhance kids' creative ability, patience, concentration, and logical sense ability. It acts as a Bluetooth speaker to play unlimited stories and songs after connecting, to a phone; he can also dance, do gymnastics, walk, slide, record, communicate, etc. It greatly innovates their knowledge in funny ways. It can express its feelings on its LED face in different Emojis; 9 flexible and powerful motors ensure the kids’ robot makes complicated actions smoothly, simulate human performance, and promotes interaction with kids.
WHAT WE THINK:
We should all agree that when it comes to impressing children with a robot, size does matter a great deal. Moreover, it is precisely this feature of the Ruko Smart robot that children will find appealing. Young children will enjoy playing with this robotic toy, which stands just under 16 inches (40 cm) in height. There are about 50 different technologies in use, including all of the conventional ones such as voice repetition, singing, dancing, and as well as some unique ones. On the other hand, it allows you to operate it via an app in addition to using a remote. The dynamic LED face is one of our favorite features. There are a number of emotions expressed, including joy, sadness, and disappointment, among others. It is a great method for your children to learn about and build their own emotional intelligence. Isn't it funny how things work? It's coming from a technological device!
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“Very nice robot, just the right size. Advanced functions, technology has come a long way since I was a kid. The most advanced toy I had was a Big Trak from the 80's lol. Voice controlled, you can tell it to turn right, turn left, move forward, move backwards, move shoulders, arms, waist, tell it to sing for you, dance and tell a story. It has a remote control for all this as well. With the remote you can program it to do up to 50 functions, like move around objects through a maze ect. There is an app you can download to the phone which has the same functions as the remote but is more advanced. You kid will have lots of fun for hours and hours with this toy robot.”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS It has four intelligent controls for different ages It has different programming actions and abilities It can simulate human performances Kids will enjoy this toy for hours	CONS The toy is ideal for 5 years old and below The remote control is a little complicated for little kids

Discovery Blocks Bathtub Toy

Who said bath toys couldn’t teach you something? These types of fun Christmas gift ideas for kids like these floating bath blocks can be used to build, practice fractions, or simply recognize colors.

They’re mildew and bacteria-resistant, so you can use them over and over to entice your child into the tub.

These simple toys with lots of open-ended possibilities that encourage young minds to think, create, and explore are sometimes the most educational toys.

Magic Bath Fizzies

round and colorful magic bath bomb fizzies are cute Christmas gift ideas for kids — Image from Amazon

Bath bombs add loads of fun to bath time, but these unique ones are extra special because each one contains a fantastic toy animal from the worlds of farms, safaris, and the sea.

Is it possible that the kid’s bath routine could be improved? This educational-yet-entertaining addition will do. You can even make this into a game with your kids.

To begin, have your child guess what’s inside their bath bomb (aside from pure, safe, and natural ingredients, of course). Then, as tub time progresses, their surprise toy, along with a fun fact, will be revealed.

Finish the experience with a personalized bedtime story after they’ve been toweled off and snuggled up. Nighty-night!

Little Dentist Set

christmas gift ideas for kids - dentist toys for kids — Image from Amazon

With a set of dental toys that mimic the real thing, you can teach your kids that dentists aren’t so scary, and they can pretend to be tooth doctors while learning about dental hygiene.

Visits to the dentist can be frightening, especially for children. This type of entertaining toy set teaches children that dentists are available to assist them while also providing them with a basic lesson in oral hygiene.

These sets come with dental tools, a play toothbrush, and even a set of teeth in a roll-up doctor’s case.

Smartwatch

With the advancement of technology, our children want to be involved in smart technology as well.

A smartwatch for adults isn’t a good idea, but how about one that’s made for kids? It can do most things an adult smartwatch can do, but in a child-friendly manner, making it suitable for children.

These types of smartwatches for kids have high-quality videos, photos, and selfies that have been customized with amusing filters.

We’ve all caught ourselves hastily looking for the perfect Christmas gift ideas for kids as the holidays approach. The newest Vtech gizmo piqued our interest.

BEST SMARTWATCH FOR KIDS: VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch
	SPECIFICATIONS Stylish, kid-friendly design; secure, the splash-proof wristband is perfectly sized for kids’ wrists. Take quality videos, pictures, and selfies, customize them with funny filters and make them into watch faces. Monster Detector game creates an AR experience where you capture monsters in the real world; motion sensor included for active play challenges, pedometer, and sound effects. Parents can safely share photos and videos at their discretion only by uploading them to a computer; free games, watch faces, and camera effects are available from Learning Lodge. Intended for ages 4+ years; battery included; only charge device using the Micro-USB cable connected to a computer; do not charge using a third-party adapter.
WHAT WE THINK:
This smartwatch is aimed at youngsters aged four to twelve which reflects the brand's desire to appeal to a younger demographic. With interchangeable analog and digital watch faces and activities, this wristwatch is a great way to teach kids about time. The watch screen is fairly big at 1.44 inches, and our four-year-old tester found it a bit too heavy to wear on their tiny wrist and chose to carry it — all day and all night. Kids will love the VTech Kidizoom DX2's dual camera and editing capabilities. It's enabled by clicking on the button to the left of the screen. The smartwatch comes with three classic games: - Puzzle Swap - Mousy Maze - Ancient Adventure The AR game focuses on utilizing the camera to show monsters in the environment and then photographing as many of them as possible. The addition of an AR game on a kids' wristwatch is a unique concept that is likely to appeal to the children who get this smartwatch. The VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch DX2 is a competent smartwatch. For the price, don't expect an Apple Watch-like device, since there is no smartphone or GPS connectivity. However, the feature set is geared at youngsters, and it succeeds in that respect. Changeable watch faces should make teaching kids tell time more fun. Also, the built-in AR game and interactive camera features like stickers and filters keep your kids engaged.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“If you're looking for a fantastic gift for a kid who doesn't really play with toys, look no further! I purchased this for my 8 yr old grandson. I was in a bind trying to find a great Xmas present for this boy of mine. I did lots of online research and watched tons of reviews for this watch and decided to give it a shot. My grandson LOVES it! He has his choice of gaming, photography, sound effects, voice changer, and MORE! This is great, and although it does not have access to the Internet directly, a quick plug into a tablet or desk/laptop and you can download more games... And transfer your pics and videos to that device, as needed. This also helps kids learn how to tell time and use the calculator app to improve math skills. Buy this and you AND your child will be so happy!”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS It is splashproof It takes quality videos and pictures Parents can share photos A great Christmas gift or first watch for toddlers	CONS Recommended for 4+ years It would be better if there was an option to turn off games for set hours

Christmas Gift Ideas for Young Kids

Using this list of the best Christmas gift ideas for kids will guarantee that you get the perfect gift for that special little girl or boy in your life. There are so many fun toys for young kids, with something to pique their interest.

Whatever you choose, whether it’s your kids’ favorite toys to help or learn with, or simple toys to play with, they’ll love it. These are all great Christmas gift ideas for kids.

Ages 6 – 8

For the kids in their middle childhood years, we’re going to look at toys that are bigger and more on creating and learning new things on their own.

More action-like fun! Let their imaginations run wild with these Christmas gift ideas for kids. Children at this age have busy days filled with recess, homework, and rough play with their friends.

Their curiosity and eagerness to explore new things continue to grow. They begin to think and plan. They have a thousand questions.

This age group experiences mood swings just like grown-ups. Get ready, because it’s only the beginning!

For this age group, we recommend purchasing toys that allow them to interact with each other socially as well as emotionally.

Slime Kit

Slime is becoming increasingly popular among children. These type of Christmas gift ideas for kids not only teaches you how to make non-toxic slime but also allows you to transform it into a creature by adding googly eyes.

Help your little mad scientist make their non-toxic slime pet instead, which is more difficult to feed. This kit includes everything you’ll need to make a creative creature (plus a few extras you might not think of).

Make slime with simple ingredients and scoop it out. You can even store your slime for up to two weeks in a container. They’ll definitely spend hours of fun using this kit.

When we say that children are fascinated with slime, we believe any parent of school-aged kids will agree!

BEST SLIME KIT: Poopsie Pooey Puitton Slime Surprise Slime Kit
	SPECIFICATIONS It comes with 1 Pooey Puitton purse. It includes 12 unicorn food packets (slime powder) - just add water to make a rainbow of poop! It comes with 6 unicorn magic packets, 4 unicorn sparkle packets, 2 unicorn crunch packets, 4 mystery scents, and 1 spoon. It has 1 exclusive bottle and 1 exclusive poop character keychain. Lastly, it comes with 1 instructional booklet and tons of storage to take your poop on the go!
WHAT WE THINK:
We see the allure in slime and putty, and if we were the same age, we would have gone wild for it, but we can't help but cringe at the idea of all the mess! We found Poopsie Pooey Puitton Slime Surprise for Christmas, a whole new level of slime fun with a unicorn-inspired twist. Poopsie Slime Surprise makes it possible to create dazzling unicorn poopies! With a little unicorn magic and glitter, you can personalize and transform unicorn feces in a variety of ways! Poopsie Slime Surprise The Pooey Puitton purse is the ultimate super slime surprise, with over 35 amazing surprises! Magically create fragrant unicorn poop slime in a rainbow of colors! With a little unicorn magic, glitter, and squish, you can customize your unicorn poop over and over! When you're ready to go, place the slime in an airtight container to keep the unicorn poop fresh!
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“I love this!! It is so cute, I’m almost tempted to carry it as a handbag. Opening it is more fun than LOL Surprise because all of the bright colors jump out at you. Totally cool gift, or present for yourself. Mind you, it is really heavy and Amazon shipped mine in a gigantic box with zero padding/packaging materials. Other than that I’d say buy now if you are thinking of this as a holiday gift.”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS The carrier case is useful for traveling and storing It makes the best quality slime It is easy to make and very fun for kids It smells good and it also changes colors	CONS For this kit, it is quite overpriced There are no refill options

Scooter

Children can be so daring, and when they’re out with their buddies, they can become daredevils!

A scooter is made of super-strong aluminum, so it should be able to withstand their wild adventures, and the kickstand should help prevent scratches and scrapes from falling on the ground.

Does your child want to improve their scooter-riding skills? Gotrax GKS Electric Scooters for Kids are great gift ideas for boys and girls.

BEST SCOOTER: Gotrax GKS Electric Scooter for Kids
	SPECIFICATIONS The GKS can be used as both an electric scooter and a kick scooter. First, put one foot on the front button and kick push the scooter over 1.8mph, then place the other foot on the gravity sensor to accelerate to 7.5mph. The GKS scooter is easy for your child to master. Using the assisted motor, the GKS smoothly accelerates. Lift your foot from the back gravity sensor to slow down and then put your foot on the rear brake to come to a safe stop. Perfect for kids ages 6-12 up to 154lbs. The assembly is simple and can be done together. Safely install a few screws and your scooter is ready to go! The GKS Kids scooter is equipped with a 50.4Wh eco-friendly LI battery, UL safety certified, 150 watts 6" motor with a top speed of up to 7.5mph, aircraft-grade metal & a V0 fire retardant deck.
WHAT WE THINK:
This GKS GoTrax Electric Scooter has us completely smitten! Because it travels so effortlessly and smoothly, any child would enjoy riding it around the neighborhood. The fact that the top speed of 7.5 MPH is very significant to us. We've seen scooters that move a bit faster than they should, but this one is spot on. We appreciate how it is the ideal size for youngsters and how simple it is to use. The acceleration button is located at the base of the scooter, which is propelled by stepping on it. It's as easy as lifting your foot off the pedal to come to a halt. We are extremely satisfied with the GKS GoTrax Electric Scooter in general.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“There are 3 main reasons why kids switch from one mode of transport to another. It is speed, safety and comfort. Boys usually appreciate more speed and prefer any kind of transport that gives faster speed. Present scooter gives us the same speed uphills that we reach on a regular scooter while moving downstairs. Fantastic. The neighbours are interested in details about how much and where we got it.”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS The scooter can be used as both an electric and a kick scooter Safe for kids. It is easy for your child to use the scooter The assembly is simple and easy The scooter is lightweight and the design is beautiful Acceleration is smooth and it is easy to brake	CONS Recommended for kids 6 - 12 up to 154 lbs. It would be better if it was collapsible for easy storing and transporting

Edible Chemistry Kit

christmas gift ideas for kids - diy edible candy food science chemistry kit — Image from Amazon

We usually discourage our kids from playing with their food, but this edible chemistry kit is an exception.

One of the popular Christmas gift ideas for kids, they’ll be able to get hands-on with it by experimenting with the contents inside the box, and they’ll be able to taste everything because everything is 100% edible!

According to Albert Einstein, true intelligence comes from the imagination. In that spirit, this type of edible chemistry set combines creativity and fun for children who are on their way to becoming tomorrow’s great minds.

Kids will learn about acids, bases, solutions, formulas, reactions, carbonation, indicators, pigments, gels, polymers, and more by experimenting with the kit’s contents with their hands and taste buds!

The possibilities are as limitless as their imaginations; some will make fizzy carbonated beverages, while others will prefer to turn green jelly blue, but all will learn the fundamentals of chemistry while having a good time.

All of the ingredients are completely safe to eat and drink.

Taste can bring back lots of great memories! These culinary science chemistry kits are incredibly fantastic Christmas gift ideas for kids who are in desperate need of a dose of excitement.

BEST EDIBLE CHEMISTRY KIT: Playz Edible Candy! Food Science STEM Chemistry Kit
	SPECIFICATIONS Inspiring young kids to learn has never been easier...or more delicious! Make chewy jelly candies, crystal rock candy, chocolates, lollipops, test for sugar, see how everything dissolves, and much more through science experiments. The fact-filled colorful lab guide is full of pictures and information presented in a children-friendly way so the kids can focus on the fun stuff! Combine STEM concepts with hands-on science projects to unleash a massive amount of learning potential in children and teenagers. Our Edible Candy kitchen science kit is filled with over 40 experiments, 56-page activities and lab guide, and over 27 tools & ingredients. (Some additional common household supplies may be necessary for some experiments)
WHAT WE THINK:
Experiment with colorful, delectable concoctions that you can actually eat! STEM kits are developed by educators to be smart and enjoyable activities for children ages 8 and up who are under adult supervision. They offer a great method for children to work and learn together via meaningful scientific fun, and they encourage children to think critically and creatively. Children may roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty while doing over 40 different experiments with this set. It won't take long for your kid to get obsessed with finding out how various components and temperatures result in different sweet delights.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“Got this to do with my grandchildren when they visit. They are ages 8, 10 (three are aged 10) and 12. I really like the fact that it's got materials that are written thoughtfully. It comes with 2 booklets, Book 1 Cookery and Book 2 Sweet Laboratory. One thing I would change about them is that I would make them a little bigger. They are not small though. My eyes are not what they used to be and also with more than one child, it would be helpful. We have done several of the regular recipes, including the worms, the juice jelly and the lollipops. I liked the lollypops best. Kids liked worms and juice jelly. Also, I have done Super recipes. I personally enjoyed Sweet Yogurt and will make it again. The girls love marshmallows! We made the caramel threads and baskets. I know they were amazed when they saw the sugar melting. We are going to be doing these recipes again and again. I have to add that they enjoyed making them, using the blender and so on but were not impressed with drinking the homemade soft drinks. All in all this has been very enjoyable for me and I believe it's even more so for the children. I've bought a whole lot of different candy/sweet treat kits for the kids and we have never been as impressed as we are with this. The price for this is higher but it's totally worth it. I've spent between 10.00 and 20.00 on other kits that were absolutely worthless, other than it was an activity shared with the grandkids. The other kids prior to this, the treats were not even edible despite what the box claimed. The treats in here ARE edible and actually pretty yummy. Also I would not buy this unless there will be an adult involved from start to finish. Besides that's what the kids will recall years from now. Making memories that last a lifetime.”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS It makes very yummy treats A great Christmas gift for 8 years old and up It is easy to follow This kit is education and fun at the same time	CONS Some materials and tools are not included in the kit This toy requires adult supervision

Mermaid Tail Blanket

Your little mermaid will adore her new fishtail blanket, which can come in a variety of colors to choose from. These are great Christmas gift ideas for kids, particularly for the little princesses in your life.

She can dream of her fish friends and the open sea as she snuggles inside, warm and cozy. You can even add a cute mermaid necklace as a bonus gift to complete the theme.

These adorable Christmas gift ideas for kids are suitable for use on the couch, camping, sleepovers, in bed, and in the car.

Comic Book Kit

christmas gift ideas for kids - diy my comic book create your own comic book — Image from Amazon

Young aspiring authors can get a taste of success with this fantastic kit, which allows them to design their own comic before having it printed.

A DIY comic book set might just be your kid’s action-packed dream come true, whether you have a child who loves to draw or you’re an adult who hasn’t lost a love for illustrated adventures.

It includes blank pages on which you can write your story, as well as a booklet with instructions, inspiration, and helpful hints. Once you’ve finished your illustrated story, simply seal it in the pre-paid envelope and mail it.

Soon, you’ll get your own professionally bound copy of your original comic book, complete with an “About the Author” page dedicated entirely to you! The possibilities are truly epic, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for your child to explore their imagination.

Ages 9 – 11

Children at this age are striving to be independent. They are still quite young enough to need your attention, but some kids slowly start to grow out of wanting you around all the time and start forming their own friendships.

When searching for Christmas gift ideas for kids, particularly for this age group, parents must consider these changes. These kids start to think logically and enjoy doing grown-up chores like mowing lawns or baking.

They have a natural inclination for all living things and start begging you for a pet.

Waterproof Action Cam

christmas gift ideas for kids - blue waterproof Vtech Kidizoom Action Cam — Image from Amazon

Children enjoy taking photographs, and as they grow older, they will require a camera that can accompany them wherever they go.

This type of camera can take photos and videos while you’re on the go, and it’s fully rotatable for those all-important selfies. This type of camera is also weatherproof and can be submerged in water.

The Vtech Kidizoom Action Cam is a robust small camera for kids that can endure the rigors of their daily outdoor activities.

BEST WATERPROOF ACTION CAMERA: VTech Kidizoom Action Cam
	SPECIFICATIONS Kids' camera is durable, versatile, and able to capture the most memorable moments; the action cam is a waterproof camera meant for kids. 2 mounts attach the kid's digital camera to bikes, skateboards, and more; the underwater camera comes with a waterproof case to take photos and videos up to 6 feet underwater. Features a 1.4-inch color video camera LCD screen and the ability to take videos, photos, stop-motion videos, and time-lapse photos. Kids action camera comes with kids' games, fun photo effects, frames, and filters; download photos and videos using included micro USB cable Toy camera has a rechargeable Li-ion Polymer battery with continuous photo-taking and recording time of 2.5 hours. Action cam has a micro memory card slot; with a 32GB micro memory card (sold separately) the camera records 240 minutes of 640 x 480 video or 278,400 photos.
WHAT WE THINK:
The VTech KidiZoom Action Cam captures photographs and videos. It attaches to a bike, skateboard, or helmet. It also comes with a waterproof cover for taking pictures and movies in the rain. A color screen allows children to see their videos and images. The buttons are large and simple to press. There are several fun kid-friendly features, including picture frame effects and camera games. The camera is rechargeable and comes with a USB cord. This camera is a hit with kids. It offers all the functions kids need and sacrifices picture quality to keep costs low. With so many attachments available, the camera is likely to be utilized in a variety of scenarios.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“This is great for kids and adults who are not familiar with technology, I bought this cause I needed a video cam quickly for an upcoming trip, Video quality was ok actually better than what I expected, As for the waterproofness I would give it 3 stars, I say that because while it does have a waterproof case I don't expect it to work for long periods of time underwater, I'm sure it will work just fine in rainy weather however. It came with a bike mount as well as a flat surface mount. The bike mount will be great for biking trips, but for the other mount I can't say I'll be able to use it much as it's slippery on a hard plastic surface like my helmet and needs to be taped down to stay. The product also came with a hand strap. Now the strap is great but I do find it difficult to secure the strap so I used a keychain ring for that. I also added a necklace cord so it can be worn around the neck when you are not filming. (All in all this is a good product for what it's worth and I totally would recommend this product to someone)”
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PROS The camera is durable and waterproof It comes with 2 mounts that can be attached to bikes and skateboards The camera can take photos and videos up to 6 feet underwater The memory card can record up to 240 minutes	CONS Recording time only lasts for 2.5 hours Picture quality is not that great

E-reader

Children’s appetite for books grows as their reading skills improve. Give them a classic e-reader tablet to avoid accumulating a stack of paperbacks.

An e-reader tablet is ideal for reading, with a built-in adjustable light and no screen glare, and the battery will last for weeks.

Tablets are becoming more popular among parents who want to provide their children with more than just amusement. Tablets may also serve as an excellent educational tool.

BEST E-READER: Kindle Kids
	SPECIFICATIONS Kindle Kids is purpose-built for reading (not a toy), with a black & white glare-free display and weeks of battery life. It performs differently than a tablet because it’s geared for reading books – no games, ads, or videos mean zero distractions. With the included year of Amazon Kids+, kids can explore popular titles and series. Amazon Kids+ includes the complete Harry Potter series and the first book from other popular series such as Artemis Fowl. Parents can purchase additional titles from the Kindle Store. Take the library with you. Kindle Kids holds over a thousand Amazon Kids+ titles and provides weeks of battery life. 2-year warranty: If it breaks, return it, and we’ll replace it for free.
WHAT WE THINK:
The Kindle Fire for Kids was developed specifically for children. It includes a year of unlimited Amazon Kids+ at no extra cost. You have access to all of the material that children like, such as hundreds of kid-friendly books, TV programs, and educational applications. Furthermore, it comes with a blue kid-proof cover, so parents don't have to worry about drop and bump protection. Its best-in-class parental settings enable you to set utilization restrictions, material accessibility, and educational objectives, as well as encourage youngsters to study before they play. If you're concerned that the Kindle Fire for Kids may damage children's eyes and want to broaden your children's perspectives, choose a Kindle for Kids, such as the Kindle Paperwhite. You may foster their passion for reading with this E-Reader. The built-in dictionary on the Kindle will also help your children's vocabulary. It's intended for reading, so we won't feel as worried as we would on a regular tablet even if we read for hours.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“We want to begin this review by stating something simple, something that should be patently obvious: This is an e-reader. This is NOT a tablet or iPad. This is for READING. This is not for games or watching YouTube. This is a beautiful device that does exactly what it's supposed to do: allow your child to read. We really like this device. For several years, way back when e-readers were first coming out, we extensively used a competitor's brand. We enjoyed that perfectly fine. You can totally see the evolution of e-readers with this, particularly with respect to being a kid (and parent)-friendly. It only has one button (and again, don't come into this expecting a touch screen, because #notatablet), and it turns itself on and off. It starts up super-fast and picks right back up where your child left off reading. It is backlit, which is something our device-accustomed eyes will need to adjust to. The cover is brilliant. Physically, it has magnets on the front and back and holds itself open nicely. We got the version with the rainbow birds, and they are well done. Each bird has its own character and expression. The inside is purple, so it doesn't scream "boy" or "girl," if you're using this with a brother and sister (as we do in our household) As a parent, I love this, because I don't have to worry that my kids are reading something I don't want them reading. I can see what they're doing and for how long. And if I ever feel bored myself (if only), I can use my PIN and exit the kid mode. At this point, it becomes a "regular" Kindle and I can read what I want to read.”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS It comes with the complete Harry Potter series It comes with a 2-year warranty which also can be replaced if broken You can pair it up with Bluetooth headphones Battery life lasts for weeks The kid’s edition comes with a vocabulary builder	CONS The responsiveness of the tablet feels a bit slow The interface could be more child-friendly

Sketch Projector

christmas gift ideas for kids - smart sketcher projector for kids — Image from Amazon

Help them improve their drawing skills with a fun projector, which allows them to draw images or take a photo and duplicate it using an app.

Using a unique app, the sketcher Projector puts the fun of drawing, tracing, and writing in the hands of children.

These types of Christmas gift ideas for kids are perfect for artistic youngsters and for those who want to be an artist someday.

Our favorite brand for fun and creative children’s gifts is Crayola. There are so many more options now than simply crayons, colored pencils, and markers, which we all remember fondly from our own childhoods.

BEST SKETCH PROJECTOR: Crayola Projector Light Designer
	SPECIFICATIONS Color Wonder paints are colorless. Simply draw a picture with these special markers. An illuminating mess-free painting experience. Colors only appear on the Color Wonder paper. Up to 20X the original size. Kids can display their creations for all to see using the projector.
WHAT WE THINK:
The Crayola Projector Light Designer is one of those things that you wish you'd thought of yourself. It encourages a sense of wonder and inventiveness. We all admired our teachers' use of projectors as kids and envied them. We wished we could grow up and play with a projector too. This wonderful tool enables you to project your drawings up to 20 times their original size! Turn off the lights and enjoy your masterpiece in full view! Use special markers to create unique artwork on the plastic sheets. Layer them for a unique effect. This wonderful Christmas gift idea for kids would be a hit at sleepovers!
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“After trying over and over to purchase this at the lower price, I finally decided to just purchase directly from Amazon since the seller with the lower price wasn't fixing their listing. Even at the higher price, though, I think it was worth the purchase. I used this to "bribe" my children to clean their room. They love to draw and show their drawings off (even if they don't look like anything) so this was perfect. At first, it looked like we had only gotten 3 drawing discs but they actually had 2 stuck together for each of them. They didn't come apart until we were washing them, so if you have the same problem just try washing them and hopefully you will find all 6! The discs are reusable, you just have to wash them off and you can use them again. A damp paper towel is all that is needed thankfully. This is basically just a small projector, but it's all plastic which makes it safe and easy for kids to use. The plastic also holds the markers. Overall a great toy for kids!”
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PROS Markers are special markers that can only be used with the special paper provided with the kit Their drawing can be viewed 20 times bigger than the original size It is mess-free It is safe and easy to use for kids	CONS The light could be brighter Once it's put together, it can't be taken apart

Illuminated T-shirts

These types of t-shirts are incredibly cool. Any concentrated light source (such as a phone torch) will act as a pen, allowing you to draw on the surface of your shirt before it fades away, leaving you with a blank canvas to start over.

A soft cotton t-shirt gives children’s drawings a new home. Any light source will leave a glowing mark on the shirt, turning it into a bold piece of temporary art, thanks to a special luminescent ink panel.

It even comes with a lanyard attached to the mini light wand for creating illuminated doodles on the go. After about five minutes, the lines will fade and the shirt will be a blank canvas once more.

Unicorns dancing on rainbows, friendly aliens in flying saucers, and whatever else little artists conjure up are all welcome.

Plant Maze

christmas gift ideas for kids - DIY plant kit grow-a-maze — Image from Amazon

A plant maze is not only beautiful, but it’s also a fascinating science experiment in which a growing plant navigates a maze to demonstrate the effects of gravity and light.

When kids plant seeds in this cool little maze house, they become junior botanists. Your kids will be amazed as they watch the seedlings grow, sending their roots down and stems up despite the maze’s obstacles.

What makes them think they’ll be able to do it? They’ll find out in the learning booklet that comes with this type of kit, which explains how gravity and light affect plant growth and movement.

Introduce them to an everyday natural wonder to spark their interest in science.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Pre-Teen Kids

Ages 12-14

Ahhhh… Finally, the young teens. This is the age where they become more independent and separated from their parents.

They want more freedom, while also needing you around to keep them safe.

Some are already approaching puberty, which involves changes in their bodies, emotions, and personalities. They are constantly trying new things and learning new things.

They are changing rapidly. Physically, mentally and emotionally, that you barely recognize them anymore.

They may act as responsible and cooperative like an adult one day and then act like a six-year-old the next.

They can be happy and upbeat one minute, and then dreary and quiet the following moment. Just relax…

These kids are growing up and becoming more self-reliant and less needy of their moms and dads.

You can already tell that looking for Christmas gift ideas for kids, for this age group, in particular, can be quite a challenge. They have such a wide selection of things they might want or need, and it’s hard to figure out what they’re thinking.

Student Microscope

christmas gift ideas for kids - a real scientist microscope for kids — Image from Amazon

A dual microscope science kit includes a complete brine shrimp experiment and both pre-prepared and blank slides, allowing her to see things from a different perspective.

Explore a curated set of slides featuring a variety of biological specimens, then make your own using the blank slides and covers, tweezers, and an eye-dropper that are included.

A Petri dish for plant labs, a mini geode, and more are included in this comprehensive kit.

Is your young biologist using terms such as germs, water bears, DNA, or neutrons more often? Then it’s probably time to invest in a microscope for them. These kinds of Christmas gift ideas for kids are perfect for your future scientist.

BEST STUDENT MICROSCOPE: 40X-1000X Dual Light All Metal Microscope
	SPECIFICATIONS Optical glass monocular microscope with top & bottom LED lights. 40X-1000X Five wide field magnifications. Sturdy metal frame with coaxial coarse & fine focusing. Single lens condenser and 6-hole disc diaphragm.
WHAT WE THINK:
For the true child genius, the Amscope M162-2L is as close to a real microscope you’ll get with a metal frame and magnifications of 40x, 100x, 250x, 400x, and 1000x, enabling your child to examine cells, grains of sand, and a variety of other ultra-small objects under the microscope. This microscope is equipped with two LED lights for viewing slides and opaque objects, as well as coarse and fine focus knobs for finer and more precise viewing. Blank slides, 5 prepared slides, The World of Microscope book, and other goodies are included in this kit. The Amscope M162-2L is a microscope designed for older children and as such is more expensive than the other microscopes on the market. Because of the excellent quality and magnification, a greater price is to be anticipated.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“I originally purchased a microscope that was 3 times the cost of this one, living under the notion of "you get what you pay for". Let's just say my child was thoroughly unimpressed at the complexity, and pouted the rest of the day. One important thing I failed to consider was how many OPAQUE objects an 8 year old would want to view close up. Here's the issue: when you place an item (such as a penny) under a microscope that is only lit from below, the light can't pass through. So you see black. Try explaining that concept to an over excited child who just wants to find random objects and see what they look like! So, I immediately got online to find a microscope that had MULTIPLE lighting sources. Also, although it might seem more beneficial to an adult to have the "binocular style" eyepiece, try and recall the last time you assisted a youngster in focusing actual binoculars. I don't know the technical reason for it, but basically it is a pain in the butt, so go with the single eyepiece for now, unless you have a child with independent binocular experience. Last thing, this bundle comes with a couple of prepared slides. Your child (or yourself) will have so much fun seeing what is on the slides, that you will realize you want to see more. After swabbing your ear, spitting, and cutting locks of hair to place on the blank slides, you will decide that before someone goes to the extreme of performing a biopsy on the goldfish, you should just order additional slides on Amazon! Save time, do that now…”
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PROS It comes with five wide field magnifications The frame is made of metal and is very sturdy It is great for curious young scientists It comes with a power cord and has a built-in light	CONS It would be better if it came with a storage case It would be nice if more slides came with it

Grow ‘n Glow Terrarium

Choosing the perfect present for a pre-teen is not an easy task. Get them this terrarium kit for something different.

They will not only learn how to grow the plants inside, but it will also serve as a nightlight for their room because it glows in the dark!

With the Grow’ N Glow Terrarium Kit, you can discover the wonders of nature and science!

You can make, plant, water, and grow your own mini-ecosystem with this indoor activity for kids.

Simply add water for a one-of-a-kind science experience! While learning responsibility and nurturing, make your own terrarium.

These unicorn terrarium kits are the perfect Christmas gift ideas for kids for any pony enthusiast.

BEST GROW 'N GLOW TERRANIUM: Little Growers Unicorn Terrarium Kit
	SPECIFICATIONS Little Growers Unicorn Garden is the terrarium kit for kids that lets them create any way they want! From projects beginning to end, your child chooses how their living unicorn garden will look and feel. The fun doesn’t stop after building your terrarium. Now comes the fun part...care for and cultivate your very own mini ecosystem! Comes with everything needed to create, grow and cultivate your very own mini unicorn habitat. Light up your magical unicorn habitat! Each kit comes with its very own enchanted string of rainbow-colored LED fairy lights, allowing your child to sprinkle their imaginary world with light while illuminating the real world around them.
WHAT WE THINK:
Create a beautiful unicorn garden for your child's imagination. This DIY Itsy Unicorn terrarium kit for kids is made for all unicorn lovers and includes all the elements they'll adore! Their garden may include sparkling crystals, tiny mushrooms, and a charming unicorn. The beautiful pink lid has a handle to let them carry it wherever they go. The LED lights underneath the pink cover turn the terrarium into a beautiful night light. Unlike USB-charged lights, which only last a few hours, these are battery-powered which means they can have this turned on for more than 40 hours straight. An awesome light-up terrarium kit for kids Your young child's creativity will be ignited as soon as they take the tiny terrarium kit out of the box.
WHAT CUSTOMERS THINK:
“My daughter absolutely loves this unicorn terrarium! I was happy we went with this one because you get to grow wheatgrass which grows in just a few days, and it comes with colorful led lights that add to the magic. The figurines are good size and perfect for playing with while the grass grows. The paint is good quality and comes with 2 detailing brushes. It also didn't take long for the paint to dry which we were happy about. It easily kept my 5 year old daughter's attention. She had fun painting, planting, and decorating which took her about 3 hours to get it all set up how she wanted it. It comes with an ample amount of wheatgrass seeds so we will continue planting for months! This terrarium kit is awesome, and it's a fun way to learn and be creative. I highly recommend it for any girl, especially ones who love unicorns!”
See what else others have to say about this item...
PROS It provides your kid with high quality materials and paintable figures Your child will be learning the science and skills of planting and nurturing their garden It comes with LED fairy lights Comes with everything you need to grow and cultivate your own habitat	CONS The figurines are a little hard to paint for kids

USA Scratch Map

christmas gift ideas for kids - a fun map of the USA - track & mark your US travels — Image from Amazon

America is a beautiful place to visit, and if you’re lucky enough to live there, you’ll want to take advantage of everything the country has to offer.

Put this poster on your kids’ wall, and they’ll be able to scratch off each state they’ve visited to reveal the color underneath.

Use this attractive scratch-off map to keep track of your travels as you travel America’s highways and byways.

The scratch-off paint on the poster-sized map of the United States reveals bursts of color when rubbed with an eraser.

Scratch a new state or city off the map each time you visit. How much of this magnificent country will you be able to see?

These are fantastic Christmas gift ideas for kids and young adventurers and seasoned road warriors of all ages.

Natural Face Paint Kit

All children enjoy having their faces painted, especially if they can transform into a unicorn or dragon.

A non-toxic face paint kit is a great alternative to traditional face paints because they’re made with organic ingredients that are gentle on your children’s skin.

Your child can be transformed into a prowling jungle cat with a little face paint. Alternatively, a rainbow princess with the ability to cast spells on big brothers.

With this organic, non-toxic face paint kit, they can let their imaginations run wild.

Mineral-based clay, shea butter, and castor seed oil are usually the ingredients used in this kit, which are free of heavy metals, parabens, and other potentially harmful ingredients.

This way, you won’t have to worry about your child’s delicate, growing bodies while they’re off slaying dragons and granting wishes in their imaginary land.

Origami Set

Origami is a wonderful art form that requires a great deal of patience to master. But what if those origami creatures came to life?

You can animate paper cranes, dragonflies, and even sheep with this kit, which combines ancient Japanese art with STEM knowledge.

Your science-loving crafty child will love the futuristic folds. With this delightful STEM-centric set, the traditional art of origami meets the modern age.

The kit comes with everything you’ll need to build simple circuits and animate paper cranes, lilies, dragons, and whatever else you can think of (electric sheep, anyone?).

Final Thoughts

Every year, figuring out the best Christmas gift ideas for kids becomes more difficult as technology advances and kids’ toys and electronics become more sophisticated.

It takes more to impress children today than it did a decade ago, and most children are content with a smartphone and a few apps.

You can still find some good Christmas gift ideas for kids that they will love and enjoy if you can entice them away from their phones long enough to notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Christmas three-gift rule?

Here are the fundamentals: Before searching high and low for the best Christmas gift ideas for kids, you must first determine the total amount of money you want to spend on all of your children on your shopping list.

Divide the total of your Christmas gift budget by the number of children you’re purchasing for.

For example, if you have $100 to spend and three children, each of them will receive $33 in gifts. It’s that simple, but you must follow through!

2. What is the four-gift rule for Christmas?

The four-gift rule states that you should buy your children no more than four gifts, one from each of the four categories: something they want, need, wear, and read. It’s a simple way to teach your kids that they can’t always get what they want.

3. For Christmas, how much do you spend on each child?

All of this adds up. According to T. Rowe Price’s Parents, Kids & Money Survey, parents spent an average of $422 per child last year, with the third spending $500 on each child aged 8 to 14.

This is partly because 66 percent of parents polled said their children expected to get everything they wanted.

4. How do you avoid spoiling your children during the holidays?

Here are six ways to avoid spoiling your child this holiday season

Keep it simple
Make a financial plan
Create a wish list
Don’t be swayed by peer pressure
Gratitude is a good thing
Teach them to be generous