For our holiday gift guide for kids, we tried to find interesting and unique gifts for kids that would inspire their imaginations and keep them busy for hours (parents, you’re welcome!).
We also looked for thoughtful gifts–t-shirts, prints, books, and more, that would inspire their hearts and remind them how much we love them. Whether you’re shopping for gifts for your own kids, your nieces and nephews, your grandkids, or any other kids, we hope you enjoy all these awesome ideas!
Don’t forget to share in the comments below what your favorite gifts for kids are!
1. The Day You Begin | Jacqueline Woodson
If you love giving books as gifts, you’ll love this beautiful story from bestselling and award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson. It’s all about how we all feel different sometimes, but when we find the courage to begin to share our stories, something wonderful happens. Inspiring, heart-warming, and a great way to start conversations about how to treat and care for the people who are different from us.
2. Crystal Infused Rainbow Bath Bombs DIY Kit | Whimsy + Wellness
You never quite know what’s in the bath stuff you get from Target, but these DIY bath bomb kits are perfect for a budding DIY’er (who also loves baths ;). The kit comes with everything you need to make about 15 bath bombs–including the cutest reusable glass jar, a reusable rainbow mold, 5 rose quartz crystals, and dried calendula flowers (perfect for sensitive skin).
3. The Human Body Shine-a-Light Book | Usborne Books
Kids adore these books that let you use a flashlight (or, ahem, a phone) to see what’s going on inside! Learn about the human body or try this Dinosaur Shine-a-Light book or this Space Station Shine-a-Light book).
4. All Together Kid’s Tee | A Spoonful of Faith
This unity tee from Minnesota artist (and mom of 2!) Jena Holliday is the perfect dupe for the grown up All Together tee we featured in our women’s gift guide! But whether or not she’s matching you, your little one will love this soft tee and beautiful design, reminding her how special every single one of us is!
5. Kwik Stix Solid (Mess-Free) Tempera Paints
These are so fun, we want to steal them from our kids. These paint sticks lay down mouth-wateringly vibrant swaths of color, but unlike chalks or actual paints, they don’t make messes! They dry almost immediately (think: markers), and wash off clothes easily. Order a big ‘ol paint pad while you’re at it.
6. 100pc Rainforest Puzzle | Melissa & Doug
Melissa & Doug have done it again! This puzzle is so enticing, and at 100 pieces, it’s a challenge–but not too much of one. The animals are engaging, and we like the unique shape. Plus, the thick cardboard pieces get extra points for being easy to grab and difficult to lose.
7. Temporary Tattoos | Tattly
See ya later, alligator! These fake tattoos (designed by actual artists!) are so cute and would be so much fun for kids. There are literally thousands to choose from (something for almost any kid, no matter how weird or wonderful their interests), but we love the Go Go Animals set, the Tiny Animal Tin, and the Rainbow Unicorns sheet.
8. Handmade LemonLee Dolls
LemonLee Dolls makes custom handmade doll and animal plushies that have us making alllllll the heart eyes!! These dolls are absolutely delightful and so unique–new plushies release every Friday, but they sell out fast, so don’t sleep on this! They are currently closed for custom orders but ready to ship dolls are released each Friday morning at 10am Arizona time! Grab one (or two, or three) and save 10% off with code WHIMSY10!
9. Bird Feet Playdough Stampers | Mirus Toys
If you have a nature lover on your hands, he or she will adore this set of beautifully crafted wooden stamps, designed for playdough. The set comes with beautifully illustrated educational cards that teach kids about different kinds of bird feet and how they’re used. Pair with a bird guide, like this one.
10. 60-piece Natural Wooden Blocks | Melissa & Doug
There’s nothing like a good ‘ol fashioned box of blocks to get any kid’s imagination stirring. These are completely open-ended, high-quality, and just begging to be built into towers, bridges, and castles. And they come with their own storage box–#winning. Pair with animal figurines for play alllllll day.
11. This is How We Do It | Matt Lamothe
This is a fascinating look inside the lives of seven kids from Italy, Japan, Iran, India, Peru, Uganda, and Russia. Your kids (and you, too, probably) will be fascinated to learn what they eat for breakfast, what time they go to bed at night, and what they wear to school. You’ll get to compare and contrast your own experiences and cultures. So fun!
12. Wild Child Roller & Dropper Set | Whimsy + Wellness
If you’ve got a little essential oil lover on your hands, they’re going to lose their minds over this wild animal-inspired set (we admit to having lost our minds over it, ourselves!). The set, illustrated by Australian artist Kat Kalindi, features three high-quality glass roller bottles, a glass dropper bottle, and a glass spray bottle. We’ve found kids love having their own essential oil blends for everything from focusing during Zoom school to chasing away the monsters at night–and this set is perfect for it.
13. RC Stunt Car | Amazon
Ok, our team can testify: this little RC stunt car is SUPER durable, and a ton of fun to play with! Even young kids can use this car because it won’t get stuck or hung up when it hits a corner, a wall, or the furniture–it will just flip around and keep on going. We also love that it is rechargeable. No rebuying and replacing expensive batteries here!
14. Personalized Lanterns for Kids | Little Pecan Tree Shop
Do your kids adore flashlights? Ours do! And this personalized lantern is such a cute way to give them a grown-up gift that’s all their own. You can choose from a variety of lantern colors and lettering colors. When you give this gift, make sure to include a promise to take your kid on an after-dark walk with their new lantern ;).
15. Obuby Walkie Talkies | Amazon
The first thing that caught our eye about these walkie talkies was that they come in sets of three (if you have three kids, you know). Reviewers report that these are super durable, and work as well as adult walkie talkies. They also don’t require kids to hold down the talk button when they’re talking, which makes them easy for little ones to use. Plus, who doesn’t love a walkie talkie?!
16. Kids Against Maturity Multi-Player Game
This is a hilarious game for families and kids ages 5 or 6 and up! There are plenty of fart jokes (word to the wise!) but, frankly, that just contributes to the general hilarity. The game is easy to play and interesting enough to lure kids away from technology…even if only for a few seconds! We highly recommend.
17. KiwiCo Crate
KiwiCo makes these fabulous STEM, STEAM, and science boxes for kids–kids love them, and adults love them because the instructions are clear, the boxes are PACKED with activities and things to make, the materials are super high quality, and everything you need (even the scissors!) comes right inside. Zero prep for adults, tons of fun for kids. You can send a single crate to a child, or sign them up for a year-long membership.
18. Little Explorers Crystal Set | Whimsy + Wellness
Crystals are beautiful and fascinating, and this set was made with kids in mind! Each set comes with its own zippered pouch, 5 individually wrapped crystals, and an educational booklet + journal that teaches kids how crystals are formed, and how to start their own crystal collection! Our favorite part about the whole kit? The clear quartz geode. Just wait till you see it for yourself!
19. Handcrafted Wooden Slingshot w/ Felt Poms | Handcrafted Buffalo
Who doesn’t love a good slingshot? This one is beautiful–handcrafted, wooden, and comes with felt “ammo” made from pom poms. Grab some extra ammo (and maybe a few extra slingshots) for a good ‘ol fashioned slingshot war!
20. Subscription to Literati
Literati is what would happen if your favorite children’s librarian sent you books every single month just for your kids–and you got to keep the books you loved! Each month, Literati sends multiple age-appropriate books for your child. You have a week to read them all, and you only pay for the ones you want to keep. Libraries can be a bit of a challenge these days, but Literati is fantastic about introducing kids to new books they might never see otherwise!
21. Penelope the Flamingo | Cuddle + Kind
Cuddle + Kind is a family of five on a mission to help feed children. Each lovingly crafted heirloom doll provides ten meals for children in need, and supports Fair Trade artisans. Each doll is guaranteed for forever (literally!), and the company’s goal is to provide one million meals in a year…and we are 100% on board with this goal! Penelope the flamingo is one of our favorites, but Noah the dog and Violet the fawn are also swoon-worthy.
22. Personalized Journal | May Designs
Get a personalized journal for your budding writer from Austin-based, women-owned shop May Designs. There are so many beautiful journal designs to choose from, but we’re slightly partial to this Girls Support Girls cover (though this tie dye cover is pretty great, too…).
What are your favorite gifts for kids? Share below in the comments!
