One of the best parts of Christmas is buying gifts for the ones we love. There is nothing like the expression on someone’s face when you give them a gift that they are looking forward to enjoying. One of the hardest demographics to buy for is children because there are so many options. As a former daycare teacher, I’m a big fan of educational gifts that promote different developmental skills, as well as books and traditional toys. You will find a little of everything on this list.
Are you looking for some gift ideas for your grandchildren this year? Here are some great options for children of all ages.
Gifts for Babies and Toddlers (Ages 0-2)
1. Lovevery The Play Gym
This gym has five activity zones, four sets of cards, detachable toys, and a guide for parents. It also converts into a baby play mat and fort for toddlers. (Ages 0+ months)
2. Baby Books
Soft and board books are great for babies because they can chew on them and not ruin them. Reading to babies also helps them learn first words, problem-solving skills, and counting. (Age 0+ months)
3. Fisher Price Deluxe Kick and Play Piano
This toy is a 4 in 1 play mat that grows with your child. It has a play gym with an activity center and a piano that can play 60+ sounds. (Ages 0+ months)
4. Splashing Kids Tummy Time Mat and Activity Center
This toy is an activity center inflatable water mat that features bright prints and floating toys. You can also add your child’s favorite bath toys inside the mat. Always make sure your baby is supervised when playing with water. (Ages 3+ months)
5. Fisher-Price Tummy Time Grow-With-Me-Llama
This toy can be used both as a tummy wedge and a stuffed toy. Each llama comes with a plushie, watermelon rattle, carrot teether, and baby-safe mirror. (Ages 0+ months)
6. Nuby USA Cabot Gel Teether Keys
This doubles as a fun toy and a soothing teether. The gel stays colder than similar water-filled freezer teethers and is BPA-free. (Ages 3+ months)
7. Fat Brain Toys Oombee Ball
These balls foster sensory exploration and fine motor skills with different colors and textures. All the balls open and nest inside each other except for the smallest one. (Ages 0+ months)
8. Hape My First Musical Walker
This walker encourages your child to walk and features an activity center, musical instruments, and spinning blocks. It has adjustable speed settings for each walking stage and plays music while they push it around. (Ages 10+ months)
9. Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Baby & Toddler Toy Smart Stages Puppy Interactive Plush Dog w/Music and Lights
This toy teaches over 100 first words along with songs, sounds, tunes, and phrases. Its hand, foot, ear, and heart light up at your baby’s touch, and it has three smart stages that teach parts of the body, shapes, counting, alphabet, etc. (Ages 6+ months)
10. Baby Einstein Cal Bendy Ball Rattle
This rattle is made with grippable, bendable plastic and is BPA-free. Your grandchild will love shaking it and watching the little ball inside. It also wipes clean easily and is the perfect fit for a diaper or travel bag.
Gifts for Ages 3-5
11. Melissa & Doug Cutting Fruit Set-Pretend fruit is all the rage with little ones. Chances are you’ve heard your grandchild say, “I want to do it.” a lot too. Well, now they can. This set of fruit slices comes with a faux knife so they can do it all themselves. Self-stick tabs hold the fruit together along with the wooden tray and knife. This set will help them foster their independence while learning math skills like fractions and practicing fine motor skills. (Ages 3 and up)
12. PlayDoh Play ‘n Store Kids Play Table
This activity table has over 25 cool tools, from shapes to animals to ice cream. It also includes eight play doh colors and has two compartments on each side to hold both tools and doh to keep everything organized. (Ages 3 and up)
13. Lego Duplo Town Truck and Excavator
This toy set features a push-along truck with a tip function, a push-along excavator with a digger function, and two worker figures. Kids can act out stories on the construction site and develop their fine motor skills. (Ages 2-4)
14. National Geographic Stepping Stones
These brightly colored stepping stones help your kids develop balance and gross motor skills. (Ages 3-5)
15. Candy Land
This classic game is great for teaching children colors and introducing them to a world of “delicious surprises.” No need to read, so it’s perfect for younger children, and kids will love the bright illustrations on the board. (Ages 3-5)
Gifts for Ages 6-12
16. 4M KidzRobotix Tabletop Robot
Kids love building things independently and can build their own crab robot with this kit. (Age 6+)
17. Puzzle Huddle Puzzle
These puzzles come in different numbers of pieces, from 50 to 200. They feature black children as doctors, astronauts, scientists, and other professions and present a fun challenge to most children this age. (Age 6+)
18. Slime Kits
Slime is the thing to make these days, and there are many DIY slime kits on the market. (Ages 6+)
19. WeeSociety’s Me: A Compendium
This journal features open-ended questions, bright illustrations, and prompts to get your grandchild’s creative juices flowing. (Age 7+)
20. Kid Made Modern Rainbow Crafts Kit
This kit is full of craft materials for your little crafters. (Ages 7+)
21. CrunchLabs Build Box
This monthly subscription box lets your grandchild build cool gadgets and toys at home. Each box includes all tools and materials, a QR code to access the video on how to build, and cool tidbits about the physics behind each build. (Ages 10+)
22. Kiwi Co Subscription Box
These monthly subscription boxes (called crates) feature hands-on projects for every age to further your child’s learning and education. For example, the Yummy Crate is for ages 6-14 to explore the science of cooking, while the Tinker Crate is for ages 9-14 and explores science and engineering.
Gifts for Tweens (Ages 12-15)
23. DIY Nail Kit
Make a kit that contains a nail file, nail buffer block, base coat, and several fun colors. Put them all in a cute gift basket or travel case.
24. Books
There are many ways you can gift books to your tween reader. You can talk to their parents and find out their favorite author and buy them a few books they don’t have. Buy them a gift card to their favorite online or brick-and-mortar bookstore, and don’t forget used bookstores, too. You could also buy them a new (or newer model) e-reader and a gift card to download the books they want.
25. Toolbox with Tools
Get the builder in your life a toolbox and fill it with some sturdy beginner tools.
26. Go 3D
3D printing is extremely popular, but not everyone can afford a 3D printer. If your grandchild is into this art form, get them a 3D pen for Christmas. Both the 3Doodle Start + and the 3Doodle Create+ are great options.
The 3Doodle Start+ is great for younger tweens under twelve because both the tip and the plastic it extrudes stay cool, so they won’t burn themselves. One downside is it moves slower than the other 3D pens.
The 3Doodle Create+ is geared toward older teens because they can get a good grip on it, and it has two heat settings and options to get different tips for it.
27. Cooking Essentials
Does your grandchild have an interest in cooking and baking? There are all kinds of gifts you can do with this interest. Things like a collection of cooking and baking books, kid-sized utensils, a gift basket of spices, baking mixes, or cooking gadgets like measuring spoons/cups, thermometers, mixing bowls, aprons, etc., or their own hand mixer. You could also get them a gift certificate to take cooking classes in your local area. The possibilities are endless.
28. Gift an Experience
Get them tickets to a concert or show they want to see, rock climbing, trampoline park, or museum. Tickets to amusement parks, escape rooms, or a virtual reality lounge are also options. They will love getting to do something different and fun, and you can enjoy the memories.
29. A Bean Bag Chair
This is a great option for them to have their own chair to sit in and, even better, something you can easily move anywhere.
30. A Sweet Treat
Does your tween have a passion for cookies, candy, or ice cream? Then order them a sweet treat and have it delivered to the foodie in your life. Cheryl’s makes scrumptious homemade cookies in collections of all different flavors. Mrs. Prindable’s makes the best caramel apples I have ever tasted. You can also have ice cream delivered from Jeni’s ice cream. Take some time and research the perfect gourmet gift for the sweet tooth in your life.
Trying to figure out what to get your wonderful grandchildren can be hard. I hope this list will spark some ideas and help you have an easier time shopping and the best Christmas ever.