Every Christmas for many, many years, children have always asked for the same thing every year: toys. It’s a staple of Christmas day – the kids wake up, rush out to see what’s under the tree, and open up their toys.
Whether the toys are made with new, top of the line technology, or something simple and classic like a Frisbee, kids will enjoy whatever Santa brings to put under the tree – but you want to be armed with ideas for your gift-giving purchases.
There are some toys that are perfect for almost any age, and then there are those that are best for specific age groups such as babies, toddlers, younger children – through the tween and teen years.
Sometimes, you’ll find that some of the main gifts work best if they have some of the accessories to go with them. These can make great add-ons or even stocking stuffers if you want to make sure they’re all set.
Action Figure Gifts
Ever since the G.I. Joe line of toys were released in the 1960s, action figures have become incredibly popular among young children and even teenagers. They were exciting, and kids could stage big battles between their favorite characters from cartoons and movies.
Even though kids today can play on tablets and computers, many of them still enjoy playing with action figures. One of the most popular lines of toys for younger kids is the Playskool Heroes Transformers Rescue Bots.
There are a few different ones, such as Heatwave and Chase. Like all Transformers, they go from being robots to vehicles. Because these toys are meant for younger children, they’re very easy to transform without any complicated process, so you won’t have to help your kid with it every time they want to change it.
Transformers toys aren’t just available for young kids, though. There are more advanced versions for older kids, up into their preteen years. These models are much more detailed and more complicated to transform from the robot mode into the vehicle more. There are even display figures if you know someone who collects those kinds of things.
One line of toys that’s become fairly popular for kids is the VTech Switch & Go Dinos. Much like Transformers, they go from being cars to beings, but instead of transforming into humanoid robots, they turn into dinosaur robots.
All of them have LCD screens that change depending on the mode they’re in, either showing a facial expression of the car driver or the eyes of the dinosaur. Kids will surely have these on their wish list this Christmas!
While they’re not exactly action figures, Hatchimals are one of the most popular figures kids will be asking for this Christmas. The great things is that each toy is a surprise until it hatches, so it really is a gift that keeps on giving.
Arts and Crafts Gifts
Arts and crafts gifts are great for just about anyone, young or old, because they’re a good way to spend some time relaxing and working on something, and it’s also productive most of the time.
Anyone can pick up arts and crafts fairly easily, and make some pretty interesting things, whether they’re beginners or experts.
One of the most popular crazes in 2017 among young children is making slime.
There are tons of kits available that you can get for your kids, with detailed instructions that are easy to follow. The Slime Time Kit from Milliard is a good example, containing everything you need from measuring cups and containers to the actual slime-making liquids and even dye for the slime.
If your child is a major slime enthusiast, you can get them the basic components to make it themselves without the help of a kit. School glue, shaving cream, and contact solution should be all they need to start making slime.
You can also get them some accessories to bring a little more life into their slime, such as little foam beads or plastic diamonds, which add texture.
Another great art and crafts hobby that your kids can pick up is sewing.
Sewing is very relaxing, but is also very useful as a skill, because you can fix up your own clothing or furniture if it ever gets torn. Sewing is a great way for your kids to spend their time instead of watching TV.
The ALEX Toys My First Sewing Kit is a great way to get started, even if you’re not a kid. It provides easy instructions that you can follow, and uses real sewing needles and scissors, so it’s the real deal.
It also contains all of the essentials that your child will need to get started, including the fabric, stuffing, threads, and more.
Another popular crafts trend among kids is the loom. Looms let your kid use rubber bands to make cool bracelets, rings, and more.
The most popular and most intuitive loom available is the Rainbow Loom, which includes instructions and all of the accessories you’ll need to get started. You can get the rubber bands that you need at a very fair price, and in all kinds of colors depending on what design your kid wants to make.
Don’t forget classic arts and crafts like the Play-Doh kits. You can get big sets of multiple colors or specific sets with a theme, such as the kits where they can make Despicable Me Minions or pretend they’re a dentist pulling fake teeth made out of Play-Doh.
Dolls and Accessory Gifts
Dolls are just as popular if not more popular among kids than action figures, especially among young girls. Dolls have been around since ancient times, allowing kids to make up their own stories and use their imagination.
Even in late 2017, dolls are still very popular among little girls, making them great Christmas gifts. The easiest go-to doll is any of the Barbie dolls. There are tons of different kinds of Barbie dolls available, with accessories that let your kid customize them just about however they want to.
You can get Barbie’s with all kinds of different fantasy themes, like mermaids and fairies, as well as real life themes such as weddings and careers. For example, your kid might want to grow up to be a doctor one day.
There’s a Barbie playset that dresses her up like a doctor, complete with scrubs, a stethoscope, a table, and two babies to care for. You can get all kinds of outfits for all kinds of careers, from fashion model to firefighter to pilot.
There are also tons of Barbie accessories available, such as the Barbie convertible. Your kid can pretend that they’re driving Barbie around from her job to her house, and it even comes with seatbelts to teach your kids proper driving safety. You can also get SUVs, Campers, and even an airplane.
Of course, Barbie’s aren’t the only dolls out there. One of the most popular kinds of dolls out there is the baby doll. The La Baby from JC Toys is a great example, because it’s light, small, and comes in various skin tones.
You can get little bottles that the doll can hold on to, which simulates feeding a baby in real life. You can also get strollers so your kid can take them around outside. These dolls can teach your kids compassion and nurturing, and can prepare them for how to hold a baby for real.
One of the more advanced baby dolls on the market is the Baby Alive series. The Baby Alive dolls will all actually eat, use their diapers, talk, and in some dolls, move and crawl around.
For some of the dolls, the food is reusable, but if your child loses it, you can always get more. You can also get your kid replacement packs of diapers, so they can keep playing with their Baby Alive.
Electronic and Musical Gifts
Electronics have greatly improved the quality of toys nowadays, adding sounds, lights, and other feedback that makes toys more interactive. These responses will make your kids a bit brighter and more creative, and it adds a whole new level of fun to your kid’s toys.
One great example of an electronic toy is the plug and play classic games. They’re very easy to use, and great for any kids, younger or older. They’re little joystick boxes that you can plug into the TV and play classic 1980s arcade games on.
For example, the Pac-Man Connect and Play box lets you play Pac-Man as well as a few other classic games. You can also get your kids an Atari Flashback console, which does the same thing and comes with over 100 Atari games.
The Atari Flashback is a bit bigger than one of the smaller plug and play games, but it includes a lot more. This makes it a great thing for parents and kids to bond over, especially if the parents grew up playing those games.
One amazing gift for kids that like to work with technology and computers is the Cozmo robot. Connecting to an app on your phone, you can control and interact with Cozmo, and even level him up and get upgrades for him.
You can play all kinds of games with Cozmo by using the included Power Cubes. You can get your kids accessories to go with Cozmo, such as storage cases and screen protectors, which comes in handy if you have pets or young children that might scratch the screen or get a little too rough with it.
If you have much younger children, you might consider getting them a VTech Sort & Discover Activity Cube. The Activity Cube has 5 sides with activities built in that help your baby develop their motor skills and learn basic things like colors, numbers, and more.
Your baby can learn how to recognize shapes such as squares, circles, triangles, and stars. All of the corners have been rounded for safety, so you don’t have to worry about your baby hurting itself.
Another great electronic toy for little kids is the VTech Musical Rhymes book. Each page has interactive elements that help develop your kid’s mind, and it also plays songs that they can learn, such as Old MacDonald Had a Farm.
There are many musical gifts you can get a child in your life. They range from drum sets (electronic or traditional) to gifts like karaoke machines – which kids love to use for things like family fun night or sleepovers.
Remote Control and Riding Gifts
Many young children take up similar interests to those of their parents, or things that they’ve seen on TV or in movies. Naturally, there are plenty of people out there that are interested in cars, especially if their parents were the same way.
For any car lovers out there, whether they be young or old, there are plenty of fantastic gifts out there for them. Even if they just like anything with wheels on it. Many young kids love playing with R/C cars because it’s so fun.
Your kids can set up tracks, obstacle courses, stage races, and more. A great starting R/C car for toddlers is the Cartoon R/C car from Liberty Imports. The controller is very easy to use, with only two buttons on it: forwards, and turn left.
It doesn’t go too fast, so you don’t risk your kid hurting itself with it. If you have a bit of an older car enthusiast, you can get them something a bit more realistic. There are many scale models of popular supercars out there that are R/C controlled and drivable, such as the 1/14 scale Lamborghini Sesto Elemento from Midea Tech.
It’s a very accurate replica of the real thing, and you can use the remote control to drive it around anywhere. There are also models of the Bugatti Veyron, BMW i8, and McLaren P1.
Some kids aren’t as fond of just controlling a little electric vehicle, they want to be in the driver’s seat, actually going along with the car. Luckily, there are plenty of ride-on gifts that you can get your kids.
One of the most classic and well known riding toys is the Little Tykes Cozy Coupe. If you don’t recognize the name, you’ll likely recognize the toy – the red lower part and the yellow top part of a little cartoon car.
Kids can have tons of fun with these in their yards and driveways. For kids that like something a bit more realistic, the Peg Perego John Deere tractor is the way to go. It has an electric motor and a real acceleration pedal.
The tractor brakes automatically when the kid lets off of the acceleration pedal, so they can avoid unwanted accidents. This tractor has a real, functioning FM radio in it, so your kid can listen to their favorite tunes while they cruise around the backyard. It has two forward speeds and one reverse speed, going about 5 MPH at its fastest.
Educational Toy Gifts
When you have a young child, it’s important that you get them learning from an early stage so that they can be successful learning later in life. However, you want to present educational material in a fun, enjoyable way, instead of sitting your toddler down in front of a white board and trying to teach them.
There are tons of educational toys available that will help your child go above and beyond and excel in academics later in life. One really good tool for young kids is the LeapFrog Scribble and Write.
It uses a stylus pen and an interactive screen to help teach your kids how to write the alphabet and numbers. Your kid can select numbers, capital letters, and lowercase letters.
Once they do, they can press one of the letters to practice writing, and the screen will show an outline of the letter. Then, all they have to do is trace it. This allows them to develop muscle memory and better motor skills.
For older, more scientifically incline kids, they’ll love the Scientific Explorer Mind Blowing Science Kit. It includes everything your little scientist needs to perform some basic, but amazing experiments.
It includes an easy-to-follow guide, all of the safe to use chemicals, and the laboratory equipment. This helps kids develop a better understanding and appreciation for STEM fields.
Another great educational toy gift is the Snap Circuits Jr. Electronic Discovery kit. Using two AA batteries, your kid can power a circuit board and understand how circuits work. It’s great for beginners because it’s been safety proofed.
This is perfect because your child doesn’t run the risk of electrocuting themselves. Although it only includes 30 parts, there’s thousands upon thousands of ways those parts can be arranged to make functioning circuit layouts.
This will certainly get any kid interested in engineering and physics. If your kid is a rock collector or likes spending a lot of time outside, they’ll be fascinated by the National Geographic Geode Exploring kit.
Geodes are naturally forming rocks that are full of crystals on the inside. This kit includes 10 real different ones, along with all of the safety equipment your child will need to get it all done safely.
It comes with a neat booklet that explains how to identify geodes and other basic information about them. It’s a great way to learn about geology and how the world works.
