(great for ages 12 months and up)
A Wobble Board is a great toy for kids that also happens to be healthy for them! These boards challenge so many muscles in those little bodies, including ones that aren't used quite as often, and build great coordination, balance, and core strength. A strong foundation in balance will serve kids well for years to come.
A great way to encourage use is to have your kids use the board in a game, like pretending it's a race car, a horse, a surfboard, a pirate's ship, playing the floor is lava, or using them in an in-home obstacle course.
We love this one from Piccalio, because they also have a great balance beam and stepping stones to add to your collection, but you can also find handmade wobble boards on Etsy and there are plenty of options from Amazon.
(great for all ages)
A nature shelf is great for displaying all of the natural wonders your child comes across in their everyday adventures! Little ones love to explore the great outdoors, and no matter which kind of environment you live in, there are so many fun artifacts for a child to find and proudly display on their shelf. All you need an appetite for adventure and a magnifying glass!
There are many different ways to set up a nature shelf. You can purchase shelves with adjustable levels to hang it on the wall of your child's room, find a standing shelf that is nature-themed (like the ones pictured above), or "DIY" one yourself.
The shelves pictured above are Delta Children's Tree Bookcase, Bear Bookcase, and West Elm's Snail Shelf.
(great for ages 3 and up)
This game is such a fun way to for a child to explore their environment, wherever they are! The pouch is small and highly portable, so you can play anywhere from your backyard to your next great travel destination! It challenges your child to get outdoors and find objects with various attributes, allowing them to explore and learn more about their surrounding habitats.
Follow the included instructions. When your child finds something great, display their findings on their nature shelf (see above)!
Go Find It is available on Amazon.
(great for ages 3 and up)
We are all about preserving your child's memories! If your child loves to create art, Artkive offers a great way to turn their artwork into beautiful keepsakes. They send you a box, you fill it with your child's artwork, and they'll photograph the works to be displayed in mosaic style wall art (which looks beautiful in any space). The colors of your child's art really pops against the crisp, white matting and frame, making it a focal point of any room.
Hang it in your child's room, or any room, to brighten up the space! Your child will love to see their creations put on proud display in your home, and you will love seeing their creativity come alive. Make sure you order this one ahead of time, though- production can take weeks (but it's worth it!). You can also elect to have the original art returned to you for an additional fee.
(great for all ages)
This is such a creative way to let your loved one know how they special they are to you. Musician David Morgan has found a way to use his unique songwriting talents to create a one-of-a-kind keepsake— one that you can sing along to!
Visit the link below, and fill out some information about your gift recipient, answering some questions in the form and providing any anecdotes you wish. This is the information that Mr. Morgan uses to compose the lyrics and style of your song. After working on the material, he will send a draft of the lyrics for your approval, and later the audio recording of your song and PDF of the final lyrics. While it may have a higher price point ($100/one minute song, $250/three minute song), we believe that when the occasion calls for it, such personalized, special gifts are worth it. This could even be a great group gift, where family and friends all pitch in to give something great together.
(great for ages 3 and up)
We love that this is a real digital camera designed for budding photobugs! Made by Kidamento to capture high quality images and videos, with cute extras like digital frame options, and of course, the adorable bear and fox designs, these are great starter cameras for your little ones!
This camera can be used anytime, from capturing nature in the backyard to family portraits in the home or pics with friends in the park! You can also encourage your child to complete guided photo challenges— we've got a great one to recommend below (and since it's also by Kidamento, you can add both to your shopping cart at the same time)!
You can find this camera on the Kidamento site, which offers various models and accessories!
(great for ages 4 and up)
A photo challenge album is a great to help guide a child through their introduction to photography and to explore their environment. It will both teach your child how their camera works, and will hone their observation skills! We also love that this one includes a graduation certificate , which will reward your child for all their hard work and dedication!
Follow the instructions through the book, and complete the challenges! The pages have spaces to write your own notes, make doodles, and insert your favorite prints!
(great for ages 4 and up)
We LOVE EatSleepDoodle! They make great products for kids that they can draw on directly with washable markers. When they're done with their drawing activity, just throw it in the washing machine and voila! It's as good as new, and the kids can start all over again! Their products are not only educational and fun, but will hold your child's attention and keep them occupied in a healthy way. We especially love the tablecloths and placemats, which can be put directly on the kids table and keep them entertained through holiday meals and family gatherings.
Place the item down (whether it's a pouch, a pillowcase, a placemat, a tablecloth, etc.) and hand your child the washable markers. They can color inside or outside of the lines, whatever they want! Inspire them to ask questions about what they're coloring in, like the world map, for example. They will learn and explore through creative expression. Throw it in the wash afterwards, and repeat anytime!
(great for ages 3 and up)
AirForts are (literally) super cool ways for the littles to have fun! Who didn't love building a fort when they were younger?! AirForts are nicely portable so you can put them up almost anywhere, and clean up is a breeze! (Sorry, we had to.) All you need is a box fan and you're ready to go. They also come in different styles, with options for every child to love!
These forts are inflated by a box fan, making them easy to set up and break down. Just place the fort where you want it inflated, position and plug in your fan and watch it rise! Unplug your fan when you're done and fold up the fort for storage.
AirForts are available on their website, airforts.com, and on Amazon.
(great for ages 3 and up)
Let your kids turn their book collection into a library game! Complete with a set of library decorations, a suitcase that doubles as a laptop, a library card, wooden book scanner, checkout stamp, and more! This a great gift for imaginative play that helps to foster a love of books! A bonus: you can always build some quiet time into a pretend library!
Set up the fabric backdrop on the wall or in a door frame and let your kid's imagination run wild!
(great for all ages!)
There is nothing like a great experience as a gift. A special trip to local zoo or aquarium, a petting zoo, horseback riding, a gymnastics class, ropes course, or tickets to a show or event— there are so many great options to explore! Sometimes the best gifts are irreplaceable memories, and your child will value doing something special and out of the ordinary!
Try a local search for kid-friendly, safe, and fun experiences to try! Make sure to take photos and videos to document the adventure!
There are many ideas online! Check out this great list from Lovely Lucky Life above for ideas!
(Baby Edition great for ages 0-2, Toddler Edition great for ages 2-4)
The ToDo Game is a simple-to-use box full of inspiration for parents wanting to bond and spend quality time with their young children. The activities stimulate sensory play and motor skill development, and all are great tools to help babies and toddlers learn, grow, and appreciate time with loved ones. The best part, they are all SCREEN FREE activities!
Pick a card at random out of the box and follow the instructions. Each activity lasts between 20 minutes and 1 hour so it can be played anytime. Just have fun participating!
(Great for ages 2-7)
A stage set serves as a great backdrop for any performance your kiddos can imagine. They can sing a song, play an instrument, put on a magic show, a puppet show, or a talent variety show with their family and friends! One item that serves as a versatile tool for imaginative play is amazing to have. We love the adorable one pictured above, but you can also DIY an awesome stage!
Set up the stage and backdrop, and let their imaginations run wild. Sit back, and enjoy the show!
The one pictured is from Wonder and Wise.
(great for all ages*)
Budsies are incredible ways to bring your child's artwork to life! Every kid loves their stuffed animals, what could be better than to turn one of their own drawings into a 3D stuffed animal of their very own?! This is such a cool idea for kids of any age, but for the price point, *we'd recommend this product for children 5 and older, since their coordination and fine motor skills are a little further developed at that age, their drawings will be a little easier to interpret for the artists at Budsies. However, as an alternative, if you are artistically inclined, you can send your own drawing in to Budsies and commission your own special stuffed animal for your little loved one under 5 years old.
Submit your child's drawing on the website and receive your Budsie! You can also submit your own drawing to have a Budsie specially commissioned. They have a variety of other product options as well. You really can't go wrong here! Tip: plan ahead for this gift and order in advance— Budsies take weeks to produce.
(PERFECT at ANY age!)
Books are an irreplaceable part of our human race. Our stories are unique to us, and the tactile sensation we get from turning the pages, the closeness we feel with each other while reading together, and the mental stimulation we get from reading to ourselves, cannot be replicated in any other medium. They are evergreen sources of entertainment, enlightenment, knowledge, and exploration.
Open 'em up and start your adventure! Share with those you love!
Great books are available everywhere from your local bookstore to a vast number of online retailers. These are some of our favorite books for children this year:
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