What the Kids (and Parents) Really Want: Gifts by Age – Birth to 6
Gift giving for children is one of most challenging aspect about my holiday shopping. What are they into? What do they already have? Do they skew toward their gender or would gender neutral be more appropriate? And, arguably most important, what would the parents like their children to receive?
So, if you still have some holiday shopping to do (I know I do!) here are some suggestions for great gifts by age group.
Under 1 Year
The YBike Pewi is a fantastic gift for pre-walkers. It has a very unique shape, won’t tip over and is great for practicing. It also serves as a ride on toy so the little ones will get a few years of use from this one. This is a new take on an old classic.
1 Year
We love the Skip Hop products. Most recently we’ve found the biggest hit with boys and girls alike are the wood toys. We especially like the Giraffe Safari Stacking Animal Blocks. They can be stacked any which way, incite creative play and are beautiful.
2 Years
We waited to get the personalized Pottery Barn My First Anywhere Chair until our little one was showing interest in actually sitting down with us to read. Now, he will snuggle in and look at books on his own!
3 Years
Two things that have been huge hits this year in our house:
First, the Neat Oh! Zip bins and backpack are genius. They are toy boxes and backpacks that can hold all their favorite cars and figures that zip out as a playmats. My son carries his Hot Wheels ZipBin Racer Backpack with him everywhere. Great for traveling.
Second, anything Eric Carle. These books are like gold in our house so when we got the Very Hungry Caterpillar Lacing Cards these became THE go-to activity. Really anything from The World of Eric Carle is a good choice as they are recognizable to the kids and educational.
4 Years
We love Magna Tiles and this has remained a favorite for a range of ages in our house. But, they are expensive and you never seem to have enough. A great alternative, that is less costly and more travel friendly, is the PlayPlax Module R play set. These are easy for little hands to build to their wildest imaginations.
5 Years
On a recent trip to IKEA, we weren’t on the hunt for toys but we came home with two favorites:
First, the PYSSLA beads. This old school craft encourages hand-eye coordination. It takes a great deal of concentration so we take breaks during our projects, but my daughter has created some awesome potholders.
Second, the GESTALTA Mannequin. This articulating man has been a source of inspiration for my budding artist. She will form all sorts of interesting poses with him and has come up with some pretty wonderful artwork.
6 Years
Anything Goldie Blox! This is a line of building games for girls to inspire future engineers. This gift is so popular that last I checked their site, everything is sold out right now except the Parade Float. I think the boys will enjoy these as well, but if you are looking for something a little more masculine, anything from HexBug will knock their socks off! Just be careful not to let them escape. The realistic motion will make you think you actually have real bugs in the house!