10 Gift Ideas for Young Kids

With my son’s 5^th birthday approaching, it’s that time of year where we pack some old toys away to make room for the new items that he’ll be receiving. Both of my children are spoiled by everyone, and I mean SPOILED! Therefore, we’ve accumulated a lot of games and toys over the years. As a parent, it can almost be overwhelming when our home gets taken over by toys, so we’ve developed a habit in our house. As each holiday approaches we like to make two piles; one of things to give away and the other to move to kids’ play area in the basement.

Over the years, my son has received some unique gifts. Some have been not only fun, but educational as well. I figured I would share some of the more unique toy ideas, as well as some other gift ideas that you just can’t go wrong with. (These are great for kids in the 3-6 year-old age range)

1. Picasso magnetic tile set– these are a fun alternative to building blocks. Both my son and my 2-year-old daughter love playing with them. They aren’t as much of a nuisance as regular blocks since these are flat and don’t hurt when you step on them. They are also more compact for smaller storage space.  PicassoTiles 100 Piece Set 100pcs Magnet Building Tiles Clear Magnetic 3D Building Blocks Construction Playboards, Creativity beyond Imagination, Inspirational, Recreational, Educational Conventional
2. Little Mechanic Car Service Station– my son loves this thing. He is very analytical; so to be able to take things apart and put them back together is tons of fun for him. This keeps him busy for periods at a time. (Not recommended to have around smaller children though. Some pieces are small) Hot Wheels Car Engine
3. Lego Set– who doesn’t love Legos? I feel like this is a gift where you can’t go wrong. At one point or another, every kid wants them and plays with them. (Again, not recommended if there’s a younger child in the house since the pieces are small-but eventually they’ll both be able to play with them.) You may want to look into buying a set with storage because the pieces get EVERYWHERE. But the kid loves them, so what can I say? LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 10698 Build Your Own Creative Toys, Kids Building Kit (790 Pieces)
4. Treasure Hunt/Scavenger Hunt games– My son has received two different types of these games and they are so unique and fun for him. It also gets us parents involved without having to be bored or annoyed. (Don’t tell me you haven’t felt this way when playing a game with your child) One comes with just cards and you set them up to do a scavenger hunt around the house, while the other you set up and hide the gold so they go on a treasure hunt. It’s fun and it gets them thinking. Kid’s Scavenger Hunt – Indoor and Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Card Game to Play Rain or Shine – Ages 6 + GoTrovo Treasure Hunt Game Fun Scavenger Hunt Board Game for Kids Indoors and Outdoor
5. Character cup and plate sets– I never thought I’d be the parent giving into my child throwing a tantrum over having a Scooby-Doo plate, but here we are. You know kids go through phases where they have their favorite characters and want that character to be on anything and everything. For my kids to eat their entire meal just because their favorite character’s face is on the plate; I’ll take it. I’ve seen cute matching plate sets at Target and TJ Maxx.
6. Clothes that are sized up or next season– You really can’t go wrong here. All kids need clothes. They grow so fast and they stain and ruin so many articles of clothing; they constantly are in need of more clothes. By going a size up, you know that they will get use out of them eventually, and that you’re probably not going to run into the issue of buying something they already have. It goes the same for buying for next season. If you’re gifting in the summer, chances are, the child probably doesn’t have hoodies and jeans for the fall yet.
7. College savings money– not every kid has a college savings, so why not start now? I started 529 Plans and savings accounts for each of my children and I add to them here and there when I can. Most of the contributions made to their 529 Plan account and their savings account comes from their birthday and Christmas money that other people gift them. These types of savings can be of help down the road whether it’s to buy their first car, take a high school trip somewhere, or to help pay for college tuition; it’s never a bad idea to start saving early on.
8. Learning activity books– Again, something you can’t go wrong with. Kids love to color and draw but we also want them to learn. The activity books on Amazon have been awesome. They’re educational and entertaining so the kids don’t get bored easily. My son goes through periods where he really looks forward to working in his books each night. Summer Brain Quest: Between Grades Pre-K & K
9. Outdoor toys– (sprinklers, pool toys, sand box toys, yard games, etc.) Ages 5 and 6 are really when kids can start to use outdoor toys. Not going to lie; we’ve had a lot of presents that we had to put away from prior birthdays up until now. At this age, they are more hands on and understanding, so they can really use the more complex toys. My son is obsessed with his sandbox. He would probably play in it all day if he could. He also really loves his floating pool toys. At this age, they still are wearing vests or swimmies, so there’s not a whole lot they can do in the pool besides float around; so fun rafts or floating games are best. Yard games are something he recently has had interest in, since sidewalk chalk and balls only keep us interested for so long. Smaller corn hole sets, ring toss games, and kids’ toy archery sets are all additional ideas. Juegoal 54 Pieces Giant Tumble Tower Blocks Game Giant Toppling Tower Wood Stacking Game with 1 Dice Set Canvas Bag for Adult, Kids, Family Himal Collapsible Portable Corn Hole Boards With 10 Cornhole Bean Bags And Tic Tac Toe Game 2 Games on 1 Board (2 x 1-feet)
10. Kid’s Amazon Kindle–  I know it’s a little pricier than the average gifts, but it is well worth the investment. You can sometimes snag one of the 16 GB ones on sale, especially around the holidays. From being able to watch the amazon prime shows/movies, to being able to download educational apps; this has been so great for both of my children. They can have their fun screen time on it and then also intermix some educational games and puzzles for added learning. Because the tablet is made for kids, it is also very durable; so there’s less worry about spending the money and then it breaking the next day. Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case

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