Gift ideas · Hard to buy for
Gifts for kids who have everything
A kid with a full playroom doesn't need another toy that does the same thing as the last one. The gifts that land are something to use up, a kind of play they haven't tried or time with someone they love.
Skip: More of what's already in the playroom. If they have forty stuffed animals, the forty-first won't get played with.
Remind me beforeor
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Something to use up
- 1A big art supply refillOur pick: Faber-Castell Young Artist Essentials setGood paper, paint and markers. Gone by spring, in the best way. Find it
- 2A science experiment kitOur pick: GeoSafari My First Science KitEach experiment is used once, so nothing piles up. Find it
- 3A gardening kit with seeds and potsOur pick: Educational Insights Sprout & Grow WindowSomething to grow, and a reason to check on it every day. Find it
- 4A real baking set and their own apronOur pick: Curious Chef 11-piece set with apronThen bake the first thing together. Find it
Something they haven't tried
- 1A beginner sewing kitOur pick: Klutz Sew Mini AnimalsA new skill with a real finished thing at the end. Find it
- 2A rock tumblerOur pick: Thames & Kosmos Rock TumblerWeeks of checking, then polished rocks to show off. Find it
- 3A stop-motion animation kitOur pick: HUE Animation StudioTheir toys become the cast of a movie. Find it
- 4A kids' fishing rodOur pick: Ugly Stik GX2 Youth Spinning ComboA whole morning outside that feels like an adventure. Find it
Something with you
- 1A tent for a night in the yardGive it with a date for the first campout. Find one
- 2Tickets to something, with a date on the calendarA game, a show or a museum. Wrap a clue to open.
- 3A kids' cookbook you'll work through togetherOur pick: The Complete Cookbook for Young ChefsOne recipe every Sunday. Find it
- 4A class they pickPottery, climbing or cooking. Let them choose.
Find gifts that match how they play
The gifts that get used match how a kid already likes to play. The quiz takes two minutes. No account needed, and adding a name is optional.
More gift ideas
Stocking stuffers for kids that actually get usedHolidaysChristmas gifts for kids that last past New Year'sChristmasGifts for toddlers that aren't more noiseToddlersScreen-free gifts that can compete with a tabletNo screensBirthday party gifts for a kid you barely knowBirthday partiesAll gift ideasBy age and by how they play
Print it before the partyHalloween Party Games for Kids: picture bingo, a monster hunt and pin the face on the pumpkin. 11 pages, $5.Get the printable →
