Gift Ideas for Children – Gift Guide 2013

We love to give experiential gifts to our children, like museum passes and music classes. But if toys must be given, we love gift ideas for children that allow kids to explore and be actively involved in the play.

These gift ideas for children have been brought to you by the brands mentioned and I received samples for my use and review.

Discovery Kids – art easel and project kits

Gift ideas for children that engage their artistic senses are always fun to give and receive.The Paint Your Own Solar System Mobile is a real wood painting kit. Use this kit as part of a science project, to decorate a classroom or bedroom. I love how it could be a group activity, or a solo project. Kit includes real wooden cutouts of the planets, glow-in-the-dark paints, and instruction and fun facts for learning. Recommended for ages 5+.

For younger kids, the Discovery Kids Tabletop Easel allows them to enjoy creative expression, even if you have a small space. The compact easel folds and adjusts, and has a built-in paper roll, chalkboard, and dry erase board. Three ways for kids to doodle and draw!

Check out the activities on the Discovery Kids website and shop their toys on Amazon.com (affiliate links)

Little Tikes – full court basketball hoops

Get kids active (indoors and out) with the Little Tikes TotSports Easy Score Basketball Set set of basketball hoops. Use the two hoops to create a “full court!” Our little boys will follow in their Daddy’s footsteps playing basketball together. The hoops adjust so they grow with the kids. The oversized rim and two junior sized basketballs will be a perfect fit for young hands, and encourage active play.

Little Tikes toys are made in the USA with many US components. We’ve featured many fine gift ideas for children from Little Tikes over the years, including the Sandbox Turtle and Water Table.

Shop Little Tikes for active play gift ideas for children. 

Zonderkidz – holiday books

When in doubt, give books to children. Always give the gift of reading. Plus, a great Thanksgiving or Christmas title is a fantastic “pre-holiday” gift to teach children what we celebrate. Zonderkidz has several great titles:

The Berenstein Bears Thanksgiving Blessings share six reasons to be thankful as the Bear family travel to their relatives’ house.

My Thanksgiving Prayer board book has a catchy rhyme about praising God for big and small blessings.

Mary’s First Thanksgiving gives a look at an immigrant girl’s dawning understanding of gratefulness even during hard times.

Peace on Earth, a Christmas Collection by Mary Engelbreit, delightfully illustrations classic carols and poems of Christmas.

Song of the Stars is one of my favorite Christmas titles to read to kids. Lyrical and beautifully sharing the coming of Jesus through the eyes of creation, with lovely text and illustration, it’s a joy to read. See my full review here.

The Perfect Christmas Pageant reminds children the true meaning of Christmas is not about the lights and show, but about the birth of Jesus. Told through the antics of animal characters, little kids will really enjoy this title.

Zonderkidz has a wide selection of children’s Bibles, Bible stories, and faith-based books on their website and on Amazon.com (affiliate links)

Tap My Trees – maple sugaring kit

A gift that gets kids outdoors exploring nature is a wonderful idea. Now I know that some areas of the country might not be able to take part in this venture, but here in New England, maple syrup and sugaring time is a celebrated time. I recall tapping our trees when I was a kid, and boiling down our own maple syrup.

Tap My Trees is the leading site for home based maple sugaring (and it’s really surprisingly simple to make your own syrup – you just need a LOT of sap!). Collecting maple sap is a sustainable process, and with the kits and step-by-step instructions from Tap My Trees, you can get started in no time.

Maple Sugaring kits as a gift are a promise of excitement to come, and can be a great gift to give to all the siblings in a family. Kits are available in plastic or aluminum and include buckets, lids, spiles, hooks, guidebook, drill bit, and cheesecloth. Now I just have to find someone to lend me their maple trees this coming February.

(Might I recommend combining a maple sugaring kit from Tap My Trees with a few great maple sugaring picture books to complete the gift!?).

Tap My Trees maple sugaring kits kits and additional supplies can be found on their website. 

 

Thanks to Discovery Toys, Little Tikes, Zonderkidz, and Tap My Trees for providing these gift ideas for children for my use and review. All opinions are my own.