With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about that gift list. Not a shopper? Worried about battling crowds? Not sure what your kids want? Don’t worry! From fun to educational, we have categorized a few things to get you started.
Photos: Courtesy of NAPPA
Unique Finds
Barnes and Noble Pets Carnival Images - 3
First Crafts Pets Carnival Collage Sensory Craft Box
Bring creative fun to playtime with this unique set packed with beautifully illustrated crafts, colorful tactile materials to cut, paste, and collage. Everything you need for endless creative projects — perfect for animal lovers. $34.99, ages 3-8, barnesandnoble.com
Pixie Cruiser Doodle
Embark on creative adventures with this 13-piece customizable RC car designed for expressive play. Includes erasable markers, stickers, and playful accessories. $29.97, ages 6+, walmart.com
BaKit Box: Pollination Exploration Bundle
A unique subscription service blending education, STEM, and culinary skills to spark creativity and curiosity. With three recipes and engaging activity kits included, explore the intricate lives of over 20,000 bee species. $74.99 per bundle, ages 3+, bakitbox.com
Sustainability and Diversity
Michael Greenberg
5 STEAAM Girls 3000 x 600 - 2
Theodora S.T.E.A.M. Girls
A line of diverse luxurious plush dolls that encourage young girls to explore the world of S.T.E.A.M. $39.99, ages 3+, theodoradolls.com
Baby GUND Sustainably Soft Dolls
Great for cuddlers. Each doll is sourced from 100% recycled materials (plastic bottles) and crafted with luxe ultra-soft recycled plush, fiber fill, and threads. Featuring six beautiful and diverse dolls, each plush is crafted with soft floral pattern onesies in an array of colors. $20, ages birth+, gund.com
Books
Dog’s First Christmas
Dog and baby explore the delightful and puzzling ways their family prepares for Christmas. See these branches? They’re not for tugging. See this ball? It’s not for fetching. $9.99, ages 2-5, quirkbooks.com
Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook for Kids
Whether you’re freezing in the Arctic, escaping quicksand in the jungle, or befriending tarantulas in the desert, this guide has you covered. Bust open and discover step-by-step instructions for surviving the most extreme situations Planet Earth can throw at you. $12.99, ages 8-12, quirkbooks.com
Hera Li
Subscription Box creatives - 1
Curio Bud Subscription Box in Spanish
A quarterly book club for kids featuring whimsical picture books in Spanish. Thoughtful themes and storylines foster language development, help children express themselves, and simplify learning for the whole family. $49.95, ages birth-3 years, becurio.co
Feelings Family Isabella’s Day at School Storybook and Plush Set
A heartwarming set introducing kids to core feelings. Includes complete prompts, questions, and activities to support adults using it as a teaching tool. $39.99, ages 3+, target.com
Baby and Toddler
Oolie Organic Newborn Trio & Gift Bag
Made with 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, this baby hat, bodysuit, and blanket come with a convertible bag that can be a small tote or storage cube. Available in four cute prints: runner ducks, gold sprig, little peach, and schooner. $56, birth-10 lbs, oolie.com
Sesame Street Chicken Dance Elmo
Dance, chat, and sing along with this fun-loving and interactive plushie. $29.99, ages 18 months+, target.com
Get Ready for Phonics Spin & Learn
Send kids on an interactive word-sound journey to boost vocabulary skills. Press light-up buttons next to pictures to make connections between what is seen and heard. $19.99, ages 18 months+, walmart.com
Preschool and Early Elementary
CAT Dig N’ Build Dirt Playset
Little builders can create their own rugged landscapes and construction zones. Equipped with vehicles, premium dirt compound, crane, molds, accessories, and an easy clean-up tray. $14.99, ages 3+, cattoysoffical.com
The Tiny Collection – Cuddle+Kind
Beautifully made to cherish and collect, each doll comes nestled in a Tiny home adorned in breathtakingly hand-painted watercolor wildflowers. Every Tiny doll provides 10 meals to children in need, is fair trade, and artisan made with OEKO-TEX certified natural cotton. $44, ages 3+, cuddleandkind.com
AVDAR Rainbow Climber Gym
An indoor playground made of high-quality hard beechwood. Compact yet spacious play gym facilitates physical and emotional development of children while playing. The Gym can fit 3-4 kids with a bearing capacity of 440 lbs. $780, ages 1.5-7, avdar.co
Older Elementary
TMNT Leo’s Roll Over RC
Roll into the action with this classic RC vehicle, geared for adventures. Built for stunts and designed to make sharp turns, buggy roll overs, and has the ability to land back on its wheels to keep the action going. $34.99, ages 6+, teenagemutantninjaturtles.funrise.com
Dissect-It Rattlesnake Super Lab
Firm gelatin-like compound provides a realistic experience of scientific dissection. Includes 35 bones and organs to dissect and a surprise skeleton inside the stomach. Each kit also comes with a learning guide, worktable, four tools and two refill mixes. $24.99, ages 6+, topsecrettoys.com
Flipslide
A fast-moving matching electronic handheld game. Flip to find the color and slide to match the lights. Challenge yourself or play with friends. $14.99, ages 4+, target.com
Tweens and Teens
POWERUP 4.0
This smartphone controlled paper airplane kit can fly paper, balsa, cardboard, and foam planes. $59.99, ages 8+, poweruptoys.com
Ezyroller Spinner
Spin, swirl, and dazzle on sidewalks or skate parks with every twist and turn. $114, ages 4-14, ezroller.com
Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls (Disney Edition)
Players work together to form dynamic alliances of Disney and Pixar heroines to drive back shadows of infamous Disney Villains and restore the Realm of Light. $29.99, ages 8+, target.com
Some editorial courtesy of Elena Epstein, director of the National Parenting Product Awards (NAPPA). NAPPA Awards has been celebrating the best in family products for 34 years. For more product reviews and gift ideas visit nappaawards.com.