Gift buying around Christmas time can be very overwhelming, especially if you are trying to go easy on the toys and buy for multiple children. Years ago, I landed on aiming for a 1-2 books, an item of clothing, a game/puzzle, art supplies, and a few open ended type toys per child. This has decreased the overwhelm for me quite a bit. I decided to compile a list of things that we have really enjoyed over the year or have our eye on for this year. I hope this helps you with your gift buying this year! Let me know in the comments if you have any additions.
- Books! I love adding to our home library by giving books for Christmas. Usually, I am giving a mix of books that range from non-fiction books that
Here are some of my favorite Treasury style books to give as gifts. Most of these have reduced prices for Black Friday:
- James Herriot’s Treasury for Children
- The Complete Brambly Hedge
- A Little House Picture Book Treasury: Six Stories of Life on the Prairie
- Jan Brett’s Christmas Treasury
- Jan Brett’s Animal Treasury
- Keats’s Neighborhood: An Ezra Jack Keats Treasury
- Beatrix Potter Treasury
- The Folk Tale Classics Treasury
- The Paddington Treasury
Paperpie (formerly Usborne Books)
Paperpie (formerly Usborne Books) has some of my favorite non-fiction activity books out there. These books make amazing additions to your home library or as gifts for friends. Here are some quick links to my favorite things they offer:
Graphic Novels-The Robin Hood one is my favorite!
Experiment/Lab Kits – I am going to get the Architecture one for one of my kids this year!
24 Hours In… – We have 24 Hours in Space and In the Jungle. I love these graphic novel style books because they tell a story but have so much great non-fiction information.
Illustrated Classics – They have great options like Alice in Wonderland, Around the World in Eighty Days, Heidi, Black Beauty, and Little Women
Lift the Flap (Upper Elementary) – I have my eye on Biology, Under the Microscope and Atoms and Molecules
Lift the Flap (Elementary) – We love Look Inside Your Body, Wild Weather, and Look Inside Space.
Activity Books – They have awesome sticker books, maze books, drawing books and more!
Puzzles – I love their solar system, planet earth, and dinosaur puzzles.
2. Stocking Stuffers:
3. Games: Games are great for having fun as a family and building skills such as logic, reasoning, strategy, counting, and the list goes on! Here are some fun ones to consider.
Dragonwood – My 8 year old son loves this fantasy game. We play it together all the time.
5 Crowns – Gin Rummy style game where the wild card rotates each round. This game is a great way to practice adding double digit numbers (you count your score after each round) and strategy.
Racko – this game is a simple but fun game for the whole family (8 and up can probably play on their own) where you have to put your cards in numerical order from smallest to greatest.
Nature Study Games – I love these nature themed games: Ocean Bingo, Match a Leaf, Bird Memory Game, Cat Bingo & Match a Track are just a few. They are beautiful, fun for the whole family, and teach you names of things in nature.
4. Subscriptions: Giving a subscription is a great way to help your child explore some of their interests or try something new.
Crunch Labs – Engineering Subscription Box by Mark Rober (former NASA engineer)
Kiwi Crate – Maker kits for all ages
MEL Science Kit – Science Experiments in Chemistry, Physics, STEM, Space, and More!
Raddish Kids – Cooking and Baking Subscription Box
Young, Wild, and Friendman – Playdough and Sensory Kit
5. Art Supplies: I love giving Art supplies because it can create a whole stir of creativity and inspiration.
Clay – This is the clay we have at The Orchard that the kids love to play with. It doesn’t dry out so you can use it over and over again.
Watercolor Set – My kids each have one of these sets. You can put water in the brush that comes with the set, so all the child has to do is squeeze the pen to get the water they need.
Do a Dot Markers – Do a Dot Markers are fun for all ages, great for developing motor skills in little ones, and less messy than traditional paint.
6. Open Ended Toys: These are toys that can be played with in a variety of ways. Children are able to use their imaginations to create and build however they want.
–Magna Tiles– These are played with almost daily at my house and have endless uses. If I could only have one toy in my house, it would be this!
7. Educational Toys
-Beaker Creatures Alien Experiment Lab
I hope to add to this list as the years go on so please let me know if there is a book, toy, game, brand that your family is loving! Merry Christmas!
