Welcome to Trendy Mom's Holiday Gift Guide for Children! The Holiday Gift Guide is our largest project of the year. To give you an idea of the timeline, we started working on it in August. The items below made it to the top of our list because they each provide hours and hours of entertainment. They also offer the potential to add whimsical memories to holiday celebrations. We hope that you enjoy the recommendations!
Calico Critters toys have created the sweetest childhood memories for our family. If you follow regularly, you know that we love their adorable sets that encourage our children to use their imaginations. The Calico Critters design team pays careful attention to every detail which really sets their toys apart from other brands. This holiday season, we recommend a few of their latest releases. The first is the Red Roof Country Home. Nestled in the Village is the beautiful and spacious Red Roof Country Home. With four rooms, a terrace, staircase and lights, Critter families can enjoy the beauty of the village in the comfort of their home. Children can create various layouts in a 90˚angle, 180˚angle or closed setting. Connect the Country Home to the Sweet Raspberry Home and Cozy Cottage for an even grander household. The Red Roof Country Home Gift set includes detailed furniture, accessories and lights, as well as Heidi & Bell Hopscotch Rabbits. This toy is for ages 3+ and the retail price is $69.95.
The Calico Critters Sweet Raspberry Home is the newest addition to the Village, perfectly matching the detail and design of the Red Roof Cozy Cottage and Red Roof Country Home. Kids will enjoy the outdoors with the Hopscotch Rabbit family in the comfort of their home porch. The home comes furnished with baby furniture and Nursery Series Grace Hopscotch Rabbit who’s ready to play. Children can also connect the Sweet Raspberry Home with the Red Roof Cozy Cottage and Country Home for more fun. My children had fun connecting it to the Red Roof Cozy Cottage and using their imaginations. The attention to detail on this set is amazing even down to the furniture and decor. This is a set that provided hours and hours of entertainment! This toy is for ages 3+ and the retail price is $24.95.
Calico Critters Blind Bags are a lot of fun, especially if your children love surprises like mine. If you buy your children any of the adorable Calico Critter houses that I mentioned above, the blind bags are a nice stocking stuffer to go with the gift theme. There are three series of Blind Bags that you will find this holiday season: (1) Baby Party, (2) Baby Shopping, and (3) Baby Band. Your child won't know what is in each bag until they open it, but each one will definitely include an adorable character and accessories. Here is a quick overview of the three different series:
- Baby Party Series: The collection includes nine new collectable babies to complete the party: Maple Cat baby with a bouquet of flowers, Sweetpea Rabbit baby with party hat and tambourine, Toy Poodle baby playing the piano, Persian Cat baby with a birthday cake, Sandy Cat baby with bowling set, Cuddle Bear baby with horseshoes, Woolly Alpaca baby with a gift, Fluffy Hamster baby with confetti shooter, and last but not least, the exclusive secret style Baby Critter to add more fun to the festivities!
- Baby Shopping Series: The collection includes nine new collectable babies to tag along the shopping trip: Hopscotch Rabbit Baby with Bread, Buckley Deer Baby with Shopping Cart, Wilder Panda Baby with Popcorn, Outback Koala Baby with Shopping Bag, Polar Bear Baby with Ice Cream, Sweetpea Rabbit Baby with Eggs and Juice, Tuxedo Cat Baby with Shopping Cart, Silk Cat Baby with Cash Register, and an exclusive secret style baby to join the fun at the Grocery Market!
- Baby Band Series: The collection includes eight new collectable babies to complete the band: Shiloh Yellow Labrador on xylophone, Daisy Maple Cat playing the Trumpet, Jason Cuddle Bear with cymbals, Henry Sweetpea Rabbit on the drums, Milo Toy Poodle with accordion, Grace Hopscotch Rabbit playing the violin, Joseph Tuxedo Cat on the piano, and last but not least, Luke Hazelnut Chipmunk playing the tambourine.
Candy Science from the Klutz Maker Lab is one of the hottest gifts this holiday season. As a Mom and an Engineer, I know that it's toys like this that help to cultivate a love for science and engineering. Your children will love the opportunity to turn your kitchen into a science laboratory to create their own candy! Personally, my son loved this set that is packed with many fun projects. His favorite project was the one to create jellybeans. This is an essential gift for the holiday season! It is recommended for ages 8+ and retails at Scholastic for $24.99.
Rocks, Gems & Geodes from the Klutz Maker Lab is another educational toy set that makes learning fun. This toy stands out because it not only includes 36 rocks for children to start their own collection, but it also has an amazing guide to grow your own crystal geode! There are also experiments that involve scratch tests, float tests, and more. It's truly hands-on science that resonates with children. This set is recommended for ages 8+ and retails at Scholastic for $24.99.
The Klutz: LEGO Gadgets set is a must-have gift for your curious little LEGO lovers. This creative set guides your children to build 11 different machines. The machines are captivating, including everything from a wacky boxing robot to a gravity powered car. The experiments kept my son busy for many hours. This set is recommended for ages 8+ and retails at Scholastic for $24.99.
The Klutz Junior My Fun & Fuzzy Headband Salon is a fun craft kit that makes it easy for children to design trendy headbands using self-adhesive bows, jewels, and glitter foam accessories. We love that this set was created for little hands as it is easy to add accessories to clips or to slide them onto a headband. This set is recommended for ages 4+ and retails at Scholastic for $19.99.
Klutz Jr. My Dino Finger Puppets are perfect for little dinosaur lovers like my son. The custom finger puppet forms allow kids to magically transform air-dry clay into playable, portable, prehistoric pets; a t-rex, pterodactyl, and triceratops. The set is generously packed with stickers, eyes, and paper accessories. If you child is like my son, they will create dinosaur finger puppets that are as unique and adorable as them. Plus, the 32-page instruction book is packed with real dino facts and inspiration for a dino park for your puppet to hang-out in. This set is for ages 4+ and retails for $16.99 at Scholastic.
The Mini Grocery Store by Klutz allows children to make 20 clay foods for their own grocery store. My children loved this set as they created a paper craft shopping basket and then filled it with the healthy foods that they made. The cute food labels and packaging make this set extra adorable. Grocery shopping has never been more fun! This set is recommended for ages 6+ and retails for $21.99 at Scholastic.
The Klutz Sew Your Own Unicorn Cake Pillow is an adorable gift that is sure to create whimsical memories. My 4th grader had a lot of fun working on this sparkly project with faux fur, metallic gold lamé, iridescent pom-poms, and pre-cut felt pieces. There are so many possible ways for children with big imaginations to decorate this cake! This set is recommended for ages 10+ and retails at Scholastic for $21.99.
The Make Your Own Glitter Face Masks by Klutz is a glamorous and memorable gift for girls. It provides directions and fresh supplies to create five sparkly masks. It's fun to use the peel-off gooey mask mix and sheet masks to create the 5 treatments. After the mask dries, peel it off to leave your face feeling fresh (and glitter-free). After they've used the materials from the kit, they may reuse the recipe book, containers, and silicone brush to make any of the other fabulous dozen at-home projects to moisturize, soothe, and nourish! This set is recommended for ages 8+ and retails for $21.99 at Scholastic.
Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville for PS4 was the #1 item on my oldest son's wishlist. (It's also available for Xbox One.) My son loves this iconic strategy game with colorful characters and was thrilled with the new content and fun split-screen co-op mode. I don't want to spoil surprises for you, but let me share some highlights as a parent of why we recommend this game. The top reason is that it was my son's #1 request for a Christmas gift. The second reason is that my children have a large age gap and many games are inappropriate to be within view of my younger son. However, this Plants vs. Zombies game is fine for my older son to play within view of my younger son. (If you have children of different ages, you know that this is a big deal!) The third thing that we love is that the game content is so engaging and seems to last forever. My son played the previous game for over a year. This makes the game an amazing value if you think about the price point and the ongoing number of hours of entertainment. I don't want to spoil any surprises, but I will share some high level details and tell you that the design team is creative and pays careful attention to detail in this game. The new Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville game includes three new regions: Neighborville Town Center, Mount Steep, and Weirding Woods. It also features 20 unique characters, each designated as an Attack, Defend, or Support class. These trendy characters may even be equipped with cosmetic upgrades and perks! It's nice that this game may be played alone or with others. Visit the EA website to learn more!
Baby Bum offers the perfect gifts for your little ones who enjoy bath time and playing outside. Since I just focused on Glitter Masks for older children, I wanted to make sure that I also included our favorite skincare products for little ones! I am a big fan of the Baby Bum brand because it was created by parents who wanted to make sure that their own babies had the very best products. They seem to be perfectionists who thought about every angle for their products from the formulations to the packaging. I appreciate that their skincare products are hypoallergenic and that most are fragrance-free. My children want to use their special products for bath time and outdoor play time. My little one enjoys bubble baths with the Baby Bum Bubble Bath and his Baby Bum knit lovey, Duke the Monkey. We use the Baby Bum Gel Shampoo & Wash and the Baby Bum Fragrance-Free Shampoo & Wash. We love the Baby Bum Everyday Lotion that is fragrance-free and incredibly soothing. My youngest looks forward to it after his baths. If you plan to go out the sun, you'll love the Baby Bum SPF50 Mineral Sunscreen Lotion and Baby Bum SPF50 Mineral Sunscreen Face Stick that are also fragrance-free. Visit Baby Bum!
The Orna-POP!™ Advent Countdown (from The Elf on the Shelf) provides a whimsical countdown to Christmas. Personally, this toy combines two interests that my children have - The Elf on the Shelf and decorating our tree. Each day includes a new bop and pop self-inflating mylar ornament and reveals a variety of jokes, riddles, and games. The set includes 27 mylar ornaments, 27 silver cords to use in decorative displays, and keepsake poster featuring North Pole characters. The retail price for this set is $14.95.
Elmo’s Wagon from Green Toys is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. It is sturdy and durable for indoor and outdoor play. The wagon features fun Elmo faces on each of the four hubcaps, as well as an Elmo on each side of the wagon. The 100% cotton rope handle makes it easy for little ones to haul around their most prized possessions, and also tucks inside for convenient, safe storage. It is made in the USA from 100% recycled plastic with no BPA, phthalates, or PVC. It is packaged with recycled and recyclable materials printed with soy inks. It's also great if you want to fill it with gifts for Christmas morning or another celebration. This toy is recommended For ages 18 months and up and retails for $24.99.
LEGO's Dilophosaurus on the Loose combines some of my son's favorite things -- LEGOs and Dinosaurs! This trendy set includes everything that they need to create their own Jurassic Park movie scene with a drone, dinosaur, mini figures, and more. A highlight of the set is that the drone helicopter has the functionality to shoot a net! This set is recommended for ages 6+ and retails for $19.99.
Cry Babies Magic Tears are the perfect stocking stuffers for the holiday season. Each comes in a blind bottle house with character specific accessories, sticks, and a doll that can cry real tears. They have a dozen characters, plus one rare character to collect. These dolls even have their own YouTube channel here! This toy is recommended for ages 3+ and retails for $9.99 at Target, Walmart, and Amazon.
Aquabeads offers a fun line of craft toys. We love the Aquabeads Deluxe Studio as it allows children to create fun 3D designs with 2 flip trays. This Deluxe set contains more than 1,300 jewel & solid beads in 24 colors, a container, and two flip trays and bead receivers, rainbow bead pen, easy trays, sprayer, template sheets & instructions. This set connects to the Beginners Studio or Glamorous Designer Set for even more fun! This toy is recommended for ages 4+ and retails for $29.95.
Brickloot offers a monthly subscription service that is perfect for little ones who love to build. Each month includes a fun theme that encourages children to use their imaginations. The most recent box had a Food Trucks theme which was epic! My boys enjoyed building the sets and then spent many hours playing with the creations. This is a subscription box that rocks my oldest son's world! A fun gift idea is to create the subscription now so that you are able to wrap the November and/or December boxes and then add a note that they will receive additional boxes each month throughout the coming year!
Lil’ Shuckies from WeCool combines the ever popular slime trend with the glamor of pearls! This line features colorful shells with surprise pearls inside. Your children will have a blast as they use the shucking tool to open the shells and discover stretchy slime and gorgeous pearls inside. The play value continues as kids can collect all 24 pearls, from "common" to "ultra-rare" to make bracelets, swap or collect! They are perfect for gifts and stockings. This toy is recommended for ages 4+ and is available at Walmart. The 1-pack is $4.99 and a 3-pack is $9.88.
The Lucid Sound LS1P Gaming Headset for PS4 was on my son's wishlist and lived up to his expectations. This wired headset has a comfortable earcup, a flexible noise-canceling boom microphone, easy to use controls for volume (and to mute the microphone), and clear audio sound. It retails for $24.99.
The XTREM BOTS Guardian Bot is unlike any other robot. If you follow regularly, you know that as a Mom and an Engineer, we enjoy robotics at our house. This trendy robot offers cutting edge technology at your fingertips. Some of the key features are a powerful LED torch, Guardian Mode, and a spy function that allows you to record conversations from a distance for up to 20 seconds. It's way too much fun for my little boys and has resulted in hours of entertainment and plenty of giggles. This robot is recommended for ages 5+ and retails for $69.99 at specialty stores and Amazon.
The Marbleocity 4-Bar Link provides a nice introduction to machines. It's meant for beginners and takes approximately one hour to build. Your children will have fun building the machine and then using the hand crank to watch the marbles ascend and then flip-flop down again. This toy is also easy to extend in other ways as they separately sell a motor that you may attach or as Triple Play models may connect to each other for bigger fun! This toy is recommended for ages 9+ and retails for $24.99.
The Oogi Family Pack is a fun set that has entertained my preschooler for many hours. This tactile and expressive set helps him to develop his hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. The suction cup head, hands, and feet and long stretch arms allow for children to create many different combinations. This is a fun gift for all ages, but we've especially tested it out with our preschooler and it provided him with hours and hours of fun! This toy is recommended for ages 3+ and retails for $29.99.
The Fuzzikins Cottontail Cottage is a fun gift that my eco-friendly heart loves! This set allows your children to design their own bunny friends. Once they are done, they are able to rinse and redesign as many times as they want! The pop-up cottage is 20.25" and provide a sweet setup for creative play with the bunnies. This set is perfect for creative children who have big imaginations. This set is recommended for ages 4+ and retails for $21.99.
Fuzzikins Cozy Cats are perfect for little cat lovers! If our family had to choose a team between cats and dogs, we would choose cats. However, not to worry, Fuzzikins loves both and also offers Fuzzikins Dozy Dogs too. These sets allow your little ones to personalize their pets with colored markets. They may even rinse and redesign them. After they decorate their pet, they are able to make their beds. We love that this set encourages fine motor skills, creativity, and pretend play. This set is recommended for ages 4+ and retails for $14.99.
The Fuzzikins Camper Van is another fun product that my eco-friendly heart loves. This trendy van doubles as a play area and carrying case! Your children will have fun decorating it with color-in stickers. Of course, the highlight is that your children get to design their own kitty friends! They may rinse and redesign them as many times as they want. This set provided my children with hours and hours of entertainment! This set is recommended for ages 4+ and retails for $26.99.
Floof is the ultimate sensory experience for little hands to create elephants, lions, and monkeys with three 3-D molds. The bucket contains everything that they need, including the super moldable and soft Floof, cat track roller, and three 3-D animal molds. Personally, since it usually doesn't snow in Dallas, Floof may be as close to snow as we will get this year, so it's a must-have toy. This toy is recommended for ages 3+ and retails for $14.99 at specialty stores and Amazon.
OranguTwang is a fun game that lets you take turns hanging fruit and jungle friends on the orangutan, but watch out! At some point, he’ll be holding too much and he’ll spring up and send the fruit and friends flying! The last player to successfully hang an item on the orangutan, before the player who made him twaaang and go flying, is the winner! This game is for 2 or more players. We've played it with 4 to 6 people and love it! This toy is recommended for ages 4+ and retails for $22.99.
The Foam Alive Make 'n' Melt Ice Cream Kit offers a fun sensory experience. This trendy compound toy includes three different colors, cones, and scoops for your imaginative children to explore and have fun. They will be able to fill the cones with Foam Alive and watch them melt. This toy is recommended for ages 4+ and retails for $19.99 at specialty stores and Amazon.
Feltman Brothers offers adorable outfits that are perfect for the holidays. You may have seen this brand worn by celebrity children as it is loved by celebrities like Mercedes Mason and Cameran Wimberly. The brand's classic and timeless designs feature exquisite embroidery and beautiful smocked styling. Personally, we love the Knit Short Set and the Pocket Knit Set. While we intended for our son to wear these outfits to Sunday school, parties, and special occasions, it turns out that he loves these outfits so much that he wants to wear them as soon as they come out of the washer and dryer. Coming from a 3 year old, that's a testament to the comfort of this clothing! Of course, moms will love that these outfits are not only cozy, but also adorable.
Finally, I want to conclude with a warm and cuddly gift that reminds my children that they are loved. BlankieGram offers super soft and cozy blankets that wrap your child in positive words. This is a company that is easy to love for multiple reasons. First, wrapping your little ones in blankets with encouraging words is special. They offer several different themed blankets and you are sure to find a perfect one for your gift recipient. It's a gift that they will treasure for years to come. Second, this company's heart is big as they gift blankies to people in need. When you purchase a blanket, you are supporting the BlankieGram mission to also help warm the heart of others and to create smiles.
The BlankieGram Hugs Blanket stood out to me as perfect for my oldest son. He has always had a cuddly personality. It comes in different colors, but the light blue was perfect for him.
The BlankieGram I love You Throw Blanket is perfect for my youngest because he was born to be everyone's best friend. He's the sweetest little guy, so I knew that he would love this blanket. It comes in multiple colors, but the teal was perfect for him. We love their BlankieGram throw blankets and anticipate that they will be around for many years and treasured in their childhood memories. Visit BlankieGram.com.
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