Welcome to my very first gift guide with Christmas gifts for children. I’ve stayed away from this category in the past because I don’t have grandkids yet and I have no current experience choosing gifts for kids. But I decided that was a little self-focused of me, and surely I can do the research and find you some great suggestions for gifts to give to the grandchildren that so many of my readers do have. Plus, you may be buying for nieces or nephews, neighborhood children or kids in your church (like I am!). And I have actually had a blast putting this list together!
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Remember, I’m creating well over a dozen different Christmas gift guides this holiday season. Well, actually this month. And you can find them all in the new tab at the top of the website or HERE. And by the way, I apologize for the fact that these gift guides do not currently have blessings at the end of them. I’m writing them, but they’re not showing up. My website developers are working on correcting that.
25 Fun & Educational Christmas Gifts for Children
I’ve tried to select gifts – including toys, games and non-toy items – in a wide range of prices and for a full range of developmental stages. I honestly don’t remember what kids do at different ages any more, and it’s probably changed anyhow. So I’ll leave it to you to investigate my selections and determine if they are right for the children for whom you are buying.
BUT I can assure you that these are IT toys and games. I searched all the lists to choose the gifts that kids are wanting and enjoying, parents approve of and grandparents can feel good about. And I asked a few parents for suggestions, too. This is going to be so fun!
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For the Wee Ones
I can only imagine that even if your grandchild is but a baby, you still want to shower him or her with presents at this time of year. I selected some that are sentimental, others that are practical and more than are oh so fun and cute.
I think childhood is a time for play! While I'm all for educational toys and books and games (they're coming up!), there's absolutely nothing wrong with a toy that simply promotes play and laughter. I've filled this gift category with playful activities and toys for boys and girls of all ages. For instance, a friend at church recommended I add the Big Dig and Roll Sandbox Digger to our list. She says her boys especially have loved excavating their sandbox with it. And I know my own children's table and chair set promoted hours and hours of freeform play.
Let's fill our children's lives with books and games! Both provide opportunity for interaction and stimulate the mind. And if we play games and read books with our children (or grandchildren), we set them up for a lifetime of learning and growth. You'll find games here for the smallest child to those that can be played with the whole family. In fact, Carcassonne is one of my personal favorites.
I do love toys and activities that help a child ask thoughtful questions about the world. And I'm amazed at the gifts I found in this category. There's a Coding Starter Kit for iPad that children 5-10 can use. Wow! And the talking microscope and Magic Adventures Globe caught my attention, too. And what about that Rush Hour Traffic Jam Brain Game??? You could help develop an engineer or scientist!
Maybe you feel like the child in your life already has plenty of toys...or someone else will be buying those. I found some other gifts that will be meaningful and well-loved. I had my childhood sleeping bag into my adult years (I think my daughter finally "loved it to death" and we threw it away). And what little girl doesn't love an old fashioned jewelry box with a twirling ballerina? The 5 piece travel set has everything your child needs for a plain ride or a trip to a friend's house. And when you purchase either the St. Jude or No Kid Hungry sherpa bear ornaments, half of the cost of the ornament goes to the respective charity, so you can feel good about helping other children, too.
Isn’t it interesting that, while we consider Mary, the mother of Jesus, to have been highly favored and graciously singled out for the task of birthing the Messiah, she probably didn’t initially receive the news with such excitement? In fact, Luke 1:28-29 says as much. She was greatly troubled when the Angel Gabriel told her, “O favored one, the Lord is with you!” It strikes me that most of us have had similar situations. Maybe an angel hasn’t spoken to us and we certainly haven’t been tasked with a supernatural virgin conception and birth. But we have undoubtedly been “chosen” at times to carry out similarly hard tasks that turn out to be eternally significant and meaningful.
Whether you’ve been graciously given the task of caring for a child with special needs, nursing a husband back to health, praying for a wayward son or daughter or helping out a sibling who continuously struggles, you can know that God has and will equip you for the special task He’s assigned. And while it may not seem glamorous or historical, your role has meaning and so much purpose. We know that Mary was initially troubled by the angel’s greeting. But we know that soon she opened her hands and heart to receive the task with joy. Let’s learn from Mary to receive the Lord’s assignments with anticipation, gratitude and humility. What task has God given you today that both humbles you and frightens you a little? Prayerfully receive it with an open heart.
And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ~ Luke 1:28-29
Hi. I’m sorry to hear that. Would you mind sharing more? What made it terrible in your opinion? I don’t mind removing it from the list based on your review if you can share more. I had heard otherwise.
Kay, I can see the pizza party game being fine for an individual or family of children but, yes, in a classroom setting no. Too many moving parts! (Retired first grade teacher)
From experience as a teacher, the pizza party set is TERRIBLE.
Hi. I’m sorry to hear that. Would you mind sharing more? What made it terrible in your opinion? I don’t mind removing it from the list based on your review if you can share more. I had heard otherwise.
Kay, I can see the pizza party game being fine for an individual or family of children but, yes, in a classroom setting no. Too many moving parts! (Retired first grade teacher)
Well, that’s what I suspected. The family I talked to said their kids have loved and enjoyed it. Thanks for filling in the pieces! 🙂
I wanted to recommend I’m So Glad You We’re Born by Ainsley Earhart. Beautiful message and great illustrations.
Added! Thank you for the recommendation. Looks great!