Selecting the ideal gift for children poses a delightful challenge, as it requires finding items that not only bring joy but also contribute to their overall well-being and development.

I’ve compiled gifts tailored to various age groups in this comprehensive guide. Each item is more than just a present; it's a gateway to fostering outdoor play, promoting movement, supporting health, or enriching the learning experience. These gifts were chosen to ignite a sense of adventure, stimulate problem-solving abilities, refine fine motor skills, bolster gross motor skills, or contribute to overall health—all while ensuring an immersive, screen-free engagement for children of all ages.

Gift Ideas For Kids

Baby (0-6 Months)

• Montessori Mama Sensory Toys Baby Teething Toys & Baby Rattle

• Manhattan Toy Skwish Natural Rattle and Teether Grasping Activity Toy

• Silicone Chewable Rings with Organic Wooden, Natural Wooden Ring

• Tummy Time Mirror

• 6 Piece Wooden Toy Set

• Melissa & Doug Soft Activity Baby Book

• Foldable Wooden, Non-Toxic Baby Gym

• Lovevery Play Kit subscription

• Baby Einstein Jumper

• Silicone Teether Tubes

• Sensory Play Kit for the Car

• Wrist and Sock Rattles

• High Contrast Black and White Non-Toxic Sensory Book

• Electronic Baby Keyboard Mat

• Sensory Ball Kit

Baby (6-12 Months)

• Sensory Toy Kit

• Wooden Bead Maze

• Sensory Floor Mat (doubles as a protective mat against hard or raised surfaces).

• Sand and Water Table

• Squigs

• Fat Brain Klickity toy

• Non-Toxic Bath Crayons

• Wooden Activity Cube. This versatile powerhouse of a toy improves fine motor and gross motor coordination, promotes standing, encourages problem-solving, and, best of all, there’s no cleanup. Simply move it over there.

Toddlers (1-3 Year Olds)

• A balance bike. Look for a bike with 10” wheels that have puncture-proof wheels like this one.

• Blocks. Your choice but get them something to enter the phase of building and stacking: magnetic tiles, wooden blocks, building blocks, bristle blocks.

• Magnetic Fishing

• Play-Doh, Play-Doh, Play-Doh

• Magic Water Doodle Painting Mat

• Melissa & Doug Paper Roll Dispenser (With Paper)

• Body Awareness Cards

• Sit and Spin

• 6-in-1 Indoor Jungle Gym

• Stepping Stones

• A 3-Wheel Scooter (a.k.a. a kickboard)

• A bike. Look for a bike with 12” wheels which is appropriate for most kids ages 2-3 years old (who are between 2’10”-3’4”).

  • Raleigh Bikes Jazzi Kids Bike (12”, 20”)

  • Schwinn Koen & Elm Toddler and Kids Bike (12”, 14”, 16”, 18”)

• A helmet:  Giro Scamp MIPS Youth Recreational Cycling Helmet (circumference: 45-49cm and 49-53cm)

Kids (3-5 Year Olds)

• Giant Daily Calendar, Weather, and Activity tracker

• Boogie Board Reusable Writing Tablet

• Crayola Art Kit

• Easel with Chalk, Dry-Erase, and Paper

• Travel Busy Board for Dressing and Tracking the Time, Days, etc.

• A bike. Look for a bike with 14” wheels if your child is in the 3’1”-3’7” height range and 16” wheels if they’re in the 3’7”-4’0” height range.

  • Dripex Kids Bike (16”, 18”)

  • Schwinn Koen & Elm Toddler and Kids Bike (12”, 14”, 16”, 18”)

• A helmet: 

  • Giro Scamp MIPS Youth Recreational Cycling Helmet (circumference: 45-49cm and 49-53cm)

  • Giro Hale MIPS Youth Cycling Helmet (50-57cm)

Kids (5-6 Year Olds)

• Fofana 65FT Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course for Kids.

• A Knife Set. Around 5 years old you’d child can spread with a knife and toward 7 years old she can cut with one. Foster this learning by using a kid-safe version to help them cut simple things like cucumbers and mushrooms to start and then progress from there. Make sure they have a stable base and consider a kitchen tower mentioned in the article on 18-month-old milestones.

• 6-in-1 Indoor Swing (plus rings, trapeze, ladder, rope swing, and pullup bar)

• A magazine subscription. Yes, these still exist and yes, the kids will love them. It’s an inexpensive and educational present that shows up at the door every month. Here is a list of magazines for a variety of ages.

• 2-Wheel Scooter. Around 6 years old, your child has developed the balance to transition from the 3-wheel scooter (a.k.a. a kickboard) to a 2-wheeler.

• A bike. Look for a bike with 20” wheels if your child is in the 4’0”-4’5” height range.

  • RoyalBaby Kids Mountain Bike (16”, 20”, 24”)

  • Schwinn Koen & Elm Big Kids Bike (20”)

• A helmet: 

  • Giro Scamp MIPS Youth Recreational Cycling Helmet (circumference: 45-49cm and 49-53cm)

  • Giro Hale MIPS Youth Cycling Helmet (50-57cm)

Kids (7-8 Year Olds)

• The Week Junior magazine subscription

• Spikeball

• MindWare Art-chitect –3-D Home Model Building Kit

• Melissa & Doug Suspend Family Game

• National Geographic Mega Magic Set

• Slackline

• Heads Up! Party Board Game

• A bike. Look for a bike with 20” wheels if your child is in the 4’0”-4’5” height range and 24” wheels if your child is in the 4’5”-4’9” height range.

  • RoyalBaby Kids Mountain Bike (16”, 20”, 24”)

  • Schwinn Koen & Elm Big Kids Bike (20”)

  • Huffy Stone Mountain Hardtail Mountain Bike (24”)

• A helmet: 

  • Giro Tremor MIPS Unisex Youth Cycling Helmet (47-54cm, 50-57cm)

  • Giro Hale MIPS Youth Cycling Helmet (50-57cm)

Older Kids (Pre-teens to Teens)

• Buddha Board Art Set

• IQ Bar Protein Bars (Use Promo MINDBODYDAD for up to 15% off.)

• Balance Board or a GiBoard.

• Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard

• Xero Minimalist Shoes

• Kan Jam

• Flexispot Desk Bike

• Codenames

• LEGO Bonsai Tree

• SodaStream (Glass)

• Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light

• Felix Gray Blue Light Blocking Glasses

• Portable Hammock

• Headspace

• Symbodi Vertiball Back Massager

• Cotton Sleep Mask

• GORUCK Rucksack (read a review here)