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With winter around the corner our thoughts turn toward cozy blankets and warm soup. With that inevitable winter chill comes the promise of the joyful winter holidays. This year, we’re hoping to take some of the stress off of the gift giving season for you by curating a list of thoughtful toys, books and games that are suitable for a wide range of kids — from newborn to tweens. We’ve combed through hundreds of items looking for an eclectic range of gifts that are out of the ordinary and will last for years to come.
ABC Find & Fit puzzle
Mom-founded brand Domino & Juliette doesn’t miss a beat with this adorable, versatile puzzle toy, suitable for even the pudgiest of hands. The letters are made from durable, BPA-free, food-quality silicone. They are both waterproof and dishwasher-safe, so you can keep them germ-free when baby inevitably puts them in their mouth. Use the letters to teach sounds and words along with fine motor skills. Comes with a zippered canvas bag for storage.
Ages: 0–12 months
Cost: $39.99
My Little Artist 5-piece plush playset
Encourage their inner artist from babyhood with this adorable plush set that includes a soft palette carrying case where little hands will find an orange paint tube squeaker toy, a crinkling paintbrush, a red crayon rattle, and a tiny little bear in a beret and painter’s apron.
Ages: 0 and older
Cost: $19.99
The Play Box: 3 to 4 months
Lalo is probably most well known for their chic baby gear, but among their array of toys the ages-and-stages play boxes shine. This box, suitable for babies aged 3 to 4 months (and older), is designed to support motor skills as well as sensory and cognitive development. The box includes texture balls, grasping toy, wobbler, rattle, silicone teether and a board book: “A Little Book About Home.”
The toys are all non-toxic and made from either food-grade silicone or chemical-free wood. Purchase the box individually or save $10 when you subscribe to get a play box every 3 to 4 months as your baby grows.
Ages: 3–4 months
Cost: $80
Wonder & Wise baby activity push walker
If you’re looking for a toy that can transition with your baby, this activity board has a shape sorter, counting flaps, a mirror, bead maze and more. Babies can play with the board in place, and as they grow they can learn to push it. The walker even makes sounds when pushed. Made of pinewood.
Ages: 9 months and older
Cost: $119
World of Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar wooden train set
This sweet wooden train set features some of Eric Carle’s most beloved and iconic characters, in colorful wood-block form, including a caterpillar, elephant, bear and lion.
Ages: 18 months and older
Cost: $25.99
“The Little Explorer’s Words” by Evi Triantafyllides, illustrated by Nefeli Malekov
Join Lexi as she explores a world rich in language and culture. Along the way, she discovers 30 untranslatable words from around the world.
Ages: 3 and older
Cost: $17.99
Fresh Fairies
A petite little fairy doll perfect for slipping into a pocket for ongoing pretend play, created by Dr. Lisa and Fresh Dolls, a company that has been dedicated to inclusivity and representation in toys for more than 20 years.
Ages: 3 and older
Cost: $7.99
Connetix Creative Roads pack
New this year from magnetic tile brand Connetix, kids can assemble roads and vehicles with the 48-piece set that includes black magnetic tiles perfect for roadways along with arches, ramps and more. And yes, these are compatible with other magnetic tiles!
Ages: 3 and older
Cost: $149
We Are Colorful skin tone crayon set
This set of 18 crayons packaged in a beautiful tin encourages representation for all skin tones, allowing children to celebrate the world around them and feel seen in that world. Hint: This makes a great teacher gift, too!
Ages: 3 and older
Cost: $11.99
Foxy Bella Ballerina Match Me set
This plush fox doll comes with a matching bow for its human companion and is made from Peruvian cotton. Red & Olive products are all handmade by Peruvian artists who are paid fair wages for their craftsmanship.
Ages: 3 and older
Cost: $62
Workbench play set
Every holiday toy list contains at least one big-splurge item and this year, it’s this unbelievably beautiful work bench from Lalo. Made from pine and beech with non-toxic finishes, the workbench stands at 18.75 inches. It comes fully stocked with wooden play tools including a drill, hammer, saw, level and more. There’s storage underneath to keep the tools or other goodies, too. Plus, Lalo touts easy assembly and set-up.
Ages: 3 and older
Cost: $295
Air Toobz
Kids will learn special reasoning, problem solving and physics when they connect the series of tubes together to form a maze or an obstacle course, then turn on the fan to send the foam balls flying through. The fan features a big on/off button and large dial to adjust the airflow so even younger kids can operate it. It also has a rechargeable battery with a one-hour run time.
Ages: 3 and older
Cost: $139.95
“Always Your Stepmom” by Stephanie Sansbie, illustrated by Tatiana Kamshilina
This joyfully illustrated book celebrates the love of a stepmom for her stepchild. Depicting parent-child interactions from first awkward meeting to family milestones, the book makes a great gift for any blended family. Also available from the same author and illustrator duo is “Always Your Stepdad,” equally wonderful.
Ages: 4–7
Cost: $17.46
Bear and Cubs Balancing Game
Designed by Coast Salish Nation artist Simone Diamond, this wooden balancing game features a bear and her cubs in the tradition of Salish art. An excellent toy for improving fine motor skills, you’ll love playing this with your little one. Also available in Salmon and Eggs.
Ages: 4 and older
Cost: $44.50
Books and Ladders board game
A playful take on the classic Snakes and Ladders or Chutes and Ladders board games, this one is ideal for the budding bibliophiles in your life. Hyesu Lee’s illustrations bring you from shelf to shelf of books, knick knacks and more, so the kids can play seek-and-find while waiting for their turn.
Ages: 4 and older
Cost: $21.99
The Addams Family Polly Pocket collector play set
This mysterious and ooky playset gives you all those nostalgic goth vibes. It has a haunted portrait on the outside and is all creepy mansion on the inside. It includes four characters: Morticia, Gomez, Pugsly and — of course — Wednesday.
Ages: 4 and older
Cost: $39.58
What’s Next? A Life-Sized Game
Let your screens go dark and get interactive on family game night with this easy-to-learn game suitable for a wide range of ages. Using oversized cards and giant dice, the players become the game pieces, making it a perfect family, group or classroom game. They also sell extension packs including a one specifically for neurodivergent and neurotypical players.
Ages: 4 and older
Cost: $44.99
Grape Jelly Smillow
Smillows are squishy scented pillows, and this 15-inch grape-jelly toast pillow smells like the grape Hubba Bubba of your youth. Also available in 12 other adorable “flavors” including cupcake, rootbeer, strawberry, pineapple and jelly donut.
Ages: 4 and older
Cost: $24.99
Peanuts character tattoo sheet
Show your love for Charlie Brown, Snoopy and all the gang — including Schorder and piano and Linus and his blanket — with these temporary tattoos made with vegan ink. You get two sheets and the tattoos last about two to four days after application.
Ages: 4 and older
Cost: $11
Acrylic marker 30-pen set
There are markers and then there are markers that you can use to essentially paint everything from rocks to wood to glass and more. Use them to customize small gifts or let your children make the kindness rocks that are still totally a thing.
Ages: 5 and older
Cost: $26.99
Tech Deck handboards
These Tech Deck boards are way bigger than the classic fingerboard, making them great for younger kids. If your younger kid has been wanting to play with their older sibling’s tiny Tech Deck skateboard, these bigger versions — nine times bigger, in fact — will please them to no end. Use hands instead of just fingers to do tricks and stunts while gaining hand-eye coordination.
Ages: 6 and older
Cost: $14.99
Ocean Creatures pack
Clixo makes delightful, hilarious magnetic playsets that encourage kids to play outside the box. The 24-piece Ocean Creatures set includes glow-in-the-dark pieces, fins and tentacles allowing children to make an aquatic world of their own design.
Ages: 6 and older
Cost: $34.99
Lego gel pen 10-pack
For the tween in your life who is still Lego-obsessed, this set of gel pens are colorful and fit perfectly into a stocking.
Ages: 6 and older
Cost: $29.99
Ice Tumble
This challenging stacking game has players rolling the dice to choose pieces and then stack their ice sculpture without it tumbling down.
Ages: 7 and older
Cost: $30
“How to Chat Chicken” by Dr. Nick Crumpton, illustrated by Adrienne Barman
A colorful exploration of the languages of animals, you’ll soon be chatting chicken and mumbling with the meerkats thanks to the tips in this book. Rich with color, it’s a fun one to read out loud together.
Ages: 7 and older
Cost: $15.99
Chess Up
If you’ve got a chess player in the house (or more than one) this advanced version is the splurge of the season. Instead of playing virtually online with a screen, with Chess Up you can play anyone in the world on a real chess board. If you prefer to play practice matches you can play against the AI-assisted computer.
Pair it with chess master James Canty III’s illustrated book, “Become a Chess Champion: Learn the Basics from a Pro” for the ultimate gift.
Ages: 8 and older
Cost: $279.99
Diwali Barbie
Mattel has debuted the first-ever Diwali Barbie doll created in partnership with Indian fashion queen Anita Dongre. Celebrating November’s Festival of Lights, this doll was released as an exclusive at Mattel in early October but quickly sold out. However it will be released again on Nov. 28. Mark your calendars, if it’s on your kiddo’s wish list. Perfect for play year round, Barbie is adorned in her Moonlight Bloom set, with a choli top and skirt decorated with dahlias, jasmine, and an Indian lotus flower to represent strength and beauty.
Need an alternate Barbie just in case? I suggest ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi, part of Barbie’s Inspiring Women series. Designed to honor this world-class figure skater and the first Asian American woman to win a gold medal in figure skating at the Olympic Games, this doll includes skates and a bouquet of flowers plus an educational sheet about Kristi Yamaguchi.
Ages: 8 and older
Cost: $40.49
Ocean Commotion
For something very unique in family puzzles, these sets from Different Puzzles aren’t always what they seem. They challenge you to put together a puzzle that, when complete, won’t look exactly like it does on the box. Encourages problem solving and provides seek-and-find fun after the puzzle is complete. 1,000 pieces.
Ages: 8 and older
Cost: $36
Lego Friends Castle Bed and Breakfast
Take a European vacation in the middle of winter with this charming three-story chateau. Note that this set contains over 1,300 pieces and the manufacturer recommends ages 12 and older but I think — as with many Lego sets — younger kids will enjoy building this with older family members.
Ages: 9 and older
Cost: $99.99
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