2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids: 21 Christmas Toys for Babies and Kids of All Ages
November 21, 2021 by
2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids: 21 Christmas Toys for Babies and Kids of All Ages
It feels like kids aren't difficult to buy for. There are so many toys everywhere, and just about anything entertains them. Everyone has a kid (or was that kid) who prefers playing with the cardboard box and wrapping paper instead of the toy itself.
But as gift givers, we want to give thoughtful presents. Toys that are imaginative and age-appropriate. Toys that kids love, and that moms and dads can appreciate too (or at least don't hate).
We've reached out to thousands of parents to find out the Christmas toys and Holiday gifts their kids crave, and the gifts that they actually want their kids to have.
There are plenty of gifts for kids that fit both buckets, gifts for kids that both kids and their parents are craving. Here are the top 21 gifts for kids for 2021.
1 | Plan Toys Dentist Set
Childrens, parents, pediatricians, and teachers all love imaginative play activities for kids. These are the best gifts for roleplaying and emotional development.
This Dr. Dentist set from Plan Toys has 16 real wooden pieces, realistic dentist tools, a storage bag, and toothbrush. Help kids learn about brushing and caring for their teeth. Or prepare for upcoming visits.
Additionally, Plan Toys are sustainably and ethically made from rubberwood with non-toxic paints and dyes. And they're just plain pretty to look at. An heirloom quality, educational toy built for imaginative play at only $30 is a total steal.
Ages: 3-7 years
Price: $30
Where to Buy: Amazon
2 | Baby Faces by Margaret Miller
This 14-page board book delights babies, parents, and pediatricians alike. Around 6 months of age, babies are fascinated with over faces and other babies, and are learning to decipher emotions. Babies and toddlers will delight in looking at the pages, and older toddlers and preschoolers can talk about the range of emotions being displayed.
Ages 6M - 3 years
Price: $5
Where to Buy:
3 | Gabb Wireless
Get your child, grandchild, or niece or nephew the gift of safety with Gabb Wireless. Gabb Wireless offers kid-safe phones and watches so you can always reach your kids and they can always reach you. Gabb Wireless offers GPs, calling, and texting, but no Internet or addictive games. No parental controls are needed because Gabb Wireless is completely kid-friendly.
Ages: 6-11 years
Price: $49.99 for safe phones (normally $99.99) and plans from $17.99/month
Where to Buy: GabbWireless.com
4 | Magic Mixies
Moms tell me that Magic Mixies is the hot toy of the holiday season, and toy sellers agree. Magic Mixies tops the list of many retailer holiday toy catalogues, including Bullseye's Top Toys at Target.
Kids can experience the fun of magically creating their own cute, furry pet friend. Just mix the magic potion and a furry friend will magically appear. Kids can follow the spell and add magical ingredients into a special cauldron. Real mist actually appears, and there are over 50 sounds for this reactive toy. Perfect for kids who love stuffed animals or hands-on games and experiments.
Ages: 5-7 years
Price: $54 to $95
5 | Splendor Board Game
Splendor is a Renaissance themed board game that involves chip collecting, card development, resource management, and strategy. 2 to 4 players can play at a time. Players are merchants who try to acquire cards and chips to buy gem mines, modes of transportation, and shops. The goal is to acquire the most wealth and prestige points. Kids and adults who like to play games like Settlers of Catan or Risk will enjoy this game of critical thinking, strategy, and chance. And there's plenty of learning and educational insights that come with Splendor.
Ages: 10 years and up
Price:$26 to $29
6| Brio Trains
Brio trains are still delighting generations of children and adults. Since 1884, Brio has manufactured high-quality wooden trains and other toys that are tougher than tough. Brio sells a number of durable and colorful train sets and individual trains and accessories. Depending on size and scale, Brio sets can run anywhere from $20 to $200. Individual train add-ons and accessories start at $5.
Brio is sold at a number of major retailers and smaller boutique toy shops.
Ages:18M and up
Price: $5 to $200
Where to Buy: Fat Brain Toys, Amazon
7 | Squishmallows
Squishmallows are super-soft, impossibly cute plush toys. They make the perfect gift for kids of all ages - even older kids and grown-ups love these cuddly stuffed animals. There are hundreds of plush Squishmallows on the market, in a range of colors and shapes. There are many licensed character styles, including Baby Yoda, Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, or Hello Kitty.
Ranging in height from 3.5 inch clip-ons, to 24-inch stuffies, Squishmallows come in a variety of sizes. The most popular sizes, for snuggability, are 8", 12", or 16".
Ages: 0 months and up
Price: $2.99 to $59.99 ($6 - $16 is common price range for squishmallows 8" to 16" in size.)
8 | LEGO Sets
LEGO sets are a perennial favorite, delighting kids of all ages. With larger, more complex sets the whole family can join the fun. Especially when many of the most elaborate sets are meant for older kids and adults. Star Wars and Disney are generally popular LEGO sets.
Some of the top LEGO sets for the holiday giving season this year include:
Star Wars Imperial Armored Marauder Set for age 8+ | $39.99
NINJAGO Legacy Boulder Blaster Set for age 8+ | $31.99
DC Batman Batmobile Tumbler: Scarecrow Showdown Set for age 8+ | $39.99
Adventures with Mario Starter Course Set for age 6+ | $47.99
Baby Yoda "The Child" Set for age 10+ | $76.99
Frozen Arendelle Castle Set for age 5+ | $63.99
LEGO Friends Funfair Ferris Wheel and Slide Set for age 7+ | $59.99
LEGO Classic Creative Suitcase with 200+ Bricks Set for age 3+ | $16.99
Ages: Varies by set
Price: $11.99 and up
9 | Melissa & Doug Dress-Up Clothes
Beloved kids brand Melissa & Doug sells a number of costumes and dress-up clothes that make great gifts for pretend play. Buy individual costumes or sets, and multi-packs of accessories. Little ones love dressing up like doctors, fire fighters, hairdressers, knights, princesses, cowboys, pirates and other fun figures. Sets range in price from $15 to $30.
Ages: 3 years and up
Price: $15 to $30
Where to Buy: Melissa & Doug, Target, Amazon
10 | Paw Patrol Movie Pups Gift Pack Action Figures
A set of miniature Paw Patrol characters is super fun for fans of PAW PATROL. All 6 pups are included in their uniforms. The figures have realistic features, fur, and other details to bring to life this hit TV show. They're the perfect gift to encourage imaginative play - plus Paw Patrol is all the rage with preschoolers and young grade school kids.
Ages:3 years and up
Price: $16.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
11 | KidCraft Doll Cradle
Lots of kids love baby dolls and stuffed animals, playing with them and putting them to bed. Which makes this 21" doll cradle from KidKraft a great gift. Kids will love rocking to sleep their stuffies. And while most kids have plenty of stuffed animals, a cute doll cradle is not a common playroom addition.
This KidCraft cradle will fit dolls and stuffed animals up t0 18" in length, or you can cram if full of lots of dolls and stuffies. It comes with a mattress, pillow, and blanket; everything your child needs to rock their friends to sleep. And a cradle is truly a timeless toy. Classics make the best gifts for kids.
Ages:3 years and up
Price:
12 | Kiwi Co Crates
KiwiCo, formerly known as KiwiCrates, is big fun in a little box. Or at least a medium size box. Each crate includes hands-on learning activities for kids to explore, tinker, create, and innovate. Crates are all about celebrating children's natural curiosity and learning. Each set includes materials you'll need to create awesome STEM projects, an inspiration booklet (that has step-by-step, kid-friendly instructions), additional science comics and activities, and more hands-on ideas for fun DIY activities.
Crates are available for kids of all ages, from birth to 104 years. Panda Crates for the littlest of learners (birth to 24 months) have developmentally appropriate products to help babies discover their world and parents bond with their littles. Maker Crates, for those age 14 and up, deliver a new maker project every month like terrazzo clay organizers or punch needle pillows.
KiwiCo is a monthly subscription service. You can order just a 1-month crate (1 time only) or purchase a subscription: 1 crate every 2 months, 3 crates for 6 months, 6 crates for 12 months, or 12 crates for $24 months.
Ages: 0M to Adult
Price:$17.50 to $20.95 per month, or $22.95 for one crate
Where to Buy: KiwiCo.com
13 | Very Hungry Caterpillar Magna-Tiles
Little ones and their parents will enjoy this special themed set of Magna-Tiles. This set includes 16 three-inch, magnetic square tiles that are compatible with regular Magna-Tile sets. But there are pictures, colors, and numbers on each tile from the classic children's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Kids can use 5 of the tiles to create a 3D version of the tale with colorful illustrations of all of the food the caterpillar ate through. And kids can also practice counting numbers and identifying colors. This Magna-Tiles set was an especially big hit with kid testers (and their family), and it's sold only at Target.
Ages: 3 years and up
Price: $34.99
Where to Buy: Target
14 | Play-Doh
Play-Doh has been a hot item for generations now, and is on the gift list of kids of all ages. In addition to all the intricate sets you can get with different cutting and pattern making tools, a good old-fashioned set of extra Play-Doh canisters is always a fun gift. Any jar of Play-Doh is a magical jar waiting to be sculpted. And when opening up a set, a jar or two of Play-Doh is a great stocking stuffer.
Ages: 2 years and up
Price: $5.99
15 | Fat Brain Toys Zoo-Ominoes
Zoo-ominoes is a fun and colorful twist on the classic game of Dominoes. The set includes 70 colorful Dominoes, 25 zoo animals, 5 green trees, and ramps, bells, staircases, wheels, and other accessories to create endless fun variations of this game. It's great for problem-solving, critical thinking, and loads of giggling. It will keep little minds and bodies moving.
Ages: 2-5 years
Price: $32.95
Where to Buy: Fat Brain Toys
16 | Fat Brain Toys Tobbles
Fat Brain Toys Tobbles is sold at Fat Brains, Amazon, and a number of other retailers. It's been a holiday bestseller now for years, and one of the most requested gifts for babies and toddlers. The Tobbles are differently weighted spheres with gentle, easy-to-grip curves.
Littles can stack Tobbles into wobbling towers, and giggle as they come crashing down. Babies and toddlers love the bright neon colors. It's a great toy for encouraging imagination, coordination, sensory exploration, visual spatial acuity, and fine motor skills.
Ages: 6 months and up
Price: $26.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
17 | It's a Blast! 16 Exciting Science Experiments
It's a Blast science kit comes with 16, sticky and explosive science experiments that kids will love. This 26-piece kit contains all the tools and chemicals needed to conduct real science experiments from home. Instructions are clearly written and colorfully illustrated for kids in a step-by-step manual.
Kids have a blast playing with this fun kit of science experiments! Watch them beam with pride and grow in confidence as they make their own volcanoes erupt or send balloon race cars zooming down a track.
Ages: 5 years and up
Price: $19.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
18 |Rimable 22" Skateboard
The Rimable 22" skateboard is making list after list of top gifts for kids this holiday season. This 22" skateboard is designed to help a new generation of kids discover the fun world of skateboarding. Kids can wear them with their favorite boots or sneakers, or even barefoot.
The durable material and smooth bearing make it an easy ride and great skateboard for beginner riders. With a maximum weight capacity of 198 pounds, adults and children alike can have fun on this skateboard.
Ages: 10 years and up (based on reviews; no recommended age from manufacturer)
Price: $25.99
Where to Buy: Amazon
19 |Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog
Spike The Fine Motor Hedgehog was on many top holiday toy lists last year, and the year before. And the year before that. Simple and colorful in design, kids (and adults) just loving plucking out Spike's quills. And putting them back in again. Kids learn visual spatial acuity, fine motor control, colors, sorting, and counting.
The chunky, peg-shaped pieces are easy for little fingers to grasp and fit into holes. And the bright, vibrant colors of the pegs makes it a great gift for visually impaired children. Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers enjoy playing with Spike, and this toy is commonly used for occupational therapy exercises too.
Ages: 18 months and up
Price: $12.99 to $15.99
20 |L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls
Every year L.O.L. Surprise! dolls top the holiday shopping lists of millions of children. Released in time for the holiday shopping season, the O.M.G Movie Magic Studios set provides more than 70 unboxing experiences. It includes 12 dolls to shoot home movies with, and the box even transforms into a movie set.
Ages: 3 years and up
Price: $98 to $135
21 | Betty Confetti Plush Doll and Book
Betty Confetti is a great gift for givers looking for a Christian-themed present for the Christmas season.
Betty Confetti teaches children (and adults!) the important lesson that God creates beauty from our mistakes. She shows that no one is perfect, and instills in children that their mistakes don't define them. Turn your mess into confetti, friend!
This set includes the Betty Confetti children's book, a playful and fun story with eye-catching illustrations on every page, along with your very own Betty plush doll. The doll is suitable for children ages 3+ and can be spot cleaned with a damp cloth if messes occur. Keep Betty by your side to remind you that God can make beautiful things out of your messes!
Ages: 3 years and up
Price: $35
Where to buy: Dayspring
These are some really great gift ideas for kids and babies of all ages. You can purchase any of these items online. And since you probably work online and spend all your free time, it's like you're already at the store.
If you're still not inspired, parents always appreciate cash. Or consider making a gift contribution to the 529 plan of your niece, nephew, grandkid, or other kiddo in your life. Many gift givers will make a college fund contribution and give a small boxed gift.