Most kids can easily create a list a mile long containing all the toys they want for Christmas. I know my kid can and already has! But, we don’t always want to get them just toys. This list of gifts for little kids has a few things that they might not have wanted, but will end up enjoying – a whole lot.
If any of you have kids or grandkids like my little Circus, they’ve already made up their list for Santa and their parents and it’s full of toy after toy after toy. And hey, that’s alright! It is Christmas and I can’t imagine not seeing the Circus’ face light up as she gets a few toys she’s been longing for.
However, I also like to surprise the Circus with a few items that she didn’t ask for and that aren’t toys, but that she will enjoy just as much.
If you’re on that same page, this list of gifts for kids might have a thing or two the littles in your life would love – they just don’t know it yet!
This list is more focused on gifts for little kids, roughly ages 4-8ish. My kiddo fits in that age bracket, so it’s easier for me to come up with things that kids in that age group would enjoy. Some of these gifts could absolutely work for kids younger or older than four and eight, and of course, you’ll be the best judge for that!
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Gifts for Little Kids
A Make Believe Adventure.
This is a fun little play set that includes tickets, postcards, a passport and more that can take your little kiddo on whatever adventure they create for themselves. California or Africa – the possibilities are endless! Find the World Traveler Play Set here.
A place to sit and play.
Elephant Ottoman / Panda Ottoman / Cow Ottoman / Pig Ottoman
If you’ve got a kiddo on your list that loves animals (my Circus for sure) and if they also might need a little extra seating somewhere in their room, this could be the perfect gift for them. These animal ottomans from GDF Studio add a fun touch to any kid’s room, but are also a great for sitting at to tie your shoes, reading a book and even playing make believe and pretending the animal is real! Find the elephant ottoman here, panda here, cow here and pig here. All but the panda even come in different colors to choose from!
Always books.
The Big Book of Bedtime Stories for Super Heroes / The Big Book of Super Villians
The Circus always gets a few new books every year for Christmas. This year, she’ll be getting two new additions to her superhero library – The Big Book of Bedtime Stories for Super Heroes and The Big Book of Super Villains. She’s just about worn her other superhero books out, so it’s time to get some new ones. We really like the DC Superhero series from Downtown Bookworks because all the illustrations are so vibrant.
Notebooks for drawing and dreaming.
Baby Tiger Notebook / Dinosaur Notebook
Since she’s started school, the Circus has really started loving to draw and create her own stories. At Minted, you can get personalized notebooks for kids and choose to get either lined or blank paper inside the notebook. We’re getting the Circus two notebooks – one blank for drawing and one lined for writing this year. Each is personalized with her name as well. You can find the Baby Tiger notebook here and the Dino notebook here, as well as the full selection of kid’s notebooks from Minted here.
Sidenote: There are also personalized notebooks available for her as well. Besides getting them customized with their name and either lined or blank paper, you can also get it turned into a planner for next year or an address book. These make great gifts for her – especially teachers, students, and friends! I’ve gotten three of them for a few ladies on my list.
Something memorable to enjoy every Christmas.
A Canine Christmas Lighted Music Box
My girl is a big Christmas decoration lover. I’ll share her tree with you soon and y’all, she went all out this Christmas. Anyway, she loves helping me get all the Christmas decorations out and always notes her favorite ones as we’re decorating throughout the house. This year, I got her a special little decoration of her own that marries two of her favorite things – dogs and Christmas. I’ve already given it to her so she can enjoy it for the entire holiday season and she just loves it. This canine Christmas tree lights up and also plays music. She tried her best to even rig it to the top of her tree as her tree topper. When I told her it might fall and break though, she settled for displaying it on her nightstand. I hope this becomes one of those decorations she’s always excited to get out every year and that it will always be a symbol of Christmas for her.
Something for the summer…
Personalized Whale Beach Towel / Personalized Seahorse Beach Towel
If you and your family frequent the pool or the beach during the summer, here’s a fun gift for your kiddos. They won’t fight again over beach towels because they’ll each have their very own personalized one! There are lots of different themes, animals, patterns and designs to choose from at Just So Posh. You can find the whale one here and the seahorse one here.
All the classics they should see…
101 Movies to See Before You Grow Up
I love movies – especially old ones – so for us, this is something both the Circus and myself would enjoy. Besides noting each of the 101 movies to watch, this book also has a section for the kiddos to be movie critics themselves and write their own review of each movie.
A place to lounge while watching those movies…
Of all the things I thought my kid would ask for for Christmas, a recliner wasn’t one of them – but she did. We were in HomeGoods one day and they had a few in the kid’s section and she sat down in one and wanted to take it home right then. A few weeks later when she was writing her Christmas list, I asked her if she was sure she still wanted a recliner and she insists she does. So there’s that. A mini-recliner might just make an appearance at our house this holiday season.
Not your ordinary drawing pad…
Black Paper Sketchbook / Moonlight Pen Set
If you’ve got a mini-artist on your hands, then they will think this black paper sketchbook is super cool. They might never want to go back to boring white paper after using this. To go along with the sketchbook, get them some brightly colored pens or markers, like this moonlight pen set that really pops on the black drawing paper.
Their very own stationery. 
Rainbow Personalized Stationery / Astronaut Personalized Stationery
When I was a kid, I had a few fancy notepads that had my name on them and I thought that was so cool. Since the Circus is learning how to write now, I thought it might be fun to get her some of her own stationery that she can write letters to family and friends on. Besides the rainbow and astronaut designs, there are also lots of other designs to choose from here.
Happy Mail
Zoobooks Magazine Subscription
I don’t know if your kiddo is anything like mine, but my girl loves getting mail. It might be inherited – I also freaking love getting the mail. Anywho, she loves her magazines and I’m thinking a subscription to Zoobooks might get added as a gift this year. She loves all kinds of animals, so this would be right up her alley. Zoobooks has magazine subscriptions geared toward all different age brackets; you can find one that fits well for your kiddos here. This is also a fun gift that keeps giving all year long!
For the creatives…
Suncatcher Art Kit / 3D Pen / Paint by Sticker
It’s hard to find a kid who doesn’t love a good, fun art project. We are big fans of sun catchers around here and the Circus loves making them. This sun catcher kit has 20 different ones to complete!
Bring their art to life with this 3D pen! This is definitely one for kids that are a little older, as it does plug in and heat up. Instead of ink, this pen puts out plastic to create 3D shapes.
We also love some painting by sticker around here. These are especially great for road trips to keep the kids occupied. It also requires them to use those fine motor skills as well.
Personalized Learning Placemats
Personalized Alphabet Placemat / Personalized Time Placemat
If you’ve got littles who are learning their ABCs, numbers, or how to tell time, a great way to help them with that is with these personalized activity placemats. They keep learning fun while eating dinner and also wipe clean!
And especially for the girls…
As we all know, I am a big girl power person and my goal is to raise a strong, independent girl who can both think for herself and learn from other women all while standing on her own two feet. One way I try to do that is by telling and reading stories about those strong, independent women who have come before her. Two personal favorite books of mine for this are She Persisted and I Dissent. She Persisted tells the stories of 13 different American women who changed the world in some way. They range from Harriet Tubman to Sally Ride to Helen Keller just to name a few. I Dissent is the story of the one and only, Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG). It tells how she has spent her life standing up for equality by arguing against unfair treatment. It’s in picture book form, so it’s easily digestible for little girls.
What gifts for kids will you be picking up this year?
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Thanks for all of the gift lists you have offered, your choices are all thoughtful and creative! My brain is overflowing with ideas and inspiration for practically everyone I know.💕
Pat
Happy to help, Pat!!