Triceratops table lamp, aka the world’s coolest night light. $32.
Gymnastics ribbon, $3, for some seriously awesome dancing around the house.
A ukulele, which my kids have been obsessed with for the past two years. $29.
These unisex wool leggings, the Norwegian secret to playing outside all winter. $69.
Woodland nesting set, $23.
A few great bedtime stories, like The Storm Whale, Harold’s Hungry Eyes and Rosie Revere, Engineer.
Temporary tattoos that smell like real candy! $18 for eight.
Peppa Pig classroom playset, $18.
Glow-in-the-dark pajamas, $50. (Would be cute with this book!)
Zingo, a kid-friendly bingo game that’s legitimately fun to play. $12. (Also, Don’t Break the Ice and Jenga.)
Special Agent gear, $36, since every kid is a spy at heart.
A $3 cricket lollipop… and a challenge.
P.S. A previous gift guide for kids, and slamdunk birthday presents.
(Photo of Anton at home by Alpha Smoot.)
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That nesting set is the sweetest! I just finished up my top gifts for preschool-age kiddos. Cheers!
http://www.thewefiles.com/lifestyle/2016/12/6/holiday-gift-guide-for-the-extraordinary-kid
What a great selection! I love love love the Woodland Nesting Set! I always loved playing with those when I was younger. I also love the temporary tattoos! How fun! :D
This is great, thanks! I feel like you would also like these “Worry Eater” dolls. Maybe I am just nerding out since I’m a school counselor and these are such an age appropriate way to show emotions, but I’ve been reading your blog awhile and thought you would like these too :) Happy Holidays!
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=haywire+group+worry+eaters
Wondering how old Anton is with the Ukulele? Its adorable!
He was 2! :)
Another book idea to match the pj’s – “Pete’s a Pizza” by William Steig! It’s a favorite of ours.
These are fantastic ideas, especially that ribbon dancer for $3? Done! My toddler will be obsessed!
Xoxo http://www.touchofcurl.com
We put our boys(4,6) the spy gear bomb thing last year…. not worth the money, has to be a better option otherwise fabricate one yourself which is what we did.
I love the dinosaur lamp. As a child, I was obsessed with lizards and dinosaurs. I don’t know ask why, I wasn’t a girly girl at all. I would’ve DIED to have the lamp back in the day!
– Charmaine
http://charmainenyw.com
Such cool ideas, and reasonably priced! Jo, I know you do a variety of lists each year, but I have a special request- would you have ideas for people who just recently started dating/aren’t super serious? Don’t want to spend too much, just something maybe funny/thoughtful. It is so challenging! I’ve looked to the dad/brother/husband guides at times! I can’t remember if you’ve ever done any type of host/hostess type lists before, either? Outside of the standard wine/alcohol gifts? Thanks so much!
The triceratops lamps are awesome. I just ordered two for the little boys in our life! Thank you!
Love this! Just ordered the dino lamp for my nephews- they’ll love it. I also found a great tetter popper thing on that Fat Brain website that I had to order as well. Thank you for the awesome recs!
The reviews for the Secret Pizza Party book are cracking me up. “I’m not appalled that this book is about a kleptomaniac pizza raccoon like some of these helicopter parents who are worried this book will lead to a life of crime. ” So good.
Those bug lollipops creep me out!!
xx, Hannah
http://www.missharwell.com
What a great guide! Love the cricket lollipops!
xo,
Paula
http://www.PaulaRallis.com
http://www.Instagram.com/PaulaRallis
Great list. Thanks!
That picture of your soon playing the guitar is brilliant! So darn cute! These are some of the best games/toys that I’ve seen in a while!! I’ve opened the links for the Secret Agent gear and the Zingo game. I think I’m going to buy those for my kids this year!!!
That picture of Anton! His little (big!) thighs!
omg i know!!!! his butt basically goes down to his knees. SO SO SO CUTE!
Great.
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Made Fried Egg Spaghetti last night for dinner while listening to My Dad Wrote a Porno. I was crying with laughter and my dinner was a huge hit! So easy, decadent, and cheap! Thanks for the great recommendations in the last few weeks.
fantastic ideas!
Oh, man, I love your gift guides. I look forward to them all year. These are perfect! I can’t wait to see the rest.
Thanks for these cute ideas.. ALTHOUGH: I do not recommend Chrono Bomb. Our 7YO son got it as a birthday present this year and it is pretty much garbage. It’s a good idea but it’s super hard to set up, hard to find good places to attach the clamps, and the wires don’t stay in place. I literally spent more time setting it up than the kids did playing with it.
I do recommend Jenga, Headbanz, and the classic version of Trouble (with the fun dice popper). I’m also getting the kids the new Simon Air game, which is pretty awesome.
Happy holidays! :)
good to know, monica! thank you! you could also do it with twine and duct tape maybe?
My nephews love that Secret Pizza Party book and I know they would love those glow in the dark PJs! Love these lists – I always find something to get!
But that “Anton picture with ukulele” is just the best of everythig!!!
Soo funny and cute!!
A very thoughtful gift guide!!
My daughter wants Peppa Pig’s House this year, but I want to say:
May I have the Special Agent gear??!? Why didn’t they sell that when I wad a little girl!?!?
Cup of Jo gift guide is one of my most favorite things about Christmas! Looking forward to all of them to come :)
We love the Storm Whale. And definitely NEED that triceratops lamp!! xx
This has to be the best gift list I’ve seen yet. I love the fun and creative ideas. I will say though, my son got the chrono bomb game at the bottom and it worked for all of two days before the electronics gave out. It was fun though.
Yes on Jenga! :)
The Special Agent gear looks fun, too!
Oh, The Storm Whale…I could recite it from memory at this point. Such a dear, dear little story!
Even with the crickets, those lollipops are so pretty! It made me laugh to see there’s a processing fee of $143.00 for the US Fish & Wildlife Services for international shipping.
These are great! I may consider the ukulele for my daughter.
Pro tip: A drop of lemon essential oil will safely remove those temporary tattoos when they are no longer lovely!
Just curious, why do you have these posts filed under “Design?” It seems to me like they would fit better under “Relationships,” but I’m sure you have a reason why you used “Design,” so I just thought I would ask. Also, I look forward to your Gift Guides every year! Thank you so much for putting all of the research into them each year!
I love these gift choices. I’m really struggling at the moment. My kids – esp. my older son are pushing me to give them more time on the computer/tv/phone. Am pushing back against it as want them to continue to create, be imaginative and that it’s ok to be bored. I love how all your gift choices inspire creativity and imagination.
My friend posted this on fb about simplfying childhood:
“Normal personality quirks combined with the stress of ‘too much’ can propel children into the realm of disorder. A child who is systematic may be pushed into obsessive behaviours. A dreamy child may lose the ability to focus.”
These gifts – and the way you parent Joanna inspire me – to keep pushing my kids to be outward thinking (eg. bake sale) creative and engaged. Thank you!
Please, please find me those wool leggings in adult sizes! So cute!
Agreed!
Hear hear! I just had a look at the site and they’re only available for kids, but they are gorgeous!! I would love a pair for myself.
Zingo is awesome. I’m not sure how old my son was when we got it (little), but he’s 14 now and he broke it out at a sleepover this summer, I kid you not.
We love Zingo!!!! Also Spot It is another great game that travels well!
Oh my goodness, that triceratops light & special agent gear are going on my list right now! My kids will LOVE them!! Thanks a million for putting together such a fun well-curated guide; I can’t wait to see the rest of the posts!
I just published my own gift guide on my blog (I have six kids so lots of favorite toys and books http://theirchronicles.blogspot.com/2016/11/christmas-gift-ideas.html)…reading everyone’s gift guides is seriously my favorite thing this time of year! So many great ideas and I love not having to schlep over to the mall.
that picture of anton rocking out- so good! and those wool tights are a must for my little minnesota toddler!
xo, brittany
gift guide for your mama on my blog!
http://www.notablob.com
I noticed the leggings were only in children’s sizes. Too bad, as I teach at a campus style school, as they would be perfect.
I’m not a kid, but I’d like them all for myself. Obviously, the pajamas won’t fit. The dinosaur lamp is cool, and the Peppa Pig classroom is right up my alley, since I’m a teacher.
Love this gift guide! I’ll have to bookmark it for future use since I’m only just finishing my baby registry :)
You always have the best guides!!!! Can’t wait to see what is up next.
That picture of Anton is pretty much the best ever.
Great list! And very reasonably priced.
Those temporary tattoos i would have loved as a little girl! Although my mom would definitely blame my permanent tattoos now on them haha!
Abigail Alice x
ummmmmm, that magic cabin website (with the nesting dolls) is AMAZING. I love/hate you for introducing me to it.
Oooh these are so adorable! Wishing I had someone small to get things for this holiday season, it’s so magical to see the season through their eyes!
Alison – http://www.starspree.net
I’d like the woodland nesting set for myself. :) How cool is that Secret Agent Gear?!
Great picks! My 7 year old daughter would definitely go for that cricket lollipop. Though I’m not entirely sure I’d want to listen to her crunching on it…
Ha, yes, I was dared to eat one around that age by a family friend. I think she expected to get more mileage out of it – I just grabbed it and crunched it up.
I think I would be able to eat a cricket just to save my girls’ life :D