Open Thread for Gift Ideas for Kids by Age
This post may contain affiliate links and CorporetteMoms may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What are your best gift ideas by age group for kiddos? Let’s discuss — if you’ve got a child who just aged out of a certain age group we’d love to hear what they loved while they were in it!
Pictured above, clockwise: play kitchen / spelling puzzles / Magnatiles / balance bike / beginner chess / blank coupon book
A few thoughts from me on the toys my kids actually played with during the different age ranges…
Ages 0-2 – I think some of the best gifts you can get are experiences for the family! Anything that makes it easier to bring your child along with you — stroller attachments, baby carriers, etc, etc.
Ages 2-4 – Magnatiles! Play kitchens and other pretend play sets. Quality blocks. Anything Melissa & Doug. All the playdoh stuff. My youngest was super into puzzles at this point, also (we loved this one from Melissa & Doug), as well as tangram-type games like these awesome “imagination patterns” from Mindware. A balance bike, Big Wheel, scooter (or all 3) plus a good helmet are good ideas around now. Anything involving water play was also a big hit around this age, including those big water towers for summertime.
Ages 4-6 – My kids still both enjoyed Magnatiles at this age; I’d also say this was a big age for a ton of art projects — having paints, brushes, good paper, and other materials is a big help. Board games also start to be a more reliable gift — there’s a huge line of “junior” games from Parker Brothers.
Ages 6-8 – My eldest started to get into Nerf guns and Xbox/Steam/Nintendo games around here. No-Stress Chess is excellent. I think both boys got their own iPad around this point in time also. I’ve tried to get them into more educational games and apps like Tynker and Osmo but I don’t think either of them consider it “gifts.” Depending on what their bedroom looks like, now is also a good time to get rid of baby decor and upgrade to “little kid” decor.
Ages 8-10 – My eldest is here now and it’s a hard age to buy for — all he wants is Fortnite money and so forth. But he’s also at the very beginning stages of the pre-teen years, where Mom and Dad become less cool — I’m hoping in 2021 we’ll definitely get more family experiences. I’m also (shhh) thinking of getting him a virtual cooking class to do from afar with his beloved grandma, who he hasn’t seen in person for months and months now. I actually just got him a blank coupon book from Amazon that I plan to fill out with things like “breakfast with mom,” “day off school,” “weeknight movie,” etc.
How about you, readers — what are the gifts that actually got played with by age? What gifts are you most excited to get your kids this year — and what are they (or will they be) excited about this year?
Sales of note for 1/16:
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
- AllSaints – now up to 60% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
- Ann Taylor – Up to 40% off your full-price purchase; extra 50% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles with code — readers love this blazer, these dresses, and their double-layer line of tees
- DeMellier – Sale now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
- Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off — reader favorites include their scoop tee, Dream Pant, ReNew Transit backpack, silk blouses and oversized blazers! New markdowns just added
- Hannah Andersson – Up to 30% off all pajamas;
- J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
- J.Crew Factory – 40-70% off everything
- L.K. Bennett – Archive sale, almost everything 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Tag sale for a limited time — jardigans and dresses $200, pants $150, tops $95, T-shirts $50
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – 50% off + extra 20% off, sale on sale, plus free shipping on $150+
And — here are some of our latest threadjacks of interest – working mom questions asked by the commenters!
- The concept of “backup care” is so stupid…
- I need tips on managing employees in BigLaw who have to leave for daycare pickup…
- I’m thinking of leaning out to spend more time with my family – how can I find the perfect job for that?
- I’m now a SAHM and my husband needs to step up…
- How can I change my thinking to better recognize some of my husband’s contributions as important, like organizing the shed?
- What are your tips to having a good weekend with kids, especially with little kids? Do you have a set routine or plan?
Duplos, play doh and anything Melissa and Doug for 1-4 and Legos and kinetic sand sets 5+. Oldest is 6 now :). My kids also love board games so we always get a couple new ones at start upping age ranges. I actually ordered Tubelox this year so hoping they are a hit (especially considering cost!) since they love building with blocks I think they will get lots of use. For older nieces and nephews we get the teen board/card games with funny questions (similar to Apples to Apples) and they were a hit.
For a second birthday I suggest a doll with stroller (the play stroller is a big hit with both girls and boys), a wheelbarrow, a puzzle with 30-48 piece, gardening tools.
For a third birthday, a hiking backpack and a stickers crafts book were favorites.
3.5 is a good age for a first real bicycle.
I do Legos paired with a book. Duplos from ages 1-4, classic open-ended Lego sets for 5-7, and then bigger Lego sets for 8+. Around tween age, I start doing gift cards for a favorite store or website paired with something smaller yet “cool-ish” like themed scrunchies or socks or water bottle stickers.
Can confirm that the most popular gift with a 2.5-3.5 y/o boy are: balance bike (the one linked) and magnatiles (think we have the picasso tiles version).