Best Gifts for Kids: Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide

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The Best Gifts for Kids

1. Kidoodle 3D printer for kids

Here at Rave & Review, we’re no strangers to the world of 3D printing. We got heavily into resin printing a year and a half ago when we started making miniatures for our dollhouse. But resin is finicky, really expensive, messy, and it required my help on every. single. step. The kids are young enough that mastering the designing, slicing, and then the mechanics of the resin printer on their own just isn’t possible at this point. I dreamed of one day having a 3D printer that would be more kid-friendly, but even I didn’t dream as big as the Kidoodle 3D.

Kids can truly do it all by themselves, from start to finish. While the printer can be used like a traditional 3D printer where you design, slice, save and print your own creations, it can also be used by even younger children as it is super intuitive and easy to begin printing right away. Kids don’t even need a device like a laptop or phone since the printer comes with tons of models available for printing right away. You can navigate their offerings from the touchscreen in their pre-loaded models and their online gallery, can search by keyword, or simply scroll through pages and pages of pre-loaded options on the touchscreen menu.

What I love most is that the Kidoodle 3D grows with your kids. Maybe they start out only printing the Kidoodle 3D models, which is surprisingly addictive. But, before you know it, your kid will be wanting to design their own toys or buying .stl files to enhance their play, and that is why we love the Kidoodle 3D. Thinking of all the learning opportunities that await get me so excited and I cannot wait to see what the kids dream up and design.

You can buy the Kidoodle 3D on the Kidoodle website as well as PLA to make models with.

2. BringTheHoopla hula hoops

What’s more fun than a hula hoop? No, I’m not talking about the dollar store variety that bends and cracks within days of owning it. Hoopla Hoops are custom designed and handmade with durable materials so they are fun for all ages and can withstand tons of play. Their handmade hoops are perfect for beginners learning to get into the spin and overall hoop dance basics.

Made with a spiral of decorative tape and gaffer tape for grip and a pop of color, Hoopla Hoops come in both kids’ and adults’ sizes and range from 36″-42″ in diameter. The weighted hoops are not filled with water or sand like other brands, and instead the hoop itself is heavy-duty polyethylene tubing with custom wraps. The result is a high-quality hula hoop that will last through all the hula routines, tricks and more. They are also collapsible, so they are perfect for on-the-go fun as well. When you get where you’re going, just let it expand again naturally and then clip it back together like below.

You can find out more and read about all the benefits of hooping at bringthehoopla.com

3. Makeblock mBot Ultimate: 10-in-1 Robot Building Kit

It’s incredibly important to me that I introduce my kids to all aspects of STEM-based learning. In our schools, science and math are heavily covered, but throughout the years, I’ve seen that the other aspects of STEM learning could use some help, specifically in interesting those who aren’t naturally technically inclined. Since introducing kids to these concepts early is paramount, I’ve done my best to choose toys and activities for my kids that fall into the categories that aren’t covered as wholly at school. In my search, I’ve found my new favorite toy that truly makes STEM learning fun: The Makeblock mBot Ultimate 10-in-1 Robot Building Kit.

Seriously, what could possibly be more fun than building your own working robot and learning coding at the same time? In my youth, the idea of a robot was just about the coolest thing a kid could imagine, but sadly, we just weren’t there yet with technology. If young me could only see me now, playing with robots and learning coding, she wouldn’t believe it. I’m so excited that my kids now can play with Makeblock m Bot and learn skills I could only dream of at their ages. With 24+ tutorials for coding projects, 160+ pieces to build, 10 different building methods, and the ability to learn 3 coding languages, this might be more learning than toy, but please don’t tell your kids that.

If you want something more than the basic “it” toy, definitely check out the Makeblock mBot. This all-encompassing kit will grow with your child, helping learn the basics of coding in a way that doesn’t feel anything like homework – and instead feels like an incredible amount of fun. It truly is something us parents can feel great about purchasing and something that will keep the kiddos’ interest, all while encouraging them to explore different sides of technology than they have ever seen before.

You can purchase the mBot Ultimate 10-in-1 Robot Building Kit from the Makeblock websit e.

4. Wanderwild backpacks

One of my most favorite gifts for young kids is a great, sturdy backpack. Whether your kiddo likes to hike or travel, or they simply want to carry a few things over to grandma’s house, a great backpack like those in the Wanderwild collection are sure to be a hit.

These aren’t just cute little backpacks, although they are that as well. With extra padded back panel and bottom for heavy loads, reflective tabs for safety, extra deep pockets for all your gear, and added tech pocket, these can easily be used for years as your child grows.

Although these can be used from Pre-School on up, they are recommended for elementary age for school purposes and up to 8th grade for activities. Most of their bags can be personalized with your child’s name for $10 for an extra personal touch.

Check out all the different bag styles as well as all the adorable patterns to choose from. From magical to demure, there’s a style to suit any little wanderer. Choose your favorite, and then choose your personalization to make the perfect grow-with-you bag for your kiddo.

Check out their different style backpacks, lunchboxes, and more at Wanderwild.com

5. Plush Steiff Tonie characters

We love Steiff and we love our Toniebox, so this collaboration of Steiff plush friends with included stories is pretty much a dream come true. My kids have had a Steiff collection since I was pregnant with my oldest, and I had one well before they were born, so Steiff has been a part of our family for decades. In fact, you can read all about Steiff and our love of all their adorable plush critters here and here. While you’re at it, you can read all about our love of our Toniebox here.

We cannot wait to check out the adorable Steiff Tonies in person and see how sweet and snuggly they are. Honestly, we’re already in love. Now, we just need to fall in love with their special stories.

You can find these new Steiff friends searching for “plush” tonies at tonies.com or on amazon.com.

6. DIY miniature dollhouse kit

As you probably know by now, all of us at Rave Central are miniature obsessed. We pretty much always have a dollhouse on our gift guide, but this year we went a different route. This kit is for an older kid, as each item in it is handmade by you – including the teeny tiny accessories. Not necessarily designed for playing with as much as for a great building project for your creative kiddo. However, it’s a great size for adding to your American Girl dollhouse when finished as a mini toy for your 18″ doll.

It’s just a little over 5.5″ inches tall, which is utterly adorable. I can’t wait to display this little cutie on a shelf in the American Girl house… after my biggest kiddo and I build it together, that is. For me, that’s the best gift.

You can buy it at amazon.com

7. Targus stylus for Chromebook

Is your kiddo always on their Chromebook? Why not surprise your tween/teen with a new stylus that is compatible for Chromebook. This Active Stylus for Chromebook is tested and certified as “Works With Chromebook,” which means it meets Google’s compatibility standards and works seamlessly with your Chromebook. The best part? No driver or Bluetooth connection needed. Just turn it on and start using it.

It also has a pressure-sensing tip for accurate writing and variable line weights, as well as palm rejection that allows you to rest your palm on the screen without causing interference. This, for me, is huge as that’s always been my biggest complaint with styli I’ve used in the past.

You can purchase the Targus active stylus from amazon.com and from Targus.com.

8. Carrera GO!!! Build ‘N Race slot car racers

I’ve talked before about how much we love Carrera GO!!! here at Rave Central, and this year we were super excited to play with their Carrera GO!!! Build N Race slot car racers. With LEGO compatibility, you can build all sorts of creations and race them around the slot car track.

This isn’t just a typical racetrack where it’s either on or off, the Carrera GO!!! track actually takes a bit of skill {and luck} to master. This means that even the older kids love playing with it and challenging themselves.

The 1:43 scale Carrera GO!!! Build ‘N Race slot car set includes 11.81-ft electric track, cars, power adapter, and building block compatible crossbars and clips. Build and race as is, or add in your own LEGOS and have even more fun.

We have a few sets of Carrera GO!!! racing track sets and I love that they are all compatible so we can build a monster track around our house. And, now, thanks to the Build N Race set, we can build the cars themselves, too.

You can buy Carrera GO! racing track system at various retailers such as amazon.com, as well as Carrera’s website.

9. Shashibo and Cubendi Cubes

Have you heard of Shashibo before? Whenever we see them in retail all the kids stop and play with them for far longer than you might imagine. They may merely look like a colorful little cube, but once you start playing with it, you realize how unique the Shashibo is. If you’ve never played with one of these mesmerizing cubes before, they are rather hard to describe. Basically, they are a unique magnetic puzzle cube that transforms into over 70 shapes. You can play different games with them, challenge yourself to create certain shapes, or you can just use it as a relaxing fidget toy when you are thinking or stressed.

Before this, I was really familiar with Shashibo, but I’d never heard of their sister {or maybe cousin?} product, the Cubendi before this. At first glance these look identical, as both cubes are a mesmerizing blend of art and geometry. They both use magnetic technology, allowing them to easily snap into different shapes and both cubes feature vibrant designs and patterns, and both can be manipulated into multiple shapes. But, Cubendi is a whole lot more… bendi.

They describe it as a “flowing magnetic puzzle cube” that offers a whole new dimension in puzzle play. As with Shashibo, you can even combine several C ubendi to create even larger structures, although it isn’t magnetically compatible with Shashibo. Here’s a little breakdown of the two puzzle toys, so you can see the differences:

No matter which model you decide on, you won’t be disappointed. These little cubes take up almost no space on a desk or end table, but the fun they bring as you play with the cube, and fidget or as you challenge yourself or compete against others is well worth it. Here is a very, very small sampling of the shapes you can make.

You can purchase Shashibo and Cubendi at local specialty shops, or you can purchase directly from them at FunInMotionToys.com.

10. NickWatch smartwatch for kids

WatchinU has the answer to the question of what you do when your child is too young for a smartphone, but you still need to reach them directly. Their new NickWatch is a smartwatch designed specifically for kids, and it’s now available at Walmart. This allows me to give the gift of peace of mind in a way that makes sense for me and my family.

The NickWatch has all the safety features you would want in a connected device for kids, including GPS tracking, Geo-fencing, an SOS feature and more. As a parent, I really love that the NickWatch has a school mode as well as an approved-contacts list, which helps me keep my kids safe and pre-approve every single person they can contact or can contact them.

This is all controlled from the NickWatch app, which parents can download on their phones and then modify on the go as their child’s needs change. I found the app extremely easy to use and it took mere minutes to set up and get the watch ready to download the newest update. A few minutes later and we were off and running.

The NickWatch has a 36-hour battery, automatic software and content updates, IP68 Water Resistance rating, and a built-in SIM that connects to available networks worldwide. It has a really nice quality OLED touchscreen that is visible even in bright sun and doesn’t look anything like a “kids watch”. It’s a real connected smartwatch that is designed just for kids.

You can purchase the NickWatch from Walmart.com. It comes with two straps and can be customized a variety of ways. Monthly service is required, and starts at $7.99/mo.

11. PLAYMOBIL school bus

In a best gifts for kids list, we always include at least one PLAYMOBIL item, and this year I couldn’t resist the school bus. When I was young, I had a secondhand school bus toy and I played with that for years and years. I loved putting the kids inside the bus and carting them off to my DIY school, but this PLAYMOBIL bus is what I always dreamt that bus would be. We’re talking front and rear flashing lights, extendable stop sign, double doors that open and close, and a removable roof for more play value.

I also love that it comes with figures and accessories galore, so unlike my old bus, everything is included for play. We already have the PLAYMOBIL school that we’ve loved for years, and now we have an awesome bus to pick up students and bring them for learning every day. I know this bus is going to be as loved even more than I loved that old bus all those years ago, and I cannot wait to help them set up scenes and watch their imaginations soar.

You can shop PLAYMOBIL at playmobil.us or amazon.com.

12. World’s Smallest Toybox

As you know, my kiddos are obsessed with miniatures of all kinds. That means that we have all the American Girl dolls, all the Barbies, all the PLAYMOBIL and dollhouses. When we found World’s Smallest series, we were basically in heaven. The scale fluctuates a lot and there are minis for pretty much the entire range of miniatures the kids play with – all the way from 18″ dolls to 5″ dollhouse characters.

The fun of World’s Smallest blind packs is that you never know what mini doll size is going to get a new accessory. The coveted size right now is Barbie-ish sizes, but that changes by the day. Some days we’re setting up a toy shop for American Girl, other days we’re creating a Barbie candy shop. And, I love every second of watching them get giddy over the newest little accessories to play with.

Oh, and did I mention that many of the minis are absolutely playable? The mini board games are a huge hit here because you can actually play the game, just in miniature form. When we’re done playing, we simply display them in the American Girl dollhouse beautifully. This Polaroid Land Camera was a huge hit because when you press the button, a developed “picture” appears which make my little one so excited.

World’s Smallest are absolutely perfect for stuffing all the stockings this year. All our little ones have a few mini toys they are dying to find, and we’re hoping that we get lucky this holiday season!

You can purchase World’s Smallest toys at amazon.com and see why they made our best gifts for kids list.

13. TECTI Kinetic Building Toy

I completely misunderstood this product when I first read about it, I guess I missed the part about it being a kinetic building toy. I imagined TECTI as large building cubes that were going to take up lots of space in the toy box and in our home. I imagined them as a static building product, like traditional building blocks only with a new, modern facelift. Oh, how wrong I was!

TECTI is nothing like that, really. With TECTI you create with flat plates, creating cubes first that then connect to each other by unique hinges and its interlocking cubes. With this wildly different building toy, you can create over 50+ dynamic structures, or you can secure those structures in place with a keystone to keep them from moving.

With TECTI your structure shifts into different shapes with tectonic-like movement thanks to built-in hinges. Not only is it fun to build and connect, the real fun happens when you see how your TECTI shifts and what new shapes you can create. TECTI is scalable, modifiable, and easy to disassemble to create the next big thing. When you’re ready for more, combine kits to build even bigger superstructures.

One set of TECTI includes: 44 Plates, 20 Hinges, 6 Keystone Plates and 1 dowel to open the cubes.

You can purchase TECTI Kinetic Building Sets at F unInMotionToys.com.

14. Mario Kart Tour game

My kids love Mario Kart and it’s the little one’s favorite multi-player game when it’s just the three of them playing. They have memorized many of the courses and characters and know it all like the back of their hand…. Or, at least they did. This year Nintendo has started releasing new courses in waves, and the Wave 3 includes fan-favorites like Wii Maple Treeway, 3DS Rainbow Road, and GBA Boo Lake, as well as new seasonal course, Merry Mountain.

A total of 48 more courses from throughout the Mario Kart™ series are racing to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game as paid DLC. Content will release in 6 waves of 8 courses until the end of 2023 and is available two ways – at no charge through Nintendo Switch Online, or as an add on expansion pack for purchase without online subscription. Half of the courses are available for play right now, with 24 more courses that will be available throughout the next year.

My kids were super excited to find this adorable Super Mario themed package on our doorstep this month from Nintendo, along with a code to download the newest courses. It’s going to be a very Mario Christmas here!

Get ready to race and show off your seasonal spirit at Merry Mountain this year: Booster Course Pass for the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game on the Nintendo Switch™ system.

15. Gravitrax

My kids found Gravitrax at specialty toy stores near us a few years ago and they quickly fell in love. My kiddos love planning and building tracks out, and this marble course is a fun shift from traditional racing courses while including tons of physics and design elements.

The starter pack comes with 123 pieces, which includes track pieces and building panels, as well as risers to lift and lower parts of the track as you see fit. That way you can add speed where you need it and slow the marbles down before a tight curve. I love the trial and error that goes into each creation, as well as seeing how proud the kids are when their plan works all the way to the end.

The coolest thing about the Power starter pack is that there is a remote starter that releases the marble on command from the dome starter. You can press the remote button over and over to release the marbles quickly, or you can add in the additional Power starter block booster piece into the track that will automatically release the next marble as soon as the first marble passes by. This allows you to put all the marbles into the hopper and release them via the remote control, or you can have it all automated and have the Power starter block booster piece release it for you. The result is more fun than you would think that it would be, with marbles flying down the track at record speed.

You can buy Gravitrax at specialty kids stores, as well as online.