2021 Gift Guide for Kids

It’s time to kick off the 2021 Gift Guides! I create my annual guides hoping to help you confidently check off your list with quality gifts for the ones you love. 

We always start with the kids, because aren’t they truly the sweetest to buy gifts for? Giving them a gift is a highly anticipated part of the year, but Christmas is also a day of uninterrupted family time.  It’s worth hunting for a few gifts that will provide hours of play that morning and ideally for months and years to come, too.  I’ve stocked this list with classics that won’t break into a million pieces or give you a headache.  Cheers for that, right?

Just an FYI: Most of these gifts fall in the $30-100 price range. If you’re looking for something in the under $30 range, my stocking stuffer guide is full of quality gifts for anyone on your list. 

The Best Gifts for Kids

1 // PLUS PLUS BLOCKS

A simple design with endless possibilities, these Danish-made plus plus blocks fuel creativity and my 8 year old is hoping for a set of his own. Legos are another timeless choice, and my kids tend to play with the classic set the most often.

2 // JELLYCAT STUFFED ANIMAL

At the top of my kids list, are these large cuddly Jellycat stuffed animals. As my kids have grown bigger, these are the perfect size to hold and sleep with at night. They feel so comforting! Lots of different animals to choose from as well. (Also available on Amazon)

3 // FLEECE

It’s turning chilly out, and the kids love to wear warm fleece layers from LL Bean for everyday use. They hold up so well (this pullover is great too)!

4 // DOLLHOUSE

A dollhouse provides so much opportunity for pretend play, and this wooden option is the sweetest and includes furniture. I would add on a Calico Critters family set for dolls.

5 // GAMES

It’s nice to have a little stockpile of games for the kids to choose from, especially for cold winter days. Don’t miss the new collection of linen-bound vintage games, like Boggle, which are look amazing. Buildzi and Kingdomino were a big hit from last year’s gift guide!

6 // MAGNATILES

My kids play with Magna-tiles constantly, and are always reinventing them into some new part of their play. This is a high quality toy for a huge range of ages.

7 // DIY BEAD KIT

This super diy bead kit has everything a junior jewelry designer could want for dreaming up sparkly creations. For less, don’t miss this classic seed bead kit for making stackable bracelets.

8 // CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS

I love the idea of getting my kids into matching pajamas, and this year we’re going with a simple tree print from Little Planet. I like that they are both festive without being overtly green and red Christmas, so they’ll work all winter long. (These have cute prints too.)

9 // MINI BACKPACK

For hikes, traveling, and just bringing along all their “essentials,” our kids are obsessed with having their own small backpack. We especially like the design and durability of the mini Kanken.

10 // TOYS FOR BABIES & TODDLERS

If you have a baby to shop for this year or are expecting, here are a few of our all-time favorite baby items to wrap up and tuck under the tree: baby bike, stacking cups, a skwish rattle, and wheely bug ride-on toy.

11 // BOOKS

You guys know how much I love books, especially kids’ books. To help you get started, here are 5 favorites for gifting — The Mysterious Benedict Society series, Puffin in Bloom collection, Frog & Toad Storybook Treasury, Today, and a Paul Galdone Folk Tales collection.

Looking for more ideas? Check this roundup for a chapter book series! This big post has 100 of our favorite picture books.

12 // SPORTS

Now is a great time to wrap up a new soccer ball (with this), an indoor basketball hoop, or a balance bike!

Shop the Post: 1. Plus Plus Block Set | 2. Jellycat Dashing Dog | 3. L.L. Bean Fleece | 4. Tender Leaf Dollhouse | 5. Boggle | 6. Magnatiles | 7. Super Smalls DIY Bead Kit | 8. Christmas Pajamas | 9. Fjallraven Mini Kanken Backpack | 10. Retrospec Baby Bike | 11. Today Book | 12. Adidas Soccer Ball

Bonus Tip: Try opening gifts slowly throughout the morning instead of in a big rush.  When a child opens a present, they want to explore and play with it right away.  So giving them time, as opposed to rushing right to the next gift, will set everyone up for a fun Christmas day meant to be savored.

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Click here for the entire set of Holiday Guides.

I would LOVE it if you shared them with friends and family! If Amazon is your jam, my curated Shop has gift sections with these gifts and more ready for you to quickly add purchases to your cart.

Disclosure:  If you click or make a purchase on these items I may make a small commission, although it doesn’t change the price for you at all.  I only share items I use and/or love.  Thank you so much for your support of my blog!