TOYS & GIFTS
Best Toys and Gifts for Kids
Need kids gift ideas? Start here with quick inspiration for the best toys and gifts we've given (and received).
Gift ideas for teenage guys?
A portable JBL speaker.
LED strip lights for his room.
My high school guy and his friends like to gift each other snacks, either a big assortment as the main gift or as an add-on component. Nerds gummy clusters are a favorite.
A nice neutral-colored hoodie with minimal or no branding on it.
What are some gift ideas for kids you don't know super well?
Legos. I love that these work well for a wide range of ages and interests, from chunky Duplo bricks to intricate sets in a variety of pieces and difficulty levels. Plus, the many themed sets allows you to personalize for the birthday kids special interests. Minecraft legos, Star Wars legos, Harry Potter legos, Lego Friends...so many possibilities, you can really never go wrong!
Puzzles are fun gifts for kids of all ages. From Rubix cubes (or specialty speed cubes for the more experienced cubers!) to jigsaw puzzles, they are fun gifts that are likely to get a lot of use over time, and which can be customized by age/difficulty level. We've liked Ravensburger puzzles for years, but have also recently discovered the fun puzzles from the Magic Puzzle Company, which are great for more experienced jigsaw puzzlers ready for lots of pieces!
Magnatiles. Kids can never have too many of these, and they are fun for such a wide range of ages they will almost certainly get used, whether the kid is 3 or 10 (or 44...)
A gift card to a local treat place: donut shop, ice cream, boba, etc.
Gift ideas for tween and teen girls?
Most of my daughter's friends like to get Sephora products. The most popular brands seem to be Summer Fridays, LANEIGE, and Sol de Janeiro, and they all make products that don't feel too grown-up.
My middle schooler has loved receiving upgraded school supplies from friends. A really nice pencil holder with lots of compartments, fun post-it tabs, mildliners, colorful pens and mechanical pencils, etc.
Pura vida bracelets are popular with the girls at our middle school, and they make a great gift because you can't really have too many.
Gift cards to Starbucks or boba places.
Experience Gifts for Kids (That Aren't Toys)
museum membership
Special behind-the-scene museum/zoo/aquarium adventures or animal encounters. (E.g., shark feeding, penguin painting, etc.)
AMC movie pass
Spa card. If at a kid friendly salon, younger recipients could get manicures with cute art designs, chocolate facials, temporary hair chalk, etc.
