Ad/Gifted : I was sent the items featured in this gift guide in return for inclusion. Affiliate links are marked with a *
It’s that time of year again when I’m sharing with you my annual Christmas gift guides! Christmas this year is set to be a difficult one for many, thanks to the cost of living crisis. This means a lot more people will be struggling. However as usual I always feature items in my gift guides for a mix of budgets and to make your shopping a bit more easier all items can be purchased online. I've included a few items for babies and toddlers as well as items that are suitable for older children as well. Being organised is key at Christmas to reduce stress.
Etta Loves products are unique in the world as they are designed with precise science to support babies’ visual and cognitive development. Etta Loves work with an orthoptist and their partners at The University of Sussex to ensure that the scales, shapes, colours and patterns on their products are aligned with what babies can see and what they like to look at. This stimulates them and complements their eye and brain development.
The triple pack of sky print muslins (above) are ideal for newborns up to 4 months of age, they have been designed around brand-new research findings that, contrary to popular belief, babies from 2 months not only can see strong highly saturated colours, but they actually show a preference to looking at patterns which are made up of black, white and blue.
The triple pack of leopard print muslins (below) are designed with precise scales and colours that support babies' cognitive and visual development from 5 months onwards. Both the sets of muslins I've received are of high quality and are absolutely gorgeous.
Blade and Rose are a British brand known mainly for specialising in trademark leggings featuring stylish and quirky designs on the bum. However they also sell a wide range of clothes and accessories for little ones. Including their ironic Peter Rabbit™ range which includes Modern Mix, Pretty Garden, Veg Patch, Playtime, Floral, Classic and Festive Collections.
This gorgeous top in particular with classic Peter Rabbit, wearing his smart blue jacket, has been given a modern twist with a fluffy finish.The deep navy background shows Peter's blue jacket off to perfection. Available in sizes from newborn up to 4 years
Books always make a wonderful gift for all ages.
*The Twig Man is a spine-tingling and spooky middle-grade debut! Beware the Twig Man, the Twig Man's hex. Beware the Twig Man, or you'll be NEXT!
It's been a year since nearly-twelve-year-old Ari’s older sister, Lana, ran away. Except Ari knows what really happened. She was taken by the Twig Man, the creepy monster that's haunted the woods for one hundred years. No one else will listen, so it's down to Ari to save his sister. But he had better hurry, as Ari finds himself next on The Twig Man's list...
Daddilife Books
Books by Becky Goddard-Hill
Becky Goddard-Hill is a wellbeing author and children's therapist. 365 Days of Happy, Calm and Kindness have just been released. They are a trio of pocket sized, hardback books that are colourful, fun, and packed with insight and motivation, for kids aged 6-12. Each book has a quote, affirmation, or activity for every single day of the year designed specifically to give kids emotional wellbeing a daily boost. You can find these three new releases along with the rest of her books here.
With over 16 years of spreading joy, Anorak and DOT magazines published by Studio Anorak are great gifts that combine creativity, laughter, and learning through play! They are a great alternative to plastic-carrying magazines and are unisex, so perfect for all kids! Anorak is aimed at 6-12 year olds and DOT is tailored to preschoolers. Both magazines include beautiful illustrations, follow themes approved by the UK curriculum, and are printed on recyclable paper with vegetable ink. Studio Anorak also have started publishing books for children under the name Paper Turtle.
Asmodee
Asmodee is the leading distributor of table top games and accessories in the UK. This includes major titles such as Dobble, Catan, Ticket to Ride, Brainbox and more.
Brainbox have a wide range of fun memory and observation card games. The games test your eye for detail, with all the answers on the card but just 10 seconds to study it. Brainbox The World Features 55 countries from around the world to test your memory and observation skills. There are 440 individual questions in total so you can enjoy playing the game over and over again. Suitable for ages 8+.
If you like the original Ticket To Ride game than you'll enjoy Ticket To Ride San Francisco. Welcome to the Bay! Souvenirs weigh heavy in your bag as you lean out from the cable car. Sunlight shimmers through the mist that obscures your view of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco is truly the Golden City! In this fast-paced Ticket to Ride game, players race one another to visit the most iconic locations of the city, and collect souvenirs along the way. This fun strategy game can be played in just 10 to 15 minutes. This is a stand-alone version of Ticket to Ride that is ideal for both beginners and seasoned players. Suitable for ages 8+.
Geomags are a fun construction toy with magnetic rods, steel spheres and interlocking panels. They are great for improving concentration with the STEM learning approach. The super-stylish Glitter line is dedicated to fans of sparkly colours. Now you can have Geomag rods and spheres with you all the time and keep everything neat after playing. The new boxes are produced with 100% recycled plastics that are available in all the new classic glitter recycled line sets.
Kids Scavenger Hunt in a box
The Kids Scavenger Hunt Game is a fun adventure that is designed so that you can play both indoors and outdoors, making it a perfect game for rainy days as well as sunny ones.
The selection of cards can be tailored to your surroundings and the fun photo cards encourage grown-ups to get involved too. To play spin the spinner and select your cards to get the game started. Collect them all to become the Scavenger Hunt champion! Suitable for ages 6 years and over.
BeHeld thought-provoking personalised children’s books activate a child’s understanding of their developing character. They’ll journey to thrilling new worlds, discover hidden life-lessons and return better informed to everyday life.
When read with a child these bite-sized morality tales achieve deeper levels of engagement. This provides an opportunity to discuss today’s many challenges together and make intimate moments matter more.
Use sounds and your imagination to create amazing stories! Shake to hear a sound. Start creating your story using that sound. Shake again for more inspiring sounds to continue your epic tale.
150+ sounds to stimulate your imagination and help create stories.
Several ways to play:
Storytellers – create entertaining stories and take turns in being the storyteller
Discovery – help young children develop their imagination through the magic of sounds
And many more… – be inventive in the way you play
Pick a theme or a hero to use as a trigger to create imaginative stories
As a parent, use sounds as inspiration to create bedtime stories
Or .. Create your own rules
Drone Home is the first ever game to feature a real drone! Enjoy this fast-paced kids’ action game where there is a race to save your aliens and get them to safety.
The race is on to launch each of your aliens down the ramp and into the drone. Once an alien is inside the drone, it will lift off and the alien can flee to safety. But watch out! Whilst you are waiting for the drone to lift off, other players can sabotage your mission by knocking your alien out with their own! The first player to have all 3 aliens take off wins!
Looking for a gift that will get kids away from the screens and be more active? Check out skates.co.uk, they sell a wide range of products including scooters, skateboards, rollerskates and more. Heelys are bound to be on quite a few children's Christmas list this year and skates.co.uk as of writing this have 9 different styles to choose from along with replacement wheels and backpacks. From experience products have arrived quickly and are durable. The great thing is they have such a wide range of items and alongside this a wide range of prices. We like that you can also buy now and pay later (spread the cost with 0% interest over 3 months) to make payment easier. Plus delivery is free.
KIDOKI is a children's line for ages 3+ that is playful, fun and encourages kids to be creative! Kidoki is a new brand for Kikkerland. All wood used is FSC certified and all products are UK/EU toy testing compliant. Kidoki is a great way to encourage creative play, hand-to-eye coordination, and a range of core skills.
The Make Stick & Play At My House set contains:
6 characters & a house to decorate with over 100 fun stickers.
Get a head start on your Christmas shopping with Ryman who have released their Christmas 2022 guides so you are bound to find something for everyone. When it comes to shopping for the kids you’ll love their array of educational gifts, games and puzzles and even remote control toys.
The Scentos scented sensory play set is a fun set where you'll find everything needed to keep kids entertained for hours on end. Great for rainy days and during the holidays.Inspire and spark their creativity and help to develop their artistic skills and talents. Explore, learn and create, ideal for sensory time with tactile and colourful items that smell amazing with yummy, fruity scents that tickle your senses too!
You will find inside the box:
5 Scented Ribbons
6 Scented Tissue Paper Sheets
Assortment of Buttons
70 Scented PomPoms
Assorted Beads
Scented Shredded Paper
Assorted Sequins
100 Scented Foam Shapes
10 Scented Sticks
10 Scented Fuzzy Sticks
Plastic Scoop, Plastic Cup and Plastic Tray
At Dr Zigs, sustainability matters. It is a way of life. Their products are made from non-toxic, cruelty free, vegan, and ethically sourced ingredients. They do their absolute best to package them in eco-friendly packaging that can be recycled, refilled, and/or repurposed.
The My Loads of Bubbles kit contains everything needed for hours of bubble fun. There is enough bubble mix to make over 1000 giant bubbles.
The Kit includes:
- 1 x 100ml 10 x concentrate (makes 1 litre) of Giant Bubble Mix
- 1 x mini multi-rope to make LOADS of giant bubbles!
- Sheet of Dr Zigs Bubbles Tips, Tricks and Instructions.
Dr Zigs multi award-winning kits and mixtures are all entirely UK made and unlike cheap imports their wands use no plastic – they’re made from sustainably sourced wood with 100% untreated, unbleached cotton ropes.
Oh So Beautiful Gifts is a small business over on Etsy that sells a wide range of personalised gifts.
The above chef set is a perfect gift for little chefs who love helping in the kitchen. Both the apron and hat are made with 100% cotton and can be personalised with a name of your choice (up to 12 characters). The chef hat has a handy adjustable velcro fastening so that it can stay in place.