Ad/Gifted : I was sent the majority of the items featured in this gift guide in return for inclusion. Affiliate links are marked with a *
Welcome to this year's Christmas gift guide for kids. The most wonderful time of the year is almost here again. The first 4 items in this year's gift guide are items I've picked out myself whilst the rest are items were sent to me for inclusion in this post. You can find last years gift guide here for further inspiration.
Beast Lab
*Best Lab is sure to catch the eye of children this year. It's a great set up where you can be an evil scientist and do experiments before the toy is revealed. Add the ingredients and follow the experiment steps. Watch as the Shark Beast Creator Chamber releases real Bio Mist & pressure builds. Pull down on the Emergency Lever to drain the liquid and reveal the beast inside! The interactive playset has 80+ lights, sounds and reactions that bring the experiment to life. Will you get the HAVOC HAMMERHEAD or MAYHEM MEGASHARK?
This toy does have a high price point so when you are thinking about value and playability it depends on whether your child is likely to use the lab parts as a playset or not. You can press a button at the bottom of the flask and make the liquid fill the flask again allowing you to repeat the reveal as many times as you like. The smoke that comes out when you press buttons also apparently works for approximately 50 plays. You are also able to purchase refill packs that include ingredients to make two experiments the Pandemonium Blade Experiment and the Blade Fusion Experiment plus Includes a NEW EXCLUSIVE WEAPON that can be attached and used with the Beasts! It's also worth being aware that the Beast Lab takes 6 AA batteries.
Bitzee
*Bitzee is a little box which opens up to reveal a flickering holograph like display. You get pets to look after that you can really touch in the 3D world. Bitzee pets need your love and care. Each Bitzee starts as a baby: you feed them, play with them, rock them to sleep and give them love to help them grow from baby, to adult, to Super Bitzee. The concept is pretty much like a tamagotchi that has more selling points than the classic toy. For starters you have 15 pets in one pod and as your pets evolve you can also discover quirky surprises, like fun outfits and unique kids games that you can play with your friends. One of the great selling points is that unlike a tamagotchi you don't have to babysit your pets as once the box is closed they are asleep and don't need attention. It's a great compact gift that kids can take with them out and about and is sure to be on many Christmas lists this year. Please note the Bitzee takes 3 AA batteries.
Twister Air
I'm sure most people are aware of the original twister game. Just like the classic game you have different colours and move body parts but other than that *Twister Air is a completely different game. With Twister Air you take the mat to the screen and need to download the app to play. Players reach, clap, swipe and pose to the beat as they scramble to match their wrist and ankle bands to the coloured spots on-screen. You earn points for every spot hit and compete against a friend or team in a shared screen face-off, with the side with the most points winning! Or you can play solo and try to beat your personal best.
Inside the box you get 8 colour bands (4 for wrists and 4 for ankles), a device Stand with clip, base, and post, and of course the game rules. The Twister Air device stand accommodates mobile phone and digital tablet devices with a width of up to 22.5 cm. It also best to check that the app is compatible with the device you will be using before purchasing the game.
Jiggly Pets Pearlescent puppy
Jiggly Pets come in a fun range of different animals however the new pearlescent puppies are sure to be on Christmas lists this year. Available in *pink and *blue pearlescent colours they are cute electronic puppys that walk, bark and wag their tail whilst playing a catchy tune! All you have to do is press their head to bring the puppy to life. These cute pups are so soft to touch with a stretchy rubbery face and body. With a beautiful pink or blue pearlescent finish, see how their stretchy fur shimmers as pup jiggles along! It’s the cutest, funniest pup .
TekFun Dinosaur Wonder Doodle™️ board
The TekFun *Dinosaur Wonder Doodle™️ board is a 8.5 inch drawing board that comes in a fun Dinosaur shape. Designed for Children aged 3-8 years this Doodle board is great for encouraging learning and fun. The tablet features an LCD screen that allows kids to draw and write with the included stylus pen that's shaped like a bone! The tablet is also lightweight and portable, making it easy to take on the go! The dinosaur Doodle board by TekFun is available in three colors blue, green and pink.
Make your own seed balls kit
For young explorers who like nature and getting messy the make your own seed balls kit is a fun activity to do. Each kit includes 3 plastic free pouches of raw materials, which when mixed together with water will create enough mix for 40-60 balls ( depending on size). The three pouches of materials are:
- Bee & Butterfly Friendly Wildflower seeds
- Clay powder
- Peat-free compost
You’ll need a mixing bowl, some water and a tray to dry the balls on. Also included is an instruction sheet giving full details of how to make them. The activity can take between 20 minutes to an hour. Each pouch of seed contains a mix of bee and butterfly friendly wildflowers that tend to be the quickest to grow and flower, including Poppy, Common toadflax, Cornflower, Cowslip, Meadow cranesbill, Musk mallow, Oxeye daisy and Red campion.
PLAYin CHOC
PLAYin CHOC's ToyChoc boxes, are now available in Christmas designs. They are adventurous line of 100% recyclable, plastic-free, planet-friendly treats. ToyChoc Box® 's are an eco-friendly alternative to the Kinder Surprise. Each box contains two individually wrapped, deliciously creamy, 100% organic, Dairy, Nut, Gluten, Soy and Allergen FREE chocolates, a Christmas themed cardboard puzzle toy to assemble and a fun facts card. The chocolates contain a third less sugar than other leading chocolate brands whilst keeping their delicious chocolate flavour. These are a great little stocking filler.
Planet Fairy Lights
Add a touch space theme to your childs bedroom with these planet fairy lights from Lights4fun. In partnership with the national children’s charity Starlight, these 10 hanging wooden planets are spread across 1.9m. This beautiful intergalactic design is brought to life by 20 warm white LEDs that will stay cool to the touch. Simply pop 3 x AA batteries into the battery box and choose the optional 6 hour timer for automatic illumination that’s out of this world. Thanks to the partnership with the national children’s charity Starlight, £3.90 from every sale of the planet lights will be donated to help seriously ill children experience the joy of childhood through the power of play. These planet fairy lights are designed by one of Starlight’s amazing children Zarak.
Charades
*Charades is a fun family game aimed for older children, as suitable for ages 12 and up. There are no complicated rules with this family classic just a twist. The aim of the game is to move your playing counters across the board from 'start' to 'finish' whilst acting and guessing mimes from the six categories. The six categories are:
Famous People, Films, TV Shows, Popular Songs, Books and Pot Luck. Players are not just miming to their team - anyone can guess and steal the next move. There are over 1,000 engaging mimes to enjoy. With mimes open to wildly different interpretations and the tension of competing against the clock, it'll have you laughing and crying and hot under the collar all at the same time.
Cheatwell Christmas Games
In the mood for some fun Christmas games? Cheatwell's Christmas games set contains 8 fun games in one box. This seasonal selection of games are great to enjoy and pass the time with family.
This broad selection of games includes:
- Xmas chardes
- Santa's Sack
- Xmas lists
- Santa Says
- Bah! hum bug
- Under the tree
- Silent night
- Xmas Trivia
Cheatwell The Christmas Express Game
Another great festive game from Cheatwell is the *Christmas Express game. Climb aboard the Christmas Express and join this jolly journey through a winter wonderland as you race to be the first to get to the North Pole. You'll have to avoid the Hustle Bustle, the Reindeer Crossings, the Snow Storms and maybe the naughty elf, but keep an eye out for Santa's sleigh as he could help you on your way. Land at a Station and you can move again, or land on a bridge and take a shortcut. Or play 3 of a kind and move directly to the next station... there are many ways to be first to the North Pole Station. The game is suitable for ages 6 + and in the box you will find: A large colourful playing board, 8 player tokens, 4 stands, 51 numbered cards, 14 speciality cards and a full set of rules. This is definitely a fun game to be getting out year after year and who says it only has to be played at Christmas.
Coaching cards for Children
Barefoots Coaching cards make a lovely gift/ stocking filler and are a fun way to inspire families to get to know each other better. These coaching questions are designed to prompt lively conversations between adults and children. Use them on long journeys, at bedtime or around the dinner table to help make the most of all your regular moments together. Suitable for children aged 6 to 12 years.
Sheep Dip
Sheep Dip is a fun and entertaining card game for children and adults who love sheepy things and a little silliness. Sheep Dip is quick to learn, easy to play and so much fun, games take less than 30 minutes, ending when the last EWE DO card has been played. The winner is the player with the highest score. Simple as that! Baaaaa! The game consists of 116 illustrated cards, there are 71 Flock cards made up of four different sheep breeds, each with 15 unique characters; there’s Hardy Herdwicks, Leggy Leicesters, Sturdy Suffolks and Bonnie Blackfaces.
Farplace the game
Farplace the game is a family board game for ages 8 to adult based on Farplace Animal Rescue. The games play time is around 30-60minutes. It combines set collection with a race mechanism, and each animal player moves slightly differently on the board. You are saving items to rehome and release animals in need of rescue at the core of the game. There are lots of cards within this game to use so I definitely recommend reading the instructions a good few times to get the hang of it.
Bluey Activity Calander
Join Bluey and the gang with the 'My First Calendar' which encourages young children to learn about the days of the week, months of the year, weather and seasons alongside a fun colourful design with activities for your little one to complete. This children's first calendar comes with white board pen which can be used on this wipe clean calendar, moveable arrows, weather cards and magnetic pieces as well as a euro-hook for hanging on any wall. This activity calendar range has been accredited by the Good Toy Guide and states that this product has developmental benefits to speech, language and communication skills, pincer grip, and writing.
Minecraft 2024 Calander
For older children a gamer themed calander for keeping organised is a fun idea especially if you opt for their favourite gaming title. examples from Danilo include: Minecraft, Sonic the hedgehog, Super Mario, Legends of Zelda, pokèmon and more. With Blake firmly being into Minecraft at the moment it was a no brainer choice for us choosing a Minecraft 2024 Calander.
CONNETIX 120 Piece Pastel Creative Pack
We love Connetix and this 120 piece pastel creative pack is engaging and educational. The amazing creative pack offers a spectrum of shapes in 8 delightful pastel colours, making it the perfect canvas for constructing impressive Connetix creations, from intricate designs to grand-scale masterpieces. The high-quality, open-ended pack seamlessly adapts to your child's evolving interests and abilities. Each pack includes:
-8 x Large squares
-48 x Small squares
-16 x Equilateral triangles
-16 x Right angle triangles
-16 x Isosceles triangles
-8 x Window square pieces
-8 x Hollow square pieces (door frames)
- Ideas Booklet
Dr Zigs Frozen Bubble Kit
Bubbles are always popular with children and this frozen bubble kit from Dr Zigs is sure to be a hit. Make amazing Frozen Bubbles and watch the crystals grow. This kit can be used indoors (in your freezer) or outdoors and makes the perfect present this Christmas. Each kit contains everything you need to make the most beautiful Frozen Bubbles:
- 1 Bamboo Straw
- 1 Bamboo Cup
- 1 100ml of Ready to Go Freezable Bubble Mix
- 1 Set of instructions with all the tips and tricks to make the most beautiful Frozen Icy Bubbles.
This kit can be used outdoor, performing best at temperatures < -5 degrees Celsius, and can be also used indoors in the freezer. Watching the crystals form is both incredibly beautiful, makes for amazing photography, and makes for a wonderful science project as you learn about crystal formation.
Mister Mishkins Apothecary by Samantha Mattocks
*Mr Mishkins Apothecary is a story of a magical cat , who runs an Apothecary on Mosaic Street, a mysterious place that mysteriously appears in town overnight and is only visible to those in need. Whenever anyone enters the Apothecary, Mister Mishkins listens as they share their troubles and fears, before turning to the rows of wooden drawers where, hidden within, is an eclectic mix of cats. These cats take whoever needs them on a magical journey of transformation, replacing negative emotions with hope, optimism, and just a small sprinkling of magic.
Thule Yepp Nexxt 2 Mini
Give the gift of enjoying everyday bike rides together with the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini. The Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini is a front mount childs bike seat that is designed and tested for children from 9 months to 3 years old, up to 33 lbs/15 kg. This soft and shock-absorbing seat lets your child travel in comfort and the lightweight seat has been rigorously tested for safety to ensure it can handle the toughest conditions. Some of the features include:
- A lightweight yet sturdy seat combining a hard outer shell with soft padding for premium child comfort.
- Magnetic childproof safety buckle secures your child quickly and conveniently.
-The seat can be mounted and dismounted from the bike in seconds with it's universal quick release bracket, making it easy to switch between different bikes.
- Adjustable footrests and footstraps to ensure a perfect fit as your child grows.
- Water-repellent materials make the seat easy to clean and to keep dry.
- Available in 6 colour options: Midnight Black, Monument Grey, Snow White, Aquamarine, mint green and chocolate brown.
GUM Playbrush KIDS 3+ and JUNIOR 6+
Playbrush is a children's electric toothbrush that makes cleaning teeth lots more fun thanks to its 13 motivational games and toothbrushing coach features. The GUM Playbrush sonic toothbrush is available in two bright colour options – blue/turquoise and pink/turquoise and retails at £29.99 . The GUM Playbrush app can be tested free of charge for 30 days with the first purchase. Two subscription models also offer maximum excitement to twice daily brushing. The ‘Motivation set’ for £19.99 provides full access to the app with nine additional games on top of four free ones, plus detailed cleaning reports, while the ‘All-round carefree set’ ideal for time-poor parents comprises the ‘Motivation set’ features and an annual supply of replacement brush heads (six heads) with free automatic delivery throughout the year for just £34.99 (single purchase value £45).
Zimpli Sno Play
*Sno Play is a fun and magical way to turn water into artificial snow. This Elf on the shelf version is the perfect gift for sensory play with each bag (2 bags per box) being enough to make 15 Snoballs. Sno Play is eco-friendly as it is biodegradable and is also skin safe. Not only does it make a great gift for children it also makes as a great prop for your elf on a shelf. Some ideas include:
- Elf snow angels
- Elf on a sleigh
- Elf snowman
Doodle Dip
Doodle Dip makes a great gift that will keep children occupied for hours and all that's needed is a bowl of water. Draw your favourite pictures onto the designed picture paddle with the magic markers, slowly dip into the water and watch your creations come to life. Then they gently place the back of their hand on top of the water to make their very own temporary tattoo. All of Zimpli kids products are skin safe, easy to clean and stain free.
HeyDoodle Mats
HeyDoodle, the revolutionary brand that has been captivating young minds worldwide. HeyDoodle brings a range of sustainable and educational products designed to spark creativity and engagement among children aged 2 to 7. HeyDoodle’s wipe-clean silicone mats, offer a limitless and reusable platform for doodling and learning. Printed on premium grade silicone, their A3 reusable colouring mats come in a range of themes and activities to engage curious minds. Comes with 9 non-toxic markers and a handy carry case ready to go with you. Easily wipe clean with a damp cloth. Choose from Six different designs; Aussie Animals, World Countries, DinoRoar, Toot Toot Honk, Into The Wild or Sugar& Spice.
You’ll find more great gift inspiration here:
