I rarely do gift guides on Every Avenue Life, because time gets away from me when it comes to calendar holidays but I always have things that I find that are worth sharing.
This gift guide is different from the others because these are the gifts that we are enjoying this year specifically, rather than recommendations of products that we love in general. At our house we do 25 days of Christmas and I let Lexi open one gift a day for 25 days because I do not like the concept of being overwhelmed with gifts under a tree on one day only.
Here are some of our favorite gifts this year. Hopefully they give you some ideas for your kids!
Jooki Music Box
Probably one of my favorite fun finds of this season, Jooki Music Box is not your ordinary music player. It’s designed specially for kids use and adult’s peace in more ways than one.
Jooki features 5 different characters that upon being placed on top of the music box trigger specific songs, stories, and more. The characters can be programmed with custom music for each of the kid or used to separate styles of music and books for one kid. This way siblings don’t need to share their libraries of audio content and if used by one child, Jooki allows even the youngest to decide what mood they are in.
When we first got Jooki, Lexi spent at least an hour playing with it and listening to it. She then took it to her room and listened to it some more. She then switched the character to some fun pop and rock music and had a dance party. And at the end of the day, she put it on Dr Seuss stories character and fell asleep in an instant, without my attention.
The funny part is that upon waking up in the morning she exclaimed “Mom, did you see how fast I fell asleep listening to Jooki!” Yes, girl, you betcha I did!
Aside from preloaded content for all 5 characters, you can pop an SD card in with more audio material or hook it up to Spotify premium and let your children control it. The kicker is that it’s volume limited, so they won’t be blasting it while you’re trying to make phone calls. It can be fully controlled by the kids, so no more asking for mom‘s phone and it’s not a screen, so they spend a little more time being children and a little less time staring at devices.
It’s a win win.
Also it’s completely portable, requires parent approval for the content, and easy to use (so easy a two year old can use it). It is also perfect for dance parties, bedtime with lullabies, story time, and good old top hits music.
Flybar Skateboard
I am not sure why I got it in my head that this year I wanted skateboards for me and Lexi, but it happened and to my surprise it has been the most favorite activity to do with Lexi. I expected for Alexis to have quite a learning curve, because her balance and coordination skills are still developing, but to my surprise after a few rides balancing with my hands she was able to control the board and ride it herself. “Woo-Hoo,” she yelled and she pushed with one foot riding the Flybar Skateboard.
The ease of use gave her the confidence too. I think she is so used to physical things like sports taking a lot of time to get better at, riding a skateboard almost right away was a surprise and a confidence booster. “Mom, why am I so good at this?” she kept exclaiming! I explained to her that the size of the board and the low center of gravity make it easy for her to pick it up and balance.
I was always under the impression that you need to be older to pick up skateboards, but I think it’s kind of like with snowboarding- the sooner you start the easier it is for you. Flybar Skateboard is perfect as a family gift.
Succulents from 1-800-Flowers
This is one of the best most universal gifts I have ever found for women of all ages and the only gift in this post that is meant for adults, as well as something I am always happy to receive: succulents.
Not only are they beautiful unique and live but anyone can take care of them and appreciate them.
With my life being so full of travel, I can’t own plants. They die. Succulents though are always there. Rarely asking anything from me and always looking beautiful.
It’s also a great gift to yourself.
I have been slowly collecting succulents in the house and on the patio and am considering growing some from scratch in my free time ( haha)
These 1-800-flowers succulents are a recent addition to my obsession. They are beautifully designed and easily cared for. And it’s my first cactus.
I also love the magnet ones because they make the fridge mess look a little more stylish and can hold notes and pictures.
Sudara
Sudara is a luxury pajama company that we just love. Their pajamas are comfortable, cute, and stylish so we love wearing home around the house together. Sudara’s designs are inspired by traditional Indian culture and clothing, and their work helps women in India (where their seeing centers are located) to have sustainable living wages helping them to flee from the sex slave industry that runs rampant in much of the country.
Sudara has punjammies (their nickname for their PJ sets) for men, women, and kids. Even though they are PJs some of the designs don’t look like it– it wouldn’t be odd to see us wearing these on a quick Target run or to the grocery story for some essentials.
Usually when Lexi and I are hanging out at home, we wear some mismatched tee/pants combo. No matter how hard I try, Lexi does not really care about what to wear at home and prefers oversized mommy shirts. So it was super exciting when after showing her our matching PJs she happily wore them at home (matching me eeeek) and actually slept in them ( SHE NEVER SLEEPS IN PJS!). On my end, I loved wearing nice clothing at home together and matching with Lexi!
Advent Calendar from Petit Collage
What kid doesn’t like opening a new surprise every day for 25 days before Christmas? That’s why I always loved advent calendars as an early Christmas preset. We are trying to stay away from candy as much as we can, so these toy advent calendars from Petite Collage are perfect. You can choose a Christmas or a religious theme, and every day,your child will get to open a little window and assemble a character or a part of the set until the whole setting is complete and available for display on Christmas morning.
Petite Collage is a go-to for us when it comes to many different toys and activities. I love their natural and sustainable design, and I love that their items are made out of recycled materials. They have toys, books, puzzles, activities, crafts, and household gear items that are just perfect for daily life and gifts for the holidays. I also love that their items can be found by theme on their website so whatever Lexi is into at that moment I can easily search for items that would be perfect for her.
Wooden Bracelet Craft Kit from Petite Collage
Another awesome gift from petit collage is the My Wood Jewelry DIY Craft Kit. Lexi loves doing crafts, and this wooden bracelet craft kit allows her to make several bracelets in several different designs. Again, I love the natural and sustainable design of the beads ,and I love that they are large enough that she can easily grasp on to them to make a bracelet of her own design.
I love watching Lexi come up with her own style. I think I had been asked 5 times if she could have an animal bracelet with kitties and unicorns and this wooden bravely set fits the bill. It is fun to see the different looks she creates with kits like these, and she often makes them for her friends and family which makes my mama heart proud. Craft kits are always a good option for the holidays because it is a toy they can actually use and that helps spark their creative side, helps them to work on motor skills, and doesn’t have them mindlessly sitting in front of a screen.
Hoverboard by Swagtron
One of the coolest gifts for the holiday season is this hoverboard by Swagtron. It is a bit safer than the hover boards you might traditionally think about- the ones that literally float off the ground- because this one has actual wheels on it. It requires a bit of balance and some practice to get used to it while it’s moving, but once Lexi got the hang of it she didn’t want to get off!
The hoverboard can go up to 7 MPH (which doesn’t seem fast but is a pretty good speed!) and go up to 4.8 miles on a single charge. Kids will have so much fun riding this around the block and although it is carrying you around, it require a bit of core work to keep yourself balanced on it. If you want to turn you just lean a bit in either direction.
Swagtron not only has hoverboards but it also has e-bikes and e-scooters which are electric powered bikes and scooters. Both are fun for the whole family, so if you’ll looking to put a little more power into your Christmas this is one way to do it!
Stomp Rocket
Stomp Rocket is a super fun outdoor game that not only gets us outside (which in Florida we can do year-round!) but also gets us moving. The basic concept is that a child steps, stomps, or jumps on an air balloon that causes the rocket at the top to launch into the air. Kids (and let’s be honest, adults too) love seeing how high they can make their rocket fly into the sky.
There are several different versions of Stomp Rocket including a big kid version or a dualing version, but the Stomp Rocket Junior seems to fit Lexi for now. The rockets can launch up to 100 feet, which is pretty high especially for the younger crowd. It’s a fun, easy game that doesn’t require a ton of set up and is enjoyable for the whole family.
Bath Bombs from Fizzy Magic
Name a kid who doesn’t love bath bombs. Combine bath bombs with a hidden surprise toy like the ones from Fizzy Magic and you have a full proof formula. For us, it is usually a struggle to ONLY use one bath bomb per bathtime and involves a lot of “NO, honey, you can only have one.”
The bath bombs from Fizzy Magic are your normal bath bomb, supercharged with amazing smell that kids love. However, once it is done disintegrating, there is an animal suprise within it. Each bomb has a clue on it as to what it might be, so the kids have to guess and then see the answer for themselves. The resulting color of the water is a bonus. Let me just say if your kid ever resists baths, this would fix it in a second.
Twisty Petz from Spin Master
Twisty Petz are a cute little toy that are just fun. They aren’t super educational but they are something that Lexi loves to collect. There are several different characters of Twisty Petz including a cute little mouse, a kangaroo, and a unicorn to name a few. But these aren’t just regular little toys. Each Twisty Petz can be turned and twisted to be made into a bracelet, and then twisted back again into it’s animal shape. You can even connect a couple to make an animal necklace.
Lexi loves creating the animal necklaces and bracelets. Like I mentioned before, she’s asked several times for a unicorn and kitty bracelet, and Twisty Petz fits the bill! They are bright, colorful, sparkly, and fun- just what a 6 year old girl wants!
Pikmi Pop from Moose Toys
You have probably seen these lollipop looking toys on the side aisles at Target and wondered what they were. These fun surprise toys are filled with little animals, stickers, and tiny little toys that are fun to collect. There are 45 different plush toys in the entire Pikmi collection, so your child will have fun trying to collect them all (but your wallet might not love it).
Lexi always loves to see what is going to be in one of the Pikmi Pops. Each one is a surprise so for Christmas it’s like unwrapping two gifts in one! There are different sized Pikmi Pops so you can get one for under the tree or a smaller one for a stocking stuffer. Either way, your kids will not only love unwrapping it but also opening the toy itself!
Treasure X from Moose Toys
What little kid doesn’t like pirate treasure? Treasure X is another fun surprise toy that is like opening several presents after they unwrap the Christmas wrapping. Each Treasure X box has several treasure boxes that your child works to dig out and open, brainstorming and finding a way to discover a way to get to the last hidden surprise inside several chests, revealing several gold-dipped surprises inside. It is a collectible, so your child will have a great time seeing if they got a new piece to their collection.
This was very exciting for Lexi to work with and discover. She loves scavenger and treasure hunts or anything that requires a solution, and worked on it patiently. I love it because it gave me some time to get my own stuff done whole she was busy digging and figuring things out! Either way, it is a perfect gift for the holiday season for the little adventurer in your life!
Oonie from Moose Toys
Oonie is another craft toy that Lexi just loves. After all, what kid doesn’t love balloon art? With this toy they can create their own balloon animals. The inflator machine inflates colored balloons, and then your child can stick them together to create an animal or design of their own.
Oonie’s can be designed by your child or they can be crafted using their pre-made sets. They have different themes like Pet Scene, Ocean Adventure, Jungle Wildlife, and Monster Machine.I love the sets because it gives Lexi an opportunity to read and follow directions as she creates her Oonie. But I also love seeing what she comes up with on her own!
Little Live Pets from Moose Toys
If you haven’t seen or been begged to to buy a Little Live Pet, then you must not have stepped into a Target in the past year. Little Live Pets are cute animals that make noise and interact with your child. There is almost every possible animal you can think of in the Little Live Pets collection including birds, dogs, kittens, unicorns, and even dragons.
Each pet often has several interactions and some can even react to certain words or repeat what your child is saying. They sometimes come with their own cage or living space, making it a fun and imaginative toy that your child can take with them on their own adventures. They are super sweet looking and often come in bright colors, making them perfect for kids ages 5 to 9. Lexi has a kitty of Little Live Pets and carries her everywhere!
Snowballs
Living in Florida, we don’t get to play in the snow very often, but what Christmas and winter is complete without a snowball fight. All kids love to play with snowballs, but it’s also wet and messy. Snowtime Anytime snowballs solved that problem with very realistic looking and feeling snowballs that won’t hurt when they hit you straight in the face.
A bucket of snowballs is enough for two people have a fun fight, create walls of furniture, like Lexi and I did, and battle away. Perfect Christmas day activity, too!
Sands Alive
I have been a huge fan of kinetic sand since the day it started appearing on the market. We both love how it feels and it’s so easy to build castles with this particular set as it comes with carving tools and a stencil that makes a brick or stone pattern on the walls. We are yet to create a full blown castle, but maybe now after our trip to Hogwarts, we will make one out of SandsAlive.
Christmas is such a fun time of year, not only for kids but for the parents, too. We always love watching Lexi’s face light up at the sight of the to she has been asking for or when she discovers something new. It is fun as a parent to watch her taste in toys change and evolve, all while watching her stick to the same things she loves (like animals!). Hopefully this gift guide gives you some ideas for your own children this holiday season. Happy shopping and Merry Christmas!
2 comments
I was surprised to see a toy recommendation that has a Prop 65 warning on Amazon (Jooki).
Sheryl,
I believe it’s inside, not exposed, but I will check on that, thank you!