2012 Holiday Gift Guide–Gifts for Kids

Some of our favorite things…

Magazines

Magazines are a great gift for kids who have everything and for gift-givers who don’t live nearby. There are so many options out there, it’s easy to find just the right magazine to match the kid on your list. Here are some of our favorites:

Ask Magazine

Do you have one of those kids who wants to know how everything works? Ask Magazine from Cricket focuses on science for kids ages 6-9, with some math, engineering, and technology content, as well. It is more appropriate for kids on the high end of that age range (and even slightly older) and for kids who have shown a strong interest in these areas. Some of the concepts are advanced for young kids. It has a wonderful mix of articles, games, puzzles, and comics, making it a great read. Each issue focuses around a particular theme, such as dinosaurs, global warming, cats, and colors. Ask Magazine retails for $44.55 for 9 issues, but is easily found for less.

Ranger Rick or Ranger Rick Jr

For kids that love animals and the great outdoors,  Ranger Rick from the National Wildlife Foundation is a wonderful option. They also have magazines for even younger kids. We’ve also had a subscription to Your Big Backyard which is very cute.  Ranger Rick officially retails for $39.95 for 10 issues, but you should be able to find it for much less.

ChopChop Magazine

Experts say that one of the best ways to get kids to try new foods is to engage them in the prep. ChopChop invites families and kids to cook together with kid-friendly recipes, fitness challenges, and more. A one year subscription is 4 issues and just $14.95.

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Books

LeapFrog Tag Interactive Human Body Discovery Pack

While not technically a book, the Human Body Discovery Pack can help kids learn about body parts, body systems, healthy living and more. It uses the LeapFrog Tag Reader to make learning fun and engage kids in games and activities. It’s a great way to talk with kids about their bodies and how they work. The LeapFrog Tag Interactive Human Body Discovery Pack retails for $19.99 and is aimed at kids ages 4-8.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? and How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?

This favorite series tackles the holidays with these clever explorations of popular traditions from Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. Whether your dinosaur sneaks out of bed to open presents under the tree or blows out the menorah candles when no one is looking, you’ll want to remind them of the best behavior to display with one of these fun tales. How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? and How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? retail for $16.99.

Toys

2012 Hess Truck Helicopter and Rescue Vehicle

This year we received our first Hess vehicle. I’m not sure what we were waiting for, but we’ll be on the lookout for the 2013 vehicle!  This year’s model is a helicopter with a rescue vehicle inside. The rotors spin, lights come on, and realistic sounds accompany your imaginative play. The quality is excellent and it was so much fun to see the kids’ eyes light up when they opened the package. Double bonus? It comes with batteries.

HexBug Warriors

We reviewed HexBug warriors last month and Bug did a cute video of a battle. These are at a great price point for giving to friends’ kids, and are the kind of toys that kids can always have more of. That’s a win-win for me! The HexBug Warriors Battle Stadium (a great starter set) retails for $29.99.

Pinypon

I was admittedly a bit skeptical about these little dolls, but it turns out they’re pretty cute. These fashionable, but chunky dolls have interchangeable hair, faces, bodies, and legs, as well as an array of tiny accessories. They are a good size for preschool hands (older girls will like collecting them, too), although the tiniest hair pieces and flowers might cause a bit of trouble. What I love is that the clothes are attached to the bodies, so you swap out body parts to change outfits. So much friendlier for those with developing find motor skills. Pinypon are oh-so-girly, but chances are your younger boys will want to play with them, too.

Crafts

Sandzini

We’re big craft fans around here, so I was excited to see how my kids took to Sandzini. We all agreed that it was fun to work with (it’s like a glittery dough), but that it feels really weird. It’s kind of cold and wet. By way of disclosure, we were disappointed that our kit didn’t have more instructions on making the cool stuff on the package, but when we got over that, we all had a good time with it. And we let our pieces dry, resulting in sandy-glittery sculptures. One of these kits might just be a life-saver over the holiday break!

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Other

Little Passports

Little Passports is a subscription service for kids ages 5-12. Each month kids get a “care package” from characters Sofia and Sam. In the World Edition of Little Passports, Sofia and Sam teach kids about the language, culture, history and geography of a different country. Objects might include a map, a postcard of a local landmark, a craft, or small object. In the brand new USA Edition, Sofia and Sam visit two states each month with plenty of activities for learning about those states. Both services include access to an online area where kids can extend their learning. For kids who are intrigued by travel and other cultures, this is a great way to give a gift they can enjoy for months, or even years. Subscriptions start at $10.95 a month.

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Need more gift ideas? Check out our gift guides at Quirky-Tech.com.

Disclosure: We received review samples of most of these items. There was no promise of a positive review or inclusion in our gift guide. The opinions contained in this post are my own unless otherwise specified. This post contains affiliate links.

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