Today’s gift guide is my second one geared toward the little ones (you can check out my Mattel-focused one here – that giveaway closes tomorrow). I used to be hesitant to do a kid’s gift guide because I’m not a mom and there are plenty of parent bloggers out there that ace their kid gift guides each year. But I am shopping for more and more babies and kids each year, and ultimately I see a lot of cool ideas that I want to share with you. These, like most of my blogs, don’t necessarily cover the ‘must-have’ toys of the year (although there are plenty of those in here in my opinion), but it does cover a diverse range of ideas you may have never heard of. So go ahead, be the cool parent / aunt / uncle / sibling / friend / grandparent that surprises a child with a gift beyond their imagination. They’ll love it.
Ubooly – App (Free) + $29.99 – $59.99 or on Amazon.ca
I’m going to borrow a quote from another review of Ubooly and tell you that this interactive toy is pretty much the 21st century answer to Teddy Ruxpin…only way cooler. Like Teddy, Ubooly is an interactive cuddly toy that encourages your child to dream big, tap into their imagination, and learn a few things while they’re at it. You can download the Ubooly app for free from the App Store and the Google Play store for your phone or your tablet. Then, you can purchase a Ubooly Smart Toy to both protect your device and turn it into a furry friend that your kid will love to play and snuggle with. Ubooly is designed to interact with your child, greeting them by name, and giving them the option to hear a joke, go on an adventure, and more. Unlike most games downloaded from the app store, Ubooly is not passive. Kids are encouraged to get up and ‘explore’, with their Ubooly pal guiding them and throwing educational factoids at them. And, new activities are introduced on a weekly basis so your kid will never get bored (sorry Teddy Ruxpin). If you’ve got two kids and they both have a Ubooly, their toys will even interact with each other. It’s a great way to make use of an old smartphone or tablet if you’re upgrading this year – and a cool toy that’s super transportable and always enjoyable.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Deluxe 50th Anniversary Edition – $14.99
If classic Christmas is more your style, then this keepsake version of the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer fable is a must-have. Believe it or not, it’s been 50 years since the classic claymation version of the story was brought to life on television, and has since been cemented as a holiday classic, in the same league as Miracle on 34th Street and Frosty The Snowman. This beautiful gift book features full-colour illustrations and a fun, read-along version of the story that’s perfect for tucking the kids into bed before Santa’s arrival. The price makes it a great choice if say, you’re shopping for a good friend’s little one, or you’ve got a dozen nieces and nephews to buy for and a tight budget to stick with.
Lip Smacker Disney Frozen Lip Balm Collection Tin – $11 @ Well.ca
Shopping for a Frozen fanatic? This affordable little tin of sugary sweet lip balms from Lip Smackers is an awesome, affordable pick. Growing up, I lovedddd Lip Smackers and I’m sure kids today are still using their glittery, fruity balms as an entre into the grown-up world. But this collection still preserves that childlike innocence with its Frozen-bedecked tubes of gloss, and the charming ‘Best Flavour Forever’ tagline. Trust me – whatever little girl unwraps this will be the envy of her classmates once she gets back to school and whips out an Elsa, Olaf, or Anna lip balm. And bonus points for preventing those seemingly inevitable chapped lips this winter!
ChordBuddy Jr. – $169.95
You might have the next Taylor Swift or Jimmy Page in your family and not even know it – until you hand over the ChordBuddy Jr. This innovative kit includes a kid-sized, high quality guitar that’s suitable for tots as young as 4, as well as ChordBuddy’s signature guitar learning device, an instructional DVD, and a songbook. Within minutes, your kids will be able to strum familiar tunes – and get a feel as to whether the strings sing to them. Note that while this is not a ‘toy’ (i.e. like the $20 mini guitars you’ll find on the shelves of a toy store) it is still tons of fun. ChordBuddy has won all kinds of official accolades and parental approval because of its easy, approachable way to learning to play the guitar (including for adults!) It’s available through the ChordBuddy website, but many independent music stores in Canada carry it, as well as Mastermind Toys. It’s a perfect choice for that budding musical prodigy in your household.
Babibu Baby Clothing – From $10
As I mentioned, I am shopping for lots of kids these days – but it may be more accurate to say babies. In my perusal of gift ideas, I’ve fallen in love with the logic behind bamboo clothing for infants (and for that matter, adults) – and that’s exactly what Babibu’s clothing for 0-24-month-olds is all about. Bamboo is a sustainable, breathable fabric that’ll keep your tot warm in the winter and cool in the summer (just two less reasons for them to fuss). With antimicrobial properties, it also keeps baby smelling fresh and doesn’t irritate their sensitive skin. And with a similar texture to cotton, its durable yet flexible enough to be suitable for daytime, bedtime, and every time in between. Babibu’s lineup of cuddly bamboo baby wear includes everything from mittens, booties and hats, to full-on onesies, nightgowns, separates, and ‘loungies’ (aka a matching top and bottom) – all rendered in a rainbow of basic colours that are perfectly gender neutral if you’re shopping for a baby-on-the-way. I’ve highlighted some of their more ‘festive’ picks above, but bookmark Babibu (which makes all of their clothes right here in Canada!) for future gifting – healthy, comfortable clothing for little ones really never goes out of style!
Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Rocket Raccoon Action Mask – $24.99 @ Toys “R” Us, Walmart, Target, Real Canadian Superstore
If your child flipped for Guardians of the Galaxy this summer – especially Bradley Cooper’s salty Rocket Raccoon – then this one is a total no-brainer. This adjustable, interactive mask fits snugly around your child’s head and allows them to get in touch with their inner raccoon (or fine, Guardian). By moving their jaw, the entire mask actually moves too – Rocket’s mouth opens and closes, his eyebrows go up and down, and his ears go back and forth. It’s definitely one of the coolest pieces of merch from the hit film – and one that should inspire hours of imaginative play. Alas parents, it likely won’t fit on your head – so you’ll just have to impersonate Chris Pratt’s Star Lord in an all-out family play session.
Magformers Sets – From $14.99
There have been many building toys released over the years – from LEGO to Playmobil to Lincoln Logs and beyond – but I don’t think any of them are quite as sophisticated as Magformers. These unique magnetic tiles come in a range of shapes and colours, and can be easily connected and disconnected to create pretty infinite and imaginative worlds. What I like best – apart from the limitless possibilities for play – is the SCALE in which you can build. I’ve seen Magformers creations that are several feet high and still plenty sturdy, and even the image above demonstrates the scope of worldbuilding your child can do. Magformers are generally sold in sets with broad themes and features – you can now even buy sets with nifty mechanical or light-up features – but they can easily be combined to create a skyscraper, village, bridge – you name it. It’s a great way to teach kids a range of spatial thinking and math skills, while still giving them plenty of playtime enjoyment. As a heads up, the Magformers site does not ship to Canada, but they’re a good source for inspiration and to see the full line. You can easily buy them at Indigo, Mastermind Toys, and Amazon.ca.
Nerd Block Jr. Subscription – $13.99 / month
I talked about the adult version of Nerd Block the other week – but did you know there’s also a cute and cuddly kid-friendly version? To recap, Nerd Block is a super unique Canadian subscription service organized by curated by Joe Nerds, a Whitby, Ontario retailer that trades in quirky, geeky, pop culture-laden toys and collectibles. For a nominal fee, each month you’ll get a box delivered right to your kid’s doorstep that’s laden with snuggly plushies, figurines, trading cards, tattoos, stickers and more – all inspired by their favourite TV shows, video games, movies and more. You can choose from either a boy or girl-oriented box, with fun brands like Disney Princess, My Little Pony, Pokemon, and Star Wars. The only challenge? Keeping your paws off your kids’ awesome monthly haul of loot!
My Life Story 100-Year Journal – $60 @ Suck UK
Keeping a diary is a classic rite of passage for many little girls – but this journal is so much more than that. First of all, it’s designed to span 100 years of your life (if you are so lucky to live for that length of time). Given that timeline, it’s an ideal gift for kids so they can start jotting down their innocent thoughts and startling observations and new understandings of the world around them. In fact, it can be used as a learning tool as parents can help fill in the early years for their kids, and then let their little one begin taking over entries of their own – filling the with photographs, sketches, scribbles, and notes. Eventually they’ll have the keepsake of a lifetime!
Money Savvy Generation Piggy Bank – $25.50 @ Sprigs & Twigs
The piggy bank gets a new lease on life with this intelligent gift idea. As you can see from the outside of Mr. Pig’s body, there are four chambers in this innovative bank – one to ‘Save’ for a long-term purchase, one to ‘Spend’ on fun little day-to-days, one to ‘Donate’ to a worthy cause, and one to ‘Invest’, which you can choose to place into something like a GIC or RESP in the name of your child. The four chambers are accessible through each of the pig’s feet. Essentially, this piggy bank gives you a chance to talk to your kids about money from an early age, and allow them to distribute their earned and gifted coins and dollars based on whatever they’re interested in (although parents, you’ve got to do some work to illustrate why all four of these types of money behaviours are important). The Money Savvy Generation Piggy Bank also comes with goal-setting stickers so you can keep tabs on how your child is choosing to use their funds, making this an ongoing, interactive way to educate them about spending and saving. The bank is available at Sprigs in blue (pictured above), green, and opaque platinum, making this a perfect gift that’ll truly last a lifetime (at least in knowledge).
Sleepy Owl Baby Gift Box – $59
Some people don’t see a ton of point in buying babies gifts – my rationale is, you’re really actually buying something for the parents. In this case, Sleepy Owl is a Canadian natural brand with products specifically formulated to soothe the sensitive skin of infants, including common conditions like cradle cap, diaper rash and eczema. The line consists of five products that’ll seamlessly take you from bath time to sleep time, with organic essential oils and known calming ingredients like chamomile and calendula. I particularly love the adorable gift box pictured above as a great way to outfit a mom-to-be or new mommies’ bath and body care kit for their infant, but the products are available a la carte through the Sleepy Owl website or at tons of indie baby boutiques across Canada.
DohVinci Style & Store Vanity Kit – $24.99 @ Toys “R” Us, Walmart, Target, and Real Canadian Superstore
If you remember playing with puffy paint in the 90s, then you’ll get a kick out of this updated version of that concept – one that also taps into the world of 3D printing. DohVinci is a cool lineup of girl-oriented toys that allow your kid to tap into their creative side and customize their toy to their heart’s content. All you have to do is insert one of the ‘Deco Pop’ paints into the included Styler, and push the paint out to create the designs of your choice. The cool thing here is if your child makes a mistake, they can simply wipe it away and try again. There’s a special brush tip and a design tip as well to give them more design choices. The paint hardens overnight, and all of the kits have a practical, long-term purpose after the arts and crafts are done. The vanity pictured above includes a mirror and a drawer, so they can stash lip gloss, jewelry, and other trinkets while admiring themselves in their new creation. Other kits include pieces of wall art, a picture frame, and a memory board, so if she loves one, you’ve got plenty of gifts to tap into down the road.
The Chair by the Side of the Road by Adrian Hawaleshka – $29.99
I don’t write a children’s book gift guide, but if I did, this sweet tale would definitely be on it. Written by Manitoba author Adrian Hawaleshka, the book is inspired by a real-life landmark outside of Gimli, MB, a massive chair that inspired Hawaleshka’s nephew to ask who does sit in that chair? In this charming tale about being different and not fitting the norm, our protagonist is Luka, a boy who grows twice as big as the previous year to the point where the villagers in his community become afraid of him, somewhat exiling him to a giant home deep in the woods and a massive chair that sits all by its lonesome by the side of the road. Luka is sad, until one day – as the cover illustrates – an equally large dog appears and helps Luka redefine what it means to stand out and the idea of acceptance. It’s a cute tale with lovely illustrations that, like all good children’s books, also delivers an important message. A great pick for any young readers, particularly those familiar with the infamous giant chair.
Card Trick Set – $34.99 @ Winners
Encourage the next Copperfield or Blaine in your household with this crafty collection of card tricks designed for all ages (or at least from as young as four years old). This super cool gift set includes everything your kid will need to master 10 amazing card tricks – from reading minds to pulling cards out of a deck -as well as a detailed instruction booklet that’ll help them astound everyone by the time Christmas dinner rolls around. It’s an awesome and unexpected pick for any budding magician in the family, and works perfectly well for boys or girls (or even adults). Once they get the hang of card tricks, you’ll also have a go-to idea for their birthday and other gifting occasions.
GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine – $34.99
You’ll notice as I’ve written this post I’ve referenced a lot of famous folks – that’s because some of today’s best toys tie back into developing your kids’ long-term interests. GoldieBlox is a super smart series of toys that encourages girls to take a real interest in typically guy-dominated fields like science, technology, engineering and math (‘STEM’ as its known), while tapping into their creative and problem-solving sides. Each of the toys are compatible with the others, but can also be used independently. The more kits you have, the more areas of Goldie’s world you’re exposed to (along with her equally intelligent friends). One of their latest innovations is GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine, which as per my famous people mention, may help a budding Kathryn Bigelow or Sofia Coppola enhance her skills. The kit comes with a storybook that explains how a film festival is in danger of being canceled – unless Goldie (and your child) can save the day! From there, your kids will work with new characters in the series (Valentina Voltz and Li Gravity) to learn about animation and movie-making while building a zoetrope; a pre-cinema animation device. Once their creation is ready, they can invite everyone to check out their finished film – then start all over again. The kit also ties into a free app on the App Store, for even more movie-making fun. You can use Goldieblox’s store locator to track down your nearest Canadian outlet – a quick search in my area pulled up dozens upon dozens of locations!
There you have it. I’m pretty happy with this round-up of gifts that range from the unexpected to the clever to the fun to the creative. I hope you’ll find some inspiration from it as you shop for whatever little ones you’re gifting to this Christmas. And I’ve got a prettttty awesome $540+ prize package for kids to give away! If you win, you’ll be nabbing:
- Your choice of a Ubooly Smartphone or Tablet Toy
– A copy of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
– A ChordBuddy Jr. set
– A set of Babibu ‘Loungies’
– A Magformers Classic 30-Piece Set
– A one-month subscription to Nerd Block Jr.
– A Money Savvy Generation Piggy Bank
– $80 worth of Sleepy Owl products
– A DohVinci Style & Store Vanity Kit
– A copy of The Chair By The Side Of The Road
- A GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine Kit
Here’s how to enter for your shot at winning:
1) Drop me a comment by December 10, telling me which of these gift ideas for babies and kids you love the most (feel free to highlight as many as you’d like).
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around December 11, 2014 to select the winner(s), who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.
4) Bonus Entry: There are quite a few bonus entries to be had. Go for all of them, go for one of them, go for none of them – it’s up to you. Whatever you choose, be sure to leave each bonus entry in a separate comment below.
Ubooly is on Twitter. Follow ‘em, send out a tweet about this post / giveaway that also tags me (@cdngifguide). Link back to your Tweet in a separate comment below.
Raincoast Books (the distributor of Rudolph) is on Twitter. Follow them, send out a tweet about this post / giveaway that also tags me (@cdngifguide). Link back to your Tweet in a separate comment below.
ChordBuddy is on Facebook. Like them, leave a wall post about why you’re interested in their products, and link back to that wall post in a separate comment below.
Babibu is on Facebook. Like them, leave a wall post about why you’re interested in their clothing, and link back to that wall post in a separate comment below.
Magformers is on Facebook. Like them, leave a wall post about which set you’re most keen on trying, and link back to that wall post in a separate comment below.
Nerd Block Jr is on Facebook. Like them, leave a wall post about which Nerd Block Jr. you’d want, and link back to that wall post in a separate comment below.
Pin The Money Savvy Generation Piggy Bank to Pinterest. Leave a link to your Pin in a separate comment below.
Sleepy Owl is on Twitter. Follow them and tag both of us @cdngiftguide) in a Tweet that links back to this post. Leave a link to your Tweet in a separate comment below.
Tweet Using The Hashtag #dohvinci with a link back to this post (and tag me @cdngiftguide!) Then link back to your Tweet in a comment below.
Add The Chair By The Side of The Road to Your Goodreads ‘To-Read’ List. Link back to you to-read list in the comments below.
GoldieBlox has a new video up on YouTube. View it, share it on Facebook (or your preferred social medium) and link back to your shared post in a separate comment below.
