If you’re looking for awesome road trip activities for kids of all ages, you’ll love this extensive list of ideas! There’s something here for everyone, but do also check out my ideas for airplane activities for kids, because there’s lots of overlap. This post contains affiliate links and gifted product.

Summer travel season is upon us and so it’s time for road trips! To help you emerge from this season with your sanity intact, I curated a collection of awesome road trip activities for kids of all ages.

To make it easier for you to read through this, I did separate it by age group with a big caveat: there’s so much overlap, you might want to just read through it all anyway!

What makes awesome road trip activities for kids?

Things we look out for

There are a few things that I look out for when choosing what to bring in the car with me to keep the kids busy

• Compact – We often travel with lots of luggage. In fact, since we have a minivan and only have four kids, we often put down two back seats to make space for luggage. We also travel with lots of food since Kosher and food allergies make it hard to eat out. So any activities need to be slim enough to be kept in one or two bags or baskets at the kids’ feet, or in the diaper bag.
• Neat – Obviously, you don’t want kids wrecking the car TOO much, though I’d say the bar for neatness in a car is a bit lower than on a plane. I do share some neat-ish activities that are just practical options for road trips.
• Self-contained – On that note, things that are self-contained and easy to play with without a solid surface score relatively high. Too many loose parts that can go flying off the second you hit a bump can ruin the experience. While you’re more likely to recover dropped pieces eventually, you want something that’ll work even if one or two pieces drop, or that minimizes dropping to begin with.
• Highly Entertaining – Of course since real estate in the car is limited and there is so much time to fill, we look for things that can really entertain. Generally speaking, the size-to-entertainment value ratio is important. Meaning, smaller items can be slightly less time-filling but the larger (but still pretty compact) items on the list MUST truly entertain.

This list has a mix of activities and toys. In general, bringing out fresh things that the kids haven’t played with yet keeps them busier. Think about how long they usually play with something the first time. New items go a long way.

The road trip activities in this list come in a broad range of price points, so you can choose what best fits your budget. If it’s a higher ticket item and it’s in this list it’s because it’ll really go far – and will probably stay fun and exciting for many trips.

Choose from single investment toys, bundled smaller activities, or a mix of both.

Ready for some actual awesome ideas for road trip activities for kids?

Watch the video

As an experiment, I decided to try something new: I created a video version of this list of awesome road trip activities for kids. In the video, I walk and talk you through some of the items in this list – but not all. You’ll find links to the products in this post and some in the video description – so choose your format, or check them both out.

Awesome road trip activities for kids by age

I decided to sort this list by age group, simply because that’s how people tend to search for ideas.

But here’s a quick tip: look for ideas in other groups as well because there’s lots of crossover between them. I just did my suggestions based on a mix of age-appropriateness of the product and appeal, specifically in the car setting.

Travel Activities for All Age Groups

These picks really cover a very broad range of ages with equal or near-equal appeal. Some of them do include choking hazards and aren’t for kids under 3.

Boppo Screen Free Tablet

A screen free tablet? Yes, please! Boppo is a new concept that I first got to try at Toy Fair and I fell in love with it! It is surprisingly engaging for something without a screen, and my kids think it’s epic too – which is what really matters.

It’s got over 40 activities, including arcade games, podcasts, audiobooks, exploration activities like musical instruments, trivia and so much more. And the best part? It’s got things for toddlers through tweens! Really anyone can enjoy it, as I did.

Games like bop-a-mole have you chasing the lights, memory games have you following sequences, musical games have you playing piano and drums… it’s amazing how much you can do without a screen!

And go ahead and get the full bundle that includes three Toppos – that is, functional skins. These toppers add more games to the mix in specific themes: farm animals, outer space, and music.

Boogie Board Jot Pocket

Boogie Board is one that you might see in lots of travel guides and for good reason. These LCD writing tablets keep the kids so busy! But did you know that they make a carabiner version too?

This is slim, compact, and very entertaining in a soothing way. It’s fabulous for ages 3 through adult (yes, I enjoy it too) thanks to the high quality stylus and the complete erase at the push of a button.

Hand2Mind Soothing Swirlers Sensory Tubes

Sometimes kids can get anxious during road trips, and Hand2Mind’s mini sensory swirlers are the most charming little calm-down tools. They can clip onto backpacks, and are a cool toy for kids to just have and hold, rather than an activity that you pass back when they get bored.

It comes in a 4-pack, which just makes it feel like it was created for a family like ours. Each one is a bit different, and it’s just perfect for siblings to share.

Ideas for Toddlers

Toddlers are a challenge in the car especially when they rear face. But their standards are also pretty low, and they can get excited with anything new you pull out. Especially if your kid does not have an adult sitting next to them, be very careful to avoid small parts on road trips.

Glo Pals Light-Up Library

When it comes to toddler road trip activities, books are a bit of a challenge. While they can look at the pictures, they can’t quite read it to themselves, and unless a parent is sitting next to them, they might miss out on being read to.

But the Glo Pals Light Up Library flips that on its head. It features a little “magnifying glass” that allows kids to discover the lights hidden in the book set. This discovery aspect, as well as the fact that kids LOVE magnifying glasses and anything that lights up, turns it into a self-entertaining toy for littles.

Plus, you now have books to pull out to read in your hotel room too! J loves reading these books, and the themes appeal directly to his interests.

Jelly Blocks – Squishy Building Blocks

I first learned about Jelly Blocks at a toy show, and I thought they were pretty cool – but my kids showed me just how cool they are! These soft building blocks are squishy and bendy, and some of them are even filled with sensory fillers! They feature the same open-ended, creative play as simple building blocks, but with that added appeal for older kids.

Everyone in the family – from my two year old through my twelve enjoy playing with Jelly Blox. They make many different set configurations but the one we really like for travel is the Stack ‘n Stash storage box. The bottom of the lid doubles as a build plate, making it easy for kids to build on their laps in the car. It’s definitely a larger toy, so if you’re short on space, you can remove it from the packaging, stack the blocks, and stick them in a pencil case.

Choose from basic kits in different size configurations or ones with special pieces, like the Vroom! truck kit.

Wishy Washy Water Reveal

Water painting books are a big hit for travel, and this version really is quite different from the ones I’ve seen before. Wishy Washy Water Reveal is a modernized version that features calm colors and avoids overstimulation.

It focuses on color learning, with each page highlighting another color. Kids paint it with water using the enclosed water brush, and then it air dries. It can be repainted again and again, and the brush stores right within the book. The cover has a magnetic closure.

Travel Do a Dot Pages

Do a dots are a really fun way to entertain kids on the road, and this travel themed set was actually created by me for my own kids! Make sure you bring along a travel clip board with storage so that it turns into a functional road trip activity for them.

Road Trip Activities for Preschoolers – ages 3-6

The preschool age group is a bit of an easier one to find awesome road trip activities for. They are often old enough that they won’t put things in their mouths, and can do a bit more than toddlers.

Mudpuppy Space Bingo Magnetic Board Game

A and J have been very into outer space lately, and I find that appealing to their interests with road trip activities really keeps them quite engaged. This Bingo game is perfect for the two of them to share.

The game play is so simple, and A picked up on it in minutes. Just spin the spinner, and mark off the spot on your board that corresponds. Take turns spinning the dial and see who can get a row first. But if you get the minus one, you need to remove a marker.

The game is graded for four and up, and it’s quite accurate. A three-year-old like J with decent social skills can play too, but with a bit more hand-holding.

World’s Smallest – 1. Scratch Art Light Box

World’s Smallest is a line of miniature but fully functional toys made by Super Impulse. Pretty much all of their toys are really cool for travel, but I’m sharing two favorites creative toys here.

First up is the scratch art light box. A pull-out drawer has a stylus and scratch art sheets. Place it on top, make your art, and then press the button on the side ot light it up.

The kit is so small it just fits right in the palm of my hand. It’s something I like to keep in my handbag for “boredom emergencies” in general and it’s perfect for road trips.

World’s Smallest You Create Artist Drawing Kit

Next up from World’s Smallest is this tiny little drawing kit. It has six working colored pencils, an eraser, sharpener, and sheets of paper.

Kids don’t just enjoy the activities. They also really get a kick out of the miniature charm of it all.

Fun Ideas for School age kids – 7-10

As kids get older, entertaining them without screens gets harder. But it’s not impossible at all! Look for things that suit their interests, that mirror what they play with at home in travel size, and that is fresh and new.

Connetix Pro Constructor Set

My kids are kind of obsessed with Connetix, the aesthetic building blocks from Australia with the faceted surface. One of their newer lines, targeted towards older kids is Connetix Pro. My two big boys absolutely love this one and feel like finally someone made a magnetic tile that is created for them.

There are two reasons these are such a big score for travel. Besides for being an incredibly engaging building toy, they also feature stronger magnets, making them easier to build on-the-go, in my kids’ hands, without falling apart. And the smaller tile size doesn’t hurt either!

I like to repackage things like these into little pouches so that they’re more compact, and from there the kids can play endlessly.

Make it Real City Style Fashion Design Sketchbook

Make it Real is a brand from my childhood dreams. Their fashion design sketchbooks are full of creative inspiration for aspiring fashionistas. For any type of travel, we love the City Style version because of the cool globetrotter tie-in! Of course, they do have other themes to choose from too.

The book starts off with some stencils and stickers to get imaginations going. Then, it offers drawing guidance, including color guides, shading tips, and more. Finally, you have the character pages.

Each character has a few pages, including full-color inspiration, a few wearing just an undershirt and shorts, and a few wearing a very light pencil version of full dress. Kids can spend hours and endless imagination on this.

Shashibo Shape Shifting Cubes

Here’s another toy that I first discovered at Toy Fair: Shashibo. These shape shifting cubes from Fun in Motion toys are compact single-piece toys with endless possibilities. They have magnets inside and different patterns that can be matched up to serve as a puzzle.

They have so many different series now – shown is the artist series – and they can be combined too for extended game play. M and Y have spent hours playing with these little things, for years by now, and they don’t tire of them.

They’re part fidget, part brain teaser, and all fun.

Clickeez Keychains

Clickeez keyboard fidgets are so satisfying, and another favorite for my kids! They make them in different configurations (pictured are the 2-pack and the 5-pack) and you can connect them in many different ways, adding an entertainment factor beyond the clicking.

There are two approaches we like to take when packing Clickeez for road trips: You can let them have the fun of unboxing them as they are partial blind boxes with some revealed and some mysteries in each. Or, you can connect it to their bags before the trip so they have it handy throughout.

In fact, we have a few keychain-type activities throughout this post. You can combine those together to make a big activity keyring for your kids for this road trip!

Pictured is Series 2, and Series 3 just dropped!

Gelly Roll Retractable Gel Pens

As kids get older, art supplies that don’t take up too much space become real winners. Gelly Rolls are the queens of gel pens, and their retractable (clicky) pens are perfect for travel. Because the caps don’t come off, you can’t drop them.

The Moonlight (pastel) line is new to this line, and a favorite because of how satisfying it is to use on dark paper – and the fact that it works great on light paper too! Stash them in a pencil case and bundle them with a fun notebook.

Plus Plus Packets, Critters, and Scoops

Plus Plus is another building toy that my big ones love and they actually make special small packages. While we’ve used their tubes in the past for airplane travel, I find that their new Scoops are perfect for car travel. They’re mini kits in ice-cream style tubs that allow kids to fish for pieces right in the tub.

The pieces connect and hold, which makes it buildable right in their hands. They have other small packets too, including their packets and critters, that can be used as small road trip activities and then put with the big stash of Plus Plus after the trip.

Road Trip Activities for Tweens and Teens (11 and older) that are actually cool

The older kids get, the bigger the challenge is to find awesome road trip activities. For tweens and teens, look for things that don’t appear too childish. At this age, we find ourselves really leaning into puzzles and similar activities that engage their minds, and art-type things for creatives.

At this age, you also might trust them a bit more with things that you wouldn’t give younger kids in the car. We also included some items that are also great for younger kids, but since teens are harder, wanted to highlight those that really appeal to them too.

Pocket Golf

You know an activity is highly engaging when your kids complete the whole notebook! Pocket Golf is an activity book that’s perfect for older kids. The goal, of course, is to get the ball into the hole in as few spaces as possible. The pencil doubles as a die, though there are rules that enable you to play without having to roll it.

The notepad contains three different courses, each one with 18 holes. And each notebook is unique, so if your kids really like it, you can stock up on a few and the game play will be unique in each.

The rules are pretty quick and easy to learn. Go however many spaces you roll. You want to get to the hole in as few spins as possible. If you are in a sand trap (spaces with lines on them), you need to go one less move. You can’t land in water or trees – just go over them. Trees you can only go over if you’re in fairway. You can move north, south, east, west, diagonal.

Learning Resources Scramboozle Number Jumble

Don’t you just love a toy that’s totally self-contained but is still tactile and entertaining? Learning Resource’s Scramboozle Number Jumble is a puzzle game that’s completely enclosed in a kid-hand-sized ball. Kids twist the top, tilt, and shake to match different number and pattern sequences in the included booklet.

My kids can’t get enough of single-player puzzle games, and this particular one is perfect for the car! It’s simply impossible to lose the pieces and that little thing has hours of entertainment in it.

I do like it for bigger kids (10+) for the road, just because it can be quite challenging and we want kids to stay calm in the car. It really works well for that older, harder to entertain demographic.

Bored in the USA Book

While less activity-focused and more planning-focused, Bored in the USA is a sweet pocket-sized book that gives tweens a mission on the road! When we travel, we often have pockets of time that are unplanned. Bored in the USA goes through each state and lists different attractions in a simple and visual format.

Kids can find activities they’d like to do, and spend the car ride helping to plan the road trip. And if you’re traveling through multiple states, this can really support the experience.

Moonbow Stickers and Dot Grid Journal

Moonbow is a small stationery brand that creates beautiful, artistic products. I love the idea of handing a tween or teen a mature-but-playful dot grid journal and having them start recording memories!

Combine it with travel themed (or not) stickers that they can use to aid the creative process or to tack in ticket stubs and other memories. Kids can use it to plan and journal their feelings on the way there, and then memory-keep on the way back.

A sticker album can help too as it keeps them busy organizing stickers on repositionable pages. It might be busywork but that’s what we want – to keep them busy!

Paint by Sticker Portraits

Paint by Sticker is a creative experience that doesn’t require much thought and is totally neat for on the go. The concept is simple: assemble pictures using stickers that correspond to numbers.

The pages tear out for future framing, but that’s also very practical for creating. The Portraits book will be released August 2026, so if you’re buying it before, choose one of their other options. It’s one of their more advanced books, with each page providing lots of entertainment time.

We are working on the portrait of Queen Elizabeth 1 together – M, Y, and I – and even my almost thirteen year old son is really enjoying it. I do recommend you pack along a set of tweezers to make placement a bit easier, but it is optional.

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty

You’re probably gasping “slime in the car?! No way!” But it’s not slime. It’s putty. There’s a difference.

Crazy Aaron’s creates the most epic “thinking putty” – a sensory putty that is DEFINITELY less messy than slime, because it just isn’t as slimy and slippery! Their Better Butter line is light and airy and so much fun to use. My kids love their putties and always put them to good use.

For us, putty in the car is an age thing. M and Y (12 and 10) can use it. A and J (5 and 2) may not. When kids are old enough that they are hard to entertain, they tend to also be more responsible and can handle a bit of putty in a tin. I do love that it comes in a tin, and actually like the larger tins for the car. Kids can play directly in it, avoiding mess. They do also have mini tins if you want it to be more compact, or you just want to minimize the volume of putty in the car.

Foldology Origami Puzzles

Foldology is an origami-style puzzle book, and that is quite challenging but also really cute. It works really well for older kids who have aged out of simpler activity books, and provides endless hours of compact entertainment.

The puzzles start easier and get harder as you go. Kids follow folding rules to create specific images, requiring focus, patience, and visual thinking. Because it’s a small booklet, it travels well, and because it builds in difficulty, it can stretch across multiple trips instead of getting finished in one afternoon.

For the hard-to-entertain 11-and-up crowd, this kind of activity can be a lifesaver.

More tips for finding awesome road trip activities for kids in different age groups

I truly hope that this list of ideas was more than enough and you’ve got your road trip covered! In a nutshell, things that don’t take up insane amounts of space, can be done on kids’ laps, and are interactive and challenging tend to be ideal.

For younger kids, aim for things they can truly do independently. Mix things up with sibling activities and solo activities. Make sure to choose activities that won’t make a mess, and that won’t be ruined if one piece drops. Of course, consider age appropriateness when packing awesome road trip activities for kids.

Some more pointers that I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet:

• Think of what they already love. I actively hunt down space themed activities for my space-obsessed younger two. My oldest loves STEM and my second is into art.
• Keep it new and fresh. Just offering them things they haven’t yet played with is already so helpful.
• Things that’ll surprise them. To contrast expanding on what they love, try for things they may never have heard of, new themes and new experiences (like allowing them to help plan the trip or allowing them putty in the car).

Offer a mix of things to do (like building toys, activity pads, and puzzles) and consider handing them one new larger toy that’ll make the road trip epic.

I recommend that you have activities in a large bag – or you have an extra seat a crate – organized in pencil cases and these jumbo organizing cases. Don’t rely on the packaging it comes with.

Got any awesome road trip activities for kids to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Awesome Road Trip Activities for Kids of All Ages appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

If you’re looking for Father’s Day gifts for Dad, these ideas are winning ones that’ll help solve your gift giving dilemmas for your father or father figure. You can also check out these gifts for the man who has it all. This post contains affiliate links and gifted product, but has been curated by me to be truly helpful.

Men can be hard to buy for, so with Father’s Day around the bend, I knew I had to help! I roped in the man in our house (AKA my husband) to help share some fun Father’s Day gift ideas for Dad.

To make this list, the gift had to be something my husband thought would make a cool gift, something suitable to buy as a gift for a father (spouse/father of your kids or your own father), and a good quality item.

It also was important that he think beyond his own interests, and we did include items that we feel would make cool gifts for other men in our life.

Key features of these Father’s Day gift ideas for Dad

• Curated for Quality: Every gift listed was selected for its high quality and utility, ensuring you avoid basic or flimsy items that won’t last.
• Diverse Interests: The guide covers a wide range of interests, including fashion, tech, cooking, and hobbies, making it easy to find a match for any personality.
• Practical Upgrades: For the man who has everything, consider gifting a premium version of an everyday item, such as a fountain pen or a high-end electric toothbrush.
• Focus on Sentiment: Personalized gifts like custom photo books or line art prints offer a meaningful way to celebrate his role as a father beyond material value.

20+ Cool Father’s Day Gifts for Dad

This list is so full of fun and unique finds and took many weeks to curate. I hope it’s helpful to you and you find that perfect gift!

Fashion Focused Father’s Day Gifts for Dad

Have a Dad who finds it important to look great? These fashion-focused finds are fabulous gifts. I have chosen items that are giftable, meaning they are neutral, interest-focused, and hard to get wrong.

Surfside Supply Co Frank Saltwater Terry Track Jacket 

For the Dad that likes to be comfortable but still look great, Surfside Supply Co’s Frank saltwater terry track jacket has the look of a jacket but feels like a hoodie. The full-front zip up style features pockets and a standing collar.

The vibe is relaxed but still put together, perfect for the classy man. It’s a simple sweater and easy to fall in love with, making it a fabulous Father’s Day gift for Dad.

Hat Country Nocona Brosnan Men’s Belt

A good genuine leather belt has always been a favorite men’s gift for me to give, and Hat Country has a lovely selection. The Nocona Brosnan men’s belt goes seamlessly from jeans to suit and the quality shows. Careful triple stitching shows quality workmanship and adds loads of style.

It’s crafted from a single piece of leather that makes it a long-lasting gift. It’s a fabulous fashion staple for the man who loves his belts!

Portland Leather Wallets

Since leather is such a great gift, a high quality leather wallet is a fabulous option. Portland Leather Goods’ Slimline wallet is a gorgeous choice, with RFID-blocking technology and just the right amount of pockets.

My husband likes his wallets thin and not too bulky, and this one meets that need. It’s handcrafted and durable, designed to improve with age.

Quarto Small Luxuries: Watches

My husband happens to love luxury watches, and I wish I could buy them for him. If you’re looking for a lower cost gift for a man who loves good watches, Quarto’s Small Luxuries: Watches book is spot on.

It has a gorgeous textured and foil-embossed hard cover that makes it gift-ready. The content is all about watches, including how they work, their history, collecting tips for every budget, and famous watches. It has colored photographs and is packed with information.

Hat Country Stetson Trucker Cap

This sturdy trucker hat is made by the famous western hat brand Stetson – without the full brim! The classic Trucker style snapback features an embroidered woven front patch with the Stetson buffalo motif.

As possibly the most iconic brand in American headwear, it’s cool to see these “dad hats” for fans. Classic navy goes with anything, and the mesh back allows the head to breathe.

Smaller but Cool Tech Gadgets for Men

For the Dad who loves a good gadget, you might panic at the thought of a big ticket gift. But these sweet (and significant) gadgets are at much more attainable price point than the latest smartphone, yet position themselves as luxury gifts for Dads who love a good gadget.

Radioshack Retro AM/FM Radio Bluetooth Speaker

Oh the nostalgia! For the Dad whose childhood recreation consisted of visits to Radioshack, or who enjoys a bit of nostalgia, this vintage radio and Bluetooth speaker from Radioshack is a win!

It’s fabulous for the music fan, for anyone who loves a good piece of decor. I’m not gonna lie, my husband loves it, but I might love having it around even more! It’s got that classic mid-century radio look with all the features of a radio you buy in the 2020’s. And the sound quality is amazing.

Sources include AM/FM radio, Bluetooth (play 50’s music from Spotify right to this speaker), USB, or micro SD. It’s chargeable, meaning you can move it around the house without worrying about outlet proximity, but you will need to charge it occasionally.

LeafyPod Smart Self-Watering Planter

In our house, I keep the kids alive and Dad keeps the plants alive! LeafyPod created the ultimate solution for houseplants – a smart planter. Unlike other self-watering planters, it has the data it needs to keep plants thriving. The app connects to the planter to set watering schedules and detect moisture levels in soil. We love that it waters itself, and it looks gorgeous on my dining room buffet as we try to propagate a willow branch.

The app also allows you to snap a photo of your plant and it identifies it, allowing you to learn what YOUR plant actually needs. Start with a starter kit – with the bridge, you’ll need it – and then add on planters for more plants.

Food Focused and Edible Gifts for Men

Whether he loves to cook and is the chef of the family, or just loves good food, these Father’s Day gifts for dad will be so loved! Some of these serve more as kitchen upgrades, and some come in lieu of “flowers” for Dad. They also bundle nicely so that you can choose your budget.

Elihome Cutting Boards & Knives

Any chef will tell you that good knives and boards make the food prep so much easier, so if Dad loves the kitchen, Elihome’s sets are perfect for him! Gift them separately or as a gift bundle for a cool upgrade.

Let’s start with the cutting board duo – a collab with Peanuts featuring iconic Snoopy images. These wood fiber boards are non-porous and totally dishwasher safe. You’re not going to be slicing microplastics into your food with these. They have weight to them and are solid, with a ridge to catch juices and silicone bumper pads that hold it in place.

Each cutting boards is two-sided. Each side is dedicated to a different purpose to avoid cross-contamination. The purpose is showcased with an adorable drawing of Snoopy with that food group (raw foods, cooked foods, fruit, and vegetables).

The knives come in a set that includes a paring knife, slicing knife, chef’s knife, Santoku knife, and kitchen shears. The full tang knives (the metal goes through the full handle) are much more durable. They feature non-slip ABS handles for safety and are made from premium rust-proof stainless steel. Since they come in a set, they are ready for gifting, on their own or perfectly paired with the cutting boards.

Karma Nuts Wrapped Cashews

Food gifts make for fabulous “dad flowers” and one of our favorite healthy snacks is cashews! Karma nuts make wrapped cashews – that is, with the edible skin portion of the nut still attached. The crunch is incredible!

They are air roasted so that they retain that crisp texture, with moderate seasoning that complements the natural flavor of the nut without overpowering it.

I recommend gathering a few flavors in a basket for a thoughtful presentation. Choose the no added sugar Keto pack (great for diabetics) or the standard variety pack – both pack natural protein.

Gigantic Candy Deluxe

For the Dad who prefers his snack to be a candy bar, Gigantic Candy Deluxe’s bars let the flavors shine! These make the ultimate cool dad flowers especially when bundled into a basket.

These bars offer a lower sugar content and a more mature flavor profile, making them a better choice while allowing you to actually taste the quality chocolate. And the size is perfect for that little taste of sweet that he craves.

OLIVIA Signature Olive Oil Sprayer

An olive oil sprayer is a game changer in the kitchen, allowing for healthier oils to be used for roasting, grilling, and everything in between. But not all oil sprayers are made equal. Get the wrong one and you’ll have greasy counters and cabinets (ask me how I know.)

The OLIVIA Signature advanced kitchen oil sprayer is made just right and will make his grilling and cooking neater and healthier. It comes with a lock you can leave in place for transporting it, and a well-designed leak-proof, clog-resistant nozzle. The glass bottle looks gorgeous on my counter and the ergonomic trigger is even and consistent.

Brass Monkey Googly Foods Tote

Here’s a gift for the food-loving Dad with a sense of humor: Brass Monkey’s Googly Foods tote! Punny cheese and bread one-liners are recited by the quirky food illustrations.

This is really fun for small or bundled gifting – in fact, you fill it with his favorite cheeses and breads (or the snacks above) for an even cooler Father’s Day gift for Dad!

Hobby-minded

I will always suggest that you first look to Dad’s hobbies when trying to find a gift for him – or anyone! Here are a few Father’s Day gifts for Dad that focus on hobbies and interests.

BetterMe Resolution Kit Exercise & Fitness Equipment

BetterMe’s resolution kit is a ready-to-gift fitness kit. It comes packed beautifully in a gift box, and is loaded with tools for exercise and wellness. The goal is to keep Dad on track by providing him tools that are easy to transport and work at home and on the go.

Our favorite part of the kit is the cordless jump rope. This is perfect for cardio, and features two ball ends so that Dad can work out that sweat even on the go. Built-in counters track his progress.

Also included in BetterMe’s resolution kit are small parallettes, a shaker bottle that’s perfect for mixing up protein shakes to support that workout, heavy duty power bands, workout gloves, a pill organizer with a cool carry strap that’s spacious enough for larger supplements, a sweat towel in a carry case, a waist bag, and half-crew socks.

Galison Frank Lloyd Wright Saguaro Cactus & Forms Puzzle

Whether he’s already a fan of puzzles, or will appreciate the screen-free family-bonding activity, they make fantastic hobby gifts for Dad.

This puzzle is a great pick because it’s modern and mature, but still totally playful! It’s a very challenging puzzle (we’re about a third of the way through it now) with lots of various ends and unique quirks thanks to the cool shape. And gold foil accents give it that premium feel, while maintaining an affordable price tag.

This is a work of art in the making, and every detail shows! The box even features a pull-out drawer with ribbon tab, giving it the respect it deserves.

Midland ER310PRO Emergency Radio & Power Kit

Midland’s newest version of their emergency radios is fabulous for Dads with many different hobbies – whether he’s into survivalism, enjoys hiking, camping, or anything outdoorsy. It’s not just an AM/FM emergency radio, it is also packed with so many features in one little handheld device.

First of all, its 200 hours of battery life lasts for an incredible amount of time, and it even serves as a battery pack for charging devices. It features NOAA weather alerts – it scans for the best weather station and provides severe weather alerts. You have a few different ways to power it: a solar panel, a crank charger, and for at home, USB-C connectivity.

Features like a built-in flashlight with Morse SOS and a siren in case of emergency and Bluetooth connectivity make it an all-in-one tool for the Dad who loves those trails.

Grandpa Magic Book

Grandpa Magic: 116 Easy Tricks, Amazing Brainteasers, and Simple Stunts to Wow the Grandkids is one cool gift for Dad that really caught my eye. If your Dad has a mischievous streak and likes entertaining your kids, it’ll feel like the gift was created special for him!

It’s written with the purpose of providing other grandpas with tricks up their sleeve (literally) for the grandkids. Some of them are old-but-gold tricks (like removing your thumb) and others are totally new (making a piece of paper dance).

Not only does it help Grandpa bond with the grandkids, it’ll also ensure that they won’t just say “we’re going to Grandma’s” anymore!

Practical but Better Father’s Day Gifts for Dad

So what do you get someone who is so painfully practical? I have that issue sometimes with my husband! My tip: get him something that is a “life staple” but a luxury upgraded version of it! This is a good strategy in general for a hard to shop for dad.

LAMY AL-star Fountain Pen

Premium pens make fabulous gifts, but don’t be boring about it! The LAMY AL-star pen takes an everyday item and turns it into an experience. Not only will he feel chic signing his name with a fountain pen, but he’ll love the solid weight of it in his hands.

The colorways are beautiful. It uses blue erasable ink cartridges and has a transparent grip so you can see ink levels. This is a classic timeless gift that’s practical but totally premium!

Brushmo Super Sonic Electric Toothbrush

The Super Sonic electric toothbrush is an investment into future dental health! You can feel the difference as you use it. The toothbrush gives a personalized experience so that Dad’s specific needs can be addressed. There are five brushing modes to switch between and four different heads to tackle different tooth care areas.

The brush is waterproof and has a long battery life (up to 30 days!) A built in two minute timer ensures proper brushing and as a bonus, the modern sleek design looks great in our bathroom too.

MadeOn Skin Care Beesilk Hard Lotion & More!

Hand care is a gift that is nurturing and shows care, especially for fathers who experience dry and cracking hands. Bee Silk hard lotion is something he’ll love tucking in his pocket and having where he needs it when he needs it.

The way you use it is simple: just rub it in your hands, and your natural body warmth allows some of it to transfer to and absorb into your hands. It comes in a tin that makes it easy to have handy.

To make it present well as a gift, go for one of their gift sets, or bundle it on your own with some supporting products.

Dad-centric

If you’re looking specifically to celebrate Dad’s role as a father, these gift picks feel totally giftable for him, while celebrating his position in the family – or just helping make his life easier.

Grownsy Baby Car Camera

When I was a baby, I sat next to my mother in the front center seat of our Oldsmobile Delta 88. When kids were moved to the back only, a new crazy and scary thing came into existence: forgotten baby syndrome. That is what happens (often when there is a change in routine) where even loving parents move with muscle memory and forget that they had their baby with them that day.

The Grownsy Baby Car Camera might not be a “fix” but baby visibility is an essential first step. It’s like a baby monitor for the car, with a camera fixed to the seat to watch baby, and a screen parent unit that mounts to the windshield.

This camera not only feels like a fun gadget for Dad but is frankly easier than looking in the rearview mirror. It’s a great way to support his position as father of young ones while providing a cool tool for keeping baby safe.

Dad can also keep an eye on baby while driving, ensuring that he or she is comfortable and well-positioned. Crisp day vision and great night vision offer me much less distraction while driving than standard baby mirrors.

Positive Prints Family Line Art

Family art makes for a keepsake that will be cherished for a long time. Positive Prints creates family portraits in an artsy and minimalist line art style that makes for perfect personalized gifts for men.

Depending on your budget, you can choose from different options, although I’ll always recommend you gift it framed and ready-to-hang.M ake specific requests for styling, and customize the text and color to create a keepsake that will be cherished for a long time.

This is the perfect gift for your spouse using a family photo, or to our own father showcasing your kids.

Mixbook Punny Illustrated Dad Storybook (Photo Book)

When I realized how important it was to my husband to have physical photos of our family memories, I started to gift him a photo book for every birthday.

Mixbook’s templates and intuitive software make printing photo books so much easier. Their app allows books to be made on the go, and they have AI tools, including caption generation and tone rewriting, to help get through that creative block.

I chose their punny Dad book as a gift for my husband. It was plug-and-play but is so personal and really cool. In his words – “wow, you must have worked so hard on it!” But I didn’t.

DAT Game (Do, Ask, Tell) Family Edition

DAT Game Family Edition is perfect for the Dad who loves to open up conversation, spend time together, and play games with the littles.

The way it works is: each player draws a standard playing card (included with the games is a deck of cards for this purpose) and the one with the highest card goes first. They then draw a DAT card and choose another player to complete one of three prompts on the card: a do (an action prompt), an ask (to answer a question) or a tell (another question).

Some questions are introspective, some are odd, and some are personal. It’s a fun game with casual, social gameplay that really helps families connect.

How to Choose the Best Father’s Day Gift for Dad

In case you’re still wondering what to buy Dad, I figured I’d share some general tips for choosing the best Father’s Day Gifts.

1. The things he uses but better– think of the different items he uses in his day to day life. Is it part of his morning routine? His commute to work? Get him an upgraded version – either better materials, more premium, or gimmicky and helpful.
2. The things he enjoys doing – starting with his interests can be a very helpful way to find a great gift.
3. The things he’d LIKE to do but maybe doesn’t manage to – there are so many ways to gift a new hobby or interest, to make a task easier. Gifts that will give him more bandwidth to do the things he should or wants to do are very helpful.
4. Small luxuries are one of my favorite gifts. Many Dads will be too practical to splurge on themselves, but will enjoy a little luxury.

I hope this list of unique gift ideas helps you celebrate the special men in your life. Whether you need last-minute gift ideas or have been planning for weeks, there is something here for every personality. If you are still scrambling for last-minute gift ideas, consider a digital subscription or a gift card that allows him to choose his favorite gear. Got any more tips or ideas for Father’s Day gifts for Dad? Comment below!

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I look for when buying a gift for a hard-to-shop-for dad?

Focus on his daily habits rather than just his stated hobbies. Often, the best gifts are upgraded versions of items he already uses daily, as these provide a blend of luxury and practicality that he might not buy for himself.

Are these gift ideas suitable for budgets of all sizes?

Yes, the guide includes items across several price points, ranging from under $25 for smaller treats to over $100 for more substantial gadgets and equipment. You can easily mix and match smaller items to create a thoughtful gift basket on a budget.

How can I make a practical gift feel more special for Father’s Day?

Personalization and presentation go a long way in elevating a practical gift. Consider adding a handwritten note, bundling related small items together, or choosing items that feature custom elements like family photos or personalized themes.

The post 20+ Unique & Winning Father’s Day Gifts for Dad appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I’ve been sharing different ideas from A’s second birthday party over the past couple of years, and I wanted to sum it all up in one skimmable post so that you can see it at-a-glance!

Some of these farm party ideas already have their own dedicated posts, and for some I’m sharing it for the first time. If I’ve already written about it, it’s because I felt that I had so much to share on it, that I had to go over it more thoroughly. Those I’ll go over quickly now and link to the post for further exploration if you’d like to learn more.

The ones that I haven’t yet shared, I’ll be sharing in depth.

Farm Party Ideas for Decor

When setting the scene for your farm party, you can take a few different approaches. One of those is the cow print approach, another is a general farm theme. I primarily took the first approach as you’ll see below.

Color Scheme

One of the key ways to create an atmosphere with a party is to choose a good color scheme. For our farm party, I treated black and white cow print as its own color, and complemented it with solid pink and green.

This theme was repeated throughout – with all pink and greens representing as solids, and the only black and white being the cow print.

The impact was fantastic – it was cheerful, on-theme and fun enough for a toddler. And it looked fabulous enough for the adults in the room.

Here’s a quick overview, but you can learn more about our cow party decorations here.

Room Decor

More specifically, I set things in three layers: background, foreground, and table level.

• In the background, behind the table, we had lots of balloons. I got a mix of pink and green balloons, plus cow print latex balloons, and set the stage with those. A cow pennant banner hung between the balloons.
• Over the table, I had a big number two balloon. I get a 40 inch number balloon for each birthday to use as a milestone photo prop, and use it as decor as well. We also had two mylar cow balloons hanging on either side.
• And finally, in the foreground, we kept it simple with more cow-print pennants.

Notice how in the three tiers, the background had the most. This keeps the actual space where people are mingling uncluttered while still filling the room.

Table Settings

We continued the theme on the table with a cow print tablecloth serving as a backdrop for pink and green paper goods. I also got cow print napkins but those weren’t necessary.

And as a really cool final touch, a bouquet of pink roses with green leaves made the space feel festive and feminine.

Farm Party Food Ideas

While I don’t always theme food to the party, this theme was begging for appropriate foods! We focused on keeping things in a farm fresh theme, and it was a healthy, wholesome approach.

You can read more details about our farm party food ideas here, or check out y quick overview below.

Brunch

When I throw a younger kid’s party, we usually have lots of families who stay and mingle the whole day – kids and adults. It’s more the vibe of this type of party.

For that reason, I like to serve something that feels a bit more like a meal and can actually fill people.

We did lots of farm themed foods here, including:

• Deviled eggs
• Corn salad
• Romaine-based salad loaded with veggies
• Green veggie sticks (hot house cucumbers, celery, green beans) served upright in a dish to look like grass

Drinks

Some themed drinks include chocolate milk and orange juice, and while I don’t even remember if we served those, they are a fabulous idea as part of a brunch at a farm party.

Treats

Again, treats don’t need to be themed, but cow print cookies are totally easy if you are okay with them looking very homemade. Just use black cookie icing to make black splotches on a regular cookie. Chocolate chip cookies can also do the trick.

The cake topper

As usual, instead of a birthday cake, I crafted a cake topper that’s on theme. A cow print background and pink text was all we needed for this one. We stuck it into a babka because babkas are awesome.

Activities & Crafts Farm Party Ideas

I absolutely love setting up craft tables at parties. Kids LOVE coming home with something that they made and it gives them something to do. Even family get-togethers in our house usually have an independent craft table set up somewhere.

In fact, I love it so much, I started doing craft parties professionally! You can grab the full list of farm party activities here, or scroll through for the quick overview.

Puppet Making

I’m a big fan of paper puppets because they’re super easy to make (just color, cut out, and stick on a stick) and I designed this set special for this party. I put out crayons to accommodate the toddlers in the room, and placed double sided tape on the sticks in advance.

Stickers, Stickers, Stickers…

Toddlers do great with stickers, and older kids do too. I got some foam farm themed stickers as well as some build-a-farm-animal stickers to put out alongside sheets of plain paper. The kids spent time on it, and mixed it up with the crayons from the other activity too.

More Ideas

While I didn’t do it at this particular party, I also have some fun craft stick farm animals on the blog, as well as these farm puppets (just print, cut, assemble – no coloring) that can be included in your farm party ideas too.

Farm Party Favor Ideas

To finalize things for our farm party, let’s talk favors! I createdthese adorable cow favor bags that double as puppets. Of course, you can also just add spots to a white bag, or get cow print bags.

I try to put things that are as playable as possible in party favors. For this one, I got cow bracelets, cow bath toys (I’d ditch this next time), more of those build-an-animal stickers (big win) and circle farm animal stickers, plus cow shaped crayons.

It’s really easy to find favors for this theme so look for usable items you’d like to give, and find them in a farm theme.

Got any farm party ideas to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Farm Party Ideas – For a 2 Year Old’s Epic Birthday Party! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

If you’re looking for the best gifts for Mother’s Day, you’re in the right place! This guide has been carefully curated by mothers, to give you specific ideas that are unique and will be loved. This post contains compensated placements and affiliate links.

It can be hard to know just what to buy mom. Even if you do have an idea in mind, choosing more specifically – which brand, which product – can be tough to navigate. The goal of this list of the best gifts for Mother’s Day is to give you direction and help you find the perfect gift.

In this post, you’ll find favorite gifts for moms at every stage. Whether you’re a dad buying for your wife, an adult child looking for an elderly mother, or a young adult looking for a middle-aged mom who still feels like she’s 16, I’m sure you’ll find something here that’ll resonate.

To help you explore these best gifts for Mother’s Day, I organized it into a few categories. I also featured three top picks that are just great all-around picks. The table of contents can help you navigate, or just scroll through for my personal feedback and original images of each.

Top 3 Best Gifts for Mother’s Day

I decided to share three standout picks for Mother’s Day that are versatile, innovative, and high quality.

1. For the mother with a creative streak – Liene PixCut Photo Printer

Once machine that can print, laminate, and cut custom stickers – AND actually works well? Yes, please!

As a mom, I use stickers all day. I use them in my planner, to label things that are going to school that I hope to get back, and to organize my pantry. I use them for parties – to make my own favors – and as incentives and activities for the kids.

Instead of having to use two separate machines that sometimes don’t coordinate well, the PixCut S1 very seamlessly does both. And it even laminates so that stickers are waterproof! It also prints photos for all those “please bring a picture of your child, your whole family, and your third cousin’s dog to school tomorrow” moments.

But the best part? It works so well! It uses thermal dye-sublimation to print and has outperformed other printers I’ve tried with similar technology. It also laminates, which means that it’s actually waterproof and can be used to label my kids’ lunch boxes. It connected flawlessly through Bluetooth, printed without an issue, and cut the stickers so well without having to go through a calibration process thanks to AI-powered detection. And the settings are built-in for a perfect cut depth.

App features make all the difference. You can set the border size for an external white border, or an internal bleed. The app also features loads of built-in sticker styles, AI photo editing to turn the kids into cartoons and cut out photos, label styles and pre-made sticker sheets and more.

I am totally obsessed, and your mom (or your kids’ mom) will be too!

FYI: On Mother’s Day (May 10, 2026), Liene will host a pop-up activation at the Melrose Trading Post in Los Angeles from 10 AM to 5 PM. Visitors can print custom stickers for free, featuring their mom’s favorite things, to personalize any gift they bring. They will have an artist on-site for crafting guidance.

2. For the Mother Who Loves Bling: Luvbo Jewels Gorgeous Jewelry

You know she loves jewelry – but which jewelry do you start with? Make it meaningful: start with a gorgeous Mama necklace, and then pair it with a coordinating layering necklace to match. Follow it up with earrings and you have a gift with meaning and intent. Choose one piece, or make your own set – depending on your budget.

Luvbo Jewels are high quality sterling and natural stone pieces that are on-trend and carefully crafted. They focus on individuality with art-inspired jewelry that make mom feel really special. Most pieces come in both gold and silver so that you can choose Mom’s favorite tone. And the best part: the price range is accessible without compromising on quality. You can even get a bonus 15% off by entering code MC15 at checkout!

I chose the Paper Clip Moissanite Pendant Necklace and the Classic Small Hoop Earrings to pair with the Mama necklace because they are both classy and on-trend at the same time. If you know mom’s style specifically, go for that, but otherwise, pieces that are timeless and still retain a modern edge are fabulous picks.

3. For the mom who’s always carrying everyone’s stuff: Merzon Travel Lisa Tote

Moms have resigned themselves to carrying bags with everyone’s stuff around… But how about we limit it to just one bag for everything?

The Lisa tote by Merzon Travel is actually huge. I decided to put it to the test with a mock beach trip (no, it’s not actually beach weather here.) I put in six towels (because we’re six people). They fit well rolled up – with room for another one or two more (or lunch).

I filled the spacious side pockets with a 40 oz tumbler, sunscreen, bug spray, and a pair of slides. They fit comfortably in only three of the six outer pockets.

The bag itself is very well made and strong, with clean stitching, very sturdy cotton canvas, and a pretty lining too. It has a key clip to so you’re not fishing, and an interior pocket allows for a phone or other small items.

The Lisa tote wipes clean and is fabulous for trips to the pool, the beach, picnics, yoga class, the gym.

25 Best Gifts for Mother’s Day

Beauty Gifts for Mom

How many times have I dressed up my child, braided her hair, and then stopped short of dressing myself? These top picks are beauty-focused splurges, that she may not go and buy for herself but it’ll absolutely motivate her to glam up. And a glammed up mom is a happy mom!

MINT Extra Long Curling Iron

For moms with longer hair, the salon-favorite MINT Tools Extra Long Curling iron will not only make her feel beautiful, but it’s a time and sanity saver too! I tried it out and got great loose curls with minimal effort, thanks to the long barrel. MINT creates professional level hair styling tools, and this one sets the tone.

Variable heat settings (270-430° F) ensures that mom can use one that won’t cause excessive damage. It has a built-in stand and a gorgeous modern design.

Since it has an extra long barrel, the curling iron is designed with a double heating system, so it retains even heat throughout, for more consistent curls. The ceramic, ionic, and tourmaline barrel is designed to lock in moisture and keep mom’s hair healthy and shiny.

Chlōq Fragrances

A good fragrance gives me so much confidence, and Chlōq does it right! Their perfumes are subtle enough that I can wear them out and about without overwhelming. They are designed special for women, with a mindset of empowering women in what makes us special. Chlōq creates fragrances to take us through our busy days, from home, to work, to family, to social gatherings.

They come in both 50ml and 5ml sizes, so you can bundle them up for an extra special gift. My favorite is “Intoxicating”, with its confident gardenia, black fern, and skin musk. Boardroom Badass is sophisticated with jasmine water, orris butter, and solar musk. Unleashed is just that – wild and untamed – with gunpowder, leather milk, and lily smoke

All the scents I tried scents are premium and in the safe zone, but with a touch of sass. I love having the confidence that wearing a high quality fragrance lends, while feeling polished and refined.

ILONA Beauty Resurface. Refine. Reveal. Rejuvenating Duo

Mom might be too busy for a facial, but she can feel like she’s at the spa at home. ILONA Beauty’s Resurface. Refine. Reveal. Rejuvenating Duo gives her that professional facial care she really wants from the convenience of home.

The Pretty Polished Crystal Resurfacing Cream is an award-winning face cream for all skin types. It features micro resurfacing crystals inside a fabulous cream to help her glow. The cream helps remove impurities, dead cells, and more while nourishing and restoring her skin’s smoothness. It also serves as a great precursor to help masks be more effective, making it the perfect pairing with the Budapest Cocktail Advanced Conduction Foil Mask.

The bundle comes with four masks as well. This salon sourced weekly treatment will rejuvenate her skin for days – allowing her to look great even if she can’t get to that self-care routine daily.

Axiology Everyday Pinks Bundle (Neutral 3-in-1 Cosmetics)

I can go three nights in a row without much sleep, but when I put on a touch of makeup, suddenly I feel alive! Give mama the gift of feeling great with Axiology’s handmade, American-made sustainable cosmetics.

The Everyday Pinks bundle shown here features three Balmies and one multi-stick in beautiful, subtle tones. The Balmies are mini (read: toss-in-your-handbag size) cosmetic crayons that actually contain the same amount of makeup as a typical lipstick, minus all the wasteful packaging. The set comes with three in  Champagne, Sorbet & Rosé, packed into a sweet little box that doubles as a travel case.

The Balmies are muti-use (think: lips, cheeks, and eyes) and have a matte finish. They are made from natural ingredients that are actually good for your skin. The set also comes with a multi-stick that can be used different ways. This is a bit richer than the Balmies and easy to tuck into your handbag as well.

Self-Care Gifts for Moms

Beyond beauty, sometimes mom just needs some care and pampering. She works hard – whether she spends the day at home caring for kids, spends the day at work, nurtures the grandkids, keeps the home in check, volunteers, or all of the above!

These gifts give that extra level of care – with care referring to comfort, sleep, and her health.

Manta SILK Mask – Luxury Sleep Mask

Ask mom what she wants for Mother’s Day and her gut reaction might just be “sleep!”

We might not be able to snap our fingers to give mom the gift of good sleep, but we can definitely try to accommodate it! Because we all know that better sleep makes us healthier, happier, and better parents.

Manta accommodates that by creating a no-pressure sleep mask that is fabulous even for those of us who don’t do well with traditional sleep masks! They feature eye cushions that contour the eyes to seal out light, while keeping the actual mask removed from our face.

Take it to the next level with the MANTA Silk mask – a gorgeous and luxurious 100% pure momme silk sleep mask that takes the giftability factor up ten notches. It has an adjustable hook and loop closure for an easy, comfortable fit. And the materials are naturally breathable and good for the skin, making it the perfect pampering gift for us moms who just want our sleep.

WildBird CloudBlend™ Robe

Our R&R time might be limited, but we make the most of what we have! And I know when I’m relaxing, the one thing I want is to be enveloped in comfort. The Wildbird CloudBlend robe is the comfort I’ve been looking for. It features plenty of coverage (think: curl up on the couch and tuck your feet in) in a heavenly soft but breathable fabric.

The color shown is Acadian, a gorgeous neutral sage green color that flatters virtually any skin tone. And it has pockets!! It won’t cause mama to be too hot, and is perfect for spring season holiday gifting.

Remind Insoles REDE ACTIVE Insoles

There are days when I just do everything in sneakers so that I can just take care of myself, and then there are the days that I make the ultimate sacrifice: I wear shoes that I actually like. But Remind Insoles helps me not have to make that choice.

REDE ACTIVE Insoles are Podiatrist-recommended low arch insoles that allow me to wear the shoes I want WITHOUT compromising on comfort. I know my kids are going to need me, and I can’t wreck my feet, but I want to look pretty. These insoles mean that I don’t need to choose and can have the best of both worlds.

Best Gifts for Mom’s Hobbies

My therapist mandated that I spend time on my hobby, and since my hobby is (marginally) cheaper than her fee, I listened. Nurturing mom’s hobby is a win all-around, and there’s no better way to do it than with a Mother’s Day gift.

I’ve addressed creative hobbies from a few directions in this list of best gifts for Mother’s Day – mainly because we’re creative here. And even non-creative moms will enjoy a good craft supply. But scroll on for the foodie section if that’s more mom’s recreational vibe!

Uni Posca – Boho Vibes Paint by Number

Color by Number, meet Adult Coloring! For the mom that likes to relax on the couch with a mindless, childhood-inspired craft, Posca’s new paint by numbers are the ultimate “moms get to have fun too” hobby!

Posca paint markers are my go-to for their incredible opaque coverage, and these Paint by Number sets show it. Relax while filling in the spaces. The themes are mature, but I personally find this format much less stressful than the typical tiny spaces featured in adult coloring. It is so satisfying to color and then mom gets fun artwork to hang in the house.

Each set comes with the Posca markers we love, in the colors required for the kit. It has two printed canvas panels to color. And my favorite part: it is so easygoing, the kind of craft that can be done after hours without requiring mom to (gasp!) think after she’s clocked out for the day.

Slice Tools – Ceramic Cutting Tools

You may have seen their compact slicers all over packages being opened on social media, but did you know that they make fabulous craft tools too? Slice Tools’ innovation is in their safer ceramic blades. They are a cult favorite for makers like me and so handy to have around.

I know that I can never have enough cutting tools, and Slice Tools adds a unique giftability factor to it. If you know that what mom really wants is craft supplies, Slice is an innovative AND practical choice.

The innovation behind Slice tools is in their ceramic blades. These are finger-friendly and safe to touch PLUS they won’t rust and last much longer than the typical stainless blades.

Their craft knife is a versatile pick to have around the craft room. Perfect for cutting fine detail in paper or vinyl crafts, the precision ceramic blade works surprisingly well.

I tested their rotary scissors on a few materials, and found it to be so smooth. It’s a bladeless tool, with a totally inaccessible cutting area and it gives easy straight cuts on wrapping paper, different paper types (even thick glitter cardstock), and plastics like cellophane.

And they even make good old scissors – minus the rust – that again work on many materials! I tried it on faux suede and ribbon and it worked like a charm. And their various mini cutters are just easy to scatter all over the house so that mom never needs to look for that box cutter when she needs it.

Ohuhu Oil Based Professional Colored Pencils

For the artist mom, Ohuhu is a winning brand, with illustration supplies that are affordable but high quality. That means that with the same budget, you can get her the larger set with larger color variety.

Their Halawa series oil-based colored pencils are incredibly creamy and smooth, blendable, and fun to use. The 72 pack has so many tones so she can get the effect she’s been aiming for.

Ohuhu’s Halawa series drawing pencils are a fabulous gift for the artist mom, or for the mother who loves to color adult coloring books, and to add her own flair and realistic shading and toning. They come in a storage-ready tin with a swatching card so that she can always find the shade she wants easily.

Galison Blooming Wildflowers Punch Needle Kit

Punch needle is one of those hobbies that are relatively easy to learn but offer enough of a challenge for those who want it. Direction matters, technique matters, and creativity matters. It’s a great hobby to introduce to a mother who wants to learn a new skill but only has five minutes to do so.

The Galison Blooming Wildflowers punch needle kit takes a “grandma craft” and brings it into this decade. It’s comfortable yarn, homestyle texture, and a pop of color that’s full of life.

The kit itself is well done. The art is printed on a stretched canvas and it comes with a generous amount of yarn – enough to accommodate some mistakes. Of course, it comes with a punch needle and threader too. The only thing you need to supply from home is a pair of scissors.

The instructions are very clear and I even followed their “creativity tip” and made the yellow centers reversed for more texture!

Nautilus Heirloom Quality Wooden Puzzles

If she loves puzzles, don’t just get her another puzzle. Get one that will totally wow her. Nautilus puzzles not only contain gorgeous artwork, but they’re totally unique. They’re made of intricately cut wooden shapes that are a break from classic jigsaw shapes. Precision laser cut puzzles are easier to assemble, and the wood lends it a comfortable, tactile feel, without bent ends.

The puzzles can be assembled and re-assembled again and again, as they are durable enough to last for generations. I really enjoyed the shapes hidden within this vibrant New York City puzzle: shooting stars, musical motifs, the Statue of Liberty, snowflakes, and more.

I also found that the cool shapes really made the puzzle-assembly experience so much more interesting and helped things along. The packaging is gift-ready too, and overall you get a totally premium feel.

Nautilus has puzzles of different sizes, so you can choose your challenge level and your budget. And as a bonus, it’s made in the USA – and female founded, perfect for Mother’s Day!

Gift Ideas for Chef + Hostess Moms

My husband often gets this mental block with buying things that relate to household chores, because it feels like he’s “buying me a broom so I can sweep”. My best tip is: if it makes my job easier, is cool and gadgety, is pretty, and I’m anyway going to do it, might as well make it more fun!

And for the mom who loves to host and enjoys spending time in the kitchen, these gifts are a double win. They’re nurturing a hobby and making her job easier.

P.S. Don’t buy her a broom for Mother’s day.

ZWILLING Fresh & Save Vacuum Starter Set

The ZWILLING Fresh & Save Vacuum Starter Set is the fresh food fanatic’s best friend! There’s nothing quite so frustrating as working hard on that food and then having it get ruined in storage.

The handheld vacuum pump fits right onto the vacuum opening on the bags and bowl lids, and sucks all that air out! It’s about half the size of your typical hand blender, making it a compact kitchen solution that’s easy to store. And the all-in-one starter set features both bags and bowls for every purpose!

The bowls are oven-to-table-to-fridge borosilicate glass that also allow for extremely secure transfer for our next pot luck. The bags can be used for sous-vide cooking and marinating as well. They are the perfect solution for me to make sure my dinner rolls don’t get covered in ice before we get to enjoy them.

Bowls and bags are dishwasher-safe and reusable, bags are BPA free, and the bowls stack, continuing the trend of easy storage. The vacuum sealer is rechargeable, and does the job in seconds.

For the mom who likes her food fresh, the ZWILLING Fresh & Save Vacuum Starter Set is a game-changer!

Vego Garden EZ Self-Watering Herb Planter with Trellis

I love including fresh herbs in my cooking – they are the upgrade that takes food from good to incredible. But I often find myself tossing the wilted remains from the fridge a week later. I have tried window sill solutions, but… let’s just say that I’m too busy keeping the kids alive to think about watering plants!

Vego Garden’s EZ Self-Watering Herb Planter does the watering for me! Its self-watering system features a base that allows for lots of water storage and has a gauge so that I know when I need to fill it. It even has a built-in (optional) trellis surround that prevent herbs from drooping when they grow tall.

It’s a nice sized planter, but still small enough to sit indoors. It even has spacing guides that are perfect for green onions, but regardless serve the purpose of mulch. The planter has built-in airflow, and is innovative and well-made. A water regulating lever allows you control over water flow levels.

So whether mom loves her plants or just wants fresh herbs in her cooking, this is a fantastic gift choice for her!

(In case you’re wondering, Y, age 10, stole half of it to plant his sprouted beans. I’m the only one in the family that eats beans, so that’s a score for me too!)

Top Gifts for Moms of Young Kids

When it comes to buying baby things for Mother’s Day, the mindset is similar to kitchen gadgets. Buy her the things that she’ll personally enjoy. Fresh, new mothers will really enjoy a cool baby gadget, and photo gifts are always a win.

Popsa Easy Smart-technology Driven Photo Books

I used to be totally stuck on what to buy my husband as a birthday gift, until someone gave me a perfect solution: do a photo book every year. My husband really appreciates it, and so I can confidently say: photo books make fabulous gifts for Dads – so they’re great gifts for moms too!

I’ve tried lots of photo book services as I’m sure you can tell, and Popsa really performed at the top. Their AI technology allowed me to just upload loads of photos, created collage-style pages, which I then added minor adjustments to. The whole process took under an hour, and most of that time was spent finding which photos I wanted to include.

The book quality is fantastic, with both soft and hardcover options, and more optional upgrades.

Popsa photo books are a meaningful gift idea for Mother’s Day, especially for mothers of young kids. They are young for such a short amount of time, and preserving those moments is so valuable. They are also a great gift to get your own mom, with photos of your kids, so she can keep the grandkids close by.

KeaBabies Bree Backpack Diaper Bag

When it comes to buying baby products for newer moms for Mother’s Day, I always recommend going with things that have direct mom-appeal. Think of the things that she uses most closely, and provide her direct convenience.

Diaper bags are at the top of that category, and KeaBabies’ Bree Backpack diaper bag is a fabulous choice. It looks really classy, is packed with convenient features, and yet still sits at an affordable price point.

Quilted detailing is on-trend and adds loads of style. It features a side pocket for easy-access to wipes, a luggage strap, stroller buckles, and a changing pad.

My favorite feature is the structure. While it has a large and spacious main compartment, it also has a feature that I like to call the “ditch the black hole” pocket. That is, a full-height flat front pocket for storing those things you don’t want to be digging around for, like diapers, pacifiers, and emergency snacks.

KeaBabies Nova Baby’s First Year Picture Frame

For the mother who has been religious about staging those monthly photos (hi, that’s me!) get a way to actually use them! Because chances are that like me, she took them and then forgot about them.

The KeaBabies Nova Baby’s First Year picture frame is a simple and classy way to display those photos. It comes with three matte options in the box, and even includes the double sided tape needed to adhere the photos to the template!

I chose the one with a classic light wood frame, but they have other designs too! They can go on a dresser or sideboard, or be hung on the wall.

LumiCup Single Use Cold Cups

Young moms have a lot on their hands, and some disposables can really help. LumiCup single use cold cups are an innovative infinitely recyclable option that also looks really chic on the table! They are sturdier than a paper cup and more eco-friendly than a plastic cup.

Whether she’s looking for a hosting solution, a cool picnic cup, or something for dinner on that night that she’s just too busy for dishes, LumiCup is a really cool and unique solution.

“Edible Flowers” – Best Food Gifts for Mother’s day

When you’re thinking of getting flowers but want to put a bit more thought into it, treats are an absolute win! And while you don’t need to wait for Mother’s Day to get these, they’re a fabulous way to show you really care. Look for bundles, curated boxes, and gift packs to keep things gift-worthy.

Edible gifts are a great choice for virtually any mother, but especially for those who just have enough stuff in their life. They are consumable and not just more clutter in her life.

These also make fabulous companion gift, to include with a larger gift. Think: a coffee gadget alongside premium coffee, chocolates and jewelry, fruit with a handcrafted fruit bowl, gourmet snacks packed inside a tote…

Note: all food products featured on this website are certified Kosher or are foods that most don’t require certification for (like fresh fruit and 100% coffee).

DM Snacks Snack Happy Flavored Nuts

The new Snack Happy collection from DM Snacks is incredibly tasty – In fact, I finished it and didn’t share very much! They’re a healthier snacking option, with more protein and fewer carbs. The unique combination of flavors are far from basic, but also aren’t too strong in any direction.

The coconut curry peanuts for example don’t quite taste like someone slapped peanuts with coconut and curry. A candy-crusted peanut, with a light coconut flavor and a touch of curry gives that unique blend of sweet and savory flavors that just works.

Bundle a few picks in a pretty gift basket to up the giftability factor. DM Snacks allows you to build your own bundles, and the end effect is a very fair per-bag price point. They’re made in the USA, Kosher certified (OU/OU-D), and contain no artificial flavors or preservatives.

Vermont Nut Free Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate is the way to a mom’s heart, and handcrafted chocolates go the extra mile!

As its name indicates, Vermont Nut Free Chocolate crafts just that: nut free chocolates, which is a rarity! They are created in a dedicated peanut and tree nut free facility, and are certified Kosher Dairy by Star D (a division of Star K).

This assortment is so tasty, and each bite feels like another treat! It comes in a gift-ready box for a low-effort but meaningful Mother’s Day gift.

Gigawatt Coffee Roasters

We all know the real fuel that keeps the house running – it’s the coffee that mothers drink. So why not get her the good stuff?

My favorite way to gift coffee is to combine sampler packs in a gift basket, and Gigawatt Coffee Roasters gets you that perfect assortment that’ll keep her going. They are fresh, high quality coffees, no bitter or burnt flavors to get in the way of her energy levels.

The coffees are 100% whole bean or ground unflavored coffee – the varieties listed are tasting notes that come about through things like soil, altitude, and roasting process.

The Gigawatt Coffee Roasters 5-pack sampler is a fabulous size for gifting. Each bag makes 12 cups of coffee, perfect for your standard coffee maker. Or, if she’s like me, she’ll save it all for herself (which means six coffees, because 16 oz is the golden zone for mom levels of caffeine, right?)

And for the cold-brew loving mom, Gigawatt also has a 100% Arabica coffee and filtered water cold brew can that you can bundle in your gift.

Tropical Fruit Box – Taste the Exotics

We’re stepping deeper into the unique with a gift that my family had a really fun time with: the Tropical Fruit Box. And yes, it’s exactly as it sounds! Enjoy a curated collection of tropical fruit, along with a little jar of gourmet honey to enjoy drizzled on your fruit.

The box comes with two-sided cards that share information on the fruit, how to eat it, readiness guidelines, and even a recipe to try!

We really enjoyed the yellow dragon fruit and papaya today, and are waiting for the rest to ripen. The fruit are seasonal and subject to availability, so the contents can vary. The honey that they sent us is a fruity honey with a kick: mango habanero honey (raw and unfiltered, OU kosher certified.)

It’s a fabulous gift for the mom who loves a sweet snack, but loves it directly from nature!

How to Choose the Best Gifts for Mother’s Day

If you’re still having trouble looking for the best gifts for Mother’s Day, and aren’t sure what to choose – from this list or otherwise – here are some pointers for finding the right thing:

1. Think about how she spends most of her day. What would support her, make her day easier and happier?
2. When you shop with her, where does she slow down? Where does she browse a little longer? Is it the craft aisle? The gourmet food aisle?
3. Those tasks that she complains about the most – are there any gadgets that can make them easier? Or anything else in life that she might struggle with?
4. What does she really and truly enjoy doing? Getting her a “splurge” along those lines can be a real win.
5. And finally, what makes her feel special? Whether it’s pretty, pampered, or talented, getting her a gift that will get her there is meaningful and truly thoughtful.

Do you have any suggestions for the best Mother’s Day gifts? Something you gave or received that was loved? Comment below to share it with us!

Looking for further inspiration? Check out these gifting ideas for Mother’s Day and these best gift ideas for wives.

The post Best Gifts for Mother’s Day – Ideas for Moms from Moms! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

If we could bottle the look on our kids’ faces at a great birthday party, we probably would. An art party comes pretty close though. It turns your table into a mini studio, lets kids get messy in a good way, and gives everyone something real to take home.

An art themed birthday party DOES NOT need to be a party where the main focus is making things. It’s a theme that sets a mood – and does not need to be overthought. Think paint, color, simple projects, and a few active games to balance out the sitting.

It works beautifully for mixed ages and for both boys and girls. We planned ours for an 8-year-old boy and his whole class, and it was a huge hit even though it was far from “Pinterest perfect”.

I already shared detailed posts with our favorite art birthday party activities and separate art party decoration ideas. In this guide, we want to zoom out a bit, walk you through the whole party, and show how the decorations, activities, food, and favors all fit together into one doable plan. It does not need to look magazine ready to be the best day ever for your child.

How to Plan an Art Party Without Getting Overwhelmed

Before we talk about paint and balloons, it helps to make a simple plan. A few choices up front can save a lot of stress later.

We like to think about three things first: color, head count, and where the mess will actually happen. Once those are set, the rest of the art party ideas fall into place much more easily.

Choose a color palette and style for your art party theme

Art parties tend to drift into “all the colors” territory. That can be fun, but it can also make shopping and setup feel chaotic.

For our son’s art party, we started with primary color tableware, then we fell in love with some paint palette plates. The look did not match perfectly and that is totally okay, but it did remind us how much smoother things go when we pick a color palette first.

A few easy options:

• Classic rainbow
• Primary colors (red, yellow, blue)
• A more on-trend and intentional color scheme like teal, lime, and fuchsia

Once we pick a direction, we try to match tablecloths, cups, banners, and even favors to those same colors. It does not have to be exact. Keeping things in the same “family” is enough to make the room feel pulled together without any fancy styling skills.

Decide on party size, timing, and help

Here is the honest part. We invited our 8-year-old’s entire class of boys to an in-home art party with paint, outdoor games, and more. The kids had a blast. We were wiped out. I regretted some of my life choices.

Messy supplies plus a big group need more hands. If you are planning a large guest list, I highly recommend asking another adult, a grandparent, or a teen helper to be on paint duty with you. Even one extra pair of hands to refill water cups and watch the drying table makes a huge difference.

For timing, two to two and a half hours is usually plenty. Parties can be 1.5 hours long too. A simple flow might be:

• 20–30 minutes for arrival and a “settling in” first activity
• 15-20 minutes for the main art project with boys. For girls it’s more like 25-30 mintues
• 30 minutes for outdoor or movement game with boys.
• 20–30 minutes for food and cake or fruit
• 10–15 minutes for a quick game and goodbyes

We also like to allow a little time at the end of activities for projects to dry and to help kids pack them safely. As our kids have gotten older, we sometimes trade big class parties for a special day out (yes, a school day!) so it is also fine to decide that smaller is better for your family this year.

Easy Decorating Ideas That Turn Your Home INto an Art Party vibes!

Decor for an art party does not have to be complex. Color does most of the work for us. Many of our favorite decorations also double as games or activity stations, which saves time and money.

If you want every step and supply list, we laid it all out in our full art party decoration ideas post. Here, we will keep it short and practical.

DIY paint splatter decorations on walls, floors, and tables

One of the quickest art party ideas is to cut big paint splats from colored paper, poster board, or removable vinyl. We scattered some on the floor right inside the door. The kids honestly thought there was wet paint on the floor for a second.

More ideas that you can try with pain splats include

• Big paint splats on the walls.
• Add a line of splats along the wall behind the food table
• Tape a few to tabletops under clear plastic tablecloths

If you cut them from poster board in your party colors, they can also become part of games. For our “floor is lava” style game, we used huge poster board splats as the safe zones, so they were both decor and play space.

Spilled paint centerpiece and colorful table setup

Our favorite centerpiece looked dramatic but took just a few minutes. We used a small garbage pail (reuse this after for its intended purpose), stuffed it with bright plastic tablecloths, and let them spill over the edge to look like flowing paint in primary colors. An empty paint can works too if we want a more “artist” look. Bonus points if you have one to repurpose!

We set that in the center of the table, then added:

• Solid primary color cups, plates, and flatware
• Fun paint palette plates for an extra touch

Because the centerpiece spreads out over the table, it fills a lot of empty space. In our case we skipped balloons totally since J was a baby and they’re a choking hazard… and the table still looked lively and party ready.

And so, instead, we bought a simple party kit from Amazon that again, did NOT match the colors (whoops) and filled in with that.

Game posters and giant number balloons that double as decor

We like decorations that actually get used. Our “pin the paint splat on the palette” poster hung on the wall as a main focal point the whole time.

To make it, we cut a big palette shape from white poster board, glued it to black foam board, then arranged colored paper splats around it and traced outlines. The kids used matching splats with their names for the game.

We also have a little tradition of getting a 40-inch number balloon for each birthday. We photograph the birthday child next to it every year. It fills up visual space, gives us instant milestone photos, and works well even if the rest of the decor is simple.

Fun and Doable Art Party Activity Ideas for Kids

Activities are the heart of most art party ideas, but they do not have to be complicated. We like projects that kids can mostly handle on their own once we give simple directions.

We shared all the details and extra options in our full art birthday party activities post, but here are the ones that worked especially well.

Tape resist canvas painting on mini easels

For our main project, each child got a mini easel, a small canvas, a paint palette, and a selection of washable paints. We set out different widths of masking tape and washi tape.

The basic process:

1. Kids tape out their initial or a simple design.
2. They paint over the whole canvas, tape and all.
3. Once they are done painting, they peel off the tape to reveal crisp white lines.

We made a couple of sample canvases ahead of time, and honestly, that was enough instruction. Kids understood what to do from the examples and jumped right in.

Outdoor chalk paint and big movement games

To balance all that sitting, we sent the kids outside for DIY chalk paint and a high-energy game.

We poured it into deli containers, handed out big paintbrushes, and let the kids paint the driveway and patio. They did splash it on each other, but it washed off easily. We told parents to send kids in junk clothes regardless.

For movement, we played “the floor is lava” in the living room using huge poster board paint splats as the safe spots. We turned up the music, shut the lights for a bit, and let them hop and run from color to color. It broke up the party and helped everyone reset between projects.

Pin the paint splat on the palette party game

This one is a quick classic with an art twist. Each child gets a paper paint splat with their name on it. We blindfold one child, spin them very gently, and have them try to stick their splat on the correct color spot on the big palette poster.

Our one big tip is to test the blindfold before the party so it actually fits and blocks vision. This game is perfect near the end, when some kids still want to play but we are done with wet paint.

Colorful Art Party Food Ideas Kids Will Actually Eat

Food for an art party can be simple and still feel special. We kept ours bright and light instead of baking an elaborate cake. We didn’t do much themed food and stuck to basic party food, with a couple of themed items.

Build a bright fruit “paint palette” platter

We put together a big fruit spread that looked like a painter’s palette. We used green and purple grapes, blueberries, mango, and watermelon, each in its own little section of a deep section tray. Y loves fruit so it really did feel special to him.

Fruit works well when we are feeding a big group with different allergies, and helps break up the candy consumption. If you want to lean into the theme, you can serve the fruit around a plate shaped like a palette or add a simple label card that says “fruit paints”.

Cupcake toppers that look like paint splatters

Instead of a cake, we bought bakery cupcakes. We kept them very simple and dressed them up with toppers. We cut paint splats from colorful cardstock on our Cricut, glued them onto toothpicks, and popped them into bakery cupcakes. It took much less time than decorating an on-theme cake. You can also get premade paint themed cupcake toppers.

On some, we glued two uneven paint splatters back to back for a really cool look.

Simple Art Party Favor Ideas That Do Not Create Clutter

We are not big fans of bags stuffed with random little toys that end up in the trash. For this party, we chose one main favor that kids could actually use again.

Watercolor paint palettes as budget friendly take home gifts

Our favor was a simple watercolor paint palette for each child. They fit the theme, were inexpensive, and encouraged more art time at home. We tossed in some watercolor paper cards as well.

To finish them off, you can tie on a tiny tag with a line like “Thanks for making my party colorful!” It feels personal without adding more clutter to anyone’s home.

Optional add ons: colorful fidgets, art themed favors

If you want to bump things up a bit, there are easy options that still stay practical. Kids can take home (depending on the age)

• Skittles or similar colorful candy
• Tiny canvases
• Fun stacking crayons
• Crayons and mini coloring books
• Art themed party favors – opt for those that are more useful – like bubbles and fidgets rather than toss-aways
• Anything rainbow – like a fidget – can also be an on-theme part favor

Try to remind yourself that one thoughtful art-themed item is enough. Quality takes priority over quantity. When we threw our video game party we also stuck to one better quality favor too and it was really a hit.

Of course, the canvases that they painted also double as a party favor!

Bringing Your Art Party Ideas Together

With so many fun art party ideas, it is easy to feel like you have to do everything. You really do not. A simple formula works very well: one or two main activities – one of them an art project, one movement game, a “just-in-case” filler activity or two, a few bold but easy decorations, colorful fruit and simple treats, and a single creative favor like a watercolor set.

Mix and match what fits your space, your budget, and your energy level.

Most of all, remember that kids care far more about feeling celebrated than about perfect decor. A slightly messy, homemade party filled with color, laughter, and paint splats will stick in their memories in the best way.

If you want more party ideas, check out our other hit parties, like this spy themed birthday party, the LEGO themed party that we did twice, and a really insanely cool science birthday party.

Got any other art party ideas to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Art Party Ideas That Busy Parents Can Actually Pull Off appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Looking for the best gifts for a toddler boy? These ideas are both practical and fun all at once! When you’re done, check out these gift ideas for the 5 year old girl who has everything! This post contains affiliate links and gifted product.

Toddlers are so much fun to buy gifts for and today I’m going to share with you some of my favorite picks for toddler boys – tested by my very own prince charming!

The toddler stage is a bit ambiguous but primarily addresses ages 1.5/18 months through age three. It depends heavily on the child but I figured I’d share ideas for the full range.

First, as usual, I’m going to share some general gift giving tips for this age group. As a fourth time toddler mom (and a third time toddler boy mom) here are some of my best practices.

How to find the best gifts for a toddler boy

You really can’t go wrong with this age group. Anything they can unwrap – and even the wrapping paper itself – is a great gift!

My goal here is to share some ideas for when you’re stuck – some practical ideas as well as some fun ideas. At this age, a gift for the kid is still a gift for the parent, so this list includes some really fun finds that Mom & Dad will love too.

Some category tips for finding the best gifts for a toddler boy:

• This is the age where non-toy gifts are a win! Anything cozy or colorful that’s also practical will be something kid and parents love. Think of essentials – but take them up a notch and get a higher end version.
• At this age, many kids have favorite characters. They absolutely love seeing those characters in gifts – whether it’s on clothing, toys, or accessories.
• Lifestyle – it’s really helpful to know what the family’s lifestyle is like. Do they travel a lot? Is the toddler in childcare at all? Do they have a large or small house? Do they have occasions to dress up?
• Personality – again, knowing personality will always help with gift giving. Is the little guy an active one? Does he prefer tabletop play? Is he a snuggler?

I hope these tips and specific ideas help you in finding the best gifts for a toddler boy!

Disclaimer: Some of these toys are labeled 3+/choking hazard toys! Please read the instructions and use discretion when purchasing for kids under three. I include some of these toys in this guide because I personally like purchasing ahead – if I’m getting for a 2.5 year old, I’m thinking of what he’ll play at age three and beyond. I also personally allow my child to play with such toys before three since he does not tend to mouthe them – but only with close supervision.

12 Best Gifts for a Toddler Boy

The Best non-toy Gifts for a Toddler Boy

If you’re a fan of non-toy gifts, this is the age to gift it! J loves anything cozy, so that gift with a cozy element? Straight win! Non-toy gifts are almost foolproof at this stage, as they have a practical spin. Here are some favorite picks for the best non toy gifts for a toddler boy.

CozyCo💤™ Blanket with Hand and Foot Pockets

With CozyCo💤™ the snuggles are everything! These blankets have built-in hand and foot pockets to allow for a swaddle-effect. The hand pockets have finger holes so that they can still be used while wearing it.

CozyCo💤™ is the kid version of CozyThrow💤™ (the full-size one that that I’m enjoying – and shared in my list of gift ideas for a wife.) J absolutely loves it – the plush is soft and embracing. As he says, it’s cozy!!

WeeWander Backpack, Stuffy, and Bottle

For the family that likes to travel a lot – whether it’s weekends at grandmas or bigger trips- WeeWander makes fabulous high end travel gear for little ones!

Their backpack is just the right size for a toddler – but with maximum use of the space. It has loads of pockets for activities, devices, snacks, blankets, and more! It has an insulated compartment to keep things fresh and a chest strap for extra support. All the straps are adjustable so they grow with the little one. Individual pockets means that it’ll take more work for J to unload its contents – and it’ll be much more organized.

It’s designed to be perfectly compatible with optional other WeeWander accessories that are really cute when bundled with the backpack.

The water bottle is a very well-made stainless steel straw tumbler. It’s leak proof, and has the most adorable little print on it. I love that it’s slimmer than the typical tumbler, perfect for tiny hands. And it fits right into the side pocket of the backpack!

And the stuffy is a really cute little travel companion that comes with its own tiny backpack! It fits into either of the water bottle pockets (which has special slots for its feet) and can be a special “travel toy” for the kid who’s a bit antsy in the car.

The backpack comes with a mini travel “passport” activity book with stickers too. And of course, there’s a strap for the suitcase handle too – making it great for air or car travel!

Feltman Brothers Heirloom Lattice Knit Set

Classic fine knitwear makes for a fabulous gift that both mom and the little one will enjoy! Feltman Brothers makes heirloom quality, timeless clothing that is a favorite in our house. J loves this lattice knit set that is gorgeous with his red hair.

This set manages to be gorgeously dressed-up while still being comfy and fun for an active toddler to wear! It’s 100% cotton and breathable, and yes, of course it’s machine washable!

The fit on the sweater is a bit looser and the pants are a bit slimmer, for a really sweet combination.

Hobibear Barefoot Winter Shoes

Shoes are a really fun gift for toddlers for two reasons: they’re still new at walking and are kind of obsessed with their shoes, and they keep outgrowing them!

Hobibear makes fabulous barefoot and wide toe shoes that allow for more freedom of movement for little ones. Their Spruce winter barefoot shoes come in toddler sizes and Y LOVES them. They have a plush (“cozy” inside and ample support around the ankles. But they’re still unrestrictive and allow those toes plenty of movement – and they’re easy to get on and off.

And the colors are just so fun! Yes, they do have them in black too – but we went with this icy blue.

The Best Interest-based Play Gifts for a Toddler Boy

At the toddler stage, kids start to show very specific interests – some might even say obsessions! J is starting to recognize favorite characters (and tell me how cute they are), and he loves trucks. Find out what they love and go with that! Here are some common toddler favorite themes and gifts to give based on them!

Mighty Wheels 16″ Toy Crane

For the construction obsessed kid, the Mighty Wheels 16″ toy crane is an epic toy! This is a 3+ toy that little boys will just love. It’s a nice size toy with solid construction and realistic sounds that’ll make little boys smile.

And it even comes with traffic cones! The wind up hook provides plenty of pretend play opportunity, and winding it up requires some fine motor musclework.

I love that it’s a bit of a more unique pick than your typical dump truck or excavator (though Mighty Wheels makes those too) while still fitting in with the whole construction fascination. And J loves using it to hook onto and move other toys around.

FAO Schwartz Bluey Vending Machine

J loves Bluey and got so excited when he saw this vending machine from FAO Schwartz. This is a 3+ toy that is actually a win for birthdays, holidays – and yes, potty training!

Everything about this is so charming and giftable – and yes, they make other characters too (such as Marvel and Disney) for kids who like different shows.The front flap of the vending machine has the iconic Bluey letters and Bluey and Bingo sit atop the machine.

No need to insert a coin – just twist the lever and one capsule is released. Inside are small collectible figures. J loves playing with this type of figure with his favorite characters and this is just a really cute way to gift it.

This can be gifted all at once, or use it as smaller gifts to hand out one at a time. Refill the capsules with new prizes when you’re done – they’re reusable! Includes common, rare, and limited edition figures.

Cocomelon BooBoo JJ

In every gift guide, I like to include at least one holdover recommendation – something we’ve featured with our older kids but is still very much loved! This one is a holdover from A but J loves it too!

BooBoo JJ is fabulous for a Cocomelon fan, and brings an element of nurturing to the table. JJ sings the booboo song and has his own medical case with hook and loop bandages. The part of him with a booboo lights up so that little ones can put a bandage on it.

The Best Educational Gifts for a toddler boy

Kids learn through play and exploration and while all play has the potential to be educational, our favorite type is when the kids are encouraged to try things! These picks nurture that exploration and make favorite gifts for a toddler boy.

Mindware Konvertibles Transforming Wooden Cars

With my kids superfans of converting vehicle toys, I was so excited to see Mindware make a toddler-friendly version! This one isn’t a puzzle like the big-kid ones – it simply folds and unfolds. But it provides plenty of problem solving exploration for little ones.

Turn it from a long car to a tall car easily for more play value from a classic toy.

These are made from high quality wood – but still bright, colorful, and kid-friendly (no sad beige), these toys are heirloom quality. The box turns into a play scene as well, and of course, it’s made from safe paints.

Milestones & More Play Kit

If you’re looking for a well-presented bundle gift, Milestones & More has you covered. They curate age-targeted gift baskets filled with an assortment of toys and gear for little ones, as well as educational activity and parenting resources.

These are quality items from real brands. The 24-30 month box featured a pounding block from IKEA, a Munchkin bath temperature duck that says “Hot” if the water is too hot, a bilingual Priddy book, and a little plush bear.

This is a really fun gift for younger toddlers who can benefit from milestone-targeted toys.

Battat Light Box Sensory Set

The Battat Light Box is a multi-functional sensory play set that is fabulous for the toddler stage. It features a wooden base with a light box, and loads of activities to do on it. Our favorite are the translucent geometric shapes. Kids can play with them on their own, but it also comes with transparency sheets for matching those shapes up.

Included pattern cards are a next level way to play with the shapes, and of course, layering them teaches about color in a natural play-based environment.

It comes with a sensory bin topper as well that can be used with the included tools for water or other sensory play. It even comes with some grass bin filler, but of course, it can be used with other sensory fillers too.

This is a great all-around toy for tabletop play, fine motor, and sensory exploration.

The Best Active Play Toys for a Toddler Boy

For little ones that love to be active, these gifts will help get out all that energy! While they don’t quite need help getting moving, these best gifts for a toddler boy help channel that energy – and will be enjoyed at least the next few years! Build those gross motor skills!

Pikler Triangle

Here’s another holdover: this Pikler Triangle is a multifunctional toy that is one we keep out and available all the time! kids love climbing on this toy (we’ve since moved it on top of a foam playmat) but there are other ways to play.

The triangle can turn into a tent with a throw blanket tossed on it. Flip over the arch, add some cushions, and it’s a rocking chair.

The kids switch it from slide, to climbing wall, to bridge, and back to slide again – again and again…

Trampoline

Sometimes the classics are a classic for a reason – and J loves jumping on his trampoline! This is one of those toys that you save from sibling to sibling and is loved for many years. It is great for indoors and out.

Literally just a ball.

If you’re looking for an easy, low budget gift that’ll charm any active toddler, just go with a ball! I recommend the lighter weight plastic balls (rather than rubberized playground balls) – but you can even give them a beach ball.

What are your best gifts for a toddler boy? Got any to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Best Gifts for a Toddler Boy appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Looking for the best ideas for family gifts? This list shares some favorites for families of all sizes and makeups! When you’re done, check out my full list of carefully curated gift ideas for everyone. This post contains affiliate links and gifted products.

Especially at a time when people receive so much STUFF, I love the idea of family gifts that are shared with multiple family members and/or gifted to the family as a whole. Today, I’ll be sharing some of my best ideas for family gifts.

Why give family gifts?

If you’re looking to consolidate your shopping and gift giving, family gifts can really help.

I find that family gifts helps me:

• Have to find fewer items to buy
• Wrap less
• Save money OR
• Have a larger budget for a nicer gift – the quality over quantity approach

Think about it: instead of purchasing each kid a little tchotchke that adds up to $100, you can purchase a nice, shared toy for $80 saving you a few bucks. Or instead of getting every family member something else, just get one cool thing that’ll cost the same total, but that everyone will love.

But does that exist?

What makes the best ideas for family gifts?

Here are some of my tips for what makes the best ideas for family gifts. Start by thinking about what the family might use together. Sometimes this can be focused only on the kids, and sometimes it’s something that the kids AND the parents will love. And for older families (without young kids) it’s even easier to nail.

For example:

• Toys for 2+ at once – specifically targeting the age group of the family’s kids. This is easier to do when the kids are closer in age and can play with them together. This is a great approach when you’re looking to add more quality over quantity.
• Games! Especially family-style games that can really be played with everyone together.
• Things that encourage time together
• Large home and kitchen gadgets that can be enjoyed by all – this is my favorite category for when you are looking to purchase something bigger instead of loads of small items.
• Small kitchen gadgets – this is great for when you are looking to save and bring a smaller token gift for the family.

Best ideas for family gifts

Here are some of my best ideas for family gifts – picks from larger and smaller brands that’ll be enjoyed by the entire family!

Games & Family Toys

Play matters, and since lots of gifting centers around toys, these picks are a win. While the toys tend to take a quality vs. quantity approach, the games often take a budget-friendly approach.

MAGNA-TILES Pet Playhouse

MAGNA-TILES are a winner for kids of all ages. My 12 year old still loves playing with them, and my 2 year old joins in supervised (they are for ages 3+ due to small parts.) And the cool thing about it is, you don’t need to know if the family already has it or not – it’s the type of toy that you always want to build on the existing stash – the more pieces the better!

The Pet Playhouse from MAGNA-TILES is a fabulous set for sibling play – whether they already have a stash of MAGNA-TILES or not. It comes with super fun specialty pieces – including steps, slides, cubes, and more. And my kids’ favorite part? The adorable pets (4 of them, enough for each of my kids to adopt one) – plus the caretaker figure that the set comes with!

This is super fun to play with as a standalone toy or combined with other MAGNA-TILES sets.

Hootenanny Feelin Cute Game

Family games that include ranking things tend to be a win – they open up conversation and sometimes even good-natured bickering. Feelin’ Cute has all of that – and adorable animals. Yes, this is a game where you actually rank cuteness of animals!

As a 2-8 player game, it can really be played by the whole family. Players need to silently rank where on the cuteness meter the “it” player would rank the animal card that is picked in relation to the existing animal.

Every detail of Feelin’ Cute is cute (but they managed to keep it gender neutral) – from the raised animal paw player pieces to the blobfish tokens (for when no one guesses correctly) – and my favorite part, the vivid photos of 175 different animals. It’s part trivia, part family conversation, and piles of cuteness.

Pixicade

We love gaming experiences that take kids off the screens for a bit! That hybrid setup is a great way to get kids a little more actively engaged in their game play.

Pixicade features loads of different games that can be played all with your drawings! The notebook and markers come with guided instructions and games to set up, and then the app scans it for the actual game play.

It requires absolutely no drawing skills (see my stick figures) but kids in a wide range of age groups will get the huge satisfaction of seeing their drawings animated – and playing with them! It’s got loads of mini games in one kit, and, unlike many other video games, it’s an easy-to-gift boxed set that can be wrapped and gifted as a physical gift. The companion app is free to download.

Carrera Mario & Luigi Tabletop RC

I have two boys close in age, and while that is a very specific family structure, it’s the perfect one for this tabletop RC course from Carrera! Featuring my boys’ favorite brothers – Mario and Luigi – it’s got loads of endless sibling fun and friendly competition.

Kids (and adults who may want to sneak a play) can set up a racing course on the table or floor using the very generous 60 guardrails that the set comes with. Race Mario and Luigi using the included remotes – batteries included too. The cars are small – 1:50 scale – and have three speed settings.

The set also comes with fun and humorous optional signs so that the family can really get together and design a fun race track.

Uzzle Puzzle Game

For the family that enjoys more puzzle-type games, The Uzzle is a super fun game for up to four players. Each player gets a set of 1×2 cubes with prints on each side and need to race to match up the design on their cards.

Even level 1 (there are 4 levels) is harder than it looks! You might think you almost got it, but then you’ll find that you need a previously played piece for its other side! Do-over time!

This game can even be played with larger groups, since it’s a team-friendly game. Teams of two can join up to make the pattern on the card faster for a larger scale family game.

Cool Food Gadgets & Gifts

We have an aunt who always gifts each family a fun gadget – and we love it! This can be done on a small scale or larger. We will be gifting our kids the ice cream maker as a family gift this year (yes, I did advance test it to review it for you!) Smaller gadgets and kitchen tools work as well.

And of course, gifting gourmet food items is a win too – and something that the whole family can enjoy.

East Oak Ridgewood Smoker

For the family that loves high quality food (especially meat!) the East Oak Ridgewood Smoker is an epic gift! A friend of mine introduced me to smoking and I can never look back.

This electric smoker effectively smokes food on a generous four racks. The temperature goes up to 275, so it’s like a slow-cooker in cooking effectiveness, but with that incredibly smokey flavor.

I’ve tried it on a few foods. First, I cooked a large dinner of drumsticks, potatoes, and corn on the cob, with cherry wood chips. The food was all delicious, but those potatoes were incomparable to any I’ve had.

I also smoked a salmon, and it was a big hit even among my salmon-reluctant crowd.

The East Oak Ridgewood smoker comes with a built-in probe for easier readiness gauging. I still hope to try it on sliced salami and more unique foods. The possibilities are truly endless with this super cool food gadget – it’s going to be a win and a talked-about family gift for years.

Whynter 2.1 Qt Ice Cream Maker

I have a secret to tell you: I unboxed this, tested it out, and then reboxed it… because I know it’ll make an epic gift for my own family – every one of my kids will love it! For a family that isn’t necessarily high tech foodie but enjoys a good treat, the Whynter 2.1 Qt ice cream maker is a winning gift.

Unlike some other popular models, this one actually freezes the ice cream. It has a buit-in compressor so that you can make the ice cream – from room-temp liquid to delicious frozen creaminess – in an hour.

Beyond ice cream, it can make frozen yogurts, sorbets and sherberts, and sauces too. It churns as it freezes, for ice cream perfection.

The 2.1 quart capacity makes enough for the whole family to share. Whynter makes some super cool “pretty” models as well but honestly, I just love the amount that their stainless steel model makes at once. We’ll be using this year-round for many ice cream parties to come!

West Bend Air Crazy Popcorn Popper

More affordable kitchen gadgets make fabulous family gifts – and since popcorn is a staple in our home, I had to share this one! The West Bend Air Crazy popcorn popper is so nostalgic! I remember how excited I got every time the air popper came out and we got to have that freshly popped popcorn.

We pull out popcorn for every get together, family game night, movie night… and watching it get popped fresh just adds to the atmosphere.

West Bend’s Air Crazy 4 quart popcorn popper is an easy-to-store little gadget that can pop up to sixteen cups of popcorn in just three minutes. And there’s no need to add any butter, making it a healthier choice (though you can if you’d like to.) The measuring scoop sits on top and serves as a butter melting tray too. The top comes off for easier storage, and takes a second to put back on.

Larder & Vine Baking Set

For the family that loves baking, the tools of the trade are a winning gift. Larder & Vine’s healthier nonstick ceramic-coated bakeware is both gorgeous and functional – making it totally gift-ready. It comes in different colors (I chose the teal set to go with my kitchen.)

It’s designed to stack neatly into the large roaster pan for easy storage. And it cleans like a dream!

The set comes with enough to feed a family a feast! It includes 2 baking sheets (I fit 12 chocolate chip cookies on each), 2 6-muffin tins, a loaf pan, a small 6.7 inch round cake pan, an 8-inch square cake pan, and a deep roasting pan that’s deep and large enough for a 5-lb roast.

And of course, it’s dishwasher safe too!

Crispy Green Freeze Dried Fruit

The gourmet food category is a growing one that is one of the most missed gift-giving opportunities. It’s a great idea for families that want less stuff but enjoy a good treat.

Crispy Green freeze dried fruit are fabulous for the family that loves fruit! It builds on the freeze-dried trend to bring all natural snacks that are shelf-stable and frankly so good! Our kids’ favorite is the mango flavor and the adults really enjoyed the strawberries.

Flavors include apple, Asian pear, banana, mango, strawberry, pineapple and tangerine. They are Kosher certified by the OU as well as gluten free and vegan.

Tip: it’s all about the presentation! Gather a variety of flavors together in a pretty basket or reusable storage bin to make it feel like a well-presented gift.

Family Time Together

The best gift to give a family is… family time! These are my best ideas for family gifts to encourage or support time spent together!

PaddleSmash – Pickleball meets Roundnet

For families that love playing backyard games together, Paddlesmash is an all-in-one game that adds a fun and competitive spin to Pickleball. Players need to play in teams to bounce the ball into the center net and then pass it to the next team.

You can get an all-in-one kit that includes four paddles and two balls, in addition to the net. Or, if you are already fully equipped with Pickleball gear, get just the net.

The base is a rigid surface that can create a PaddleSmash base on harder surfaces like sand or grass. It folds in half and the entire game – paddles, balls, net, and poles – fit right in. It’s so easy to take on trips to the park, beach, or backyard parties.

Foldology Origami Puzzles

I first discovered Foldology on Amazon and my reaction was “this is genius!” These brain-teasers mix origami with puzzles for a super cool new and affordable activity.

The goal is to figure out how to fold the paper to assemble the photo, within a set of rules. While these are individual puzzles, each book comes with 100 puzzles, making it a fabulous family date-night at home. Family members can challenge each other, race for some friendly competition, or pass on the ones they are stuck on.

The books increase in difficulty. There are currently three books available (get them individually or the first two as a set – but definitely start with the first). It’s going to be a new favorite hobby and family activity!

Gravel UltraPak Packable Blankets

I often recommend throw blankets as great family gifts, but this one really got me for its unique factor. If you like gifting things that have a “gimmick” element to them but are so functional, you’ll need to check out Gravel’s packable blankets. The material is similar to packable coats but in a blanket format. They fold down to the size of a water bottle and are actually easy to fold up into the included pouch. No “help, how did this ever fit in here?”

These blankets are absolutely perfect for keeping stowed in the car as picnic or beach blankets. The full size one can fit 3-4 people on it at the beach and the mini one is perfect as a picnic blanket. They are also perfect just for having as car blankets for families that do lots of road trips with young kids, or for camping.

And the prints? They are priceless! I wish they would have photographed better – sadly my photos on these do not do that artwork justice.

Family Date Night Cards

Here’s one for the family that loves doing random activities together: scratch off family date night cards! These super cool surprise activity cards come in a nice, sturdy box and are frankly fun to scratch off. Because of the presentation they make a fabulous wrappable gift that doesn’t cost a lot.

The 40 cards are color-coded based on what time of day they should be done, and include un-hidden keys so that they can actually fit into the designated time. Each one is marked by prep required, length of the activity, how much it costs and where it’s done.

Halo Basketball Hoop

There’s nothing like getting active together as a family, so why not gift physical activity? Halo Ball is a basket-ball inspired game only:

1. It can be taken anywhere and literally packs into a drawstring bag and
2. It’s played 360 degrees – all around the hoop.

The basket is hung between two points (such as trees in a park) from the slash-proof line, tightened with the rust-proof ratchet, and you’re ready to play!

Got any more best ideas for family gifts to add to the list? Anything that was a hit with your family? Comment below!

The post Best Ideas for Family Gifts appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Looking for gift ideas for a creative person? These ideas will be a hit with any creative! Check out my full list of gift guides for all ages and occasions. This post contains affiliate links and gifted product.

When it comes to getting gifts for creatives there are so many different directions you can take! Not all creatives are alike – some prefer art, some crafts, and some are more advanced creators than others.

Some may stick to creating as a hobby, some may just be creative and not do much about it on the regular, and some might be career artists or crafters. Some might just have creative-adjacent careers.

This list of gift ideas for a creative person has something for all of the above!

Loads of Gift Ideas for a Creative Person

Creative-adjacent Gift Ideas for a Creative Person

Over the years, I’ve assembled a number of gift idea lists for creative people. One of my favorite things to include are gift ideas for a creative person that is not directly an art or craft material. Rather, it is fitting for a creative person’s lifestyle. These creative-adjacent gifts are super fun for creatives to receive.

CINCOM Hand Massagers

The hand fatigue is real! Many creatives experience hand problems, ranging from repetitive stress injuries to simple fatigue. CINCOM’s hand massagers offer comfort and relief for all of the above. I suffer from tendinitis specifically, which flares up from both crafting and writing this blog – and it’s been so comforting for me!

Probably most unique of these creative-adjacent gift ideas for creatives, this one is fabulous for crocheters, artists, tufters, or anyone who does things regularly that lead to hand strain.

CINCOM offers a few types of hand massagers so you can choose one that best fits the recipients needs. I recommend reading their buying guide for the clearest breakdown but in a nutshell:

• For a standard hand massager for average size hands, get the Classic 1.0 – Model CM-026H.
• For a more spacious interior, touch screen, better performance, and an upgraded more immersive massage, get the Comfort 2.0 – Model CM-088H.
• For a more personalized massage that includes individual fingers, a 4D massage head, adaptive pressure, targeted heat, and more, get SmartTouch 3.0 –  Model CM-096H.

All of them include different modes, intensity settings, and heat for a fabulous soothing experience. And they can be purchased using HSA & FSA!

Scribble Art – photo book with artwork

What do you do with kids’ artwork? What do you do with YOUR artwork?

Scribble Art has super cool technology that I got to test with my kids’ artwork. They create amazing quality hardcover art books to save those creations. You can photograph crafts, LEGO creations, or anything creative kids OR adults make.

We created books in a few sizes, and even included some photos of the artists in them – especially on the covers.

Simply scan the artwork and it removes the background, replaces it with a solid one for a pop of color, and straightens and enhances the image. We photographed A&J’s school projects, M’s origami, Y’s canvas and wood art. They even make custom wrapping paper with artwork (we put Y’s flamingo on it). The kids loved seeing their artwork in a “real” book!

If you want something more close to creativity but not an actual supply. Can get code if don’t have access to artwork, but super cool to surprise a friend with a social account where they share their artwork, or your kids.

Craft Kits & Quality Supplies

The go to gift ideas for a creative person are the tools of their creativity! Besides for being an endless niche, art and craft supplies are generally consumables and we can always use more. And even when we can’t use more, we still want more.

But which ones should you get? Especially if you’re not a creative yourself, but even if you are, it can be hard to navigate such a huge market. These gift ideas for a creative person are winners in our home and I’m sure your loved one will enjoy it too.

POSCA Water Based Paint Markers 16 Colors

Quality matters when it comes to art supplies. And there’s no question that POSCA are the leaders in paint markers – and my personal go-to when I’m creating something I actually care about. Their rich colors, reliable opaque coverage, and long lasting paint make for a premium experience.

The 16-pack offers plenty of color variety for both artists and crafters who are looking for a reliable paint markers. This is a classic “wishlist” item for so many creatives, it’ll be a win for sure. In fact, it’ll probably be a “how did you know it’s exactly what I wanted?” item.

Diamond Art Club Mini Dazzles – Diamond Painting Around the World

Diamond painting is a truly meditative process – one that’s relaxing to do with a podcast, music, or even as an at-home date. And it doesn’t require any learned skills. Here’s another one where quality matters. Diamond Art Club has drills (that’s the gems) with consistent sizes, gorgeous colors and specialty finishes, and adhesive that is top notch. Their kits come with everything needed – including the applicator and putty, trays, and this one even comes with multi-drill tips.

The Mini Dazzles are beginner-friendly kits, featuring small designs on canvas fabric. The square drills cover all the spots -meaning you’re really painting the picture with them. The Around the World series features landmarks (pictured here is part 1). Yes, there are SIX mini artworks to create with everything included for under 20 bucks at the time of publishing this! (Prices are subject to change).

My kids saw me doing this and got jealous, which was okay because there were kits for them too (see them in my gift ideas for 9 year old boys and 12 year old boys).

Save 20% off your first purchase with Diamond Art Club®. Use the first link below and the discount code MOMS20!

Pour Palz

For a super fun and dynamic crafting experience that requires absolutely no patience, Pour Palz is a win! It takes the pour painting trend and gives you a solid figurine to go to town on.

The kit comes with everything you need to mix and layer paints and pour it over the figure. Paints are pre-mixed and it comes with protection for the surface, hands, and clothing too. And if you’re looking for something smaller, they make keychains too.

I love how my bear came out. Pour painting requires some use of color theory, and the kit is well made in that respect. I used lots of layers and the colors blended nicely to soft purple tones, with the blues, pinks, and gold showing through. When it’s fully dry, I plan to take a permanent marker to it and doodle! It’s also reallyl fun to use as an autograph bear after crafting.

Mindware Run the Runway Fashion Design Set

I first got to learn about Mindware’s Run the Runway Fashion Design kit at a toy expo called Toy Fair and I was floored. It’s the gift of my fashion-sketching, crafting childhood dreams. The kit comes PACKED with loads of fashion odds and ends – from notions to fabric, from closures to decorations… And it comes with mini mannequins to set up the designs on!

Kids (and kids at heart) can then create scaled down creations. It does come with some patterns and ideas that are totally optional to use. The clothing can be arranged on the mannequin without permanently adhering it by poking it into the teeth at the back. Or, it can be sewn together permanently as fun fashion doll outfits.

It allows kids room for creativity while providing a structure and entry-level understanding of how patterns and garment making works.

Cahve Ring Carving and Casting Kit

You may have seen my pomegranate ring in some of my craft videos – did you know that I made it?!

Cahve is an incredible experience. Their kit includes everything needed to carve a model ring out of wax. The main kit includes a casting voucher as well. You send your carving back to them, along with any specifications, and they actually make it for you.

The photos elow include the kit, my carving, and the final cast ring.

Art Gift Ideas for a Creative Person

For those who aren’t creatives themselves, the distinction between art and craft might not be as clear. Although there is lots of overlap, art usually focuses on the expression and appearance of a creative work, and craft usually focuses on creating a functional end.

These gift ideas for a creative person really highlight the art aspect of it.

For Teens and Adults – Ohuhu Honolulu S (alcohol illustration markers)

For illustrators, art markers are a luxurious necessity. Alcohol markers are highly blendable markers that don’t soak the page so they can be layered seamlessly for gorgeous results. This is the kind of art supply where having a larger range of colors really makes getting the target result much easier.

Ohuhu is an amazing brand that strikes the balance of affordable price point with a high quality product. Their Honolulu S-range of alcohol markers features dual brush and soft chisel tips – the perfect combination for artists to get bold shadows and smooth blends.

It’s a fabulous gift for teens who are responsible enough to use an alcohol marker and adults. Go for the widest color range in your budget – pictured is the 60 color set.

For Tweens – Art Cafe Meditative Painting Kits

I love discovering new craft kits from small businesses and Art Cafe was another I learned about on-location. Their simple art kits feature a coffee theme and are relaxing and meditative.

Simply drop paint from the ready-made, fluid-art friendly mini squeeze bottles onto a rimmed coffee lid. The rim keeps everything neat and contained. Play around with pattern and shape and drag the paint into different blends.

Each kit comes with one base cup that stores the supplies, plus four lids to create artwork on. They can be mounted on nails easily due to the rim, but I hope to back mine and put a magnet on it.

The whole process art experience is very calming and unintimidating. It’s ready to craft right outside of the box and doesn’t require any existing skills.

For Younger Kids – OOLY Cat Parade

What about younger creatives? For kids of any age who love to make art, I recommend OOLY’s Cat Parade gel crayons. They can be used as standalone crayons, or as watercolor crayons if you blend them with a wet brush.

The color is rich but the crayons don’t melt, and the cute design makes this such a fun gift to give and to receive.

For Toddlers – Little Partners Easel

For the youngest artists in the home, a high quality wooden easel will get years of love. This one from Little Partners is durable and includes storage. One side is a whiteboard, and one side is a chalkboard.

It has a center mounted paper roll – pull it through the top center, down through the holder slot, and to the clips on the bottom of the whiteboard side. Plenty of space for art supply storage makes this folding easel a win in our house.

Craft Equipment and Tools

If you’re looking for mid-range or high end gift ideas for a creative person, it’s time to start thinking about serious crafting gear! These are perfect to purchase as a gift for a spouse or someone very close. Some of these are fabulous earners – that is, craft business tools!

3Doodler Pro

The 3Doodler pro takes the viral 3D printing pen to the next level. This model has many more features, temperature settings and is compatible with a huge range of materials.

I love making things like earrings, small sculptures, and more with it. You can go functional or artsy – it’s a real fusion of art and craft in one fun little gadget! And it comes with plenty of filament to get any artist creating.

Clawlab Tufting Gun and/or Frame

Rug tufting is an “on-trend” hobby now, and while this kit can totally make real rugs, I have lots of fun making smaller projects with it! I crafted these initials for my kids (they absolutely adore them).

Clawlab’s tufting gun and frame can be purchased as a set (which includes starter materials) or as standalone gifts.

They are unique and innovative – the gun takes tufting from heavy machinery to lightweight “glue gun” and the frame eliminates a lot of the work of getting the frame taught. I did a whole review and project demo on YouTube for this one, so you can watch it here:

LaserPecker LP5

If you have someone you want to get a really special gift for, a laser engraver is an incredible one. Besides for majorly upgrading any craft business with endless personalization opportunities, I personally find it just so much fun to craft things for myself.

The LaserPecker LP5 is a portable/small space laser engraver that has two laser types built in that allows it to engrave and cut much more materials. It’s great for entry-level engravers, for adding to a craft business for onsite craft-fair customization, or for small spaces.

Read my full Laserpecker LP5 review here to understand this device better.

Worx MakerX Rotary Tool

A good rotary tool is a must-have for every creative! This one from Worx is a hybrid system that can be connected to other tools from the line. It’s semi-cordless with a rechargeable battery that connects to the tool and has speed controls on the battery/base.

Craft Books: Activities Instruction

When you’re in doubt for gift giving, a craft book is usually a win! Whether it’s one that is actually an activity book, or one that teaches new skills, it’s an easy gift to add to any creative’s collection.

Drawing Dinosaurs: How to Draw Scientifically Accurate Prehistoric Creatures

We have more than one dino-obsessed person in this house, and Drawing Dinosaurs by Brian Vitocruz is a super cool book for kids and adults! It breaks down the drawing process of scientifically-accurate dinos so that it can be easily replicated.

Beyond teaching the specifics of drawing each dinosaur, it also shows fundamentals of drawing in general.

Tunisian Crochet: A Stitch Dictionary with 501 Stitches to Explore

This book by Lori Harrison is effectively a stitch dictionary, that offers over 500 new ones to try! It focuses on Tunisian crochet techniques and is fabulous for anyone who loves to crochet – and expand their skills.

This is not a pattern book – there are no actual projects, just new stitches to try, that can be used in any project. It’s great for those creators who like to actually be creative with their crochet and have a solid understanding of crochet concepts.

Each stitch comes with a chart with key as well as written instructions for each round.

Paint by Sticker Kids Trucks, Trains, and more

Paint by Sticker is an old favorite of ours and the concept is simple: match the shaped sticker to the correct numbered spot on the art page. This completes the puzzle. It’s perfect for kids who love stickers at any age where they can match numbers and have the dexterity to place the stickers.

The Trucks, trains, & more version is fabulous for that truck-obsessed kid. It’ll provide hours of tangible fun for kids who love to create something they can be proud of when they’re done.

Got any gift ideas for a creative person to add to this list? Comment below and let me know!

The post 18+ Gift Ideas for a Creative Person appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Looking for the best gifts for a 12 year old boy? These top picks for tween boys will make you a gift giving celeb! If you want more ideas, check out these gift ideas for an 11 year old. This post contains affiliate links and gifted product.

As kids get older, getting them gifts really changes. There’s this soft mix at the tween age where very specific types of toys still appeal to them, but they need a bit more hype attached.

On the flip side, they also begin to really appreciate some non-toy gifts. My 12 year old, M, helped me curate this list of 14 best gifts for a 12 year old boy. Some were pitched by brands or discovered at toy shows, some were taken direclty from his wishlist, and all are things he’d love to (or loved to) receive as gifts.

First, I’ll share some general tips for finding the best gifts for a 12 year old boy. And of course, these are great for girls too, I’m just testing them with a boy.

How to find the best gifts for a 12 year old boy

It’s important to really know the kid at this stage -or choose something very safe. Your biggest risk is getting them something that they feel is too childish.

Here are some general directions you can take:

• Gadgets – a safe option. Smaller or larger electronic toys that are age-appropriate have very universal appeal at this stage. More advanced gadgets (such as devices or accessories) are even cooler.
• Games – If you are on a tighter budget and can’t spring for a cool electronic, choose a game over a toy. If you know which gaming device (if any) they own, you can get a new game for it too.
• Hobbies – If you know the child well, choose something that works with their hobby. If they’re into art, opt for more grown-up art supplies than they may have been using. Think STEM, sporting or active hobbies, etc.
• Fanware – These things are rarely featured in my gift guides just because my kids aren’t major fans of anything but if you have a kid who has a favorite team, video game, etc go and get some licensed goods.
• Non-toy gifts – Something so cool that I’m observing as my kids grow up is that some of the things that make nice gifts for adults are starting to be cool for them too!

The ideas below are sorted a bit differently but I think you’ll find the directions above as well as the ideas below super helpful!

14 of the Best Gifts for a 12 year old boy

Gadget Gifts for a 12 year old boy

Gadgets are really a safe zone. At this age it can include toys – specifically standout toys with unique features.

Silverlit Robo Rapidfire

Silverlit makes some super cool remote controls, and while for a 12 year old, remote controls are “been there, done that” THIS one isn’t! It’s part robot target for a dart blaster and part remotely controlled shooter. M was so excited to play with it in both of its modes.

In target blasting mode, the robot serves as the target, moving around on its own. You need to hit the target with the dart blaster.

In RC blasting mode, the robot itself is the dart blaster, and the player controls it. It’s REALLY fun for chasing adorable toddler brothers who are good sports.

It holds ten darts at a time and is overall a high quality RC, something that’s important in this toy category.

Otamatone Deluxe Batman & Kirby

My boys have loved Otamatone for years but these styles are just epic – and did you know they make cases too? Otamatone is a social media viral electronic music player with loads of humor. Music is played with one hand sliding up and down the stem of the musical-note shaped device for pitch variation, and one hand opening and closing the mouth to make a vibrato “wawawa” sound – as if it’s singing.

The deluxe version is a bit more of a legit instrument, with a pitch dial on the back, a 3.5 mm stereo jack to connect it to speakers or headphones, and a longer stem for more pitch variation. For the Batman fan, the Batman model just gives it more bonus points.

The Kirby Otamatone is so fun for kids who are fans of the video game. It’s the original model – a really fun, compact, and silly musical instrument that kids CAN actually play. This is the type of thing that “Kidults” love to, making it a fabulous gift for a 12 year old boy.

You can upgrade the gift with a case (make sure to get the right size for the Otamatone you’re getting).

Carrera Revell Hybrid Highway Challenge

What if you can combine kids’ favorite toys with a gaming-style experience? For kids who are fans of racing – try some incredible, high tech real racing simulation! The Carrera Hybrid line connects to the phone and allows kids to do their video game racing online – and IRL! The minimum age recommendation is 12 years on this, so it really is a next level “play” experience.

For M, the thing that REALLY did it was the AI integration. Kids (and parents when they leave it around) can choose to use AI-guided racing to keep the car on the track.

There are loads of tuning options – set the speed, tire wear, and more. It then simulates it on the model car. As you play you can score earn more features. Up to 16 players can race together.

The Highway Challenge is a fabulous all-in-one set for getting started with Carrera Hybrid racing experiences, which can then be added on to. It comes with 1:50 scale Porsche 911 GT3 “Red Devil” and “Black Devil” racecars with incredible detail. These can be raced on or off track – and the Highway Challenge comes with just about 20 feet of it. Set the parts you have in the app, connect to the cars and go ahead and race!

For kids that enjoy more traditional gaming controllers, you can get the Carrera Hybrid bluetooth controller add-on that includes an optional phone holder.

Electric Hand Warmers

I don’t know what it is about these – but M loves these! You know those packets that you need to activate and then they keep you warm all winter? Well, there’s a gadget version of them! These plug in and have different warmth settings.

I got these for M with a strict warning to proceed with caution and use them carefully – at twelve, I believe he’s responsible enough. The brand that I linked is UL certified and high quality. It comes in fun colors and prints too, and charges via USB. They connect magnetically when not in use

Top Games & Interest-Based Toys for a 12 year old boy

Games are another pretty cool safe bet when looking for the best gifts for a 12 year old boy. They mostly skew affordable, and adults play them too, so there really is no true age cap on it. When looking for toys, look at those that are more interest-focused and fit their hobbies.

Smart Games Cats & Boxes Game

For the kid who loves to play solo, doesn’t always have a playmate, or just loves a good puzzle, Smart Games is always a top choice for us.

M loves these challenges – they work well with his mathematical brain, and allow him to have solid screen-free fun on the go. Cat’s & Boxes is a super cool and unique spin on these puzzle games.

The game comes with 60 challenges, which are starting points for all the pieces on the game board. The challenge is to move the box pieces so that all the cats are in boxes. The cats must stay in place, and you can only move one piece at a time.

It’s a fun, humorous, more tangible take on the classic puzzle-solution game that totally appeals to M’s sense of humor.

LEGO Voyagers

What about when you want your kids SPECIFICALLY NOT to play solo? That’s where LEGO Voyagers comes in! This new and unique LEGO video game requires kids to play together! They can play virtually or IRL – and can even send friends who DIDN’T purchase the game a code to play with them.

LEGO Voyagers is a very laid back adventure-style game. The LEGO brick characters need to move LEGO pieces on the landscape to get around.

In a world of violent, aggressive video games, this one is so refreshing. It’s creative, and uses one of my kids’ favorite toys to build initial interest. It took them a few minutes to really learn it, but once they did, it became an instant favorite.

And I just love the social aspect of it!

Giiker Super Decoder

Giiker takes classic games and geekifies them – or rather turns them into gadgets! I love this approach for gifting a picky tween, especially one who loves to play solo.

The Super Decoder has game play similar to good old Mastermind. You have seven tries to break the four-color code, and it keeps getting harder.

The entire design of this game is so cool – it’s robotic! The two pronged antennae is functional and powers it on, sets single or duo mode, and provides game play cues as well. There’s an easier and more advanced mode, and a mind-boggling 600 levels of play!

Play solo or against a friend, and put it in your pocket when you’re done. It’s a screen free gadget – operated by lights – making it friendly for screen-free environments, like some schools. It’s one of those things that feels like a gadget, but actually builds some critical brain skills.

UFC Collectibles for Fans

If your 12 year old is a UFC fan, collectibles are a win! For slightly larger gifts, go for animated action figures of their favorite fighters. For smaller gifts, we’re in love with the the punching bag action figure capsules. These mini blind bags have different figures and accessories.

M even unboxed an ultra rare golden figure! The speed bags feature an octagon base and a figure in their signature pose. The punching bags feature a figure and a stand, with an accessory, plus a sticker and mini poster. The punching bag figures come with puzzle stands that connect to form an octagon.

The speed bags and punching bags come on a fun clip keychain, making them a fun backpack accessory on their own.

Best non-toy and activity gifts for a 12 Year Old Boy

At an age where kids think they want toys and gadgets that do something, it’s a huge win to find that gift that encourages THEM to do something! These are my best gifts for a 12 year old boy that’ll get them creating, writing, thinking, and building.

Diamond Art Club Sparkle Pals™ – R2-D2™

When my kids first saw me doing diamond painting, they wanted in on the action. And Diamond Art Club apparently knows that this hobby goes beyond the default demographic because they create kits for everyone! For 12 year old boys, especially the Star Wars fan, the Sparkle Pals R2-D2 is a super cool pick!

This beginner friendly kit comes in a theme that crosses demographics and is perfect for tweens who want to create a little. It comes with everything needed to get started – including the tools. M loves this set, as a Star Wars fan, and it’s a go to pick for me for when I’m looking for a smaller gift for a tween boy or girl. M enjoys displaying finished creations, and R2-D2 comes with a stand, perfect for propping on a desk. We might even glue magnets on the back and put it on his locker.

You can save 20% off your first purchase with Diamond Art Club®. Use the discount code MOMS20!”

Yes & Know Books

When I found out that Yes & Know books are coming back at Toy Fair this past winter, I literally did a happy dance. These invisible ink activity books are a childhood favorite of mine, a pivotal item that was a real treat. In fact, it was a tradition in our family to have these as “sick day” treats – but they make fabulous small gifts too!

Yes & Know books are invisible ink books that are full of puzzles, trivia, and more – appropriate for school age kids through adults (or ages 7-77!) We played tic-tac-toe on these pages as kids, learned new things about life, decoded, and maybe cheated a tiny bit by revealing a teensy drop to peek at the answer before filling it in fully.

The license to remake these was acquired by a small business called Tree Town Toys, and they have only gotten better. They retained their retro feel, but modernized it just the right amount – adding color ink to the mix. Gift these individually as a small gift, or bundle them for a larger gift.

Smartivity Mechanical Hand

If you have a kid who is engineering-obsessed (M is!) the Smartivity Mechanical Hand is a super fun exercise in engineering. Kids build a huge robotic hand that they can then use to pick up various thing, high five or fist bump siblings and friends, and in general have fun with.

This is the kind of kit where the assembly is intensive and the main point and a fun thing to play with is the byproduct. M thrives on this type of thing and was able to assemble it fully independently.

The instructions are clear, visual, and easy to follow and the precision laser cut pieces are easy to pop out of the frame for assembly.

Ohuhu Direct-ink Acrylic Markers – Nahuku

As kids get older, they are ready for grown-up art supplies, and for the kid who loves to draw, Nahuku Direct-ink Acrylic Markers are a win! These super cool opaque brush tip paint markers can be used to draw on paper, color things in, do brush calligraphy, decorate school supplies, and more. Since they are opaque, they work beautifully on both dark and light surfaces

They are fabulous for an aspiring artist (bonus points if you gift it with a sketchbook!) And the Direct Ink technology means that no pumping and priming is required. The 48 color pack that is featured here has three each of white and black – a really helpful feature based on real-life use patterns. It comes in an easy storage case.

Ohuhu’s art supplies are a win for this age group and one that I personally purchase as gifts for young and hobby artists. They are a mid-range art supply brand that leans more affordable than pro-grade brands but delivers consistent quality.

Owala FreeSip Water Bottle

While this isn’t an activity that “does”, it’s a fabulous, practical gift that the kids just love (especially if you’re reading this in 2025). It has a straw but also a siwg spout, so they can drink however they’d like. And it’s leak-proof so it won’t destroy that homework!

We got the Kids version because its 16 oz size is practical for bringing to school, but for 12 year olds you can get the real version too. And it’s insulated, keeping drinks cold for up to 24 hours, which encourages drinking.

Best Books for a 12 Year Old Boy

Books are an absolute win for gifting 12-year-olds – they can never have enough! Find out what type of reading they love and go with that!

Did you Hear what Happened in Salem?

This book is a nonfiction but totally not boring take on the Salem witch trials. It’s written in an engaging and snarky way, from the perspective of a third party observer. And it teaches some valuable lessons about groupthink, assumptions, and the value of a good justice system.

The book features vivid illustrations that bring the story to life, a character guide, and a very strong lesson written explicitly at the end. While it’s graded for ages 8+, as a mother of a 9 and 12 year old, I do prefer it for the 8+ demographic because of the subject matter.

Parent Warnings: It does contain one use of the “b-word” but as a negative reference not conversational, as well as a quick reference to suicide. I personally think this is age appropriate for a 12 year old.

Harry Potter boxed set

M received this set as an aunt and has read it at least twice since! At this age, he is ready to read the full set of the classic series – and it’s definitely an “own-it” type of series.

The Big Fat Middle School STEM Boxed Set

A little school help goes a long way and this boxed set is totally gift-ready! It is a notebook-style, kid-friendly book series that is designed to be better than the best note taker’s notes! It breaks things down into tidbits, with illustrations and fun commentary.

The boxed set comes with three books, math, science, and computer science/coding.

Which other gifts would you choose as the best gifts for a 12 year old boy? Have you tried any of those on this list? Comment below!

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If you’re looking for gifts for a 5 year old girl who has everything, you’ll love these unique gift ideas for every budget! You can find more carefully curated gift guides here. This post contains affiliate link and gifted products.

If you know a five year old who is having a birthday, or you’re looking for a holiday gift for one, congrats! This is one of the cutest, sweetest, funnest age groups to shop for!

These gifts for a 5 year old girl who has everything were tried and tested by A, my five year old diva who has quite the full playroom already.

Tips for finding gifts for a 5 year old girl who has everything

In addition to specific gifts, I always like to share tips for gifting the specific demographic. Here are my tips for nailing gifts for a 5 year old girl who has everything:

• Consumables: crafts and other things that use up can always be saved for when the current stash finishes
• Decide your budget in advance. It’s easy to get carried away spoiling a little princess so make sure it works with your original spending plan.
• Choose between unique or premium (or both if you can swing it!) Even if you can’t afford to go with premium, finding something truly unique and appealing to that demographic is a win.
• Gifts don’t need to be toys! Think of things that have a special element to them.

16 Gifts for a 5 year old girl who has everything

Extra Special Plush and Doll Gifts for a 5 Year Old Girl who has Everything

Plush and dolls are a win with little girls, but what if she already has a selection? Here are a few super cool upgraded gifts in this category!

Madame Alexander’s Going to Grandma’s Huggums

Madame Alexander creates high quality dolls, designed in New York with over 100 years worth of attention to detail. The Going to Grandma’s Huggums doll is a small baby doll with an i intricately embroidered outfit that is “going to Grandma” quality.

A right away adopted her as the baby sister she has been begging me for (“a fake one – not a real one, I still want a real one”). She is absolutely in love with the delicate lips, hair texture, bright pink three-piece outfit, and soft huggable body.

This is a keepsake quality vintage-style doll, with eyes that open when upright and close while lying down. It’s the type of thing that she’ll one day be able to gift her own little girl.

Madame Alexander 90’s Retro 18-inch Doll

If this particular five year old is a step beyond baby dolls, Madame Alexander makes fabulous 18-inch dolls too. This next-stage doll is 90’s inspired (I guess we’re retro!)

She has a plush pink hat I’d have ben envious of as a child, foam slippers, a cute handbag, jeans, jackets, and a sweet polo shirt.

Her hairs is soft and long – A’s favorite feature, though she’s obsessed with the plush hat too!

Purryfuls – Realistic Purring Pet Cat

For the little girl with big emotions, Purryfuls’ realistic purring pet cat is an amazing calming tool. It’s not just another plush. Every detail on this cat is beautiful and well-made, and it comes in a generous 16 inch size.

The cat has various vibration and “purring” modes to offer a calming feeling. it comes with a journal and pen too for a full calming experience. Most five year olds are just learning to write, making this a fantastic addition. And while A is not quite learning yet, she loves to draw her feelings.

The soft plush, combined with a bit of weight, and the vibration and sound make for a multi-sensory experience that mimics its real life inspiration. Press her paw to activate different modes. It’s perfect for cuddles at night, as a lap buddy, or any time a little calming down is in order!

Woof & Co Fashion Dog Dolls

I first “met” the Woof & Co fashion dog lineup at a toy show this past summer and I was so impressed. If you think there’s nothing in the toy industry that hasn’t been done yet, meet Lily the Shih Tzu!

This toy focuses more on the “unique” angle of gifts for a 5 year old girl who has everything and comes with a super affordable price tag. A loves the soft fur, and I’m totally jealous of her outfit!

She’s a posable doll, and her outfit is removable and swappable with other Woof & Co dolls, and she even has a Paris-ready handbag!

Non Toy Gifts for a 5 Year Old Girl who has Everything

Kids eventually get to an age when a non-toy gift gets a “what? that’s not a gift!” reaction – and then outgrow it eventually. I’m sure you’ve seen it. Five is well within the safe zone of non-toy gifts being a winner, as long as they have a very specific appeal. I’ll outline the appeal for each of the specific suggestions below, but some examples can include: a favorite character or theme featured, COZY – all the cozy stuff, and glitter.

The Comfy Original Junior

Everyone loves a good oversized hoodie and my kids are equally obsessed with a plush throw blanket.

But what if you combine the two? The Comfy Original Junior is a large, oversized hoodie made of Sherpa inside and soft fleece on the outside. I’m not gonna lie: her big brothers are totally jealous and have been begging for Comfies of their own!

It’s large enough to snuggle and tuck legs into – it is supposed to fit more like a blanket – and is perfect for lounging on the couch, especially on chilly days. But kids can still wear it comfortably and walk around in it. It has a generous hood and a large kangaroo pocket for a full snuggle.

One size works for ages 3-10 – although my very thin 12 year old fits in it too – making it something that she’ll be able to enjoy for years.

Diel Friends Kid-Safe Makeup & SPF Puff – 4 Piece Gift Tin

Diel Friends reached out to me a while ago to share specifically their SPF powder puff and I was amazed. Putting sunscreen on kids’ faces is challenging, but their Judy Sun Cushion SPF50 solves that issue with a formula that our little divas can apply on their own.

But let’s turn it into a giftable set!

The Judy Deluxe Beauty Gift Box comes in a storage-friendly tin. It’s a cross between functional makeup and play. It’s all kid-friendly and makes sense for this age, with the SPF I mentioned above, a water-based nail polish, color changing Pearl lipstick, and their heart cheek stamp. It’s a cross between play and function, and a sweet way that kids can play beauty salon with actual results.

All the products are made with EWG green-grade, non-toxic ingredients, and the tin is large enough to store any other play beauty products she might have.

Use code menucha10 for an exclusive discount!

My First Paint by Sticker

I tend to count toys and activities are counted as non-toy because they are so consumable – they don’t just collect and get played with, they get used.

Paint by Sticker is a favorite in our house – kids match up stickers with the correct number to form a picture. And My First Paint by Sticker is perfectly simple for this age group!

The Farm Friends book is spot on for kids who love cuddly farm creatures.

More Cool Toys for a 5 Year Old Girl who has Everything

When looking for toys for a 5 year old who has everything, think about things they might not have yet – classics with a spin, new releases, educational toys, and collectibles.

Emmers Emotion Seekers Game

5 is an age where little ones are navigating big feelings in a big way – and building the skills to resolve them. Emmers creates games and books that are rooted in developmental psychology.

The Emotion Seekers game is a very simple, easy to learn game that feels familiar but has a totally unique spin. It opens up feelings about emotions and how kids (or even adults) might feel in certain situations, having kids decide what that might be, which can help them understand reactions and how to navigate them.

Game play is simple: Flip over a card and read the story (a grown-up should guide the game if kids are non-readers). Kids choose emotion tokens (the instructions suggest starting with only four simple ones- though the game comes with 18) to correspond and move spaces according to the card directions.

The design is modern but still colorful, playful, and kid-friendly. And the moving pieces are sturdy wooden peg dolls.

Large as Life Puzzles with Trivia

Puzzles are a huge developmental tool at the 5-year-old-stage, and while kids might need help, they absolutely love the satisfaction of doing them at this age! Large as Life creates trivia puzzles in the shape of the animals they feature. This Red Panda measures 3 feet across and features a furry creature that my kids fell in love with!

Each piece has a trivia fact on the back, and some of the pieces are special shapes just to make things more fun.

And to simplify things for younger kids, it comes with a diagram that color codes the puzzle into sections so that it can be worked on bit by bit. It’s a fabulous entry level into real puzzles, and is perfect for kids who love animals – and learning random facts about them!

Clixo

Clixo is an all-around favorite toy in our house, and A is just starting to love playing with it! They are flexible (origami-inspired) sturdy plastic pieces that connect together with magents on the rounded ends.

Because f the added element of flexibility, kids can create in new ways. And the connected ends can turn, making a fun and satisfying clicking sounds.

Ty Beanie Bouncers

Ready for a touch of nostalgia? We all grew up with Ty Beanie Babies – but not Beanie Bouncers!

These plush balls bounce surprisingly high and come in… well, everything! There are Beanie characters, with their own birthdays, and there are loads of favorite licenses. Harry Potter, Marvel, Baby Shark, Stitch, Bluey…

Choose their favorite character, decide on your budget, and choose accordingly! Fill a basket as a bundled gift or gift them in singles or doubles. A loves the purple cow (Daisy) and Bluey Beanie Bouncers best.

Clickeez Modular Keyboard Fidgets

I have a troubled relationship with collectibles: on the one hand, I love the idea of small prizes and gifts I can give them, but on the other, I don’t like when the entire play value is collecting. So collectibles with added play value are my favorite!

Clickeez are a brilliant fidget concept. Kids love clacking on keyboards, and these are like the old-school SUPER clackey kind. They are modular and can connect in different ways, and multiple sets can be connected.

Best books for a 5 year old girl

They say you can never have too many books… and while I’m starting to learn that there may be a point where you CAN have too many, that number is very high. These book picks (and book-ish gifts) are super fun gifts for a 5 year old girl who has everything!

Booksy

These small little characters contain a surprise inside: a mini book with an actual story inside! A loves her little Frozen Booksy and keeps asking for more!

This is another one of those fun collectible-type gifts that have a real purpose beyond collecting. They have loads of licenses so you can get the one that your little one loves.

3 Minute and 5 Minute Character Stories

A received Daniel Tiger’s 3-Minute Bedtime stories and Disney 5-minute stories as gifts and she has spent so many hours immersed in it! I have no idea if these are from the same publisher or not, but you can definitely look up the recipient’s favorite character – there are many of these.

I’m Sorry You Got Mad

Yes, this book is as passive aggressive as it sounds! It’s about learning how to apologize properly, taking an “I’m sorry you got mad” apology and turning it into a genuine one .The drawings are vivid and the message is clear.

What Kind of Shoes Does a Hippopotamus Choose?

I met Kat Maconie, the author of this book at an event. Her bold shoes are iconic, and this book features loads and loads of them. It’s the kind of book that adults will enjoy as well – as they’ll discover new details in the pictures each time. It’s fun and humorous and my kids love it.

Got any more ideas for gifts for a 5 year old who has everything? Comment below!

The post Gifts for a 5 Year old Girl who has Everything appeared first on Moms and Crafters.