Best Christmas Gifts for Kids & Toddlers in 2024

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• Gifts for Babies 0+
• Xmas Presents for 1-3 Year Olds
• Best Christmas Gifts for Kids of 3-5 Years
• Gifts for Tykes of School Age (6-12)

It’s the time of the year when lines and the shopping lists are the longest. Christmas time is a magical period when the festive ambiance kicks in; however, it comes with a challenging part – the mission of looking for the best Christmas gifts for kids who have everything. You have to somehow choose among never-ending options to make sure the joy and the surprised look will be 100% reflected on a tot’s face when they unwrap a gift.

At Child-Universe, we know the hard job of hunting for the best toddler gifts for Christmas, so we’re here to save the day with our top gift ideas and make Xmas morning magical.

Gifts for Babies 0+

Ouch! Finding the best Christmas gifts for kids that small is a tough task. In most cases, all you can do is get a prezzie, which is mainly useful for the mom and dad of an infant. This can be a diaper bag, a classy wrap baby carrier, a thermostat for the baby’s room, a nose unplugger, a night light, or any other item that can make this amazing (and so challenging!) job just a little easier for exhausted parents.

Xmas Presents for 1-3 Year Olds

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The good news is that munchkins aren’t really picky at this age. Moreover, they may get more excited about the festive wrapping than of what’s inside. Plus, play is focused on motor skills development and sensory exploration, so choose the gifts based on that.

• Sensory play packs. The best Christmas gifts for kids 2024 remain the same as the previous year – all the options, including kinetic sand, water beads, and squishy dough. Not only will they encourage exploration, but they’ll also boost fine motor skills. Needless to say, pumpkins get occupied for hours.

• Wooden and eco-friendly items. Wooden toys for toddlers (stacking rings, Montessori-based bookshelves, play kitchens, name puzzles, etc.) are excellent tools for kiddies that should develop hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.

• Push-and-pull playthings. Push carts or/and pull-along animals work best for toddlers learning to walk and fostering gross motor skills.

• Playful pegs. These brightly colored pegs offer great open-ended play and guarantee the right level of challenge for the toddler.

• Indoor tunnel. This classy fun for a living room or playroom is the best tool to teach little ones to crawl and interact with other kids when they’re engaged in shared play.

Best Christmas Gifts for Kids of 3-5 Years

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They grow up faster than you know. At СhildUniverse Blog, we’ve already talked about various activities for this age category. Little fellas get more and more curious when the well-known "I want to do it myself" phase comes to the scene. Now, they’re more verbal and social, while the play gets more imaginative than ever before.

• Pretend play accessories. Why we love these toys is because they equally make the best Christmas gifts for toddler girl or boy. Play kitchens, doctor sets, SPA, gardening kits and other kinds of stuff make the role-playing even more creative, while fidgets are having loads of fun.

• STEM toys. That’s right! At this age, children are ready for age-appropriate STEM playthings, such as coding robots, magnetic building blocks, or simple circuit sets. These are the best Christmas gifts for a toddler who (based on your observations) is interested in basic science.

• Wooden puzzles. Between cute animals, baby names, and other kid-friendly characters, these earth-friendly puzzles can keep your tot entertained and busy for a long time. Plus, they help learn shapes, colors, characters, numbers, names, and hand-eye coordination.

• Bubble wands. This automated item is the best Christmas gifts for toddler boy or girl if you need them to be entertained and occupied for a while. Pick the bubble wands with music effects and colored lights to have a perfect party.

• The good old hopper. This classy vinyl plaything is a great tool for a tot who is overfilled with energy. They love to scoot, hop, and bump here and there! Needless to say, littlies look incredibly cute in the process.  

• Zoo bark-ista coffee set. Forget about all those tea sets! Let your little barista make some extra delicious coffee with the device equipped with a ‘fill and drop’ filter, lights, and sounds. Excellent tool to have fun and foster motor skills!

• Their first bike. Ah, this sweet feeling of getting your first balance bike! Not only will your giftee get extra-excited, but they will also learn to brake, steer, as well as keep themselves upright on a bike.

• Montessori furniture. They grow up faster than you thought, so there’s no doubt they want personal space for ‘work’ and fun. Pick a table with one, two, or more chairs, a front-facing bookshelf, a wall shelf, or any other item made of eco-friendly birch plywood. They’ll have their own space for snacks and creating all those amazing art projects.

Gifts for Tykes of School Age (6-12)

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The new phase of life starts approximately when kiddoes turn 6. It’s the time they go to school for the first time and encounter loads of new experiences. They dive into the excitement of learning new things, meeting new people, and getting a better idea of how the world works around them. The best Christmas gifts for kids this year should match their interests and development.

• Science kits. It’s a great age for experiments of all kinds! Volcano models, crystal-growing sets, or farms for observing insects – the science kits offer excellent hands-on experiments for curious minds.  

• Subscriptions of all kinds. Consider their special interests and preferences to gift them a monthly subscription for their passion. It can be anything from music apps to learning and movie platforms.

• Smartwatches. Pick kid-friendly devices equipped with step counters, GPS tracking, and edu-games to provide the 2-in-1 prezzie – entertainment and functionality.

• Outdoor sports equipment. A scooter, bike, or skateboard is great for independent traveling in the neighborhood. Do not forget to include all the protective equipment.

• Painting course. If your child is a creative soul, the best gifts for kids this Christmas are the ones that let their talents flourish. Paint-by-numbers sets, a drawing book or even an online or in-person painting course will be much appreciated by little Picasso.

• Construction game. For children interested in techs, 3D puzzles, or any other game that trains imagination and boosts concentration and cognitive skills, it would be a superb surprise.

• Starry sky projector. Going to ZZZ under the stars will stimulate children’s imagination and amaze them like no other.

• Underwater camera. Let kids enjoy their next holiday and dive into the magical underwater world! They’ll capture the most incredible moments of their adventures, creating their own photo diary.

When the clock is ticking on pre-Christmas shopping, breathe in, breathe out, and keep in mind your kid’s interests. With a bit of effort and search, you’re sure to find delightful gifts that spark joy!