Thoughtful and Fun Ideas
Choosing the perfect gift for your kids can feel like navigating a minefield—exciting, fun, and a little overwhelming all at once. In our home, space is limited; our boys share a room, and I’m not a fan of oversized, noisy toys or mountains of plastic. I believe that if something is going to take up space in the house, it should inspire creativity, learning, and meaningful play.
Of course, we’ve been through all the classic stages—trains, cars, Legos—you name it. But over the years, we’ve worked hard to keep the clutter in check, encouraging thoughtful gift-giving (even from well-meaning grandparents!) that doesn’t overwhelm our space or our sanity.
In this guide, I’ve curated a selection of gifts that are engaging, versatile, and perfect for a range of interests and ages. I’ve also woven in experiential gift ideas—because sometimes, the best part of giving is sharing the joy it brings to everyone involved.
Soul Waterman Nugget
I know it’s winter here in Oregon, but if you happen to live in some place warm year round, or live in the southern hemisphere- check this boat out! Soul makes amazing kid boats that are not just shrunken down adult boats. Instead they have thought about every detail when making their boats. The nugget is a white water sit on top kayak that can also be paddled on flat water, thanks to its drop down skag.
It’s sweeping rocker coupled with it’s high volume design makes both learning how to surf waves and run small rapids fun and informative for first time smaller paddlers! Both my 7 year old and 5 year old can fit snug in it thanks to its adjustable foot pegs and back band. We loved bringing this boat to both the lake and to our local white water park. Both boys ran their first rapid and even surfed their first wave with the nugget! It is super easy to carry and even fits in our top box! We opted for the fully stoked version because it came with a paddle and a transport wheel. The paddle is a two piece, so it is easy to break down and fit anywhere and the transport wheel makes it easy for the boys to wheel the boat down to the water themselves!
Makedo Discover Kit
This kit is amazing because it lets kids build their forts, houses, bridges and other amazing things all out cardboard! As a family who gets a lot of cardboard boxes, this kit has opened up so much creative play time. My boys and their friends will literally cut, build and create with this kit for hours. I love how it uses cardboard (something that every house gets) as it’s medium. The Discover kit comes with specific tools that are safe for kids, so they can cut, screw and build everything all on their own. All they need is cardboard! I used to get super annoyed at how much cardboard we would get, but now, I love seeing how creative the kids have gotten with the Makedo Kit. Just yesterday they made a whole town for their Christmas train. I see this being played with for a LONG long time!
Kids Micro D Fleece Joggers
If your kids are into cozy clothes like mine are, check these out. I gifted these to Max last Christmas and he could not WAIT to pull them back out once the temps started to drop this fall. He comes home everyday after Forest School, hops in the bath and then puts these on for the rest of his day. If your child sounds like mine, check them out and yes, I know it may sound weird to gift your 6 or 7 year old clothes, but if they are into picking out what they wear and are into cozy feeling materials, I fully recommend these. They have one zippered pocket in the back, are tapered at the ankles and have lots of room to move and grow into!
Herschel Heritage Hip Pack
I wear a fanny pack everyday, so it’s only fair that my boys get one two. I love these from Hershey because they are well made and very functional. While my boys don’t wear theirs every single day, they love to wear them for our mini adventures and for traveling. I love them because they can hold all of their little treasures on our hikes (as oppose to me carrying everything!) as well as a little snack. Now our whole family has their own fanny pack and we can each carry own treasures. When I gifted these to the boys I filled them up with little things that I know they love like marbles, gems, and a few treats.
Sunday Afternoon Hats
These hats by Sunday Afternoon is an everyday staple for my boys. Even in the winter time (because we live in the high desert!) they wear them to school. I love them because they keep the sun off of their faces and they love them for the amazing artwork. We have a few of them, so they can choose which one they want to be on any given day. For the past few months, their “Alaska pond hats” have been the top pick! Sunday Afternoon makes great hats for the whole family and for multiple activities. Our entire family has many different styles of hats depending on the activities we are doing and how much sun we will be getting. So take a look and get one or two for yourself and partner as well!
Nocs Provisions Waterproof Binoculars
When we are out on our hikes or putting on races, our boys always love to look for racers and/or birds and animals up on the mountain tops. I have these binoculars in my family adventure backpack at all times because it’s a fun thing to have on our adventures. When we stop for snack breaks, I bust these out and it’s always a fun time and brings up great questions which turn into conversations. Both the durability and the colors are just a few things I love about these binoculars, they have taken a beating by my family and still work great. Being able to see “like an eagle is so fun!” as my youngest likes to say.
Kidamento Camera
For the past few years our boys have had Polaroid cameras, which I love except that the film is extremely expensive. When they were littler it was not a huge problem because they would take one or two pictures and then forget about it. However this past year, they have gotten really into taking pictures. I wanted to nurture this passion without going broke! Input the Kidamento Camera! This thing is amazing because it instantly prints on both receipt and sticker paper, which is cheap, fun and instant! It also takes video that they can play back or upload to a computer. Our boys, especially our 7 year old is loving his and is constantly taking pictures. And now, I can fully support him taking as many pictures as he wants without worrying about how much each picture is costing!
Spot IT, Travel size Chinese Checkers and Chess
These games go almost everywhere with us. If we don’t take one, we take the other two. But they are always on hand and are super fun to play with the boys. I love them because they require strategy and thinking. Spot It is super simple, but engaging and works the eyes and keeps everyone focused! Chinese checkers is a game that most people know, but I never thought about for kids. The strategy is both easy to learn and gets everyone looking and thinking. I have never seen a game that gets the whole family involved quite like this one. Chess, while there is only two players that can play, is one that I love playing with Max, because it gets him thinking about all of the moves and we have conversations while we play it. While Chess and Chinese checkers is good for 5 and up, Spot It can be played from the early age of 3!
Magna-Tiles
If you are a parent, you have probably seen these and if not, stop what you are doing and look them up now! Our boys have been playing with these since they are babies, and still at 5 and 7, they play with them every single day. I don’t LOVE that they are plastic, but they seem to last forever, are super durable and the way that they snap together is so satisfying. Also they are really cool and pretty, I leave their creations up all over the house because I love how they look when the light hits them.
Patagonia Snow Pile Bibs +a Sled
This one is a combined present and it’s such a fun one to give! First these Patagonia Snow Pants, like everything that is made from Patagonia will last forever. They are both soft (on the inside) yet durable and pliable on the outside making them perfect for all activities in the snow. We are a big winter loving family and our boys go to Forest School ALL WINTER LONG. These bibs are now on their second kid (my youngest) and I imagine they will last for a few more seasons and many more kids. I love how far up the insulation goes, as I find it keeps my son happier for longer on the slopes because his core is really insulated from his base layers, bibs and jacket. My son loves the zippered pocket because it can fit hand warmers and or a snack. All in all they are great bibs, I got these for my son last year for Christmas and included a sled. It was a huge hit!
Ski Pass + A Hot Cocoa Punch Pass
For the past couple of years we have gotten ski passes for us and the kids. While the kids are basically free, they don’t know that yet! Every year we choose a resort near by and buy a seasons pass and get the kids new stickers to put on their helmet and a hot cocoa punch pass to go along with their pass. We make a big deal out of it because it’s a super special gift we give to our whole family.
Rock Gym Passes + a Mini Chalk Bag
Rock climbing is fun for the entire family. It’s both a great way to move your body and is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon with your kids. We live very close to a rock gym, so it is a no brainer for us to get passes for a month or two here and there. We go for the full month access, but if you are more of a sporadic user, many gyms have punch passes and family deals. Ours even has a family night once a month where it’s 5$ cheaper for everyone in the family! I routinely give these as gifts to other kids and families. Add in a small chalk bag and chalk for the kid, and they will love it.
Biky Air Bike’
A fun gift to give to your kid is always of course a NEW bike!! As many know we are a huge biking family (I have written an article all about the best kids bikes out there earlier this year ). However, this one just came on to my radar. It’s a company called Biky Bike. They are even lighter than WOOM bikes and have an even narrower frame, which they claim is better for kids knees and hips. We are on our 5th ride on our 20 in Biky Air, and so far it is a huge success. My son flies up the hills much faster and easier on it than his heavier mountain bike. While it is NOT super great on single track, it is great for riding around the neighborhood and out to the local parks!
Frog Bike Light Set+ Oi Classic Bike Bell
This combo of two lights (one for the front and one for the rear) for their bike is both fun, lightweight, bright and easy to use. Many of our personal lights are way too cumbersome and heavy for our kids to use. While they do use them when we are going on a legit night ride, these two lights are always on their bikes in-case we get caught out in the night. They are bright enough for safety purposes and can light up the way to get them home safely. The bell is a great complement (and stocking stuffer) because it is also really easy to use and is lightweight. It’s literally just a ring that goes around their bars! This gift combo can also be given to adults as well, in fact, everyone in the family could get this set!
Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio
Rocky talkies are super fun to have as a kid and as an adult because they open up a whole new path of play! I have seen my kids venture out into our neighborhood and play all sorts of games with them. Us parents also love them because we can use them to keep track of our kids in a fun way as well! This summer we went to a really fun small festival where all the kids were let loose to run around this beautiful natural area. We gave our boys a Rocky Talkie and had them check in with us whenever they went to a new place on the property. We could always see them, but it was a fun way to stay connected with them while giving them their space and freedom. In our neighborhood we use them to keep contact with our kids when they are going from friends house to friends house, which is fun for all of us. We also use these same Rocky Talkies on the mountain because we often split off from each other. For example, I usually ski with Revel and Jason skis with Max because they are slightly different in skills. Having each of us have a Rocky Talkie makes communication simple (no reaching for our phones in the cold!) and fun! While there are less expensive ones out there, I have found that the range is super low and they run out of batteries extremely fast. Rocky Talkies can go up to 4 days on a single charge and are extremely durable, making them perfect for kids and elements!
Chasing Windmill Base Layers
These wool base layers double as pajamas in the winter months in our house. Our boys will wear these all day underneath their outer layers and then just want to stay in them for the rest of the night. I am 100 % on board because it means less transitions over all! The wool feels more like silk, so they have a really yummy feel with out the itch or being too hot. And because they are wool (my favorite!) they don’t hold on to any odor. Granted little boys don’t get body odor yet, but you know, after a few days some base layers definitely start to smell no matter how old you are! All in all, these are great and could be a great present for kids, especially if parred with a fun winter hat or ski pass!