2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Kids
It’s that time of year again, folks. It’s time to really start thinking about what presents to get your little ones for the holidays. Personally, I suppose it’s good to start thinking about a shopping list around the same time they start putting Christmas music on the radio. But as long as I’m not still driving around on Christmas Eve, I consider the mission a success.
Generally I group Christmas gifts for our kids into three separate categories - books, games, and toys - and we try to make sure each group is well represented each year. Our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide is organized in the same way, and I hope it helps you with your brainstorming this year.
I like choosing special books as gifts, because reading together has always been a big part of our lives. We’re going to do a picture book advent calendar this year and unwrap a Christmas book each day, but I also very much like placing new books as gifts by the fireplace on Christmas morning,
Board games are obviously another major way that we spend quality time together. And there’s really no better time for long gaming sessions than the holiday vacation - especially as a teacher. I know we’ll have lots and lots of time on our hands for playing new board games together, so we always choose quite a few new games for the kids (and me too!).
And, ultimately, I’m always searching for new ways to fire up their imaginations too. I have really fond memories of the surprises waiting for us on Christmas morning when I was little - my first bicycle, a Nintendo 64, a Creepy Crawlers oven. I’m always hunting for those elusive toys that might help them make memories on Christmas Day that they’ll have for the rest of their lives.
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Best Christmas Books of 2019
1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
This book was everything I could have ever hoped for from an adaptation of my very favorite Christmas movie. Author Brooke Vitale did a great job adapting the story and keeping the key elements (like Gonzo as narrator) and the passion of illustrator Luke Flowers truly brings the story to life.
The Muppet Christmas Carol tied for 1st place on our list of the best Christmas books of the year - and it was a very good year for new Christmas picture books. There’s no doubt in mind this book will become a Christmas tradition for us just like the film.
If you want to read more about why we love this book so much and see some more pictures - make sure to check out our featured article.
2. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Kim Smith’s Pop Classics from Quirk Books are a glorious celebration of classic movies from the 80s and 90s and every one of these books is a joy to share with the kids. The latest entry in the series is Home Alone 2, and it tied for 1st place for best Christmas book of the year.
Last year I recommended the first Home Alone picture book to put under the tree, and now you can share the sequel with your family this Christmas. It was just as big of a hit with our son as the first one was - mostly because of the booby traps. It’s also always a surprise for people when they remember just how sweet and sentimental the Christmas storylines were in those movies.
For a closer look at why we love this book so much, and to see some more pictures - make sure to check out our featured article.
3. Dasher
Matt Tavares has made a name for himself with beautiful, original Christmas stories. Last year he released the very popular Red & Lulu and this year his follow up is called Dasher. His books are gorgeous and feel like instant classics.
Dasher is an origin story for Santa’s reindeer team, and it’s remarkably well done. I appreciate that Tavares is tackling original Christmas stories, and this one was a brilliant concept. His beautiful illustrations make me think this one could go down in Christmas history like The Polar Express.
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For More Christmas picture book ideas, make sure to check out our complete list of the best Christmas picture books from 2019.
More Top Picture Books from 2019
1. All the Ways to Be Smart
All the Ways to Be Smart is one of the best picture books ever made and I’ll never get tired of singing its praises. I consider it not only a beautiful and entertaining work of art, but an immensely important one as well.
Kids absolutely need to hear the message being delivered by Davina Bell in All the Ways to Be Smart. I’ve never in my life seen a better champion for the importance of creativity and imagination. And I’ve never seen a more effective explanation that school and grades aren’t everything in life. Expect to find All the Ways to Be Smart on our list of the best books of 2019 at the end of the year - and I hope it finds its way under a lot of trees this year.
For a closer look at why All the Ways to Be Smart is one of our favorite books of the year, make sure to read our featured article.
2. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Mister Rogers is getting a lot of newfound attention this year - especially with the release of the new film starring Tom Hanks. I couldn’t be happier about this turn of events, because Mister Rogers remains an unparalleled influence on the lives of kids everywhere.
This beautiful book is a collection of Mister Rogers’ poems and songs and illustrated by Luke Flowers. Just like with The Muppet Christmas Carol - Flowers’ passion for the topic shines through in his art and makes this book a treasure to cherish. We’ve found it makes for an amazing bedtime book - partly because of the ease of picking it up to read a single poem or two, and partly because of the soothing nature of Mister Rogers’ kind words.
For a closer look at A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, check out our featured article.
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Illustrated Edition
Each year over the last several years I have been very excited to pick up the newest illustrated editions of Harry Potter - illustrated by Jim Kay. I simply love using these beautiful editions to introduce our kids to Harry Potter. Last year we placed The Prisoner of Azkaban under the tree - and it worked out perfectly to gift The Goblet of Fire this year.
These aren’t annotated versions of the stories - these are complete versions of Harry Potter that are accompanied by gorgeous artistic interpretations of the material from Jim Kay. If you haven’t picked up the first three yet you can now buy them in a boxed set. And, if you want a closer look at what we love about these illustrated editions, check out our featured article about the whole project so far.
4. Jon Klassen’s Hat Box
Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back is one of our top 10 picture books of all time, and the sequels honestly aren’t too far behind for us. Klassen is easily one of our favorite authors and illustrators, and that makes this new boxed set of his Hat Trilogy an easy recommendation.
Inside you’ll find a copy of I Want My Hat Back, This is Not My Hat, and We Found a Hat - and you’ll receive a bonus copy of a framable art print. Best of all it’s a steal of a price for 3 amazing picture books, and it’s certainly the ideal way to introduce a little one to these amazing books if they’ve somehow never seen them before.
Buy on Amazon | Shop Local on IndieBound
For more gift ideas for the little readers in your family, make sure to explore all of our recent articles about our favorite kids books.
2019 Board Game Gifts
1. Valley of the Vikings
Last year we put HABA’s children’s game of the year winner Dragon’s Breath under the tree, and this year HABA has won the prestigious award again. Valley of the Vikings was voted the best kids board game of the year and our kids are having a blast with it. Unfortunately we’ve already opened it up before Christmas, but I guess that doesn’t technically stop us from putting it under the tree and playing on Christmas anyway.
In Valley of the Vikings, everybody is a viking taking part in the annual bowling competition. Both our 7-year-old and our 3-year-old can play this one, and it has the great presentation and beautiful components that HABA is known for. Giving the best children’s game of the year for Christmas every year is a pretty fun tradition that I think we’ll continue.
If you want to read more about Valley of the Vikings, make sure to check out our featured article.
2. Stuffed Fables
Stuffed Fables is a game that we put under the tree last Christmas and spent a lot of time playing during Christmas break. It’s a role-playing game featuring stuffed animals trying to protect the little girl that loves them. The game comes with a storybook that doubles as the game board for each level. And the miniatures for the stuffed animals are just adorable.
Our son was able to play this game with us when he was a 6-year-old, so I would definitely recommend it for 6+ - especially if they have experience playing games. What makes it truly special is the family bonding it can provide. The story and gameplay is incredibly engaging and imaginative. And fighting the world of nightmares with my wife and son is an absolute blast.
It’s also a slightly more complex game that certainly requires more time to dedicate to, but that’s part of what makes it so special. And the theme (and some of the enemy miniatures) is actually quite spooky at times, which is actually a big selling point for us, but is certainly something to keep in mind for sensitive little ones.
3. Unicorn Glitterluck: A Party for Rosalie
The Unicorn Glittlerluck board games from HABA are our 3-year-old daughter’s very favorite board games at the moment. She’s a big fan of pink and sparkly things right now and Unicorn Glitterluck is absolutely right up her alley.
The best of the bunch in my opinion is A Party for Rosalie. It has the most going on during the game, while still being manageable by a 3-year-old. Plus, it’s a cooperative game - which is always a huge selling point for us. Everyone is working together to make sure little baby unicorn Rosalie’s birthday party is completely set up and all the guests arrive before Rosalie does.
Of course HABA’s components are fantastic like always, but they’ve also delivered interesting and balanced gameplay for a board game aimed at a young audience. And did I mention our daughter is crazy about it?
4. Choose Your Own Adventure: War With the Evil Power Master
During our last Christmas break, my 6-year-old son and I played the first Choose Your Own Adventure board game - House of Danger - for about 4 straight, uninterrupted hours. We played the entire game straight through and it was amazing. And I recommend you start there if you haven’t played it yet.
I kept my fingers crossed that they would release a sequel, and I’m happy to announce that they did - War With the Evil Power Master. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept - they have gamified the original Choose Your Own Adventure books, and it’s just fantastic. Personally, my favorite part is the story itself - reading the cards aloud to my son. And I love making all of the decisions and twists and turns together as a team. This is going to be a great Christmas break.
If you’re looking for more board game gift ideas, make sure to check out all of our recent articles about our favorite family board games.
2019 Toys to Inspire Creativity and Imagination
1. Snap Circuits Pro
Our son has long said he wants to be an inventor, so STEM toys like Snap Circuits Pro are always a fantastic choice. He really loves Snap Circuits - this circuit kit with plastic pieces that snap onto a board as you build your circuits - as opposed to a lot of messy, exposed wires.
Personally I love how organized and orderly the sets are. We’ve bought other circuit sets that are a lot messier inside and it really prolongs the whole process and delays the fun. It’s extremely easy to follow the directions in Snap Circuits - and to find the piece you need.
The set also comes with over 500 projects to do, presented in ascending order of difficultly. For our little lego lover, this is probably the very best part of this particular kit. It’s easy to follow the directions, find the piece you need, feel accomplished, and learn something new.
2. Tegu Blocks
We’re still big block builders in our family, particularly with our 3-year-old, but our 7-year-old often joins in with us when he sees us building with his sister. Last year we recommended Magna-Tiles, which are still huge favorites around here. But this year I’d like to point out our other big favorite - Tegu Blocks.
Tegu Blocks are magnetic like Magna-Tiles, which make them easy to connect and leaves you with very stable constructions. But they’re also more traditionally block shaped. And, most importantly, they’re made of wood. Honestly this is a very elegant set of magnetic blocks.
But the downside is that they’re on the expensive side just like Magna-Tiles are. They come in many different sets with different numbers of blocks inside, so you can collect several sets over time to make larger creations. Last year we received a very large bulk set from the grandparents and it’s been a block building game changer.
3. AirFort
You’ve probably heard about AirFort before - and for good reason too. It’s a very popular new toy and a brilliant concept. It makes putting a fort in the living room a quick and simple process. And that’s probably all you need to know.
Forts are special. It’s hard to put it into words and explain why, but being a kid and crawling into a fort with your family and friends is simply special. I have fond memories of building forts with couch cushions and blankets, but I tried to recreate it recently as an adult in our living room and I failed spectacularly. I was draping blankets over couches and tables and trying to clip them together with clothes pins and everything kept sagging and falling.
AirFort attaches to a (not included) box fan and quickly blows up all the space you need to hide out in. If you are couch-cushion-and-blanket-construction impaired like I am AirFort is a very good alternative for an imaginative day.
4. Nintendo Labo VR Kit
Last year we recommended the Nintendo Switch as a big ticket item for Christmas, and it's still a great choice of course. Especially since there are new models like the Switch Lite that is just a portable gaming system. But if you already have a Switch in the home, I highly recommend the Nintendo Labo VR Kit.
Nintendo Labo is a fantastic concept. There are many different kits to choose from, and, basically, you construct different peripherals out of cardboard. There are kits where you build robots and kits where you build fishing poles, and, of course, the Virtual Reality Kit.
These cardboard kits obviously bring the games to life and make everything more tangible. I love the engineering involved - and the imagination. And of course Nintendo is simply the king of innovative gaming experiences like this and I just love exploring them with my son.
5. Osmo Coding Jam
Osmo has been a very popular contraption in our house for a long time now. Last year I recommended the Genius Starter Kit, because it comes with everything you need to get started with Osmo as well as several games.
Osmo is a contraption you attach to your iPad so it can read tangible blocks that you manipulate on a table or floor in front of you to play the various games. You obviously have a screen, but the gameplay is pretty much all physical and tactile. It’s a spectacular educational toy that completely blows me away every time I see it used in new ways.
Our 7-year-old son has tried many different games with Osmo, and he claims that his favorite by far is Coding Jam. Honestly that’s saying a lot, because these games are all a lot of fun. Coding Jam gives you the opportunity to use coding concepts to create your own music. You’ll learn coding fundamentals, pattern recognition, sequencing and loops, rhythm, harmony and melody. It’s the perfect combo for our little musical inventor.
2019 Stocking Stuffers
1. Seize the Bug Blank Books
A fantastic stocking stuffer to stimulate imagination and creativity is a completely blank book to fill with words, art, stories, or absolutely anything your kids want to use it for. We’ve bought blank books in the past, but these are the best we’ve discovered yet. Seize the Bug recently shared a pack of 5 books with us and our kids fell in love with them.
We all like the frame on the cover that gives the books a certain professional style. And I really appreciate the thicker pages inside that make it very difficult to bleed through to the next page. I also enjoy that they’re slightly smaller than other blank books we’ve bought in the past. It’s easier for kids to handle and perfect for slipping in a stocking.
And for just $12.95 for a pack of 5, you can easily collect lots of these and use them for any projects you want. My son and I have often talked about our ambitions to write and illustrate books together - and Seize the Bug books are the perfect place for us to start and build our own library of original picture books.
2. Booty Dash Card Game
Booty Dash is a fantastic card game designed with the help of the creator’s six-year-old. We loved this new game so much we added it to our list of the best card games for families, and it has a tremendous amount of creativity and replayability to it.
In order to play the game, you simply take any number and combination of cards you want and lay them in a map on the ground - facedown one after the other - including any number of branching paths you’d like. Another player then tries to wind their way through your map in search of the treasure card. And that’s basically it! But the possibilities are truly limitless.
Some of the cards are helpful for the treasure-seeker, some do nothing, and some are enemies that they have to fight. For fights, you play a modified, pirate-themed version of rock, paper, scissors - and the seeker has a finite number of lives to spare. If they find the treasure before running out of lives they win. By adding and removing cards and getting creative with your maps - you can truly get a lot out of this special little card game. My son and I are big fans.
3. Rory’s Story Cubes
Rory’s Story Cubes have made an appearance on Dad Suggests quite a few times now, and for good reason. The concept is ingenious and it absolutely never gets old watching the creativity of our kids be unleashed. We obviously added it to our list of favorite storytelling games, because there’s simply nothing quite like it in terms of extracting a crazy, imaginative tale from our 3-year-old or 7-year-old.
You might as well just assume that you’ll find Rory’s Story Cubes in our suggestions for stocking stuffers every single year until the end of time. There will likely never be a better stocking stuffer ever made. It’s a simple, compact game with limitless possibilities and widespread appeal. And there are even several themes to choose from to boot - like Adventure Time or Scooby Doo.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the concept, all you have to do is roll the dice and build a story out of the images you roll. One person can tell the whole story - or you can take turns as a team telling a story together. The beauty is in the simplicity - and how these dice serve as the means to getting your kids to say the most entertaining and imaginative things they’ve ever said.
4. Flying Toy Ball
If you’re looking for a very cool and very random small toy to slip inside the stocking this year, look no further than this Flying Toy Ball. Basically it’s a small hand-controlled drone to use inside the house. Using infrared it avoids hitting the ceiling or the ground, and typically it just hovers next to you.
Our son received it for his birthday and surprised me when I came home from work by standing in the living room with it hovering over his hand like he was performing a magic trick. This thing is so cool. If you put your hand underneath it it floats up a little. And my son and I have even experimented with playing catch with it, because if you tilt it ever-so-slightly you can send it flying in a certain direction.
We’ve had bad luck in the past with cheap drones that were designed to fly outside that were really hard for us to control, but this simple cheap ball has been a lot of fun for us, and would be a fun, random surprise to slip in the stocking this year.
Need even more ideas? Check out our 2018 Holiday Gift Guide! Good ideas don’t go bad after all.
Have you started shopping for the holidays yet? What’s the most exciting thing you’ve seen for kids this year? Have you discovered anything that they’re really going to love? Let us know in the comments. And Happy Holidays to your family from ours!
