My kids are 10/12 now (which is harder to shop for TBH – they still love stuffies and yet think they need laptops??). Some of the silliest things have maintained their attention (like the Simpson’s prank phone and a Magic 8 Ball). And others they’ve played with for 6-8 years, like the sculpture straw kit and fuse beads. It’s hard!! This year, I also enlisted a 16-year-old genuine teenager to send me what teenage girls want, which was SO helpful. And then at the bottom, I have my go-to gifts for small kids/babies (based on my experience).

Hey Clay: This is simply the best airdry clay, with the best colors, and the most inspirational guides, so the kids make the cutest dang creatures I ever did see – check out all those on the bulletin board in the art barn!!! So stinking cute! It doesn’t get sticky/tacky and dries fast. Just excellent (and a variety of themes). Art Set: Elliot loves this 91-piece art set (from last year and was a big hit).

Posca Markers: These are Elliot’s favorite paint markers (better for older kids). Expensive and not for babies, but really good colors, and she loves the way it rolls. artPOP! Watercolor Pencils: Her favorite, even though she uses them as normal colored pencils. She says the colors, how they draw, and the tubes they come in make them her favorite.

For her birthday this year, I bought her this LED art screen, and she is having a lot of fun with it (and her friends).

Magnetic Dartboard: I’m so excited about this magnetic dartboard for Charlie’s room. I tested it out and it’s great – sticks solidly and rolls up easily, should you not want it on your walls. We are always looking for indoor winter activities for him and his friends (that aren’t just video games). Pac-Man Countercade: They need to make more of these countercades – this was their big present last year, and it’s much beloved.

Record Player: In our attempt at encouraging an analog life onto them, they play records when their friends are over, and it’s awesome. Both of their record collections are growing. Electronic Indoor Hoop: Ok, we shot this hoop on the glass door outside for this gift guide (don’t use a glass door), and it’s awesome – keeps score and makes it interactive even when by yourself. Warning – lots of bells, so maybe don’t put next to a baby’s room 🙂

Three of Elliot’s favorite things:

• A lockable diary (locking is key)
• Hair Blinger (new this year – pretty dang fun to put gems in your hair)
• Hair Tinsel that clips into your hair (a great stocking stuffer).

Charlie’s favorite ‘Non-video Game’ Game

Charlie and I love playing chess together, and he even saved his allowance to buy this cool chess board, mostly because…

It’s magnetic!! It’s so rad. Sometimes we’ll start a game in the morning before school at the kitchen island, and if we don’t finish before he leaves for the bus, I can easily move it to another table if I need to clean or shoot in there. It also folds closed and stores all the pieces, making it easy to take on car trips.

The Simpsons’ prank phone is a real hit. It sits on Charlie’s desk, and his friends think it’s hilarious. The kids both loved these mini ATM machines (electronic piggy bank) for a solid 5 years. It’s an ugly piece of plastic, but I think the fact that it’s secret and they control the code is the draw.

Two Non-Tech (But Still Fun”Tech”??) Gifts

Tin Can: I bought the first Wifi “landline” for each kid for Christmas, which they don’t know about, and I’m so excited. It’s made for parents like us who are waiting on smartphones but want our kids to communicate freely with their friends (or relatives). You control who can call in and out (no spam, no creeps). Nex Playground: Meant to be a group TV-enabled active game where the camera clocks your body running, jumping, fighting, etc, through thousands of games to choose from. This is mostly for our kids and their friends during the rainy months, as an alternative to video games. This is our family’s big present this year, so we aren’t trying it til Christmas – if anyone has it and can review it in the comments, please let us know!!

It’s dark up in the PNW, so any way to get them outside for the next few months on the dryer days is the goal. Night vision goggles – a 12-year-old boy’s dream. Don’t forget walkie-talkies as well. I’m very excited about the glow-in-the-dark basketball and these flying light-up frisbees that have really good reviews.

Our kids have reached the age of posters and weird collectibles (which is cute). These were hits with our kids: Cordless graphic lamp (both kids responded to this when I showed them), Neon Smiley Face Light (in Charlie’s room, and it’s unplugged but looks cool), Cinema light box – Elliot keeps the words “Messy Beautiful Life” which is so sweet to me. Don’t forget LED light strips (that one integrates with Alexa/Google) and extremely soft faux fur blankets (our kids sleep exclusively on top of their sheets rolled up in one of these each.

Mölkky Yard Game: We always play this Scandinavian wooden peg game on camping trips with other families, so I’m buying it for us this year (we call it Skittle Skattle, but not sure if that’s just our nickname). Rummikub: It’s fun for all four of us – we play it a lot on trips.

YOTO Mini: When the first YOTO storytelling device came out, our kids were little and really liked it, but it wasn’t loud enough. Since then, it’s only gotten better and better, and people with younger kids swear by it. Toybox 3D Printer: It’s been 5 years with this 3D printer, and our kids don’t play with it as much as they used to, but it’s still so cool. Requires one parent to be a bit tech savvy (it’s controlled by iPad, etc).

These plug-in disco ball lightbulbs are SUCH A HIT and for $16 for TWO, a great price.

Nail Files: I think the biggest hit will be these kitten-shaped nail files that I’m throwing in their stockings – you scratch their tummies as you file your nails!!! Kindle Paperwhite: Both our kids read from Kindles – we started on longer trips, and they have just stuck. Elliot still likes real books at times (Dork Diaries right now), but Charlie reads on his Kindle every night – Wings of Fire.

It’s all chill, baggy, and don’t forget your silver chains (yes, for boys). I’m loving this stage of trying on identities and yet wanting to mostly just fit in. Tweens are the best. Oh, and that Vans hoodie glows in the dark:) Don’t forget to show your sock (preferably with a swoosh).

Magic Kit: We have bought MANY magic kits over the years–this small one from Justin Willman (the best magician out there) is really, really good, clever, and SOLID.

I needed help on this, so Marlee’s 16-year-old sister was our focus group of one for what teen girls want right now. She gave soooo many great recs for those of you who don’t want to blow it:)

At-Home Manicure System: A great set if you or a loved one prefers doing nails at home! Benetint Lip + Cheek Stain: An awesome, easy blush + lip stain that Marlee has been using since middle school (and now her sister loves it!)

Stanley Water Bottle: “It’s Owala for kids, and Stanley for teens” – Marlee’s sister The Softest Hoodie: The teens these days are REALLY into their loungewear – this hoodie is a teen-vetted fave among both guys and gals. SUPER soft. Garage Sweats: Marlee’s 16 y/o sister’s fave sweats that she and all her friends match in:)

Sol De Janeiro Sampler: This perfume brand is all over TikTok – their beachy scents smell SO good. Touchland Hand Sanitizer: Hand sanitizer that everyone at school wants a squeeze of!

Summer Fridays Balm: One of the most popular lip glosses with the teens right now. The Best Smelling Dry Shampoo: This is one of our fave dry shampoos, and this set comes with a big guy AND a little travel size. It smells AMAZING.

Room Spray: The yummiest smelling room spray by a brand that’s super popular on TikTok. Starface Pimple Patches: God, we wish we had these in high school. Teens wear these NONSTOP – they’re so fun and cute and make breakouts way more bearable:)

Wooden Busy Board: Our kids were obsessed with these when they were toddlers. Wild Baby Stuffed Elephant: This stuffy is great because you can microwave it and it stays warm for a LONG time. But you can also put it in the freezer. So comforting! Baby Busy Box Toy: Any baby or toddler will spend hours trying to “figure” this out. My kids were obsessed.

Water Wow! Pads: Best restaurant activity ever. A reusable coloring pad with water “pens” that are easy to refill and store in the front. Construction Plate Set: Charlie loved this a lot when he was a toddler and made meal times far more fun for all. STEM Bristle Blocks: Old school and still so fun. Bristle blocks tickle their creative + engineering brain in one.

Wood-Like Soft Blocks: We bought these blocks when Charlie was 1 year old, and they played consistently with them for years. YEARS. They are foam (but look like wood). Magnatiles: Go for a big inventory! Both our kids loved Legos of course (A LOT), but these are more fun, less messy, and strangely rewarding to play with.

Wooden Grocery Checkout Stand: Our kids played with that store (and all the wooden groceries) for years (it beeps when you scan the food). Play Kitchen: I love that this play kitchen is under $100 and so cute. Oh, the pretend chicken nuggets they made us eat…

Pretend cleaning gets them geared up for being ready for chores by 5-6 (lol, yeah right). And if you haven’t had a doctor’s exam by a 3-year-old, I highly recommend it – their sense of authority while wearing a stethoscope to listen to your heart is so cute I could cry.

When our kids were 8 and 10, we got them Gabb watches, which failed too frequently in our neighborhood, so I upgraded them to Apple watches (which still get caught in dead zones). Both our kids have iPads (with lots of parental controls) that can store movies for long flights, and Elliot particularly loves using her stylus pen for drawing or creating on Canva.

Well, that’s it! These really are all kid-approved (aside from the ones we are giving them this year), but regardless, this is a no-fail list, and I hope it’s helpful. Oh, and there are LOTS more ideas (especially for teen boys) on our new gift guide shop! xx

*Photos by Kaitlin Green