I have been sent some lovely items this year, all to be included in my annual Christmas Gifts guide for children. And I dont just mean little children, there are one or two things in here that would appeal to teens. So shall we cut the waffle and just get started?
Geomag
We are huge fans of Geomag in this house, it is a fantastic toy and one that older children can get stuck into on their own, or that parents can join in with too. The set we received retails for around £60 and is called Mechanics Challenge. It teaches children about magnets and gravity and once the set is build it becomes a great game for up to four players. We love this and it would make a great gift this Christmas. Though you would need to be wary with very small children around as there are some very small pieces.
In The Book
We adore Winnie the Pooh in this house and I love that I am now able to start a collection of Winnie the Pooh books and toys for our granddaughter, whilst we also still have some of the things I bought for my children when they were a similar age. In The Book specialise in making books that are personalised, not only with a child’s name within the story but with a personal message in the front cover. We can’t wait for Lily to see her name in print alongside Pooh and Tigger! There are lots of themes to choose from and prices start from just under £20.
Planet Buddies Wireless Speaker
This is just adorable. Not only is an award winning wireless speaker that allows four of hours of playback and connects to your device using Bluetooth, it helps to teach children about saving the planet too. Planet Buddies mission is to raise awareness of endangered animals all over the world, donating a percentage of each purchase to conservation projects. So not only is this a fantastic product it is paying in forward too. There are lots of designs to choose from and there are also headphones and phone holders in the range too. Prices from £20.
Boxball
This game was, apparently, a massive hit last Christmas and I can see why. The little box comes with all you need to get fit on your own, or to get competitive with your mates. You put on the enclosed headband, connect it to your phone and then do your best to avoid being hit by the small foam ball. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! Honestly you will be addicted to it, within minutes. Starter kit is just under £20 and you can buy a multipack that works out at £17 a set. I would advise not doing it near your china cabinet though!!
Urbanista Lisbon Headphones
These headphones come in a variety of colours and are deemed to be the possibly the world’s smallest earbuds. They come with an incredible nine hours of playback time and come in a case that will charge the twice before it needs to be plugged in and charged (it comes with a USB-C cable to do this). They retail for just under £50 and are perfect for teens
Clkr Phone case
Another one that teens will love is this stand and phone case that comes with a grip that means you can stand it up to watch Netflix, or make a video call, whilst also meaning you can keep a tight hold of it whilst out walking too. This could truly be the most useful gift you give this year and given the cost of replacing screens on dropped phones could be a lifesaver if your recipient is as clumsy as me! Just under £30.
Oaka Learning packs
Revision packs for visual learners these packs cover a whole range of topics and are suitable from Keystage 1 right up to Common Entrance age. They make learning fun, and can be used by home educators or parents who want to help their children understand a bit more about certain aspects of the curriculum. Hell I even learned stuff I didnt know. They cover everything from Plate Tectonics, to Elizabeth 1 to Physics for GCSE. You might think this is a strange Christmas gift suggestion but the beauty of them is, certainly, for younger children they are written in such a way that they dont feel like school books. Children are engaged and therefore find the learning fun without thinking they are sitting down in front of a work book. And with everything that has happened in the past few years in education they could make a huge difference to any gaps in a child’s learning. There are even packs for SEN learning too. With prices from £8.
Lego Art Disney’s Mickey Mouse Poster Canvas
Lego is having a huge resurgence at the moment, I even asked for some for my birthday this summer. And so it is understandable that Lego is now going to be featuring large on people’s Christmas lists this year too. We sent this set and within seconds of it arriving Ellie had it out of the box and was assembling it, refusing to go to bed until she had finished it despite it being over 2,600 pieces!. This particular set is double sided (though not at the same time) so you can choose which picture you would like to make and once done it forms a fabulous picture for the wall. Whilst building it you can also listen to the soundtrack, and learn more about the characters. This is a must for any Mickey fans. Available from Very for £110.
Barbie
Honestly I couldn’t love this more. Mattel have really thought about inclusivity with their toys in recent years and to see we have not only Barbie but also Ken sets with wheelchairs and ramps is a joy. Celebrating diversity is vital and Mattel have got it spot on with their ranges. This retails at £20 but Very have it on sale for £17.99 currently.
Hot Wheels
Another toy having a resurgence is Hot Wheels, have you seen some of the prices that sets are auctioned for?! It is eye watering (we are talking six figures). Obviously it means they are in pristine condition and have never been played with, something I cant guarantee for this one. On sale for £20 it is a Hot Wheels advent calendar and I know one 20 something petrol head who is going to be thrilled with this on December 1st!
If you are looking for ideas for adults, hop over to my 2022 Gift Guide for Adults
PS all toys sent for this guide have been passed on two local charity collections for children in the area, or if kept their retail price donated to charity.