PBF Gift Guide 2020: Kids and Babies

Hey friends! I’m coming at you today with my second gift guide of the season. This Gift Guide for Kids one is a fun one for me to put together because it’s admittedly one of the easiest ones to create since I’m livin’ the kid life every single day with our three boys. I am changing things up a little bit this year, though, and categorizing gifts under three main categories:

• Something They Want
• Something They Need
• Something To Wear
• Something To Read

I’ve seen this premise for determining what to give children for the holidays floating around the internet for years and think it’s genius! (I specifically remember Gina and Brittany mentioning it on their blogs.) It seems like a great way to balance giving children toys with things they will use every day, books they’ll enjoy for months or years to come and clothes they may need. I’ve also subdivided the categories to fit big kids (ages 4-6), toddlers (ages 1-3) and babies (0-12 months) since we have a kid in each phase right now! As always, I tried to provide a variety of price points below and the majority of the gifts included in this gift guide are well below $50.

Almost every single thing on this gift guide is either something our boys have and love or something they’ve loved at a friend’s house or preschool (or may be getting this year!) and so they’re all gifts I’m confident recommending. I hope something pops out at you for a very loved little one in your life!

Gift Guide for Kids 

• Something They Want

Note: Some of the gifts in the Big Kids + Toddlers categories would be great for kiddos in either category. I tried my best to sort everything appropriately but you know your kids best!

Big Kids (ages 4-6): 

• Pop Up Play Tent: This is one of those gifts that seems HUGE to kids but is super affordable (under $25!). Our boys love this rocket ship pop up tent but there are so many options out there from princess castles and firetruck tents to clubhouses and race car pit stop tents.
• Cones: Cones are the gift that keep on giving. They’re perfect for everything from obstacle courses, creating goals during various games and more.
• Creature Cage + Nets: Right around age 4, Chase’s love for bugs and reptiles skyrocketed and he loves looking for creatures of all shapes and sizes. His creature cages and nets get a LOT of use!
• Dress Up Clothes/Costumes: Imaginative play is going strong in our house and both boys love dressing up in various costumes. We have an assortment of animal costumes, character costumes, essential worker costumes and superhero costumes and they all get a lot of use!
• Geodes: If you want to see kids freak out over a gift in the best kind of way, wrap up some geodes they can crack open. Ryan got these for Chase last Christmas and I never could’ve anticipated how much he loved them.
• Terrarium: A big-time hit with nature loving kids, a terrarium is fun to assemble and check every day as they watch their plants grow.
• Bounce House: A splurge for sure but Ryan nabbed this one for our boys on Black Friday last year and it was the hit of Christmas. This one is low enough to use indoors and saves us on cold and rainy days.
• Games: Favorites in our house include Hoot Owl Hoot, Guess In 10, this 6-pack of card games and Guess Who? The Outfoxed! Whodunit Game will be under the tree for Chase this year.
• Yoto Player Storybook Reader: This is Chase’s big gift this year! He loves listening to children’s podcasts so I have a feeling this audio player will be a huge hit. It plays stories for kids (and lets them create their own!) as well as music, activities, podcasts and educational content. Such a great screen-free entertainment option!
• Surprise Bath Fizzies: Bath bombs with little toys inside are always the biggest hit with our boys!
• Picasso Tiles: A sure-fire hit that will be played with for years.
• Additional Ideas: Stomp Rockets, Puzzles, Art Supplies (Coloring books, KwikStix Fast-Drying Paint Pens, etc.), LCD Writing Tablet, Dollhouse, Pop Up Portable Soccer Goals, Walkie Talkies, Loom Weaving Kit, Legos, Jewelry Box/Treasure Chest

Toddlers (ages 1-3): 

• Water Doodle Mat: Perfect for painting, stamping, drawing and coloring with water. Clean up is a breeze and this mat + the accessories that come with it gets a lot of use in our house!
• Push Car: We got a push car for Ryder second hand over the summer and it was love at first ride! We’re giving this one to my niece for Christmas this year because she loved riding in it so much when she came to visit, too!
• Mega Blocks: A great first set of building blocks.
• Lovevery Play Kits: My love for Lovevery play kits runs deep. The toys are educational and engaging and the quality is fantastic. They are some of the only toys we will be keeping as heirloom toys because they really are THAT good.
• Doctor’s Kit: We gave this to Chase “from Ryder” after Ryder was born and both boys still enjoy performing “checkups” on each other, mom and dad, stuffed animals, their friends and more.
• Scooter: For slightly older toddlers (and big kids!), a scooter is a big-time win! Chase and Ryder both share this scooter and love the way it looks like a dog and the back wheel lights up when they cruise around. A balance bike is another huge hit at this age! Just don’t forget a helmet, too!
• Plasma Car: If you follow me on Instagram you’ve likely seen our boys riding these all over our house for years. We discovered Plasma Cars through the boys’ preschool and all of the kids are 100 percent obsessed with them. This is another gift that is great for toddlers and big kids.
• Sensory Play: Big hits when it comes to sensory play with our boys include Kinetic Sand and Water Beads
• Play Sink: A play sink was included in one of Ryder’s Lovevery deliveries and he went crazy for it!
• LeapFrog Laptop: We save this learning laptop for car rides and I’m convinced it’s helped both Chase and Ryder learn their letters early.
• Power Wheels Car: For older toddlers, a Power Wheels car is hard to beat! My MIL surprised Chase with a Power Wheels Jeep for his 4th birthday but as of 2 months ago, Ryder started driving it as well and is constantly asking to go for “Jeep drives.” Our Jeep can go 3(ish) miles on one charge and the boys drive it all over the neighborhood!
• Barn + Farm Animal Play Set: If your toddler loves animals, this is a win for sure!
• Additional Ideas: Star Projector Light, Cars/Trains/Buses, Play Kitchen, Stickers, Water WOW! Pads, Puzzles

Babies (ages 0-12 months): 

• Baby Einstein Take Along Musical Toy: The best $8 baby toy on the market! A hit with ALL of our boys!
• VTech Sit to Stand Walker: Great transitional walker for little ones just learning to sit and also those learning to walk.
• Baby Einstein Jumper: Chase and Ryder were obsessed with this thing and I’ll be taking it down from the attic for Rhett soon! And anything that entertains baby and buys Mom 10+ minutes of hands-free time is a big win!
• Pound-a-Ball Toy: Sometimes simple toys are the best toys. Something about this pound-a-ball toy captivated our boys for a LONG time.
• Outdoor Baby Swing: I think almost all babies love outside swing time! Etsy has some absolutely stunning options.

• Something They Need

Toddlers + Big Kids (ages 1-6): 

• Lunchbox: We are partial to the Bentgo Kids Leakproof Lunchbox. Chase has been using his for 3+ years and we got Ryder his own for preschool this year.
• Water Bottle: At first I thought the price of the YETI children’s water bottle was a bit steep and then both Chase and Ryder began exclusively using theirs and I totally see the value. It’s leak-proof, super durable, dishwasher safe (not plastic!) and keeps liquids cold or hot for a long time. For a cheaper alternative, I’ve heard great things about the Simple Modern children’s water bottles.
• Step Stool/Name Puzzle Stool or Kitchen Helper Cooking Stand: Our boys both began using our kitchen helper stand right around age 2 and still use it every single day! It’s great for “helping” in the kitchen but also allowing them to stand at counter-height safely. Pair this one with children’s knives to let them slice soft foods (hard boiled eggs, bread, berries) and feel like a big kid! And a Name Puzzle Stool is always a hit for little ones just beginning to potty train and wash their hands by themselves!

Babies (ages 0-12 months): 

• Hatch Light: A nightlight, noise machine and okay-to-wake clock in one that you can control from your phone. This is my go-to baby shower gift because I know it will be used for years!
• Electric Nail File: A genius invention that makes keeping baby’s nails trim a million times easier.
• Colugo Baby Carrier: Rhett is LIVING in this carrier these days! It is, hands down, the best carrier I’ve tried and I just wish I would’ve had it for Chase and Ryder as well. It’s incredibly user friendly and super comfy for baby, too! I also recently got the carrier cozy to wear over it to keep Rhett warm during winter months.
• Choo-Me Pouch Toppers: If your little one is a pouch-eating fiend, you NEED these pouch toppers. They are great for encouraging independent eating and eliminating a little one’s ability to squeeze everything out of a pouch and make a big mess.
• Portable Sound Machine: For on the go napping! Love that this one has a nightlight you can use, too!

• Something To Wear

Toddlers + Big Kids (ages 1-6): 

• StitchFix Kids Delivery: We have LOVED our StitchFix Kids deliveries and the boys get quite excited when a box arrives for them and love having a say in what we keep and what goes back. You can set your price point and I’ve found the clothing, jackets, pajamas and shoes they’ve sent our way high-quality and affordable.
• Slippers: For high-quality slippers that stay on little feet, I swear by Joules Padabout Slippers. The boot-like style keeps them on and they also have little grips on the bottom to prevent slipping.
• Rain Boots or Snow Boots: The Bogs Baby/Toddler/Big Kid boots are awesome. Chase’s pairs have held up well and will be worn by all three of our boys!
• Winter Hats and Mittens
• Pajamas: Some of our favorites include Mightly Organic Cotton Pajamas, Vaenait Baby cloud pajamas and these buffalo plaid footie pajamas

Babies (ages 0-12 months): 

• Zipper Onesies: Because zippers are the best! And, in terms of softness, you cannot beat the buttery fabric of Kyte Baby onesies.
• Winter Bunting Suit: To keep baby cozy and warm. We have this one for Rhett and Ryder says he looks like a little teddy bear whenever he wears it.

• Something To Read

Big Kids (ages 4-6): 

• Magic Treehouse Series: The best foray into chapter books for little kids. We’ve read every single book in this series at least twice… and there are 100 if you count the Merlin Missions series, too!
• The Snail and the Whale
• Dragons Love Tacos
• Frog & Toad Collection
• National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Why: Great for curious minds.
• Pete the Cat Series: I’ve lost count of how many Pete the Cat books we own at this point. The boys both love them.
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
• The Gruffalo
• Learning Library Books
• Excellent Ed
• Sulwe 
• Last Stop on Market Street
• Highlights High Five Magazine
• National Geographic Kids Magazine

Toddlers (ages 1-3): 

• Poke-a-Dot Books: Perfectly interactive, these Poke-a-Dot books give a satisfying “pop” noise to toddlers when the push in the dots as you read together.
• Clap Your Hands: Ryder LOVES this interactive book, especially when he and Chase act it out together.
• Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things that Go: Ryder is obsessed with finding the little Goldbug on every page of this book. It’s a book he always wants to read!
• Is Your Mama a Llama?
• Go, Dog. Go!: A classic for a reason!
• Pout Pout Fish: Toddlers love it but big kids do, too.
• Little Excavator
• Giraffes Can’t Dance: Our whole family loves this one.
• Are You My Mother? 
• Little Blue Truck + Little Blue Truck Leads the Way
• Baby Einstein Amazing Animals Play-a-Sound

Babies (ages 0-12 months): 

• Baby Faces
• First 100 Words
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?: One of the first books the boys fell in love with when they were teeny!
• Goodnight Moon
• Whose Toes Are Those? 

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Toddlers + Big Kids

Babies