2015 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Kiddos

We are at a critical age where I feel as though we get to set the standard for Christmas. Christmas every year can be over the top and crazy and too much, or it can be thoughtful and a little less taken over with ‘stuff’. It’s hard enough to impart the meaning of the season when glossy-eyed kiddos accidentally come across a Target catalog (oh man, true story this year when Liv presented me with a pile of clippings as tall as her little body), but it’s even more challenging when it’s so easy to encourage that mentality by loving on your kiddos with LOTS of presents.

We are keeping it simple. This is Liv’s first year in really wanting to make a little list for Santa and her family, and we were pretty careful in selecting maybe 5-6 items to share with grandparents, aunts & uncles, and the big guy himself. Santa is bringing one cool gift; mom & dad are gifting something to wear, something to play with, and something artistic; grandparents each have their own special present (though I’ve been encouraging activities like dance lessons or one time projects like craft sets – those are the best). We are trying so hard to set a precedent for a handful of thoughtful, fun gifts and I’m really excited about it.

A couple of ideas I’ve come across for the girls, kids in our extended family, and those awesome Godchildren of ours…

Wooden walker push toy: M’s about that age where pushing something around the house is way more exciting. We had an awesome wagon push toy a while back that was used regularly as a walker/baby carriage/shopping cart/general toy mover but I think it went along with a renovation Good Will run by accident. Something not unsightly and not bulky (and not over $100) can be sorta difficult to find, I dig this guy.

‘Loving Family’ dolls: realistic dollhouse family members (for this guy from last year) that are non Barbie dolls but with ‘moving knees and elbows’ (which Liv shared with me as so important).

InRoad toys: picked up a set of these for each of our Godsons – these are awesome!

Adventures of Ta & Boddington: a friend of ours has written a series of books for kids (how cool is that), they teach morals and life lessons through the eyes of two cavemen building up their own little society. Liv loves them and chose one of the books for when it was my turn to read to her class very recently. That’s a big deal :).

Color the Natural World: a great book for kids who are very detail-oriented and who can spend hours lost in a coloring world (that’s our Liv right now).

Paper Monsters: a book ready to be dismantled into fun little creatures (so Taylor!).

Cash register: my girls have taken a keen liking to playing store, they both approach it in such different ways but both LOVE it. I’ve been searching Amazon for reviews for a toy that will last a little wear and tear.

Wooden castle building blocks: we are not in need of any major building toys/blocks/villages at the moment, but this Etsy shop and their fantastical land of castles, tree houses, dollhouses, mini towns is amazing. If we were starting fresh, this would be part of the mix and I have a feeling it would be loved.

Finger print art book and palette: this is another project book that Liv specifically picked out. It’s a really easy quiet activity.

Hand drawn star art: because so pretty, so simple for a kid’s room.

Teething necklace: I have been meaning to get a teething necklace for M (who is anxious to chew on anything and everything) and plan on having this one in her stocking this year. Baby needs something for Christmas…

I’d love to get the girls a star machine for their room – how cool would that be? Need to research it a bit and hoping Amazon Prime comes through for that one if we make that our big parent gift.

Also! three easy stocking stuffer ideas: a magnifying glass, butterfly wings and a super hero cape :).