Gift List 2020

Do you give gifts at Christmastime or opt for experiences and quality time? If you are a gift-giver, do you keep a running list all year, pull it together close to Christmas, or use another strategy?

Here's our gift brainstorming list updated for 2020! These are items we (or close friends) have found enjoyable, useful, and worth the money. Of course, the ultimate safe route is to ask the recipient or their parent, spouse, or friend!

What are your tried and true gift ideas?
​
One year:

• Lakeshore Learning What’s Inside? Soft Feely Box
• Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone
• Pretend telephone
• Duplo
• Stacking toys
• Nesting dolls
• Teething toy
• Handmade blanket
• College fund contribution
• Board books
  • Goodnight Moon
  • Boats Go
  • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar
  • Karen Katz books
  • Touch and feel books

Two years:

• Sand table or sensory bins
• Toddler trampoline
• Trains and train track (we skipped the table- our kids build on the floor) – some quality generic brands fit most popular brands
• Bubble blower and bubbles
• Crayons and paint sticks
• Play kitchen
• Play food and dishes
• Water table
• Kids picnic table
• Zoo, aquarium, or museum membership
• Books (some of our favorites):
  • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
  • Chugga Chugga Choo Choo by Kevin Lewis
  • Jamberry
  • The Goodnight Train
  • Go Dog Go
  • Snowmen at Night
  • Trucks Roll by Lyon and Frazier/ Planes Fly by Lyon and Wiggins
  • Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
  • Mighty, Mighty Construction Site
  • Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman
  • Best Behavior Series by Elizabeth Verdick

Three Years:

• Play doh
• Sticker dolls or scenes
• Kinetic sand
• Magnetic tiles
• Wee Sing Book and CD
• Books on CD
• Watercolor paint
• Dress up/ costumes
• Baby dolls
• Balance bike and helmet
• Hopper ball
• Candy Land, Don’t Break The Ice or other age appropriate board and card games
• Sled
• Micro kickboard scooter
• Zoo, aquarium, or museum membership
• Books (some of our favorites):
  • Lola reads to Leo
  • Best Behavior Series by Elizabeth Verdick
  • Blueberries for Sal
  • Pout Pout Fish
  • The Gruffalo
  • Pete The Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons
  • The Little Engine That Could

Four-Five Years:

• Baby doll
• Action figures from favorite TV show – Super Wings transformers are a favorite here
• Floor puzzles
• Matching game
• Lacing cards
• Candy Land, Sneaky Snacky Squirrel, Monopoly Jr. or other age appropriate board games
• Color pencils
• Zoo, aquarium, or museum membership
• Micro kickboard scooter
• Bike and helmet
• Lessons
• Educational CDs and DVDs like Leap Frog or Preschool Prep series
• Books (a few of our favorites):
  • What should Danny do?
  • Ready, Set, Read!: The Beginning Reader's Treasury, Mouse Tales, Poppleton, BOB books, or other Early Readers/ I Can Read Books
  • Hop on Pop
  • Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems
  • As An Oak Tree Grows
  • Becoming Bach
  • 20 Hungry Piggies
  • Zondervan Children’s Bible
  • Berenstain Bears
  • Further Tales of Peter Rabbit with CD by Emma Thompson
  • Beatrix Potter audio collection
  • Mind Your Manners BB Wolf
  • Simple science books

Six to Nine Years:

• Board games – checkers, Uno, Zingo
• Fine tip markers and other art supplies
• Lego
• Perler beads
• Friendship bracelet or other crafts
• Science experiment kit
• Paint by sticker
• Roller blades
• Helmet and pads
• Bike
• Adventures in Odyssey
• Tales of Buttercup Grove Series (early reader)
• Read aloud books:
  • Imagination Station Series
  • Charlotte’s Web
  • Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Ten to Thirteen:

• Crossbody purse
• Skating rink/indoor climbing, trampoline park passes
• Soccer or basketball goal
• Gift cards to favorite store
• DIY bath bombs or other crafts
• Crazy socks
• Fun throw pillow
• Chronicles of Narnia series
• Lord of the Rings series

​Fourteen to Eighteen:

• Gel pens
• Journal
• Fuzzy socks
• Nail polish or nail appliques
• Gift cards to favorite store or restaurant

​Teachers/ Day Care Workers:

• Hand written thank you note
• Gift cards
• Gift basket. Some filler ideas:
  • Kind Bars, Goodness Knows, or other healthyish treats (watch out for school-banned ingredients), fragrance free hand sanitizer, nice pen, notepad, Emergen C, special blend coffee or tea, dish towel

Adult Family Members:

• Donation to a charity or sponsoring a child or family for the holidays on their behalf:
  • Partner with your local church’s outreach initiatives
  • Salvation Army Angel Tree
  • Food For The Poor
  • Operation Christmas Child
  • Every Home for Christ
  • Exodus Cry
• Plan a family outing or activity – sometimes the best present is to be present.
  • A special meal
  • Candy house competition
  • Snow tubing or ice skating
  • Caroling at a local nursing home
  • Participating in your church service day and sharing a meal afterward
  • Bundle up and do a Christmas scavenger hunt
  • Card making/ exchange with meaningful letters
• Create a family tree
• The Chosen DVD series
• Bluetooth speaker
• Customized kitchen towel
• Rechargeable battery fan
• Special blend coffee
• Coffee frother
• Pour over, French press or percolator
• Framed family photo
• Family photo session
• Book or audio book for commute
• Glass water bottle
• Plush throw blanket in a neutral color
• Battery vacuum
• Meal kits delivered
• Restaurant gift cards
• Portable DVD player or tablet (especially families with kids)
• Amazon prime membership

And when in doubt…socks!