Good Gifts for Kids

Magic sets offer a sense of wonder and mystery that can captivate children’s imaginations. The ability to perform tricks and illusions can make them feel powerful and confident. They are also fun and engaging way for children to learn and develop new skills. And what kid doens’t want to wow their family and friends. While several magic sets are on the market, the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magic Set is a little bit different.

Many kits can look appealing but feel cheap. However, the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magic Set stands out from the rest of the kits on the market. Unlike other kits, the tricks in this set are not made from cheap materials like paper and plastic. Instead, they are crafted from wood, which provides sturdiness and durability for the tricks. Also, a couple of tricks in this kit are unique. Although some of the tricks may be easily figured out by those with critical thinking skills, the toys are meant to build such skills, making them a valuable tool for children.

One standout item in the kit is the change bag, which is smaller than a professional change bag but still introduces children to a fundamental tool in the magician’s repertoire. Once a child understands the secret of the change bag, their imagination can run wild with the endless possibilities it presents.

The kit includes a pamphlet with approximately five pages of instructions, and each trick is described with a brief overview and detailed instructions, accompanied by line drawings.

Bottom line

The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magic Set is a good gift for a kid. Though in the ‘5-7’ age range on this site, it’s really more for the seven-year-old than the five-year-old. Abracadabra!

When was the last time a kid thought a plain white t-shirt would be a fun? With the Doodle Hog Tie Dye Kit ($76), that t-shirt is a blank canvas just waiting for a bright and striking display of color to be applied. This Tie Dye Kit comes with 12 custom color dyes in easy-squeeze bottles, 1 bag of soda ash (helps the dye adhere to cotton shirts), 9 pairs of gloves, 60 rubber bands, and an easy-to-follow dye technique guide.

Different techniques in the guides provide different results. They are washing-machine safe, but some slight fading is to be expected. That said, the colors are pretty vibrant and can remain vivid after multiple washings. Tie dye is a process, so this isn’t something that can get thrown together within a single afternoon birthday party, but it still can be good activity for families and friends who are already staying together.

While this kit contains all the tie dye materials, there are other things needed for the process: drop cloth or plastic for the ground, a bucket deep enough to dip shirts in, and another plastic bag to sit for a day (i24 hours).

This is a one-of-a-kind activity that is memorable as much as it is wearable. Because each result is unique, a tie dye kit gives opportunity for kids to personalize their creation. And though there are suggested designs in the instructions, there is no right or wrong way to do it – try different designs and see how they a turn out. Even though targeted towards shirts, the tie dye kit can be used with other things such as pillow cases, socks, or napkins. Kids of all ages can have fun doing the steps and getting a cool shirt out of it, but its best for older children and/or grownups to supervise the steps. Tie dye kits are a good gift for a kid.

Though this site is including the “0-2” age range, it’s for the higher end of that, not the lower end.

Bath time can be a fun and enjoyable experience for toddlers, but sometimes it can be a challenge to get them into the tub. This is where having a fun bath toy like the Fill N Splash Submarine Bath Toy (between $22 and $40) can make all the difference. The bottom line is that bath toys make bath time more fun.

Toddlers often have a short attention span, and the Fill N Splash can keep them engaged and make the process of getting clean less stressful. This can be especially helpful for children who are reluctant to take a bath or who have difficulty sitting still.

The suction cups for the Fill N Splash Submarine Bath Toy work well for attaching to the tub wall or bathroom tile. Occasional cleaning is necessary but it’s easy to do. The Fill N Splash Bath Toy is good gift for a kid who is between one and half and 5 years old.

Kids can recognize shapes of letters fairly early on, and they can practice letter recognition with these Melissa & Doug Alphabet Lacing Cards ($26). The kit includes a lacing board in the shape of every letter in the alphabet. Each board has a vibrant illustration on one side and a label on the other, showcasing the uppercase and lowercase letters in large print. You can use the cards as flashcards, match the lace colors to the borders, or string the entire alphabet together.

Children typically start learning letters of the alphabet between the ages of two and three years old. At this age, children are usually able to recognize and name some of the letters of the alphabet, especially those in their name or frequently seen in their environment. As they grow older, their letter recognition skills and ability to identify the sounds associated with each letter develop further, which lays the foundation for reading and writing. (Note: Every child develops at their own pace, and some may begin learning letters earlier or later than others.)

A set like this provides a way to children to passively learn about shapes of letters while doing the activity of running the strings through the holes. That’s why this is considered more of an activity than a toy. The Alphabet Lacing Cards set is a good gift for a 2- or 3-year-old kid.

An indoor riding toy with lots of sounds, colors, things for little hands to tinker with – the Radio Flyer Busy Buggy ($34) can be hard to resist. When my son had a similar riding toy, he would push it and pull it everywhere, and press all the various buttons to make sounds, and really loved getting things in and out of the storage compartment under the seat.

This is especially lots of fun for the 12-18 month range – great for kids to practice their walking, and older ones in the 18-month range can practice getting on and off the seat. At different stages they may have more fun doing different things (pushing it vs riding it), but even for ones just learning to pull themselves up, they will find the buttons on the steering wheel a rewarding activity. My kids even played with theirs up until they were over three years old (although not ideal new gift for that particular age range).

It’s smaller than most outdoor riding toys, so it’s relatively gentle for indoor play.

Bottom line

The Radio Flyer Busy Buggy is a great gift for a kid. Especially perfect for a first birthday.

Kids love making music, and when you are ready to let them unleash their inner rocker, try the durable Casio SA-76 Mini Keyboard ($59). Kids will like exploring the prebuilt beats and sounds.

Introducing music to kids as early as toddlers is a fun way to play. While most toys and activities skew on the side of being visual/tactile, an audio-tactile toy is helpful for development and learn music and songs. Kids may be graduating from a musical xylophone of their early toddler years, so a keyboard introduces much more: more octave range, sharp/flat notes (the black keys!), as well as all the bells and whistles that the electronic side can provide (prerecorded beats, alternate instrument sounds, etc.).

Note: No power supply is provided! Be sure to get the ADE95 power supply, sold separately, as part of the gift.

This Casio keyboard isn’t relegated to just child’s play. It’s good to show that real music can be made with toys as simple as this one. Songs like “Happy Birthday” and “Joy to the World” would be easy ones to pick up and teach. This music keyboard for kids can be used to enhance the songs that families sing together. Singing songs together is a very effective teaching tool, and adding a keyboard to the mix can show how teams help make music together.

But additionally, the keyboard is a draw even for singular playtime. Kids enjoy exploring what all the options are, and how they can work together. Prerecorded beats are chosen to represent, or even influence, their mood. From dancing fast, to stomping around slow, a music keyboard for kids can get them moving, learning, singing, and playing.

Bottom line is that the Casio SA-76 is a good gift for a kid!

If you’re looking for a fun and exciting toy for your child that encourages imaginative play, the Fisher-Price Imaginext Shark Bite Pirate Ship (about $60) is a great option to consider. With its cool shark design and interactive features, this toy is sure to spark your child’s imagination and keep them entertained for hours.

Design and Features

The Fisher-Price Imaginext Shark Bite Pirate Ship is a beautifully designed toy that has lots of hallmarks of feeling like you’re on pirate ship. The ship is shaped like a shark with a large mouth that opens and closes, revealing a hidden cannon inside. The ship also features a working anchor, a spinning propeller, and a trapdoor that leads to a jail cell. The ship even has a handle on the back, making it easy for your child to carry it around.

The toy comes with pirate figures, a cannon, and treasure, which can inspire imaginative play and storytelling. The pirate figures are well-made and include details such as eye patches, hats, and swords. The shark bite contraption is well-designed and adds an extra element of adventure.

Customer Reviews

The Fisher-Price Imaginext Shark Bite Pirate Ship has received many positive reviews (over 5,000) from customers on Amazon - averaging 5 stars. Customers comment on the quality, attention to detail in its design, durability, and number of features

Conclusion

Overall, the Fisher-Price Imaginext Shark Bite Pirate Ship is an good gift for a kid! Especially ones that love pirate adventures! It’s cool design, interactive features, and durable construction make it a great option for both playtime and display. Have fun on the high seas with the Fisher-Price Imaginext Shark Bite Pirate Ship.

A perfect gift for the first birthday, or for kids that will soon be on their feet, the Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker (somewhere around $40) is sure to be a hit for several months/years.

This interactive learning baby Walker has a removable play panel that plays music and encourage creativity. There are spinning rollers, shape sorters, and light-up buttons. The wheels work on carpeted and hard wood floors. It’s also possible to lock the wheels to slow the the kids down a bit if needed.

There is a detachable front that has a lot of musical keys, buttons that make different sounds, and a phone toy.

Batteries are included, but you may want to get re-chargeable AA batteries so that you can save money on that.

It’s something that kids just naturally gravitate towards, and so it’s sure to be a hit.

Just as a child is finding it’s footing, she is likely looking things to climb on. The ECR4Kids SoftZone Climb and Crawl foam playset offers a variety of blocks to sit, crawl, climb, push, and play around with.

These colorful blocks are just the right size for toddlers and to crawl on. They are lightweight enough that as they want to push them around and one day pick them up on their own, they can do so. These are nicely made, good in quality, and easy to clean. It’s a cinch to wipe off any spills from the colorful vinyl, and they hold up to the abuse.

Amongst the five pieces is a ramp, and though depicted in some marketing photos as if it’s a slide, it definitely isn’t a slide. It’s more for crawling up, or arranging other shapes, or another fun thing is to use it on its own for mom or dad to roll balls to their child. All the pieces are great for a pillow fort, too.

ECR4Kids makes additional ‘SoftZone’ sets of blocks made like these with the same foam, but with different shapes. Any set in this line-up would be a great gift for a 1-year old kid!

Around the time a kid is 16 is when he or she will get her own ride. Maybe it’s a clunker from the 80’s, or maybe it’s a brand new Lexus, but either way, it’s their own, and nothing says making something your own like adding your own accessories.

Enter Govee’s Interior LED Car Lights kid (about $17), that install easily, and works with any cigarette lighter. There’s a supplied controller, or there’s also a phone app, that can be used to light up the interior in any color (or all of them!). With an option to react to music, it’s a party-on-the-go that puts that extra delight to any kid’s first car.

Using the brightness modes, the lights are bright enough to see the interior without a harsh glare at night on the lower setting. There’s no complicated wiring - it’s driven from a standard cigarette lighter, and it’s simple for the kid to install themselves if they desire.

For those reasons, we think Govee’s Color LED Light Strips for a car interior make a good gift for a kid who just got is first set of wheels.