The Ultimate Gift Guide for Big Kids

Support your child’s endeavors and in-depth investigations as they strengthen existing skills and develop new ones. Whether your kiddo is a design enthusiast, adventure lover or budding architect, these gifts are sure to engage and inspire.

 

When it comes to celebrating holidays as a family, it’s the little things our children will remember most. Our 24 Invitations for Holiday Play and 8 Invitations for Hanukkah Play offer meaningful, festive ways to play all winter long! Whether you’ve got toddlers or teenagers, these play prompts will inspire the whole family to create, move, and imagine. This year, give your family the gift of quality time spent playing together. 

Heroines of History Tablecloth/Wall Hanging

Color-in and discover twenty influential women in history from across the world – some familiar, some lesser known - with this fun, creative and hugely inspiring tablecloth by eatsleepdoodle! From Emily Dickinson and Mary Eliza Mahoney to Emmeline Pankhurst and Sacagawea, color and learn about the brilliant, impactful and powerful women in history who pioneered and triumphed. As your kiddo colors, the tablecloth will dry in seconds and last until you pop it into the washing machine. 

Calm Mind Kit

Our signature product, The Calm Mind Kit is a toy that contains everything you need to introduce mindfulness and meditation to your little ones in a playful way. Designed to be used by ages 3 to 103, the kit teaches techniques that can benefit fidgety 4 year-olds, anxious 2nd graders, and even mama after a long day! The Calm Mind Kit has been created by childhood development and wellness experts to provide children with a variety of tools for emotional development and well-being that will help them learn how to focus, self-regulate, and build confidence. Each kit contains three mindful toys, and a deck of Calm Mind Activity Cards that highlight how to use the toys in a variety of meditation, movement and breathing exercises. These exercises have been developed to support a growing child’s social and emotional skills, which are vital tools they need to live connected, authentic, and happy lives.

Wooden Slingshot

Ready to play and explore? Tuck your trusty toy slingshot into your pocket before heading out on your next adventure! Made from beautiful maple hardwood and sanded for a smooth finish, this slingshot feels good in children's hands and has a wide, easy-to-grab handle. Learning to use a slingshot toy responsibly through practice and play is a skill and developmental milestone. Practice with this toy encourages hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, and concentration.

Soapstone Star Pendant

A fun craft that leads to a beautiful piece of jewelry, this kit designed for big kids and adults provides everything you need to create a soapstone pendant necklace. Each kit is made in British Columbia by Studiostone Creative and includes: a hand-cut star soapstone shape, two grades of sandpaper, polishing Wax for a shiny finish, a buffing cloth and a waxed necklace string.

Butterfly Light

We have long been big fans of Little Lights because of the impeccable quality of each piece. Designed to add a festive pop to any room, this Butterfly Light is made from 100% natural pinewood. Perfect for the little in your life with an adventurous spirit, this light will be a bright spot in your child's room or play space.

Mandala Chalkscapes- Sidewalk Chalk Stencils

Transform ordinary pavement into a masterpiece with this award-winning set of Mandala Chalkscapes sidewalk chalk stencils. Kids can color in the mandala-inspired patterns of the stencil sheets or use different stencil elements to make their own designs. The opportunities are endless! Choose between two different themes to suit your child’s current interests: Garden Butterflies or Stars & Geometry. 

Castor DIY Set

This Castor Set by Candylab Toys inspires kids to create the sustainable, wooden cars of their dreams! Each beautifully packaged (and perfectly giftable) set includes 3 cabins, 3 bodies, 3 wheel sets, and 1 sticker sheet. Screws, dowels, and tools are also included. A memorable gift for budding designers and car enthusiasts, this Castor Set offers families a unique opportunity to create heirloom quality toys together. 

Make Your Own Rainbow Bagel Kit

No need to brave the line at the bagel shop! This kit includes everything you need to rope, loop and bake your own rainbow bagels at home. Experiment with the included liquid gel food colors to create a dazzling palette. Each Make Your Own Rainbow Bagel Kit yields one dozen brightly-colored bagels. The toughest part is deciding who you’ll share them with! 

Create Your Own Published Story Kit

Your child can take on the role of author and illustrator by turning an original story into a hardcover book. Invite your child to write and illustrate their story on the included sheets of paper, using the special markers from the kit. Then, slip the pages into the pre-addressed envelope and pop it in the mail. Their hardcover debut will arrive in the mail soon after, bound and printed on book-quality paper, just like their familiar favorites.

Paper Making Kit

Crafty kids will love this comprehensive Paper Making Kit by Squirrel Papers. Beautifully boxed for elegant gifting, the contents of each kit are made to last. Clear step-by-step video instructions will walk your child through the entire paper-making process. Your child can recycle scraps of paper that your family no longer needs to create new paper for journals, gift tags, greeting cards, and more! This kit even includes confetti to encourage budding artists to put a creative twist on the everyday paper we use in our homes.

Eames Construction Toy

Mid Century designers Charles and Ray Eames believed that “Toys and games are the prelude to serious ideas.” In 1951 they created a large-scale “construction toy” that they used for fun but also as a means of experimentation and development. Once a rare and sought after collectible, MoMA has reissued the Eames construction toy. By connecting phthalate-free vinyl panels with wooden dowels and craft pipes kids can create anything from tunnels and tents to hanging sculptures and theatrical props. 

Solar Printing Kit

This solar printing kit from Elemental Leaf is part science experiment, part art project, and part magic! The kit has everything you need to create unique works of art using paper, natural materials, and sunlight. In addition to sheets of light sensitive paper, the thoughtfully packaged kit includes instructions and some pressed plant specimens to use for printmaking. We recommend ordering extra sheets of the “magic” blue paper so that kids can make additional prints using collected foliage and other special treasures. 

Mushroom Lamp

This mushroom lamp is a retro decorative object by day and a soft glowing light by night. Light emits through the body and through holes in the top, which projects subtle spots of light onto the walls and ceiling. Egmont lamps are made  by hand in Germany of durable heat-resistant cast resin.

Treasure Tubes

Do you have a child in your life who loves to collect things? Encourage exploration and discovery by gifting your little forager this set of Treasure Tubes from Guidecraft. Now, instead of stowing treasures away in a dark shoebox, the child can gather, sort, examine, and display his or her items in attractive containers. Made from wood and clear acrylic, the tubes are sturdy enough to be shaken, rolled, and stacked!

Blockitecture Big City Collectors Set

This ingenious block set is designed with big kids (and grown-ups!) in mind. The hexagonal blocks fit together like puzzle pieces, but unlike a puzzle there are an infinite number of outcomes. Cantilever and nest these colorful blocks to create towers, cities, dwellings, and parks. It is the perfect gift for future engineers or design-minded kids.