Updated November 2023

Every year it’s the same. Mid-December rolls around and we realize that the month has gotten away from us.

Between work, school events, and holiday parties, we’ve been too busy to do our holiday shopping and still have lots to do in the stocking stuffer and gift department. We always vow that next year (next year!), we’ll get it all together early so this doesn’t happen again.

But for now, to help you get your shopping done, here’s what we consider the perfect stocking stuffer mix. These items are creative, interesting, useful, fun, and small enough to fit in a stocking!

If you’re in this last-minute boat with us, here’s the stocking stuffer guide for you.

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer Mix

Note: This stocking stuffer guide is best for 4-10 year olds.

1-3 Art Supplies

A stocking has to have art supplies! Try 1-3 drawing or art materials, such as a pack of markers or a pack of paint sticks and a small sketchbook.

1 Activity Book

We love to add an activity book, doodle book, sticker book, Mad Libs, or activity pack, rolled up and tied with a ribbon.

2-3 Pieces of Christmas Candy

A few assorted Christmas candy and snack items such as a large candy cane, foil-wrapped Christmas chocolates, Pez, a hot cocoa packet, snack-sized goldfish, gum, or your child’s favorite treat.

1 Small Game

We like to include a small game to play on Christmas day, such as Sushi Go, Spot It, Bananagrams (and here’s the little kid version of Bananagrams).

2-5 Toys

Don’t forget a couple small fun toys such as tiny animals, a slinky, a bouncy ball, light fingers, matchbox cars, play foam, silly putty, or a small stuffed animal.

2-5 Useful Items

And last but not least, a few small and useful objects such as a fun toothbrush, fuzzy socks, a bath bomb, training chopsticks, erasers and pencils, a brush and hair accessories, and silly straws.

So, there you have it. Our definitive, last-minute stocking stuffer shopping guide. Hope this helps you fill your stockings this season!

More Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

• 10 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids This Holiday Season
• Creative Stocking Stuffers for Kids
• Our Favorite Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Want even more creative ideas?

Check out our Holiday Creativity pack!

Let’s celebrate the holidays with all things crafty! Here are 53 pages full of our favorite drawing prompts, creative play ideas, art activities, and more!

SHOP NOW

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Updated October 2023

Finding a gift for the children in your life can be tricky. Finding one that is creative and enriching can be even harder!

We’re here to help. Here is a roundup of all the gift guides from the Artful Parent, based on years of present-buying experience.

Creative Gift Guides for Kids 

Here are our favorite toys and gifts for all of the kids in your life!

The Best Open-Ended Toys for Kids

Open ended toys foster play, creativity, and imagination. Here is a list of the best creative toys for kids to promote pretend play.

Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Looking for creative gift ideas for the toddlers & preschoolers in your life? We have lots of recommendations for open-ended building sets, puzzles, games––and of course, art supplies too!

Gifts for Kids Who Love to Build

Do you know a child who loves to build and create? Here’s a great collection of creative gifts for kids that inspire imaginative play.

Musical Gifts for Kids

These ideas for musical gifts for kids are hand-picked by musician, music teacher, and mom Kari Richmond along with our editorial team.

Useful Gifts for Kids

If you’re looking for useful gifts for kids, here are our favorite real tools and instruments perfect for small hands!

Best Creative Gifts for Tweens

Check out this list of creative gifts for tweens and teens. These gifts all encourage creativity and are lots of fun!

Handmade Gift Ideas Kids Can Make for the Holidays

Looking for fun handmade gift ideas for kids and families? These are our favorite kid-made gift ideas that are fun to make and receive.

Creative Games for Kids

If you’re looking for a great board game, here are our top picks!

The Best Family Board Games for Fun, Connection, & Learning

The best family board games that we play and love. These board games and card games are great for connecting as a family and having fun!

The Best Family Board Games by Age

These are the best family games for kids with recommendations by age – toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children.

Art Supplies as Kids’ Gifts

Art supplies make the best gifts for kids!

25 BEST Art Supplies for Kids

Here’s our favorite arts and crafts supplies based on years of experience. The best art supplies for painting, drawing, sculpting and more!

We also have these age-specific art supply lists:

• The BEST Arts and Crafts Supplies for Tweens
• The BEST Art Supplies for Preschoolers
• The BEST Art Supplies for Toddlers
• The BEST Baby Art Supplies

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

A gift guide isn’t complete without stocking stuffers. Here are some great options.

The Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Shopping Guide for Kids

To help you get any last-minute shopping done, we’ve created this stocking stuffer shopping guide. We share what we consider the perfect stocking stuffer mix for kids of all ages.

And be sure to also check out our list of 10 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids as well as our favorite Creative Stocking Stuffers for Kids!

We hope this creative gift guide for kids helps you this holiday season!

Want even more creative ideas?

Check out our Holiday Creativity pack!

Let’s celebrate the holidays with all things crafty! Here are 53 pages full of our favorite drawing prompts, creative play ideas, art activities, and more!

SHOP NOW

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Updated October 2023

Finding the perfect present can be hard! This year, let us help you out with the ultimate list of creative gift ideas for toddlers and preschoolers.

This is such a special age when imaginative play begins to emerge and kids learn so much about themselves and the world around them. Play is, of course, their most important “work,” and gifting is such a great opportunity to provide our kids with the best tools possible for the job.

When deciding what to gift a toddler or preschooler, we recommend focusing on toys and activities that are creative, open-ended, and encourage imaginative play.

This type of gift is most likely to grow with your child, adapting to them at different ages and phases of development.

After years of experience with our own kids and in early childhood classrooms, we’ve come up with a fantastic list of creative gift ideas that we’re sure your kids will love!

15 Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers

These gift ideas for toddlers are perfect for kids aged 2 and up. Of course because these toys and activities are so open-ended, they work for kids of many different ages!

Toddlers love taking objects “in” and “out,” so this stable with horses is a great choice! We also love this unicorn stable for a magical twist.

A dozen dinosaurs ready for all kinds of adventure. These are great for imaginative play outdoors, inside, or even in a sensory bin!

We love that kids can use this fun set as a doctor or vet kit. Your toddler will spend many happy hours giving everyone checkups!

Play scarves are maybe the one “toy” that got the most use for the most years at our house. They can be used for blankets, costumes, forts… anything your child can imagine!

A nice set of wooden instruments (complete with a storage bag) that will be enjoyed for many years.

These washable tempera paint sticks are basically magic. They are so satisfyingly vibrant and easy to use. Plus, they dry in 90 seconds and work on just about any surface!

There’s just something about dots! Toddlers love to “stamp” with these fun markers.

Easier to use and more vibrant than crayons, these drawing tools are so sturdy and worth the investment. We especially love to use them on windows and mirrors!

These baby barnyard markers are just too cute! Designed to be easy to grip, we love how they double as adorable play animals. Micador has a few other varieties like this sweet puppy set or jungle edition!

This is a toy that will absolutely grow with your child! Basic wooden blocks are fantastic for open-ended play. Ours have been used as roads for cars, habitats for dinosaurs, castles for princesses… and so much more!

We love these rainbow blocks as a fun addition to any basic building set. They’re especially fun to play with beside a sunny window!

Peg people allow your toddler’s imagination to take the lead in creative play. These people could be characters from their favorite stories, family members, or neighbors. We love how this rainbow set encourages sorting and pattern play as well.

A simple puzzle like this one from Hape Toys helps build color and shape recognition. Even better? Kids can use the puzzle pieces as stacking blocks too!

This tea set has it all: it’s made from durable silicone, features gender-neutral colors, and is even dishwasher safe. Perfect for sparking imaginative play with tea parties, picnics, sensory play… or even bath time!

Tumbling mats are perfect for pulling out on a rainy day and burning off some energy. They also make fantastic walls for blanket forts!

15 Creative Gift Ideas for Preschoolers

These gift ideas were specially chosen for kids aged 4-6:

Preschool aged kids love to do real-world work. Why not encourage their interests with a baking set of their very own? Paired with an apron, our printable Cooking Creativity Pack, and a fun cookbook for kids, it’s a perfect gift!

This real set of tools will encourage all kinds of creative exploration for your preschooler! Consider gifting this tool set with a simple building kit as well!

We used and loved this science lab set in our own house for many years. It comes with everything you need for your budding scientist. Pair with a lab coat and our printable Science Creativity Pack for extra fun!

This small instrument is sometimes called a “finger piano,” and produces a beautiful sound even for true beginners. We also love this smaller version for a unique stocking stuffer idea!

For a music enthusiast, a ukulele is the perfect gift. This introductory book from singer/songwriter/picture book author Emily Arrow is a great way to learn!

A high-quality set from Faber-Castell, this kit will give your small artist some new tips and tricks to try. We also love Faber-Castell’s kid’s pottery wheel for a unique gift!

We love having a space for kids to stand and get creative! This versatile easel with a dry erase board, chalk board, and paper roll is sure to get used for many years. You can also include the accessory set for an extra special gift.

Kinetic Sand is such a fun sensory material! We especially love this beach set when we’re feeling stir crazy in the middle of winter, but you can also just get a big bag in your favorite color!

These vibrant oil pastels make the perfect stocking stuffer! Or pair with a black notebook and a pack of space stickers for a super fun gift.

(Find more fantastic stocking stuffers HERE!)

A basic wooden train set can truly provide hours of creative fun for your kids! Adding some extra track pieces can really expand the play as well.

Once you build a track with your preschooler a few times, they’ll be ready to experiment on their own! Our marble run has truly stood the test of time and is one of the few toys that has stuck around for over a decade in our house.

These magnetic blocks are so popular for good reason: they are SO MUCH FUN! You won’t be able to resist building a few things yourself.

Part-puzzle, part-building tool, this fun activity is great for kids who love to hammer (and what kid doesn’t?) The kit comes with pattern cards to follow, but your child will also have fun creating their own imaginative pictures!

Beautiful enough to leave out on your coffee table, this puzzle will have your whole family tinkering with patterns and designs!

Our family loves cooperative board games! A great way to build skills while working together, these two from Peaceable Kingdom are some of our favorites. You can find lots more fun game ideas for your family HERE!

We hope you found some helpful ideas in our list of creative gifts! Check out the links below to find more great suggestions for gifting this season.

More Creative Gift Ideas

• The Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Shopping Guide
• Creative Gifts for Kids Who Love To Build
• Even More Stocking Stuffers for Kids
• Musical Gifts for Kids

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Updated October 2023

We often get requests for creative gifts for kids who love to build. Kids who like to tinker, build worlds out of blocks, get muddy, and move their bodies. If you know a kid who falls into this category, this post is for you!

Here are our favorite creative toys for kids who can’t stop building!

Creative Gifts for Kids Who Love to Build

We LOVE magnetic tiles. They are super versatile and fun for kids of all ages. Picasso Tiles, Magnatiles, and Playmags are all great choices. We also love this magnetic marble run from Connetix!

This magnetic dollhouse can be taken apart and put back together in a variety of ways. Paired with some magnetic tiles and little dolls, the play opportunities are endless!

Tegu are unique magnetic blocks that keep your structure intact after it’s completed. And check out the Tegu Magbot!

Sometimes the basics are the best! This wooden block set is nice because it has pieces long enough to make bridges and tunnels.

We love the look of these natural branch blocks. They can be used to build structures, add to wooden block builds, or even create fairy houses!

These Keva Planks come with challenges to turn 2-dimensional diagrams into 3-dimensional builds! They are great for open-ended play and construction, too.

Need we say more?  Start with basic LEGO bricks set and then explore and build your own creations. You can use The Lego Ideas Book as inspiration!

These Pixel Art Puzzle Bricks can be paired with LEGOs to build all kinds of creations! You can slide and stack these to build horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.

The Make-do cardboard building kit is great for kids who want to build BIG and for families who have lots of extra cardboard in their recycling bins!

Our founder, Jean, and her daughters were always fans of these fort building kits. We love that this one has bendable pieces!

If you have older children who would like to explore real building and woodworking, we suggest a carpentry kit. If you want to put your own kit together, you can check out the offerings at Montessori Services.

You can pair this Wood Crafts Kit with the above carpentry tools or use a glue gun to create structures with them. They are a perfect add-on to any block set, too!

Creative DIY Kits as Gifts for Kids

You don’t have to spend lots of money to give your children creative and open-ended toys. Here are some favorite DIYs. Feel free to use what you already have on hand for these kits. It’s less about getting the perfect item and more about giving your child the space and invitation to explore with these items.

Outside Science Kit: Give your kids the tools to explore outside! Keep it simple with a shovel, magnifying glass, and bug house and they will have a blast digging and observing.

Carpentry Kit: If you don’t want to buy a kit, you can gather some simple tools and scraps of wood and we guarantee your child will have a blast tinkering.

 A “What Can You Make with This?” Kit: Create your own robot, building, spaceship, sculpture, etc. Save recycled materials of all shapes, sizes, color, and make-up and put them in a large box with duct tape and a glue gun. Let your children build as they wish, and then decorate with markers and/or paint.

We hope these suggestions help you find gifts for the building-loving kids in your life!

More Creative Gift Ideas for Kids

• The Artful Parent’s Creative Gift Guide for Kids
• Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• The Best Open-Ended Toys for Kids
• 10 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids
• The Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Shopping Guide
• 25 BEST Kids Art Supplies and Where to Buy Them

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Tween kids are notoriously hard to shop for. Gone are the days when you can casually stroll through the toy aisle and find the perfect gift. As our kids age, their tastes change and their opinions strengthen.

Luckily, we’ve been working hard to bring you an incredible list of ideas that even the most discerning tween on your list will love!

These gifts all encourage creativity and have the potential to help kick off a new hobby or dive deeper into something they already love.

10 Creative Gift Ideas for Tweens

These vibrant paint pens have gone viral in recent years, and there’s a good chance they’re already on your tween’s wish list. For bonus points, throw in a pair of white canvas sneakers ready to decorate!

I don’t know about you, but I spent quite a lot of my tween years crafting up dozens of friendship bracelets for everyone I knew. I’m thrilled that (thanks to those Swifties!) the fad is back and bigger than ever. If beads are more your jam, I’m loving kits like this one!

We love this set of body markers, especially for your tween who comes home from school covered in doodles. These would make a fantastic stocking stuffer, or combine with some hair chalk for an extra fun gift!

Your musical tween is going to LOVE this cool little gadget. A pocket synthesizer whose retro design is a recreation of the 1967 classic, it’s been used by artists like David Bowie and The White Stripes. Definitely cool enough for the hard to please tween or teen in your life.

This chemistry candy-making kit is perfect for any young scientist with a sweet tooth. Your kids will have a blast experimenting with flavors, learning scientific principles, and enjoying the fruits of their labor! (We also love this Glowing Candy Lab for more edible science fun)

Your tween can make 25 different mini erasers with this adorable kit! A great way to learn more about sculpting with clay while making something fun and useful. Our tweens also love air dry clay kits like this one if you’re looking for something more open-ended.

Any artsy tween will get hours of use out of this simple drawing book. Looking for a more educational approach? Try our Drawing Skills Master Class for Kids. Pair with a nice set of pens for a totally unique gift!

A beginner’s whittling kit is the perfect way to introduce kids to woodworking. These are real tools that can be dangerous when used incorrectly, so please use caution and your best judgment when deciding to gift. Many kids aged 9 and up are fully capable of giving this hobby a try with great success!

Have a tween who love to collect buttons for their bags and jackets? This button maker machine is the ultimate gift that keeps on giving! Your child can design and create their very own buttons to keep for themselves or give away to friends. Endless fun for your crafty kid!

I know Instax cameras are all the rage, but that film gets really pricey really fast! This thermal printing camera is a great alternative at a lower price point, and I’ve found that many kids like it just as much as its pricier cousin. Plus, this particular camera comes with markers and stickers to decorate for an extra-creative twist!

I hope this list of creative gifts for tweens makes shopping a bit easier this year. It’s so fun to watch creativity blossom in tweens, and these are the types of gifts that can really help those new hobbies thrive!

More Helpful Resources for Tweens

• 18 Fun Arts & Crafts for Tweens
• The Best Art Supplies for Tweens
• 10 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas
• 15 Creative Stocking Stuffers for Kids
• Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Guide
• 5 Premium Art Supplies for Gifts

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Updated October 2023

If your kids are like ours, they like to help out wherever you are. In the kitchen, in the garden, wherever! But it can be hard for them to use grown-up sized gardening tools or kitchen utensils.

That’s why we love these kid-sized tools. They are real, but perfectly sized for small hands.

Useful Gifts for Kids

Gardening Tools

If your kid has a green thumb, consider getting some of these tools so they can help out in the garden!

A quality pair of gardening gloves will allow your child to help out with a variety of projects! Or you can pair them with this trowel and rake set.

If your family is really into gardening, considering getting your kids a larger set of garden tools. We like this set from Stanley, or this one with a tote bag!

For bigger kids you can go for this rake and shovel set! Pair with some seed packets and let them have their own section of the garden to tend!

Cooking Utensils for Kids

If you love cooking, get your child a few utensils so they can join you in the kitchen! They will love the independence that comes with their own set of knives!

Every sous chef needs a kid-sized apron! This line comes in lots of fun prints and colors.

A kids’ cooking utensil set makes cooking accessible and fun for children, giving them the chance to help prepare family meals.

Or if you are more of a baker, this little set gives your kids all the baking tools needed to bake a sweet treat!

A set of knives that actually cuts, but isn’t sharp enough to be dangerous, will give your child a great sense of independence in the kitchen. Or you can try this bigger set.

If you’re looking for a fun splurge, this adorable enamel bakeware set can’t be beat! Just think about how cute muffins will look in that tin!

You can pair any of these kitchen utensils with a cookbook for a fantastic gift. We have and use both of these cookbooks and they are a perfect starting point for kids.

Real Tools for Kids

Get your child set up with a toolbox of their own, and they’ll become your new handyman!

This tool set comes with everything your child needs to tinker around the house. And we love the sturdy carrying bag!

Or you can pair this fun tool belt with a few simple tools for an awesome gift!

We love this first drill for kids! It comes with a variety of drill bits and screws so your child can get right to work!

If your child likes a project, SparkJump has a ton of real woodworking kits for kids. How adorable is this bee hotel?!

Outdoor Tools for Kids

If your family loves to camp, setting your child up with some camping gear is a great idea.

What kid wouldn’t love this mini lantern?! Even for indoor camping adventures, this is the perfect accessory.

This pair of binoculars is just like the real thing, but kid-sized, so they’ll be able to spot wildlife wherever they go.

A magnifying glass is great for studying all sorts of cool creatures up close.

A pocket guide to animal tracks is a handy tool for campers of all ages.

And last but not least, a nature journal will let kids record all of their camping adventures for years to come!

We hope you find these ideas helpful when shopping for your family! And be sure to check out all of our gift guides!

More Gift Guides from the Artful Parent

• The Artful Parent’s Creative Gift Guide for Kids
• The Best Open-Ended Toys for Kids
• Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• Creative Gifts for Kids Who Love to Build
• 40 Handmade Gift Ideas that Kids Can Make
• Musical Gifts for Kids

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Updated November 2023

We’ve been working on this list of creative stocking stuffers for kids because we can’t resist a stocking stuffer! And we think that art supplies make the perfect stocking stuffer!

If you’re struggling for some new ideas for your creative kids, this list is for you!

Be sure to also check out our list of 10 fun stocking stuffer ideas, and if you are a procrastinator (like us!), our last-minute stocking stuffer guide will help!

Creative Stocking Stuffers for Kids

These glitter gel pens are lots of fun AND smell yummy. They are a great choice, especially for older kids.

For younger kids, these metallic gel crayons are perfect for drawing and coloring!

These metallic felt-tip pens are great for drawing on cardboard, wood, and more! If you’ve got a doodler at home, they will love these.

We LOVE these neon oil pastels! We use them all the time with so many of our projects!

These twistable crayons are sturdier than regular crayons, and they come in fun scents!

These rainbow colored pencils have 7 colors twisted into each pencil, so you never know how your drawing will turn out!

If you’ve got a kid who loves to draw, toss a ‘how to draw’ book in their stocking. You can also check out our book of drawing prompts in our printable shop!

We love coloring with our kids! This Bluey coloring book is adorable!

This pack of scratch paper notes are perfect for writing secret notes and creating little doodles and designs!

We love these reusable puffy sticker sets from Melissa and Doug. They come in many different themes, for whatever your kids might be interested in.

These OOLY sketchbooks have a handle, so your child can carry them wherever they go!

Dot stickers are the best! No matter how old your child is, they’ll find a million things to do with these fun stickers!

A paper punch in your child’s favorite shape is a sweet and personalized addition to any stocking.

We usually throw in a few fun rolls of washi tape, one of our best-loved art materials.

This combo pack of our favorite modeling clay comes in super fun colors!

We hope this list of fun art supplies helps you fill those stockings!

More Stocking Stuffers for Kids

• 10 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids This Holiday Season
• A Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Shopping Guide for Kids
• Our Favorite Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• The Artful Parent’s Creative Gift Guide for Kids
• Creative Gifts for Kids Who Love to Build
• The Best Art Supplies for Kids in 2023

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Updated October 2023

Have you thought about giving your child a musical gift this holiday season? 

As a musician, mother of two, and teacher, I’m happy to offer some thoughts to help you choose a musical gift that your little one can truly enjoy.

The sorts of instruments that I see in children’s stores are often poor quality, or seem a bit too complicated, too fragile, or flat-out poorly made. Cheap instruments are usually lacking in tone quality and durability, and the frustration of bad-sounding instruments can quickly turn off a child to musical play.

Just as young children benefit from open access to good-quality art supplies, they also benefit greatly from free access to good quality, durable musical instruments that they can explore and have success with, even without formal instruction.

So what are some good options?

Musical Gifts for Kids

While real brass and woodwind instruments may not be a good fit for most kids under 7, a soprano recorder is a fantastic, low-cost way to introduce basic skills with great success!

A basic harmonica is another good choice for young kids experimenting with instruments. We love how this one comes with its own sturdy carrying case!

Remember these? Kids love kazoos since they can successfully play any song they hum! This particular kazoo is made from aluminum and is a pleasant step-up from the plastic ones you may remember from your own childhood.

A basic keyboard like this one will entertain your kids for hours. They can play with different “drumbeats,” tonal voices, and other fun features on this relatively inexpensive Casio. A great introductory instrument, especially if you don’t have a piano at your house.

This little pocket synthesizer is a recreation of the 1967 classic and it’s been used by artists like David Bowie and The White Stripes. Easy enough for anyone to make sounds, but definitely cool enough for the tween or teen in your life.

This small instrument is sometimes called a “finger piano,” and produces a beautiful sound even for true beginners. We also love this smaller version for a unique stocking stuffer idea!

While guitars are too big for most kids to learn, the ukulele is the perfect size for small hands! We also love this introductory book from singer/songwriter/picture book author Emily Arrow.

Regardless of who’s playing, the steel tongue drum always sounds beautiful! This makes it a great choice for kids of all ages and skill levels.

Percussion instruments of all kinds are wonderful for helping kids explore rhythm and develop coordination. Even babies will love pounding on a set of bongos like this!

This lap harp creates a beautiful, soft sound. Kids can play intuitively, plucking as they wish, or use the accompanying booklet to learn a few simple songs.

Musical Experience Gifts for Kids

Many families I know are striving to cut down on the amount of STUFF in their homes, so if buying an actual product is not your thing this year, consider giving your child the gift of musical experiences together! Present her with tickets to the next local symphony concert – a wonderful opportunity to dress up and do a “grown-up” evening on the town. Or, for lower cost alternatives, check out your local high school and university music departments. Most schools offer very low-cost or free concerts that are open to the public throughout each semester.

We hope these suggestions help you figure out which musical gifts for kids are best for your family!

More Ideas for Gifts for Kids

• The Artful Parent’s Creative Gift Guide for Kids
• Creative Gifts for Kids Who Love to Build
• The Best Open-Ended Toys for Kids to Foster Creativity & Imagination
• Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• 10 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids This Holiday Season
• The Best Kids Games for Family Fun

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Updated November 2023

We’ve had many favorite board games and card games over the years. A powerful feeling of connection through shared experiences can happen as children play and learn through game playing.

Additionally, many games are quite educational and help us develop strategy, spatial skills, deduction, cooperation, literacy, and more.

We still play and love many of the games listed in the post linked above, but we have also discovered many new games since, both on our own and from your recommendations. Check out this updated list of all-time favorites!

Our Favorite Family Games

These games all made the list because they’re easy to learn and fun enough for the whole family to enjoy. We’ve listed the suggested age for each game, but many can be adapted for younger kids, especially if your little one teams up with a grownup for game night!

Kingdomino is an award-winning tabletop game that’s easy to learn with layers of strategy for more advanced play. It might be the perfect “gateway game” for kids who are starting to show interest in more complex game play. The components are high quality and the theming is just so fun! (ages 8+)

Every picture tells a story – but what story will your picture tell? Dixit is the lovingly illustrated game of creative guesswork, where your imagination unlocks the tale. Players use the beautiful imagery on their cards to bluff their opponents and guess which image matches the story. I can’t wait to try out this Disney version as well! (ages 8+)

A game of suspense, strategy, and anticipation. Get rid of the high cards (rats) and go for the low cards (cats). Sneak a peek, draw two, or swap cards for an added twist. Rat-a-tat-Cat might be our most-played game ever. It is enjoyed by all ages (even grownups) and you can play a round in a short amount of time. We squeeze a game or two in before school or take this with us to the coffee shop. (ages 6+)

Qwirkle is as simple as matching colors and shapes, but this game also requires tactical maneuvers and well-planned strategy. Earn points by building rows and columns of tiles that share a common color or shape without allowing duplicates. Or try Travel Qwirkle! (ages 6+)

We love a cooperative board game in our family, and Race to the Treasure is one of our favorites. You’ll work together to build a path and collect keys, but be careful- you don’t want that ogre to beat you to the end! (ages 5+)

Telestrations is the visual version of the classic “telephone game” where you draw what you see, then guess what you saw to reveal hilarious outcomes! This is the perfect party game, extra fun with lots of people. (The box recommends ages 12+, but we’ve played with kids as young as 7!)

This beautifully illustrated bingo game features 54 gorgeous game cards complete with fascinating natural history facts. I love that this set’s sturdy pieces and handy drawstring bag for storage. (ages 5+)

Tired of endless rounds of Candy Land? This is the game for you! Choose your unicorn (each one is a sturdy wooden game piece) and race through the clouds, collecting crystals along the way. Fans of Glitterluck will also love her cloud stacking game. (ages 3+)

This game is so much fun for kids and adults alike! Not your typical board game, players race through the halls of their 3-D “ice school” by flicking penguins around the rooms, through doorways, and even over walls. I can’t wait to expand our board with Ice Cool 2! (ages 6+)

The original Ticket to Ride board game is simple enough for many kids to enjoy, but you can also get Ticket to Ride: First Journey for kids as young as six. Your family will have fun building tracks and connecting cities across a map of North America (or Europe or New York or San Fransisco…), completing train routes and fulfilling destination tickets.

Wits and Wagers is the perfect party game, fun for all ages. It’s essentially a trivia game, but the questions are wild, making the answers anyone’s guess! As long as your child can write numbers, they can play (and maybe even win!). (ages 6+)

Sushi Go is a current favorite at our house. It’s fast-paced, easy to learn, and takes only 15 minutes to play. Players compete to collect cards, scoring points for various sets. There’s also a party edition that’s lots of fun and great for groups of up to 8! (ages 8+)

Sequence is super easy to learn, but has enough strategy to keep adults engaged too. Play a card from your hand and cover the corresponding spot on the board. Five in a row is a sequence! A classic game that’s perfect for a mixed group. (ages 7+) For even younger gamers, try Sequence for Kids (ages 3+)

Cat Crimes is a fun logic game that kids can even play by themselves. Set up the board and review the clues… can you deduce which cat is the one to blame? (ages 8+)

This dice rolling game is absolutely adorable, and so much fun to play! Great for fans of Yahtzee who are looking for a little more depth and variation, Spots might just become a new family favorite.

How about you? What are the best kids games in your opinion? Which ones are your family’s favorites?

More Board Games and Toys for Kids

• The BEST Family Board Games by Age (Toddlers, Preschoolers, Big Kids)
• The Best Open Ended Toys for Kids to Foster Creativity & Imagination
• Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• Creative Gifts for Kids Who Love to Build
• 12 Kids Art Games for Fun and Creativity
• 10 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

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The post The Best Family Board Games for Fun, Connection, & Learning appeared first on The Artful Parent.

Updated October 2023

When it comes to toys, less is more.

A few carefully chosen, open-ended toys can enrich your child’s playtime and save you from the overwhelm of too much “stuff.”

Open ended toys are ones that foster creative play in a myriad of way. These encourage imaginative play as your child grows and finds NEW ways to use the SAME toy. (Now that’s a win, win, right?)

Here at The Artful Parent, we have a few parameters in mind when it comes to choosing a great open-ended toy:

1. Requires No Guidance

Open-ended toys are wonderful because the kids can play with them independently without any instruction or guidance from the parents. Their imagination is what drives playtime.

2. Grows with the Child

A good open-ended toy can grow with your child and be used in different ways as kids mature.

3. Low-Tech

One of the biggest advantages of open-ended toys? Most don’t require batteries! Not only do we not have to worry about running low on our battery supply, but we also get to watch as our kids make up their own sounds and explore imaginary play.

Open ended toys can be used in a variety of ways depending on the child, the day, their imagination, and desire. They foster play, creativity, critical thinking skills, and imagination.

In a NY Metro article on why simple toys prove to more beneficial for kids, Colleen Multari says, “Open-ended toys result in open-ended play. This type of play can evolve over time while also encouraging children to create and problem-solve as they explore the world around them.”

So today, as many of us are starting to think about holiday gift shopping, we thought we’d share a few of our very favorite open ended toys, perfect for gifting! 

The Best Open-Ended Toys for Kids

If you’re looking to encourage open-ended and imaginative Lego play, we suggest skipping the instructional building kits and going for a big box of classic pieces like this one. Have a child younger than 4? Choose a larger block like these Duplos or Mega Bloks.

Basic wooden blocks have gotten a lot of play time in our families! They can be used as roads for cars, habitats for dinosaurs, castles for princesses… and so much more! We also love these rainbow blocks or these castle blocks as options for extending your basic set.

These magnetic blocks are so popular for good reason: they are SO MUCH FUN! You won’t be able to resist building a few things yourself. Already have a basic set? Check out this super fun add-on!

This cardboard building kit is full of everything your kids need to take their cardboard creations to the next level! They’ll never look at an empty box the same way again.

A set of play dishes like this one will be well-loved for many years to come. We especially like that all the pieces are dishwasher safe!

This tea set has it all: it’s made from durable silicone, features gender-neutral colors, and is even dishwasher safe. Perfect for sparking imaginative play with tea parties, picnics, sensory play… or even bath time!

Your kids will love the realistic look of this kitchen set. They’ll be cooking you up a feast in no time! Check out our In the Kitchen Printable Activities for even more open-ended play ideas.

It’s all too easy to go overboard in the play food department, but a few quality pieces can go a long way! Find a set like this one with a bit of variety and let imagination do the hard work.

We’ve had this cleaning set for many years and it’s held up great! I love that it sits compactly in any corner and the tools are high quality enough to actually clean.

We love how this farm set comes with a storage bucket and fence pieces. If you have the budget for it, consider purchasing a few pieces from Schleich; these are our favorites in terms of quality, and will be sure to last for many years! This fantastic toy barn is very sturdy and my kids had hours of fun using the pulley up to the hay loft.

These animals will have your kids building habitats and recreating their favorite trips to the zoo. We also love this adorable woodland animal set!

Fifteen dinosaurs ready for all kinds of adventure. These are great for imaginative play outdoors, inside, or even in a sensory bin!

We like a dollhouse like this one with a simple design that doesn’t take up too much space. The open sides make it easy for multiple kids to play simultaneously, and the basic design lets your child’s imagination do the hard work. We also love a dollhouse like this one that can double as a bookcase or display shelf as kids grow. Or what about a folding wooden castle is for fantasy play?

A basic wooden train set can truly provide hours of creative fun for your kids! Adding some extra track pieces can really expand the play as well.

A good quality set of small cars will be used in play for many years! And this super fun road tape might just be the perfect stocking stuffer for your little transportation lover.

Play scarves are maybe the one “toy” that got the most use for the most years at our house. They can be used for blankets, costumes, forts… anything your child can imagine!

Just like all great open-ended toys, a cash register can be a central player in all kinds of imaginative play: grocery store, restaurant, office work, farmer’s market, pet store… your kids will come up with all kinds of fun ideas!

Peg people allow your child’s imagination to take the lead in creative play. These people could be characters from their favorite stories, family members, or neighbors. We love how this rainbow set encourages sorting and pattern play as well.

We used and loved this science lab set in our own house for many years. It comes with everything you need for your budding scientist. Pair with a lab coat and our printable Science Creativity Pack for extra fun!

Sensory bins are so great for open-ended play time! Kinetic sand is one of our favorite sensory materials, and we love this fun beach set (also perfect for construction vehicles to drive through!)

Fun Extras

These ideas are nice extras if your family has all the basics but you’re looking for birthday or holiday gifts for your kids that will last and be played with in many ways. These wooden toys are high quality, but pricier and by no means essential.

Rainbow Stackers

Build a sculpture, create a tunnel or just add a rainbow addition to your play area. Grimms produces the highest quality version in a mini & large size, but there are many other budget versions out there.

Loose parts

Create patterns, explore math concepts, feed toy animals on the farm, or add these to the play kitchen. With many options for use, these loose parts are a great addition for your child’s imaginative play.

Which of these toys on our list are crowd favorites in your home? Let us know!

Creative Play Ideas for Kids

• Creative Gift Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers
• Craft Ideas for Kids that are Perfect for Pretend Play
• Small World Playdough Play for Kids
• Make Your Own Play Mat for Kids Pretend Play
• Creative Small World Play Ideas for Kids

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