Social & Emotional Development

15 Best Gifts for Every Kid: Every Age, Interest and Budget

By: Alissa LaSovage
Gifts for every kid on your list
5 minutes to read
For All Ages
Creativity
Critical Thinking
Curiosity
Math
Science
Social Emotional

The magic of the holidays is here! Or it will be, as soon as you can somehow magically summon up ideas for yet. another. list. of gifts for kids.

Ho-ho-hold up! This year, your work is DONE, thanks to this handy rundown of the year’s best gift ideas for kids of all ages. It’ll help you check off ALL the boxes on your holiday gift list – and give you time to finally create that perfect holiday playlist instead.

GIFTS UNDER $50

FOR KIDS WHO LOVE SURPRISES - Monthly Subscription Gifts

From current events to animals to crafting and everything in between, there’s an endless selection of subscription gifts to help nurture your child’s passion – and give them something to look forward to throughout the year.

Highlights magazines offer a bit of everything – stories, nonfiction, science, crafts and more – and are tailored by age to hit kids’ interests and developmental levels: Hello (ages 0-2), High Five (ages 2-6), and Highlights (ages 6-12).

Highlights activity subscriptions are similarly tailored by age, but focus on specific interests for kid-ficionados who love puzzles, exploration and adventure.

 

FOR SNUGGLE BUGS - Soft, Sensory Gifts

If your kid’s go-to activity is cuddling up with a good book or favorite stuffie, a sensory gift might be on the list. Weighted blankets and cozy clothes feel like perpetual hugs, and indoor tents or playhouses provide the perfect snuggle-time nooks.

Check out the wide selection of Highlights’ comfy hoodies for toddlers, kids and grown-ups, or this adorable Snuggle Story set that includes a squishy reindeer plush and Hidden Pictures ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas storybook.

 

GIFTS UNDER $30

FOR CURIOUS KIDS - Gifts That Inspire

The best gifts for kids are ones that help them find and express their OWN inner gifts. If your kid loves to create, seek out new ideas, or continually ask “why,” open-ended activities and exploratory gifts are the perfect ways for them to discover and innovate. 

The Highlights Book of How provides more than 350 pages of hands-on activities and experiments, crafts and information about how things work. It’s the perfect way to encourage screen-free fun and promote a love for STEM learning in an engaging, kid-focused way. 

The Hidden Pictures Sticker Fun 4-Book Set lets kids seek out hundreds of hidden objects, mark them with more than 450 fun stickers, then create their own creative masterpieces by coloring in the scenes!

 

FOR THE INDEPENDENT SPIRIT - Gifts of Self Expression

What’s your kid’s passion? From clothing and accessories to memberships for dance or music studios, there are tons of ways to help your child show their sparkle.

Here’s an easy place to start: Highlights gear has styles for every kid! Try the Highlights Patchables Pink Lunch Tote for a cool and customizable take on lunch, or the vacuum-insulated steel Unicorns & Rainbows Water Bottle to let colorful personalities shine.


GIFTS UNDER $20

FOR TENDER HEARTS - Gifts of Kindness

Is your kid an advocate for animals, friends, or the Earth we call home? Celebrate your child’s kindness with gifts that cultivate their compassion, such as memberships to wildlife or environmental societies or books about activist kids.

The We’re Better Together Activity Book sparks conversations about kindness and cooperation, with room for kids to draw and journal. And this “Do Great Things” Tie-Dye Pencil Case will clip to a belt, so kids can easily have their supplies on hand as they set off to conquer the world.

Learning kindness is more fun than ever with Stick with Kindness Reusable Sticker Playscenes. Designed to help kids 3-6 understand real-world examples of kindness, these stickers are easy to take on the go and bring social-emotional learning anywhere.


FOR KIDS WHO LOVE FACTS - Gifts of (Sometimes Silly) Learning

Is dinnertime filled with quips and quotes about what your kid learned in school? Nurture their infatuation for information with gifts like almanacs, books of facts and records and other activities that emphasize the joy of learning.

The Highlights 2024 Almanac of Fun has jokes, fun facts, puzzles, recipes and more to explore every day – plus wacky holidays for kids to celebrate.

The All About the Planet book gives little ones habitat-themed puzzles, wildlife stickers and other fun activities that help them learn all about planet Earth.


 

Alissa LaSovage
By: Alissa LaSovage

Alissa LaSovage has been writing for kids and families for more than 20 years. When she's not in the midst of a parenting adventure with her twin boys, she likes to read, travel, and spend time outdoors.