30 of the best gifts for kids

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The holidays are here and you’re trying to zero in on the perfect gift for the children and grandkids in your life. But keeping up with the latest fads is no easy task, especially if you’re trying to balance entertaining with education. Not to worry, this year’s list of 30 of the best gifts for kids will leave you full of inspiration. Whether your kid’s a future rockstar looking to build their own guitar or more interested in crafting a computer game through coding, we’ve got you covered.

Gifts under $30

1. Connect 4

All you have to do is line up four coloured pieces in a row to win. It seems like a simple concept, but this addicting cottage classic challenges kids to think strategically.

2. Cutetitos Budditos

For younger kids, these plush mini animals are adorable. They come wrapped in their own blanket burritos, so kids can cuddle them up and put them to sleep when they’re done playing.

3. Wooden Cookie Play Set

For the future baker who likes helping in the kitchen but hasn’t quite graduated to handling actual food, this wooden cookie play set lets your kid bake along with you.

4. Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years Book

Any kid with a knack for history or geology will love this lighthearted picture book. Told from the perspective of the Earth, this book recounts the formation and history of our planet over the last 4.54 billion years.

5. Friendship Bracelet Kit

It’s a tough time for kids right now. The pandemic means they’re not allowed to see friends, and even if they do, they have to social distance. This friendship bracelet kit is a great way for kids to give a bracelet to a friend to show how much they care. Buy at Indigo.

6. LEGO Chain Reactions

LEGO has moved way past the days of simple structures. The LEGO Chain Reactions set allows kids to build moving machines that swing, pivot, roll, lift, and drop.

7. Coding in Scratch: Games Workbook

It is incredible how quickly kids learn to use technology. Why not channel that energy by gifting your kid this coding workbook? Inside are instructions on how to build their own computer games.

8. The Baby-Sitters Club: A Graphic Novel

First published in 1986, The Baby-Sitters Club novels have been a go-to late night read for generations. Now, the series is getting a revamp for younger kids with this graphic novel by Gale Galligan. Buy at Indigo.

9. Jenga

This is a great game to play with kids at the cottage. Just make sure you’re not the one to tip it over; there are a lot of pieces to pick up.

10. LEGO Make Your Own Movie Guide

What’s better than building LEGO? Watching it come alive! Let your kid tap into their inner director. This guide teaches kids everything they need to know about making their own stop-motion LEGO movie.

Gifts under $50

11. National Geographic Mega Fossil Dig Kit

This gift is great for paleontology and archaeology enthusiasts of all ages. The National Geographic kit lets kids uncover a real dinosaur bone.

12. Rawlings Official League Recreational Grade Baseballs

Any sluggers in the family? Whether you’re teaching your kid how to play or they’re already hitting home runs, this Rawlings set comes with 12 recreational-use baseballs, perfect for a game of catch or round of batting practice.

13. Battleship

This retro version of the classic Hasbro game Battleship will have your kids screaming “It’s a hit!” as they try to guess where their opponents ships are.

14. NHL Goal and 2 Stick Set

While a number of sports have been put on hold this year with the pandemic, that doesn’t mean your kid can’t keep practicing their wrist shot. This set comes with a net, goalie stick, player stick, and hockey ball. Buy at Indigo.

15. Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons

What kid isn’t obsessed with dragons? This book will tell them everything there is to know about the scaly beasts.

16. Clay Pottery Wheel Craft Kit

Let kids get their hands dirty with this pottery wheel kit. They can sculpt air-dry clay into their own customized designs.

17. HedBanz Game

For this guessing game, kids will have to use their heads in more ways than one. Strap a card to their forehead and using yes or no questions, let them guess what picture is on the card.

18. Electro Guitar Kit

Is your kid a mini rockstar? With this kit, kids can build their own electric guitar and amp from scratch, using electrical charges to create sound. Buy at Indigo.

19. Grow ‘n Glow Terrarium

For kids with a green thumb, this terrarium lets them grow their own ecosystem by planting wheat and chia seeds. Included are glowing sand and figurines that cause the terrarium to light up at night.

20. Hocus Pocus Board Game

Halloween may be over, but with this board game you can relive the frightening chills of Disney’s classic movie Hocus Pocus any time of year. Outwit the Sanderson witches to win. Buy at Indigo.

Gifts under $100

21. Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit and Code

What kid doesn’t want their own R2-D2? Star Wars fans will love assembling this droid. And it comes with over six block-based coding missions to teach kids how to control electronics with code.

22. Professor Maxwell’s VR Universe

Give your kid the chance to explore the solar system with this virtual reality set. Land on the moon, drive a Mars rover, and fly through Saturn’s rings. The VR set comes with an 80-page interactive book designed to entertain and educate. Buy at Indigo.

23. MaKey The Original Invention Kit

Based on research from a MIT project, this invention kit enables kids to turn everyday items into keyboards and touch pads, combining them with the internet.

24. Thames & Kosmos Physics Workshop

With over 300 building pieces, kids can use this kit to master the fundamentals of physics. Experiment with gears, levers, pulleys, and wheels while building windmills, cranes, sail cars, and more.

25. LEGO Super Mario Adventures

Kids can team up with their favourite plumber Mario, to build an interactive LEGO course and earn virtual coins along the way. The LEGO Mario figure gives instant responses via LCD screens and speaker. Buy at Indigo.

26. Football Goal Post Set

Turn your kid into the next NFL kicker. With a water-filled base and PVC goal posts, kids can spend hours perfecting their kick through the uprights. This kit includes a pump, tee, and football.

27. Minecraft Papercraft Hostile Mobs Set

Peel your kids away from their computer screens by bringing one of their favourite online games to life. This hostile mobs set includes over 30 puzzle pieces for kids to assemble and play with.

28. Illuminated Day and Night Globe

While travel may currently be on hold due to the pandemic, that doesn’t mean your kids can’t explore the world. This 10-inch acrylic globe shows a detailed map of the Earth, and at night, you can turn the light on inside to reveal the constellations. Buy at Indigo.

29. Los Angeles Lakers NBA Indoor Basketball Hoop

Give your kid the chance to shoot like this year’s NBA champs with this indoor basketball hoop set. It comes with a polycarbonate hoop and five inch basketball.

30. LEGO City Advent Calendar Building Kit

Give your kid a surprise each day leading up to the holidays. By opening the doors of this LEGO advent calendar, your kid will find 24 different LEGO items.