The best gifts for kids by age, according to our 2022 gift guides

Table of Content

• Non-toy gift idea for kids: Experiences
• ARTDOT Diamond Painting Kit, $20, original price: $30
• Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Facial, $40
• Beautiful Brass leaf Bookmark, Personalised bookmark, unique gift for her, Book lover gift
• Teamson Kids Little Chef Kitchen Playset
• Seven Days of Out-There Eating and Drinking During Miami Art Week
• For sidewalk chalk artists: Handmade Sidewalk Chalk

Our top pick for the best DNA testing kit, AncestryDNA stood out for its simple reports, interface, and large DNA database. However, it can’t differentiate between maternal and paternal lineages, and the company may monetize your data if you opt in to its research program. The couch is cleverly constructed from four foam pieces—two foldable rectangles and two triangles. And in the hands of an older child, it becomes a fort, a pirate ship, and a throne. As a bonus for the adults in the family, the microsuede covers can be stripped off and washed, and when the couch is laid out, it’s actually big enough for grown-up nap.

It’s perfect for kids who are interested in technology and how things work. A 2021 Toy of the Year Award recipient, Pokemon Battle Academy is a game that teaches kids how to play with those classic trading cards. Because it includes three full decks of cards with 60 cards in each, it's also a better value than purchasing individual packs of cards. This snowball maker has taken my kids' snowball fights up a level.

Non-toy gift idea for kids: Experiences

Whether it’s apparel–like an apron and chef’s hat–or simply kitchen utensils, finding the right size gift is important for kids. Not only can this make cooking frustrating, but also potentially dangerous. Most items for children will have an age suggestion in the description. At age 5, many kids are starting to develop the patience for projects and an interest in hobbies. Ready-made kits like an experiment-filled lab set , or a grow-your-own butterfly farm allow 5-year-olds to explore their passions safely and independently.

And they usually include titles from indie publishers, rather than the big names that tend to dominate the best-seller lists. Plus, to ensure diversity among the titles chosen, the Book Drop has announced it will include more-diverse voices, with a focus on Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA+ authors. Many Wirecutter staffers love using IKEA’s Råskog cart to keep supplies organized. (And we particularly like the look of this art-station setup from funwithmama on Instagram.) A gift like this also provides an opportunity to teach kids about responsibility. Brown Braun suggested that they be the ones in charge of maintaining the creation station—putting the tops back on pens and packing up the supplies when playtime is over. Child development and behavior specialist Betsy Brown Braun reminded us that some family gifts can simply be a collection of things you may already have around your house.

ARTDOT Diamond Painting Kit, $20, original price: $30

Throw them, spin them, tap them…do whatever you like and see how they respond. Toddlers will love having their very own ride-on train to conduct. It comes with a rechargeable six-volt battery that allows your tot to chug along at 1.5-miles per hour. It also includes 12 curved track pieces in a variety of shapes that work on both hard and carpeted floors. It is proven that experiences bring more happiness than traditional gifts, so why not lean to towards those ideas.

Five-year-olds may also be ready for more serious (albeit still kid-appropriate) gear, such as a starter guitar or a beginner bike. And they continue to love silly stuff, whether that’s building a big blanket fort or browsing a boxed set of the beloved Elephant & Piggie books. The best toys for 2-year-olds may not be toys at all, but things you already have in the house. Two-year-olds are using pretend play and love kitchen items, trucks and baby dolls to be part of the adult world. If you've ever struggled to find the best gifts for babies, toddlers, teenagers or even 20-somethings, don't despair.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Hyaluronic Facial, $40

Power Treads are palm-sized, all-surface toy vehicles that can ride on just about any surface. Your kiddo can line up the tracks to guide the car and use other random items from around the house to create cool obstacles. Your kids will use the markers on this large board to trace and draw, and with the lights, bring their drawings to life.

Raddish Kids has a number of fantastic cooking sets that encourage kids to develop both their kitchen skills and their palates. The Cozy Classics kit contains recipe cards for three tasty favorites–broccoli cheddar soup, meatloaf, and crumb coffee cake. The kit even includes a decorative iron-on patch, a cake spatula, and fun table talk cards to encourage dinnertime conversation. Every child loves presents, but how can you be sure to buy a gift your child will love?

Beautiful Brass leaf Bookmark, Personalised bookmark, unique gift for her, Book lover gift

Four-year-olds are enthralled by storytelling, pretend play and exploration. 139 Genius Gifts for Toddler Girls and Boys If you are struggling to find gifts as bright and fun as your toddler, we have just the thing! From cars to cuddlies and cute creatures, this list is sure to have something they will love. Organ-ize your gift-giving this year with the adorable Erwin or Rosi doll from Uncommon Goods. Made from soft plush material, this anatomy doll contains six tiny color-coded organs which can be removed and replaced, while learning all about them in the accompanying booklet.

Become Baby Yoda's protector with this adorable animatronic toy from Star Wars. Watch him come to life with over 25 realistic sound-and-motion combinations and launch into light-speed adventures while activating the Force. Dino Ranch, Disney Junior’s popular show about a “Pre-Westoric” crew of dinos and the Cassidy family, serves as the star of this toy. It’s an entire set from the show, including the incubator, egg, and two tiny dinosaurs. If your child is a fan of the show, they’ll be an even bigger fan of the toy. Once this magical pixie emerges from her shell, she can take flight.

The Good Housekeeping Institute's Parenting and Pets Lab evaluates for safety, quality and ease of use, and then passes them on to real kids to assess the fun factor. What we added to that list are editors' faves and best-sellers, which include everything from fidget toys to family games. Here, we’ve rounded up all of our gift guides for kids ages 1 through 10, and for tweens and teens. You’ll also find our favorite stocking stuffers for kids of all ages.

To look sleek and sophisticated, this sky-high holiday style has gained even more traction this year. According to Google, search interest in knee-high boots peaks every year around December, and we’re absolutely swooning over this DSW pair. Move over, cream blushes , liquid blushes have been picking up steam this year, namely because this type of blush helps create a dewy, natural flush. There’s none buzzier than Rare Beauty — Selena Gomez’s popular beauty brand, either. Impressively, searches for liquid blush reached an all-time high in July 2022, per Google.