I am so excited to bring you this year’s Play and Learn Holiday Gift Guide. I am thrilled to partner with so many amazing and award-winning companies who provided many of the brain boosting toys on this list so we can share them with you this holiday season. Special thanks to Just Play, Basic Fun, Skyrocket, National Geographic, Nee Doh, Oceas, ThinkFun, and Blue Marble.
Since even before I was a parent, when I purchased a toy for a child, I made sure it had a purpose. For me, a toy has to encourage learning, development and growth in some way otherwise what is the point? Toys and games should stimulate the brain, make kids think and reason and/or spark the imagination. Children learn through play so we have to make sure that play is meaningful!
After careful consideration, I have come up with a list of some of my favorite toys that you are sure to LOVE this holiday season. This list is broken down into 5 categories: STEAM/Academic, The Arts, Games, Pretend Play and Motor/Sensory. Since EVERY toy chosen also encourages growth in the area of language development, a separate category is not needed for this area. Amazon affiliate links are included to make your gift buying experience easier!
Academic and STEAM
My Fairy Garden
I love that PlayMonster combines art and science with their My Fairy Garden kits. Kids can use their creativity and imagination to create a real garden. This encourages a love and understanding of nature and science. My Fairy Garden sets come with seeds and soil along with beautiful decorations. It is recommended for ages 4 and up and sells for under $25 on Amazon.
National Geographic Road Trip Activity Books
Going on a road trip this holiday season? Then make sure to get these books from National Geographic Kids: Ultimate U.S. Road Trip Atlas, National Parks Guide, and 125 Wacky Roadside Attractions. All 3 books will help you and your kids plan the ultimate road trip experience! Each book provides detailed information about locations all over the world that will enhance your trip. Kids will learn all about geography, landforms, cultures, and more.
Super Gross Chemistry Set
With 45 gross experiments to choose from, your budding scientist will be conducting experiments day and night. Using the easy to follow directions and provided ingredients and tools, kids can make gross experiments like atomic pee, squishy eyeballs, glowing worms, test tube vomit, and much more. The National Geographic Super Gross set can be found on Amazon for under $30. For other fun experiments, you can also try Amazing Reactions and Stunning Science.
Blockaroo
Building toys are amazing for building so many developmental and cognitive skills. Blockaroo are magnetic foam blocks that click together to make all different creations. Sets come in a variety of designs such as helicopter, speed boat, and critter set. Blockaroo helps preschoolers develop academic, fine motor, visual, and problem solving skills all while playing and having fun. Blockaroo sets vary in price but start as low as $19.99 on Amazon.
Rock and Mineral Game Set
If your kids love learning about and collecting rocks and minerals, then this is the gift for them! National Geographic Rock and Mineral Game set comes with over 150 rock, mineral, and gemstone specimens that can be used as game pieces for BINGO, tic-tac-toe, and trivia. It also comes with playing cards that can also be used as flash cards. The Rock and Mineral Game set can be purchased on Amazon for under $25.
Science4you
Encourage a love of STEAM with Science4you kits from PlayMonster. Each kit offers over 15 experiments that help kids learn all about science while also encouraging creativity, enhancing problem solving skills, and building cognitive skills. Science4you kits come in a variety of designs including Green Science, Coding Lab, Gadgets Factory, Little Farmers, and more. Sets can be found on Amazon.
My First Math Dice
Encourage a love of math and learning with this fun game of Math Dice from ThinkFun. Kids ages 3 and up will gain important basic math skills while having fun with friends and family. Math Dice offers 3 ways to play: Number Match, More Than/Less Than, and Add ‘em Up. It even comes with a storage bag so it can be played on-the-go too. My First Math Dice can be found on Amazon for under $13.
Block Chain
If your kids love brainteasers, then this is the gift for them! Block Chain from ThinkFun offers endless fun as it offers a variety of challenges varying in difficulty. Block Chain comes in 3 designs: Pirates, Unicorns, and Robots. While playing, kids will build problem solving, visual-spatial, and visual motor skills. It also makes for a great fidget or brain break tool. Block Chain can be found on Amazon for under $11.
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The Arts
Tiny Baking
Do you have a budding chef in your house? Then give a gift that will foster their love of cooking and baking. Tiny Baking is a unique way to have fun cooking while enhancing math, science, and visual skills! The set comes with 24 tiny tools and bakeware pieces. It also comes with a recipe book for delicious tiny desserts. Tiny Baking can be purchased on Amazon for under $20.
STMT DIY Planner and and Journal
I absolutely love these sets from STMT. The Journal is a wonderful way to encourage creativity and a love of art. It comes with a premium spiral-bound journal, 10-page watercolor painting pad, 8 watercolor paint tubes, 4 metallic pens, 4 brush markers, stickers, a paintbrush, and a palette. The Journal is recommended for ages 8 and up and can be found on Amazon for under $25. The Planner Set, recommended for ages 14 and up, includes a planner binder, calendar pages, stickers, pen, stamp markers, and shaped paper clips. Teens can get creative while staying organized. The Planner is under $20 on Amazon.
Chocolate Pen (Skyrocket Toys)
Have your kids ever wanted to create art out of their food? Well now they can with the Chocolate Pen from Skyrocket Toys. This unique and innovative kit lets kids write, draw and create using delicious chocolate. You can use one of the many molds included in the set or use your own creativity to make chocolatey treats. Designs can be placed on cupcakes, cookies, cakes, or any treat you want to work with. It hardens in minutes meaning no one has to wait to eat their creations. The Chocolate Pen kit comes with 40 molds, chocolate in 4 colors, warming tray, drawing tip, charging cable and instructions. It can be purchased at Walmart, Target or Amazon for under $25.
Scribble Scrubbie (Crayola)
Crayola is known for offering bold colors and innovative art products that encourage creativity. The Scribble Scrubbie line of toys is no exception! Kids will want to play for hours decorating their adorable pets then rinsing off the color to make an entirely new creation. These sets also encourage pretend and imaginary play. It is a fun introduction to the science of color. Scribble Scrubbie Pets Tattoo Shop (pictured above) can be found on Amazon along with other fun designs such as Pet Salon, Vet Set and Scrub Tub Set. You can also purchase additional pets, markers and accessories.
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Motor and Sensory
MoodJoy™ Young Butterfly Yoga & Meditation Set
Encourage a love of mindfulness and the importance of self-care with this adorable Yoga and Meditation Set from MoodJoy. The set comes with a eucalyptus essential oil rollerball, DIY meditation bracelet, yoga mat spray, unicorn and butterfly yoga cards, and drawstring bag. Not only does this set help kids with fine and gross motor development, but it also encourages creativity and self-awareness. The MoodJoy Yoga and Meditation Set is under $20 on Amazon and recommended for ages 8 and up.
Sensory Bins
Kids learn best while using all of their senses. They also learn many important skills through play. That’s why I am so excited that Creativity for Kids has released an amazing line of Sensory Bins. Each bin allows kids to use all of their senses to learn about topics like dinosaurs, space, the ocean, and more. Each bin comes with a filler, toys, and digging tools. While playing, kids ages 3 and up will build fine motor, visual motor, and problem solving skills. Each Sensory Bin is under $20 on Amazon.
Nee Doh
I am always looking for new fidgets and sensory tools for my kids and my students, and after being introduced to Nee Doh this summer, I instantly fell in love with it. Nee Doh comes in a wide variety of styles, colors, and textures with each one offering wonderful sensory input. They can also help with stress and anxiety. Nee Doh is hypoallergenic and does not contain any BPA, latex, or phthalates. Check out Amazon to find your favorite design!
Aerobie Sonic Fin Aerodynamic High Performance Outdoor Football
Now that’s a big name for a football but it also offers BIG fun! I first learned about the Aerobie football at a toy event this summer and was instantly intrigued. This unique football has a hollow gyroscopic design that allows for ultimate lift and max distance. It also has adjustable plastic fins to increase spin rate. This is the perfect gift for any football fan in your house, especially kids who aspire to be future stars. The Aerobie Football can be purchased on Amazon for under $15.
Waterproof Sherpa Blanket
If your family loves the outdoors, then you are going to love this Sherpa Blanket from Oceas. It is weatherproof and ultra-durable making it perfect for camping, picnics, or hiking. This super cozy blanket is also perfect for watching your kids play sports outside during the colder months. The Waterproof Sherpa Blanket comes with a carry pouch so you can take it on any outdoor adventure. This one-of-a-kind blanket can be purchased on the Oceas website for under $70.
Snap Ships
If your kids love to build, then they will LOVE Snap Ships. There are a ton of different ship designs with all the parts being interchangeable. While building, kids are enhancing important fine and visual motor skills. They are also improving dexterity and hand-eye coordination. These skills are important for academic success. Once built, kids can enjoy endless fun using their imagination. Snap Ships are recommended for ages 8+ and can be purchased on Amazon.
Stomp Rocket
Get the kids outside to enjoy some interactive science fun with Stomp Rocket. See how high you can launch a rocket just by stomping on it. Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes come in 3 designs that offer unique tricks like gliding and looping. Stomp Rocket Ultra lets kids (and kids at heart) launch rockets up to 200 feet high. How awesome is that?! For both sets, the rockets are made of foam so they are not only fun but also safe. Designed by scientists, Stomp Rocket will allow for hours of outdoor fun!
Wubble Rumblers
I am sure you have heard of the Wubble Bubble, the awesome ball that offers hours of learning through play. Well Wubble has done it again with Wubble Rumblers. Kids can build gross motor skills and exercise all while having fun. Rumblers come in 4 designs: wrestler, ninja, karate chop, and wrestler fist. Rumblers are 400x more elastic than typical inflatables making them more durable and long-lasting. Wubble Rumblers can be found at Target and on Amazon.
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Games
Chuckle
Big G Creative has released a fun family game that also helps build academic skills! Cluckle is an interactive game that enhances spelling, processing speed, and fine motor skills all while having a great time. What kid wouldn’t want to squeeze the chicken to see a die pop out?! Using egg tiles, players have to spell a word as fast as they can. This game is recommended for ages 7 and up, and can be played with 2-6 players. Cluckle can be purchased for under $10 at Target.
Hangry
This fast paced game will have kids playing for hours! Hangry from Big G Creative is a card matching game with a twist as players can steal their favorite food cards from their competitors. Each player gets a table setting, and the first person who fills it WINS. This game helps build problem solving, visual scanning, processing speed, social, and academic skills. Hangry is recommended for children ages 6 and up and can be purchased at Walgreens for under $20.
Avalanche
Avalanche by Skyrocket is an exciting game that requires strategic thinking and problem solving skills. Players use a cannon to knock out their opponent’s ice blocks. The first player to knock over 5 blocks WINS. While playing, kids are also building visual-spatial, fine motor, and visual scanning skills. Avalanche is recommended for ages 4 and up, and can be found on Amazon for under $20.
OuiSi
OuiSi is a unique card game that sparks curiosity while teaching kids to think outside the box. This helps build important cognitive skills that lead to success in school and in life. OuiSi comes with 210 beautiful photo cards and offers 9 ways to play, (7 activities and 2 competitive games). Open-ended play is also encouraged. OuiSi can be found on their website for $30.
Beat That!
If your kids watch endless hours of Youtube videos of people performing trick shots, then they will LOVE Beat That Game! You can play as individuals or as a team but no matter how you play everyone will have a blast. This game is filled with challenges including trick shots that the kids will love. Beat That is recommended for ages 9+ and can be found on Amazon for under $25.
ProjeX
ProjeX is an easy to use interactive gaming system that does not require a television, device or even WiFi. All you need is 3 AA batteries and a blank wall in a dimly lit room and you are ready to play. ProjeX comes with a portable projector, 2 laser blasters and 3 target cartridges that offer 5 built-in games each! Although ProjeX is recommended for ages 6 and up, with supervision, even the youngest family members can play. The blasters are easy to hold and use, and the varied difficulty levels makes ProjeX fun for all ages and skills levels. While playing kids increase motor planning, visual motor, problem solving and strategic thinking skills all while having fun. ProjeX can be purchased at Target.
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Pretend Play
USPS Mail Delivery Truck and Post Office
I am obsessed with this USPS Mail Delivery Truck and Post Office Tent from Kid Trax! What a fun way to encourage learning through play. Kids will not only build fine and gross motor skills, but they will also enhance life skills, language development, and social skills! Will this be on your child’s holiday wishlist? The USPS Truck and Tent can be found on Amazon.
Mini Brands
Do your kids love Mini Brands from ZURU Toys? Mine do and they are so excited about Series 3 and the new Mini Mart and Toy Mart. I have to admit, I think they are pretty cool too! In addition to all the fun Series 1 and 2 brought, Series 3 has even more bite sized excitement. Don’t forget the Toy Mini Brands too! All Mini Brands products can be found on Amazon as well as Walmart and Target.
Cutetitos
Engage all your senses with adorable Cutetitos! These lovable plush gift sets come in a variety of styles including Babitos, Budditos, Fruititos, and Pizzaitos. Each Cutetito is cleverly wrapped in a soft and colorful fabric. Some are even scented. This season, you can even get Care Bears Cutetitos! There are 6 designs each with a unique colorful wrap. Your kids will love collecting them! Cutetitos can be found on Amazon and Walmart.
Blume
Blume dolls from Skyrocket offer an innovative way for kids to play and learn. Just water your “seeds” and watch your doll grow right out of the flowering pot. Each doll is unique making it even more exciting to collect them all. Blume dolls each have a fun and unique hairstyle and come with mix and match outfits, a handbag, mini friend, and sticker book. This unique doll combines imaginary play with art for hours of fun. Blume dolls are recommended for ages 5 and up and can be purchased on Amazon.
Moji the Lovable Labradoodle
With over 150 unique reactions, children ages 4 and up will LOVE Moji the Lovable Labradoodle from Skyrocket. Moji is soft and cuddly making him the perfect “pet.” He has a smart collar with a color screen that displays animated emojis that help communicate Moji’s thoughts and feelings. Moji will wag his tail, tilt his head, and perform tricks. He also comes with a 2-sided bowl, chew rope, and grooming brush. Moji is a great toy to encourage pretend play while also helping kids build life and social skills. Moji is under $80 on Amazon.
Tiny TV Classics
This summer I was introduced to dozens of new holiday toys, and I have to say this was the one I was the most excited about! Basic Fun has released adorable mini TVs featuring famous scenes and quotes from 8 iconic movies and television shows. Of course the ones I want are Friends and Back to the Future, but you can also enjoy Batman, South Park, Big Bang Theory, Star Trek, Bob’s Burgers, and Family Guy. Which one do you want? Tiny TV Classics can be found at Walmart.
Ada Twist: Scientist On-the-Go Lab Set
Do you have a budding scientist in your house? Then this is the perfect toy for you! Inspired by the children’s book and Netflix Show, Ada Twist, this adorable playset encourages a love of all things science. It comes with goggles, beaker, flask, 3 test tubes, removable ruler, working scale, eye dropper, funnel, measuring spoon, sticker sheets, and 6 experiment cards. It is recommended for ages 3 and up so even your youngest scientists will enjoy conducting their own experiments. Ada Twist Lab Set can be found exclusively at Walmart for under $45.
Barbie Tie-Dye Deluxe Styling Head
Does your little one want to be a hairdresser one day? Then he/she will love the Barbie Styling Head. Her long tie-dyed hair is perfect for brushing and braiding. Kids can also create their own hairstyles. The set also comes with customizable barrettes with plug-in gems as well as a spinner to let kids dye their own scrunchies. Lastly, kids can also apply fake nails and stickers. Barbie Styling Head is under $30 on Amazon.
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We hope you enjoyed our Play and Learn Gift Guide for 2021! Keep checking back because we may be adding more amazing gifts soon!
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