Top 27 Gifts for Christmas gifts for kids
1ER20XS | High Fidelity Earplugs - Standard
Reusable earplugs made for musicians that cut loudness evenly so music still sounds natural, a thoughtful gift for anyone who plays or goes to gigs (for stockin
$24.99Etymotic
3CNN Underscored picks this keyring-sized multi-tool for brothers; ten handy tools that fit in a pocket.
$34.99Gerber
5CNN Underscored lists this among its gifts for teen girls; a soft, oversized hoodie for lounging and layering.
$98.00Mindless Labs
7Salt Water Vanilla - Body Duo | Saltair
Featured in CNN Underscored's teen girl gifts; a vanilla body wash and lotion pair that makes a small, affordable treat.
$36.0Saltair
9Uncommon Goods | Tween DIY Shoe & Bag Charm Making Kit | DIY bag charms
CNN Underscored's screen-free pick for teen girls; a craft kit for making charms for shoes and bags.
$40Uncommon Goods
11Soap Discovery Gift Set – 4 Soap Bars for Men
Featured by CNN Underscored in its grooming gifts; four different men's bar soaps so he can find his favourite scent.
$40.00Marlowe
13Game Boy™ 72046 | LEGO® Super Mario™ | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US
CNN Underscored's nostalgic pick for a brother; a near-scale 421-piece Game Boy that is fun to build and display.
$59.99LEGO
15A CNN Underscored fitness pick; a firm, durable foam roller for loosening tight muscles after a run or workout.
$39.99TriggerPoint
17A 233-piece build-it-yourself V8 engine car with a working four-speed gearbox for ages 10+, featured in The Toy Insider 2026 STEM 10 picks.
$39.95Thames & Kosmos
19A fold-out modular wooden dollhouse with a posable figure and dog for ages 2+, listed in The Toy Insider 2026 Holiday Gift Guide Hot 20.
$39.99Puffer Bellies Toys
21Kids Wobble Board | Wooden Balance Board Made in USA | Bunny Hopkins
A wooden, USA-made balance board for active play that Good Housekeeping picked for toddlers; a gift that gets kids moving indoors.
$49.00Bunny Hopkins
23Balancing & Stacking Tree 10440 | DUPLO® | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US
A Good Housekeeping Toy Award winner: toddlers stack and balance the pieces while building fine motor skills, and it fits easily in a stocking.
$13.99LEGO
25CNN Underscored suggests this A24 screenplay book for film-loving brothers; a handsome hardback that doubles as coffee table decor.
$60.00A24
27A ready-made beard care set that covers wash, oil and balm, an easy gift for a man who is growing a beard, picked by CNN Underscored.
$44.99Every Man Jack
2Sherlock Holmes: Book Nook 10351 | LEGO® Icons | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US
CNN Underscored recommends this Sherlock Holmes street scene as a build-it-yourself bookend for a brother with a packed shelf.
$129.99LEGO
4Puffy Laptop Sleeve 16" Strawberry - Baggu
CNN Underscored's pick for students; a padded, playful laptop sleeve that protects her laptop on the way to class.
$34.00Baggu
6Biodance Bio Collagen-Real Deep Mask | Soko Glam
CNN Underscored includes this in its teen girl gifts; an overnight collagen mask for a low-cost skincare treat.
$19.0Soko Glam
8
A CNN Underscored pick for teen girls; a cosy suede-look Crocs clog that works with everything.
$39.99Crocs
10Marble Shaving Bowl | Handcrafted, Heat-Retaining | Supply
CNN Underscored lists it among its tested grooming gifts; a heat-retaining marble bowl that makes a wet shave feel more of a ritual.
$24Supply
12Bala Bangles | Wearable Weights for Wrists & Ankles
Recommended by CNN Underscored for fitness fans; stylish wearable weights that add resistance to walks, pilates and yoga.
$55.00Bala
14Backbone Pro Wireless Mobile Gaming Controller | Backbone
A CNN Underscored brother pick; a pro-grade phone controller for gaming on the go.
$169.99Backbone
16A big-ticket Christmas present that a Yahoo/AOL parent tester picked as the best bike for teaching a child to ride quickly.
$249.00Guardian Bikes
18A 45-minute screen-free audio figure of songs from Ms. Rachel that sits on a Toniebox, which a parent tester at Yahoo/AOL named her best new toy of 2025.
$19.99Tonies
20SCRIB3D Advanced 3D Printing Pen
In The Toy Insider's 2026 STEM 10; a 3D pen with an LCD display and filament included, great for creative kids who like making things.
$59.99SCRIB3D
22A funny counting book from Mo Willems that makes a cheap, much-loved stocking gift for small readers; picked by Good Housekeeping for toddlers.
$9.31Bookshop.org
24Pairfum London Snow Crystal Scented Candle, Classic
A two wick candle in natural wax scented with essential oils, about 40 to 50 hours of burn time. Ships from London, duties included.
$44.00Pairfum London
26Sandalwood Full Size Kit With Shaving Brush | The Art of Shaving
A complete shaving kit with brush, razor and sandalwood-scented cream, a classic gift for a man who wants a slower, better shave.
$120.00The Art of Shaving
Choose things they can return to
Gifts that grow with repeated use, such as building sets, art supplies, books, audio players and games the whole family can play, tend to outlast single use novelties by a long way.
A good test is to ask whether the child will still find something new in it next month. If the answer is yes, it is probably a good pick.
Follow what they are into right now
Children's interests shift quickly, so the best guide is what they are obsessed with this season: dinosaurs, space, football, drawing, a particular character or making things. A gift that plugs into a current obsession gets played with straight away.
If you are buying for someone else's child, a quick message to the parents asking what they are into this year saves a lot of guesswork and avoids duplicates.
Think about the space and the noise
Parents will thank you for gifts that do not take over the living room or make constant noise. Compact sets, books and quieter activities go down well with the adults as well as the child.
If you are buying something large or loud, it is worth checking with the parents first.
Screens and alternatives
Tech gifts can be brilliant for the right age, but many families are trying to balance screen time. Screen free audio players, craft kits, science sets and outdoor toys give children something to be excited about without adding to that debate.
Whatever you choose, a small add on such as a book or a set of batteries makes the gift usable straight away on Christmas morning.
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