Jana Beauchamp, Writer
It’s the most wonderful time of year — the holidays. We’ve scoped out some of the season’s hot holiday toys and gifts, since this is the year to reward all the nice kids in your life. This is your list for the best Christmas gifts for kids. Here is the must-have list of gifts to purchase now before it’s too late. And don’t forget that the holiday season would not be complete without kindness, love, holiday cheer and giving back. So, consider donating a toy or 10 to those in need as well through Stockings with Care.
The Gift: OMG House of Surprises
The L.O.L. Surprise! OMG House of Surprises provides kids with endless unboxing and pretend play. This glam four-story house comes with 85 surprises and 10 rooms (six of which spin). The house includes a bedroom, bathroom, fully equipped kitchen, living room, pool, rooftop patio, and movie theater. Kids will especially love the interactive lights of the fire pit on the rooftop patio. The working elevator and the pool that can be filled with water for their cutest L.O.L. collectibles (not included) to enjoy.
Parents will love it because:
This is one of the best Christmas gifts for kids because there’s less mess for Mom and Dad. It’s the perfect place to house all their OMG fashion dolls and L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls.
The Gift: Rainbow Road Raceway Track Set
Hot Wheels and Mario Kart have partnered to deliver their most iconic course in the franchise: Hot Wheels Mario Kart Rainbow Road Raceway Track Set. Kids will love the large, 8-foot long track with five translucent rainbow-colored lanes. The setup can be configured straight or curved for racing up to five karts using the electronic fair start gate. Once the karts get racing, they may face banked turns or a wavy road. They must pass through the Item Box randomizer to win. Lights and sounds make play even more fun and announce the winner at the finish gate.
Parents will love it because:
It’s one of the best Christmas gifts for kids because the track set comes with exclusive King Boo and Mario karts that connects to other Hot Wheels sets.
The Gift: The American Girl Community Center
American Girl fans are sure to love the brand-new World by Us Community Center. Their dolls can use the Community Center as home base. Kids will love that the Community Center has a food pantry, an art exhibit space and a lounge. The cool, colorful wall structure is double the fun with a desk with two drawers on one side. There’s also a locker wall with five functioning lockers and four cubbies on the opposite side, and a water refill station on the side. The center comes with life-like accessories. There is a pretend tablet, colorful stickers and posters with inspirational messages.
Parents will love it because:
To teach about conservation, it also includes reusable black water bottle that fits into the water dispenser. Gifts that have a social message are one of the best Christmas gifts for kids.
The Gift: UGG Fluff Yeah Metallic Sparkle
Fashionistas will swoon over UGG’s Fluff Yeah Metallic Sparkle footwear. Combining slipper and sandal into an adorable statement shoe, the Fluff Yeah is a must-have this holiday. Kids will love the metallic sparkly design in an assortment of colors.
Parents will love it because:
The plush sheepskin wraps the foot in cozy warmth, while the durable sole and shimmering elastic heel strap are ideal for kids on the move. When something is beautiful and practical, it makes the list for the best Christmas gifts for kids.
The Gift: Fujifilm Insta Max Mini 11 Camera
Photographers of all ages will love the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Camera, a fresh take on a beloved instant film camera. Kids will love that this sleek, fun, and stylish camera produces instant credit card-sized prints. It has also close-up shooting capabilities and a new one-touch selfie mode. The slim design comes in a variety of fun colors and two accessory shutter button covers.
Parents will love it because:
It’s a real camera, and everyone should know how to take a decent photo. Also a gift that will be one of the first your kids play with, makes it one of the best Christmas gifts for kids. This model has been updated with an automatic exposure function and built-in flash.
The Gift: LEGO Marvel Infinity Gauntlet & Duplo Amusement Park
Kids of all ages will love the LEGO Marvel Infinity Gauntlet and LEGO Duplo Amusement Park. The Marvel Infinity Gauntlet is a 590-piece set divided into three phases with natural stopping points. In phase one, you build the base and armature, in phase two the forearm, and phase three the poseable hand. For the younger ones, we love the LEGO Duplo Amusement Park, which comes with seven characters, two slides, a carousel, a revolving Ferris wheel and a push-along train. Accessories such as hot dogs, ice cream, camera, balloons, cupcakes, broom, teddy bear and a color-changing rainbow light encourage endless role-play.
Parents will love it because:
The hours of educational and artistic enjoyment for the whole family.
The Gift: Stoney Clover Lane Tis the Season and Après Ski Collections
Stoney Clover Lane fans will love the chic offerings for this holiday season, like the Tis the Season and Après Ski collections. Parents and kids alike will love the nylon pouches, totes and bags in seasonal colors, plaid, and bouclé. Kids will love customizing them with winter-themed patches adorned with skis, hot chocolate, mittens, snowflakes, ice skates, snowmen and more.
Parents will love it because:
Jet-setting families will especially love the clear travel pouch. Whether used as a snack pack, an in-flight essentials kit, or special treasures holder, it’s an all-around family favorite.
The Gift: NERF HYPER MACH-100 Blaster
The fully motorized NERF HYPER MACH-100 Blaster includes 80 NERF hyper rounds and a large hopper with 100-round capacity, so kids can power up the motor and unleash a hailstorm. Reload canisters can be attached to the two tactical rails to keep backup firepower in reach. Kids will love that it holds lots of rounds, reloads easily and fires at high speed.
Parents will love that it because:
The blaster includes safety goggles and a trigger lock. After all, safety first.
The Gift: A Barbie Dreamhouse
The newest Barbie Dreamhouse is truly a dream come true. Kids can play dolls on three floors and in 10 indoor and outdoor living areas. And no dream is is complete without a pool with a two-story slide. Kids will love customizing the layout. They can set the scene for dramatic play with three songs, two soundscapes, transforming furniture, and customizable light settings. The kids will also will love lifting and lowering Barbie and her friends in the working elevator. Or they can fill the pool with water to make a splash. Barbie and can friends soak up some sun on the third-floor balcony and rooftop deck. Or they can host a pet playdate with the puppy pool and slide.
Parents will love it because:
the dream house comes with over 75 accessories. These realistic touches that foster imaginative play and bring any Barbie story to life.
The Gift: Nintendo Switch – OLED Model
Gamers will love the brand new Nintendo Switch – OLED Model with its 7-inch OLED screen that offers vivid colors and crisp contrast. This Switch also features a wide adjustable stand for tabletop mode and a new dock with a wired LAN port. With 64 GB of internal storage, and better audio, gameplay is enhanced in all three play modes — TV, tabletop and handheld.
Parents will love it because:
all previously released Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch are compatible with this new model and the full library of Nintendo Switch games. They also will love that the Nintendo Switch family of systems features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access.
The Gift: Ryan’s World Galaxy Explorers Mega Mystery Rocketship
Blast off into a universe of fun with the Ryan’s World Galaxy Explorers Mega Mystery Rocketship. Kids will love pressing the button to activate the countdown, lights, and realistic rocket ship sounds on this play set. The set folds out to reveal four levels of hidden, surprise-filled compartments. The surprises include a space blaster with lights and sounds, buildable rover, hammer and moon dig. There are five figures and accessories, glow-in-the-dark stars and a Ryan astronaut badge.
Parents will love that the fun and creativity never end with this entertaining and educational set.
The Gift: Thomas & Friends Trains & Cranes Super Tower
The Thomas & Friends™ Trains & Cranes Super Tower brings to life all the exciting racing, chasing, loading and unloading action. Kids will love that, at over 2½ feet tall, this multilevel train and track set features favorite places and characters from the show. There’s also a spinning turntable, three cranes to load and unload cargo, and track for the engines to zoom around. Parents will love watching their kiddos control all the exciting action. Kids can learn to use handles and switches to determine where the engines go.
