The Practical Kids Christmas Gift Guide

Hey Friends!!  

It has been a while since I have written a blog post, my life has turned upside down and we are navigating a lot of new changes! I created a poll of what you all wanted me to chat about, and honestly there were some GREAT ideas! I will probably write them all! I tend to like to write more personal things but from a business standpoint it's also important to touch on things about the store as well, so all the people that wanted to hear about Luke’s Birth Story, that's coming next, I promise! The one you all wanted the most was a holiday gift guide! Now, I want to start saying I am no expert, and every kid's needs and developmental stages are different. These are some of the ideas I have seen at the market, sell in my store, and or ideas for my kids for Christmas! 

I also want to start by saying, I am a very simple, practical mom, and maybe a boring mom. I do not buy my kids a lot of toys. Luke is happy with a 10 cent balloon. I do not like clutter.. I do not like a bunch of nosey, cheap, non-productive toys in my house. However, I do know the struggle of that from family members or friends ,,, aka my mom was the culprit of this. We have about 5-10 Mickey and Minnie stuffed animals around the house! I do have a solution to this especially if you like shopping at my store! We have created a wishlist function so you can create a wishlist on our website or in-store of favorite things we sell in the store and send the link to all your family members! It works exactly like a baby registry but can be used for any event such as Christmas and Birthdays. So say goodbye to that annoying drum set and hello to what you ACTUALLY want and need. Also, you are supporting a small business this holiday season, and what a perfect duo!  Find out more information about our wishlist function HERE. 

Let’s get started on the Ultimate Christmas Guide! 

My son Luke is 18 months, and here are some ideas I am getting him!

Toddler Tower-  We have one for Ava we got, around this age. It is the best thing ever. My kids love to be in the kitchen with me, they love to see what all the action is about. I want another one for Luke so they are not constantly fighting over it. This is a gift that very much grows with them. Ava still uses hers at 3 and can move hers around the kitchen which is super helpful. Example she can move it to wash her hands, and as a mom of two, that's a game changer. The link to mine is below above.. I would really love to sell these in my store but frankly can’t find one I like or is in an affordable range. So this is from amazon! This is a great gift for a couple family members to pitch in! 

Ramp Racer- This is a lovevery inspiration toy. We got one in a box and both my kids were obsessed with it. Luke is at the age where he loves to see reactions to things and will do it over and over for like an hour. This is a wooden one, and I am all about wooden/ aesthetic pleasing toys. This toy is tested and approved for 18m kids. It helps with visual, concentration, exploration, and cause and effect. 

Bike/ Balance Bike from Amazon-  Luke is very much on the go, he is a daredevil and is not afraid of anything. We currently have a balance bike and he has really been into it. So if you haven’t tried one out, I highly recommend getting a balance bike or the cool retro ones. This one is similar to the one we have and is pretty good price. This is for inside the house. This is another one I would love to get in my store but we are going to try the Liki Trike by Doona this year! Which leads me to the Trike. This is something I wish I would have bought with Ava. I love to go on walks and we go to the park a lot. With its 5 different modes of use, Liki will grow along with them from 10 to 36 months, as they form their independence and develop their motor skills. Its unique small-fold mechanism allows it to simply fold and unfold at the click of a button, making it the world's most compact trike. It teaches them slowly how to ride a bike with assistance and then you can remove functions and it can be a small bicycle. HINT: We will be having a Black Friday sale on these so stay tuned!! 

My daughter Ava is 3! She is in the helper stage right now. She is also in Pre-K where they are working a lot on colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. She also is into the dress up phase and creative playing. 

Make up Set-  We currently just got this in the store and I love it. Ava is all about copying mom! She is very much into mimicking and all things girly. I love wooden toys, I find them more durable than plastic ones. This one comes with a bag to store them all in and that is a plus! 

Piggy Paint Nail Polish- She is very girly right now and loves her nails painted. I also find it important to understand the products you're putting on your kids, so this clean, non-toxic nail polish is a fan favorite in our household. This is a great stocking stuffer idea! 

Color By Sticker Book: At this age, they are starting to understand puzzles and “like” items. This sticker book is a great activity for the car or before dinner. It can be a little advanced, but who doesn’t like stickers? Another great stocking stuffer, we will have a Christmas one in-store for traveling during the holidays! 

LCD Writing Tablet - This is another great thing for the car, church, or quiet time. Very affordable. Ava is starting to learn her name, and it's been fun to practice with her. She loves to draw something, erase it and start over. 

Tonies Sound Box: Okay,, I am hoping on the train for this one. I had a couple friends have this and I was like, why on earth would you want to hear frozen 500 times a day. Well, Ava loves to sing and dance lately. Her song right now is from Moana. She wants me to play it on my phone all the time. Well instead of that, I can give her this, then she has control over it. It can be in her room, and she can go quietly play upstairs with her toys and listen to her favorite songs and characters. There are bundles you can make too! I thought about getting this in my store but the buy-in is insane and just not feasible for my store.,, and let’s face it, I do not have room in my store for it,, However, I think this is a great gift that can grow with them! 

Less than 1 Year Old Gift Ideas - I have a lot of moms, where this is their first christmas or their baby is very young. I feel like this Christmas is still very much your Christmas, and things that will make your life easier or certain brands you typically splurge on, this is your chance to capitalize on that! 

Quality Baby Pajamas- This is always on my list. You can never have too many pajamas in my eyes. Who likes to do laundry? NOT ME.. This is the time to ask for those. Grandmas usually love to spend money on their grandbabies, and especially if it's buttery soft. From brands such as Angel Dear, Kickee, and Kyte Baby. We carry some pretty great brands in store that I vet through! If you are unsure of sizing just ask for variety. 

Mod Feeder- This is a great stocking stuffer, I lived by these with Luke. We put frozen strawberries, breast milk, formula, all sorts of things in them. It was a great pre-meal activity.  You can never have too many of these either. 

Snack Cup & Straw Cup- Another great stocking stuffer that is PRACTICAL. Do you want cheerios all around your car and house? I didn’t think so. This snack is great for around 6 months or so. When they can put hands in something and take it out. Another great thing you have multiples in, because who likes to do dishes? Again, NOT ME. The straw cup is more of a learning tool on how to get them to learn how to suck out of a straw, because once they learn that, you can go anywhere with them. I am a huge advocate for this because every restaurant will have a straw so it helps not being able to pack a sippy cup everywhere you go. You can start this as young as 4 months when and if you start introducing food. 

Shape Sorter- We just got some really great wooden shape sorters just in time for Christmas. Right around 8-12 months is a great time for this toy! 

Activity Walker: This should be on your list if you didn’t register for one. Christmas is a great time for one of these! Usually, they have functions on them you can start at a younger age and then once they start showing signs of walking, you can show them that function.There are a lot of different ones on the market.  We sell a wooden one, which is very cool! We sold a lot of these last year! I like how it doesn’t take batteries, and is wooden, very gender neutral so will last for a couple of kids!  

Okay, if you have made it this far, you know I always do a secret discount code. This is a little bit different and will take some work from you! :) Comment what you are thinking about getting your kids and I will draw a lucky winner for $10 Gift Card!! Let's help some mommas out!