I understand! My husband and I have raised four children. We’ve purchased a lot of Christmas gifts for our kids and we’ve received a lot of gifts from loving friends and family. There are some gifts that get pushed aside, and some that get played with for years to come.
Christmas Gifts for Kids
Whenever I cleaned house and threw out or donated toys that didn’t meet our needs as a family, I always kept three categories of items: games, building toys, and pretend toys. While the exact models and toys we had may not still be available, I’ve included the newer (sometimes better) versions.
Thinking Kids covers Christian books for children often, so you’ll want to look at some of our great book lists for gift ideas. If you’re looking for art supplies, check out this great list of creative supplies. In this post, we’ll cover great toys and games.
Christmas Gifts for Kids to Read
We try to give something to read each holiday. Of course, your kids will love these Christian history books — and one book of science and Scripture — all from Danika Cooley. You’ll want to check out the Who What Why series for 7-11 year olds, Wonderfully Made for 5-11 year olds, and When Lightning Struck! — historical fiction for teens which makes a great family read aloud!
Who was Martin Luther? (Who What Why)
What was the Gutenberg Bible? (Who What Why)Why did the Reformation Happen? (Who What Why)Who Were the Abolitionists? (Who, What, Why)What Was the Underground Railroad? (Who, What, Why)Why Did Slavery End? (Who, What, Why)Wonderfully Made: God’s Story of Life from Conception to BirthWhen Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin Luther
Games as Christmas Gifts for Kids
Game night is a great way to connect with your kids, laugh, build good sportsmanship and character, and learn skills like mental math and strategy. We’ve made an effort to purchase a new game for each child every Christmas. Here are some of our favorite games (up to age 12).
Bohnanza
Chutes and Ladders Game (Amazon Exclusive)Candy Land The World of Sweets Game (Amazon Exclusive)Scrabble Junior GameScrabble Board GameClassic Operation GameYahtzee GameKangaroo’s Folding Wooden Chess Set With Magnet ClosureTicket To RideClue Junior GameRetro Series Clue 1986 Edition GameMouse Trap Game (Amazon Exclusive)Hasbro Gaming Monopoly Deal Card GameKingdom BuilderSEQUENCE for KidsSequence GameRisk GameSorry! Board GameBattleship With Planes Strategy Board GameGuess Who? JuniorGuess Who? Board GameMattel Blokus Game7 Wonders Board GameUno Original and Uno Flip Card Games
Building Toys as Christmas Gifts for Kids
Building helps kids develop a number of important critical thinking skills. As your kids build, they’ll advance in their creativity, hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning, ability to follow instructions, and their understanding of basic engineering concepts. Our children have all loved working on their building toys. We’ve loved them so much that the sets are carefully packed for our future grandchildren!
Building toys are versatile–they can be used over and over again to create new models. There are some great building books to use with the sets, too.
I’ve always enjoyed building with my children, which is a bonus–it’s another way to bond with our kids and to help them experiment and develop new skills. Below are some of the brands, building books, and toys our kids have loved.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set sPicassoTiles 60 Piece Magnetic SetK’NEX 100 Model Building Set – 863 Pieces – Ages 7+ Engineering Educational ToyKID K’NEX – Budding Builders Building Set – 100 Pieces – Ages 3 and Up – Preschool Educational ToyThe Lego Ideas Book: Unlock Your ImaginationBrick Animals: 40 Clever & Creative Ideas to Make from Classic LEGOAwesome LEGO Creations with Bricks You Already HaveLEGO Classic Brick Box, 484 PiecesLEGO Classic (1500 pcs)Fascinations Metal Earth Moby Dick Book Sculpture 3D Metal Model KitMetal Earth Fascinations Space Shuttle Launch Kit 3D Metal Model KitMetal Earth Fascinations, Queen Anne’s RevengeErector by Meccano Super Construction 25-In-1 Motorized Building SetMeccano, 25-in-1 Motorized SupercarMeccano, 10-in-1 Racing Vehicles STEM Model Building KitMeccano Erector John Deere Tractor ModelMeccano Erector, 5 in 1 Model Building SetMeccano Junior, 3-in-1 Deluxe Pull-Back BuggyMeccano-Erector Junior, Truckin’ TractorMeccano Junior, 150 pcs
Your kids can learn about theology in just minutes a day, straight from God’s Word with the Daily Devotional Calendar.
Pretend Toys as Christmas Gifts for Kids
Pretend toys are really important for children. Playing pretend allows them to emulate the people around them, to imagine becoming an adult, to learn new skills, and to develop emotionally and socially. We had several sets of pretend toys when our kids were young that they really loved!
Step2 Heart Of The Home Kitchen PlaysetStep2 Timeless Trends KitchenStep2 Grand Walk-In Kitchen & GrillMelissa & Doug Stainless Steel Pots and PansStep2 101 Piece Play Food AssortmentLittle Tikes 2-in-1 Lemonade and Ice Cream StandMelissa & Doug Wooden Snacks and Sweets Food CartMelissa & Doug Doctor Role Play Costume Dress-Up Set (7 pcs)Melissa & Doug Fire Chief CostumeMelissa & Doug Astronaut CostumeMelissa & Doug Police Officer CostumeMelissa & Doug Construction CostumeLittle Tikes T-Rex Cozy CoupeLittle Tikes Fairy Cozy CoupeLittle Tikes Cozy Truck and Cozy PumpStep2 Deluxe Workshop PlaysetWooden Wonders Zoey & Joey Magnetic Dress-up Playset (65pcs.)Step2 All Around Playtime Patio with Canopy PlayhouseLittle Tikes Activity Garden Baby PlaysetStep2 Spill & Splash Seaway Water TableStep2 Dino Dig Sand & Water TableLittle Tikes Fish ‘n Splash Water TableLittle Tikes 2-in-1 Garden Cart and WheelbarrowLittle Tikes T-Rex TruckMelissa & Doug Deluxe Puppet Theater – Sturdy Wooden ConstructionMelissa & Doug Palace Pals Hand PuppetsMelissa & Doug Pet Buddies Hand PuppetsMelissa & Doug Animal Hand PuppetsMelissa & Doug Jolly Helpers Hand PuppetsMelissa & Doug Chef Puppet With Detachable Wooden Rod for Animated GesturesMelissa & Doug Rescue Puppet Set – Police Officer and FirefighterSuzy PuppetLittle Tikes Shopping Cart – Yellow/Red
Grab your FREE Bible Study Tool Kit–over 130 pages of Bible resources for your family!
When spending money on Christmas gifts for your kids, you want to choose toys that will benefit your children and keep them occupied for hours. You want toys that will last for years. I hope this list gives you some great ideas!
Great Books about Jesus, the Reason for Christmas
All about Christmas: Over 100 Amazing Facts behind the Christmas StoryThe History of Christmas: 2,000 Years of Faith, Fable and Festivity30 Prophecies: One Story: How God’s Word Points to JesusI Spy At Christmas: Jesus is More Important than Crackers and TinselThe Christmas Story: The Bible VersionThe Very First ChristmasThe Very First Christmas
Your kids can learn about the Bible, who God is and more with this fun daily devotional for kids. With 12-months of Bible verses calendar printable sheets, your family will concentrate on a monthly focus. There are six days of reading each week, each day with it’s own focus within the monthly theme.
Your 12-month Bible verse calendar has themed devotions focusing on:
- The Bible
- Love
- The Church
- Resurrection
- Jesus
- Prayer
- The Holy Spirit
- The Fruit of the Spirit
- Salvation
- Our Father
- Thanksgiving
- Advent
Want a sample calendar? Grab your free Christmas Advent calendar here.
Books Make Great Gifts!
Teach the kids about the Bible and Christian history…
…with fun books they’ll love reading!
Introduce your children to engaging stories written in an engaging narrative they’ll want to read. As they learn more about God’s Word and gain real-life heroes, they will learn to apply Scripture to their own lives. And, give yourself the gift of a book that will help your kids learn and love the Bible.
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Teach your children to pray with this fun project that includes 7 printable sets!
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