Parent and kid tested, these age-appropriate gifts will make the holiday season bright. Some showed up on the NAPPA best gifts list (we’ve given them a shout out with an asterisk*), some we just found we liked a whole lot.
AGES 0-3
Doing what mom and dad do is key to the developing world of the infant and toddler group. Toys should be durable and nurturing, soft and approachable. Our testing group, comprised of a nine month-old, a one year-old and a couple in the age 2+ range, loved the toys, and parents loved the rest.
Baby Einstein Rainstick Pals with plush head and feet, age 3 months and up, kidsii.com
Haba pull toy, plush pull toy with removable wheels, habausa.com
3-in-1 Zebra scooter, converts easily from push walker to ride-on scooter, vtechkids.com
*V.Reader Animated Book System, plays fully animated stories with story narration, character voices, vivid graphics and exciting music and sounds, vtechkids.com
Robot t-shirt, soft american apparel tee adorned with baby-sized robot
Rockabye Baby!, lullabye renditions include Pearl Jam, Journey, Elvis and more, rockabyebabymusic.com
Add a stocking stuffer! More for Mom and Dad’s convenience than fun for baby, Diaper Buds are full-sized diapers in a compact 2.5 x 3” package. diaperbuds.com
AGES 4-8
Our preschool and early elementary school crowd focus on toys that involve developing cognitive functions such as matching, memory and make-believe. Our testing group latched onto their toys more than any other group, making it hard for parents to bring them back into the office to be photographed.
King Zhu Battle Hamsters, collectible battle and ninja hamsters. ‘nuff said. kingzhu.com
Tegu magnetic blocks, eco-friendly wood and hidden magnets update a basic toy to new heights, tegu.com
*Perplexus, methodically rotate and tilt this 3-D labyrinth-like maze to move a small metal marble through a web of shoots and track, plasmarttoys.com
*Shox Scooter, spring-action deck that acts as a shock absorber when riding over pavement bumps, lightweight aluminum, adjustable scooter neck to accommodate different heights, shredsled.com
Pillow pets, soft, cuddly and a totally hot toy for the season, mypillowpets.com
Add a stocking stuffer! String dolls are magnetic and will decorate any locker interior, kamibashi.com
AGES 9-12
By the time children hit double digits, many have eschewed traditional toys for products that are more interactive and social in nature. Don’t discount that a toy within their range of interest won’t be welcomed, but do know that anything that will allow them to connect with friends or the internet will be a true hit. Think music (like iPod gift cards or ear buds), fun looking thumb drives to ferry work from school to home, or games that focus on mental strategies.
Radio-controlled Rattlesnake, looks and moves like the real thing, wildcreations.com
American Idol Performance Series headphones, bass enhanced headphones feature awesome sound and cool star-powered graphics, americanidol.com
2011 World Almanac, the ultimate reference book for kids offers an accessible and engaging way to learn about the world, find at a variety of booksellers
Speakal iPom 2.1 stereo speaker, with 12W subwoofer for MP3 players, speakal.com
Blamtastic lip balm, for boys & girls makes a great stocking stuffer, blamtastic.com
Add a stocking stuffer! A Hello Kitty Mimobot thumb drive and friends like Tuxedo Sam (shown) is large enough not to get lost and cute enough to capture attention, sanrio.com
AGES 13+
Your favorite teenager is growing up, and gifts should reflect their need to express their interests, explore creative outlets and make their lives more fulfilling as they stretch their wings. The testing group loved everything we pushed their way, touching on technological savvy, beauty, exercise, and health.
TIGI Bed Head Wave Artist, 30 second heat up provides waves in minutes, bedheadappliances.com
dream yoga mat, environmentally friendly mats made of Thermal Plastic Elastomer (TPE), a newly developed material that is hypoallergenic, 100% PVC free and contains no latex, rubber or toxins, dreamyogamats.com Iomega Skin Drive, The “Red Hot” Skin Hard Drive model features a “Skin” Swipe logo, creating a definition of hip and hot for today’s young iconoclastic computer user. iomega.com
Tea forte, a Tea forte gift set, purchased from the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital gift shop. 100 percent of the profits, after all related expenses, benefit this charity, www.tg.stjude.org/giftshop
ifrog CS-40 headphones, amazing bass and incredibly smooth undertones, pumped through uniquely supple AeroFoam ear cushions, ifrogs.com
Add a stocking stuffer! CLIF bars are great to stuff into a backpack or workout bag, to boost energy.
