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Christmas is such a magical time of the year for children and no doubt they will start writing their lists as early as possible. If, like us, you like to get a mix of things children have asked for as well as surprises then you might find a bit of inspiration in this post. All of these products are Christmas gift ideas for 5-8 year olds.
A great way to start Christmas is with a pair of new pyjamas. We love the Frugi Moonlight Stars/ Owl Jamie Jim Jams and they’re perfect for both boys and girls. These pyjamas are super soft, snuggly and have lovely detail with the owl on the front as well as moons, stars and clouds on the arms and the bottoms.
Another must have for the season is a Christmas jumper and I especially love the Frugi Forest Fairisle Jumper. It’s so bright and colourful and so much fun. The animals on the jumper match some other items in Frog’s A/W 21 range so you can get matching items if you want to.
Erin discovered Spirit on Netflix earlier this year and it’s one of her absolute favourites. It’s great when a TV show has other things to go with it such as computer games. Spirit: Lucky’s Big Adventure is available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PS4.
Pokemon is a big hit in our house and Erin has been a huge fan for quite some time now. To celebrate 25 years of Pokemon these amazing silver plushes have been released but be quick, they’re only available in 2021. The silver Squirtle Pokemon plush is definitely going to be a favourite of Erin’s but others such as Pikachu and Charmander are also available.
Something that’s always a hit with children is stationery. STABILO have such a fantastic range for all ages including the Trio DECO metallic pens, Pen 68 metallic fibre-tip pen and the woody 3 in 1’s. With a range of price points to suit all budgets, STABILO has something for everyone and can help your little ones get ready to creative a masterpiece.
Creative gifts can be a huge hit with children and lets be honest, it’s good to find something that will take a bit of time to complete. The Fairytales and Legends themed gifts from eatsleepdoodle are fantastic and include items such as a pillowcase and a pencil case. When using the eatsleepdoodle pens you can then wash the items and start all over again!
If you are looking to buy a gift that will last then take a look at Jaques of London and their collection of wooden games. A simple one to start with is a draughts set as it’s quite easy to learn and doesn’t have to take a really long time to play either. This set has a wooden board and wooden playing pieces in brown and cream. The draughts set also comes with a great carry bag to make sure the pieces stay safe and all together.
Head to the Jaques of London website where you can get 15% off: https://jaques.games/15off
I find it hard to find fun water based toys for children in this age range as most bath toys are aimed at much younger children. The Splashology Water Lab (Learning Resources) from Wicked Uncle can be both a science set and a really fun toy to play with in the bath. It comes with 19 pieces and some experiments to follow.
Gamers will love this chocolate gaming controller from Wicked Uncle. It’s stocking filler price makes it something lovely and small to give as a gift this year. It could even be a stocking filler or a gift for your children’s friends! The controller has some great details too like numbered buttons, a start button as well as a power button.
Fans of Peppa Pig might enjoy the computer game My Friend Peppa Pig, which is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PS4! Children can build their own character, play with Peppa and her friends in places such as Potato City, the beach of the forest.
If you’re looking for something fun and sparkly to aid someone in dressing up play then the Classic Crown and Large Fairy Wand in Rose Pink from Sida Says is a great choice. These two items come in a variety colours so you can get them to match or get something completely different instead. Crowns have a ribbon back so you don’t need to worry about them not fitting. Other items such as tutus and birthday badges are also available.
Tangle toys are here with a brand new craze and one that’s sure to be really popular. There are lots of different kinds available such as Tangle Fuzzies, Tangle Pets and Tangle Metallics! Tangles are also great stress busters – they are calming, reduce anxiety and can help to keep the hands busy, whether it be for adults or children!
Christmas Eve always seems to be one of those days where you don’t know what to do with the children. The excitement is building and you need to keep them entertained. The Christmas Eve Box from Orchard Toys has a 20 piece puzzle as well as a Christmas list game for children to play. Join in with the fun and play with them!
Another great Christmas themed game from Orchard Toys is Pigs in Blankets game and this one comes from the mini games range. This one is aimed at children from 3-7 and there can be 2-4 players. You’ll need to race against other players to collect as many pairs of pigs in blankets as you can.
Earlier this year we took Erin to see the new Paw Patrol film at the cinema and she absolutely loved it. There’s a fun computer game to go with the film called PAW Patrol The Movie Adventure City Calls and it would make a great gift for any fan. It’s available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PS4. Children can play as their favourite pups and go on great missions!
Guess in 10: World of Animals Card Game from Spin Master is a great way for children (and adults) to learn more about animals. In order to guess the animal correctly you have just 10 questions to ask, which can be from the sample list or you can come up with your own. How many questions will you use before you get it right?
Sometimes a big backpack isn’t needed for a day out or trip to the shops but instead the Frugi Little Adventurers Backpack would be an ideal alternative. This smaller sized backpack still has plenty of room for essentials such as some toys and snacks as well as a detachable rein if you want to use it for younger children.
If your child takes a packed lunch to school or you often take something out with you on trips or holidays then you’ll want something that keeps food safe and fresh. The National Trust Pack A Snack Lunch Bag from Frugi has foil lining and it can all be wiped clean; perfect for those little messes. The lunch bag also has a cloud name tag and carry handle to make it easier for children to carry it around themselves and not get lost at school!
Fans of PJ masks will love the PJ Masks: Heroes Of The Night computer game, which is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PS4. Children can play as Cat Boy, Owlette and Gekko to find hidden collectibles, go on adventures and ultimately, stop bad guys Romeo, Luna Girl, and Night Ninja from taking over the world
Whether it becomes a present before Christmas or on the day the Dear Santa puzzle will be loads of fun for children aged 6+. There are 150 pieces so it’s not too hard but the scenes is perfectly Christmas and it would also make a great activity to do on Christmas Eve… if you fancy giving a gift a little bit early.
If the child you’re buying for this year likes making things and seeing the outcome afterwards then the Make your own painting pendulum from Kikkerland could make a great gift. Once the pendulum is made you can create beautiful patterns which will change depending on how you move the paint holder.
Get outdoors and have some super fun with the Stomp Rocket. There are no batteries needed as the Stomp Rocket is 100% kid powered. Children can run, jump and stomp on the rocket to send it shooting up to a whopping 400 feet in the air. They’ll be amazed at how far it goes and the set comes with 3 rockets so you can have multiple goes before retrieving them all.
Little fashionistas will really love the Papercraft Dolls Sweet Boutique set from Learning Resources. The set comes with 3 double-sided dolls, 100 colour-in clothing pieces, and 40 reusable stickers meaning children can change up styles as often as they like. You can also turn the box into a playset along with the cardboard accessories to make the fun go even further.
We’re big fans of Kinetic Sand here and Erin has been playing with it from probably around age 3. The Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory Set from Spin Master comes with 2lb of Kinetic Sand in 4 great colours, 1 dome surprise mould, 2 cube stampers, 5 tools, 1 clear knife, 1 squisher, 1 squisher plate, 1 transformable sand box and 1 backdrop. The black sand is really cool and children can experiment with mixing colours together to see what happens before making some fun shapes.
Another really cool Kinetic Sand option is the Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz set from Spin Master. Coming in its own carry case means less mess and easier to keep all in one place which is a great plus for parents. Inside the set you get 907g Kinetic Sand, 6 Shape Shifters, 1 Cloud Extruder, 1 Burst Extruder, 2 Pucks/Stampers, 1 Plunger/Roller, 1 Base and 1 Scoop. By using the extruder tubes children can squish the sand to make amazing patterns and effects.
I’m sure a lot of us remember snap bands from our own childhood and they’re actually still around now. The SnapWatch will be great for children who love snap bands and if they’re not quite there yet with telling the time on a traditional watch then this one is digital and it will help them keep track of the time! SnapWatch currently comes in 6 different colours/ designs.
Get creative with the water based Aqua Gelz Deluze Playset from John Adams. Use the Aqua Gel included in the set to fill the animal shaped moulds to make colourful creations and then pop them into the water tank to make squishy, jiggly toy. The set comes with enough product to create 40 different creatures.
Something a little bit different from Geomag is a cool STEM toy, the Geomag Mechanics Loops and Turns Construction Set. This one is aimed at children aged 8+ so the older of the age ranges in this gift guide and is based on these fundamental principles of physics. Once you have built the circuit you can let the spheres go round and see what happens. This set comes with 130 pieces but others are also available.
Bring the nail salon to your home this year with the Go Glam U-Nique Nail Salon from Spin Master. The set comes with 5 design pods, nail polish, a dryer, storage and removable stamper. Children will be able to design up to 250 nails using the 120 unique icons included for the stamper. Get some friends together and have a pamper party!
Getting children to want to learn outside of school can be quite tricky but using well-known and much loved characters can help. The Numberblocks Mathlink Cubes from Learning Resources are a fun and colourful way to encourage children to do math based activities as well as making shapes and patterns.
Sculpting Playfoam develops sensory perception and fine motor skills in children and unlike other similar toys like dough or slime the Playfoam 8 pack from Learning Resources will not dry out. Playfoam is fantastic for helping children to be creative by sculpting, squishing and making whatever shapes they can think of.
With ReaXion Xplode children can build the ultimate domino track with cool X shaped tiles. These have thicker edges and are lightweight meaning the track is easier to set up. You can connect the tiles together using the linX connectors to connect the tiles together to create even larger constructions. ReaXion Xplode will provide hours of fun for children and encourage them to think about what they’re building.
If you have a budding chef to buy for then My First Green Cook Book: Vegetarian Recipes for Young Cooks by David Atherton, 2019 winner of “The Great British Bake Off” is a great place to start. Recipes include yummy meals, sweet treats as well as showstoppers. It’s really simple and easy to follow and will hopefully make cooking fun for children.
The Dantoy coffee set is part of Dantoy’s Bio range of eco friendly toys and is made from bioplastic derived from sustainable plant matter. The set contains 17 pieces and can be used both indoors and outdoors making it a toy that children will play with over and over again.
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