Christmas gift ideas for the kids

There are going to inevitably be so many Christmas gift guides circulating already but honestly, when it comes to getting the perfect gift for your kids, sometimes you can’t have too many ideas!

I’ve decided this year that I’m not going to be getting a host of little things, but rather something educational, and one larger present – I love the look on Rosie’s face when she opens her presents but then we end up accumulating so much rubbish. Know what I mean?

So, if you’re a little stretched for ideas, why not browse through my 2018 Christmas gift guide for ideas with a mixture of overseas and local products, designed for ages 0-8.

Trunki

Can you imagine the smiles when your kids unwrap their very own ride-along suitcase, the Trunki?! They are the ultimate travel accessories, combing practicality with fun and helping kids feel part of the journey. We’ve taken ours overseas and on weekend getaways in the Cape and Rosie loves packing it herself…and being pulled along on it – We have the awesome Una The Unicorn.
If you want to know more about how Trunki works in our household, give this post a read, and if you want to buy it, you can find them here.

PaddlePak

Thinking of heading to the beach or the public pool this December holidays? You’re going to want to get one of these PaddlePaks for your kids to keep all their goodies dry.  Made from lightweight and durable material, they are water-resistant and come in a variety of shapes and characters. Rosie has Chuckle the Clown Fish, and he’s even been to the Aquarium with her!

Available to buy on Takealot

Ziggy & Ella Magnetic Boards

Hands down one of the best educational toys Rosie has. My two year old knows what a trapezium and an octagon are thanks to these boards. Available in Shapes, The Alphabet, Seasons and months, Chores and Telling the Time, I can’t stress, without sounding nuts, how good these have been for teaching Rosie in a fun, easy-to-learn manner. Available to buy at Clicks for R160.

Cape Drummers Lab

Why not give the gift of music and book your kids into some drumming lessons at the Cape Drummers Lab at N1 City in the Northern Suburbs, CT.

Aside from it being a ridiculously cool instrument to learn, it improves motor skills and hand-eye coordination and listening skills, whilst also boosting confidence and improving communication skills.

Find out about gift vouchers here.

P.s. Did you know, the first time I saw Mr H he was playing drums in church. I have a fondness for drummers. Okay, that’s totally irrelevant really.

Lush Gift sets

I’m going to pretend this has an educational purpose, in that it teaches us about the importance of water. Is it a long stretch? Anyway, if you live somewhere with no water restrictions, consider gifting some Lush goodies such as their Christmas-themed bath bombs and bubble bars. If you can only shower, their ultra cool shower jellies are guaranteed to give the kids the giggles. Various prices

Giggle & Co

A lovely local brand that specializes in wood pieces, Giggle & Co have stunning gifts that will be cherished for years. I’m particularly besotted with their wooden rocking horse (R2500) for a crown-jewel sort of present – Made from pine and sealed with a water-based sealer, it comes flat-packed for your construction.

Their DIY painting kits (R170) are perfect for inspiring creativity in your little ones and make great stocking fillers.

Melissa & Doug reusable stickers

I bought our first sticker pad when we visited England earlier this year as it worked wonders on the plane – I chose the Dress-Up pad and Rosie loves playing with the clothes, it’s definitely assisted with her development of role-play and the best bit, she can move them around easily.

Each book comes with around 6-8 scenes and tons of stickers!

Available from Takealot for R115 per sticker pad.

Firstbike

Without pedals, it seems like such a weird concept but, the FirstBike is an award-winning product that helps kids to develop their balance. They even boast seeing kids as young as 22 months taking off with FirstBike.

Wishful Thinking Hanging Mobiles

Absolute magic is created by Leigh-Ann and her mother Bev when it comes to hanging mobiles and garlands. Available in a variety of themes and colors, they are all made by hand and would look perfect in any room. Available to buy on Hello Pretty.

Declan & Leah Children’s decor

Two cheeky, gorgeous kiddywinks, Declan & Leah, are the inspiration behind this child-orientated brand, aimed at bringing lovely, yet practical accessories and decor to your home.

Display all your kids books in this whimsical Cloud Floor Bookshelf (R480) available in 4 standard colours of  White, Pink, Grey, Black. Custom colours available upon request.

The Kids indoor slide is an epic present idea for fun (I wonder if it comes in an adult size) and develops motor skills. It’s the perfect size for the bedroom or living room and costs R1800

Yogi Blocks

Lovingly painted by hand, Suzelle creates all her blocks in Somerset West and you can have custom-made designs on request or, you can choose from the array she has made. Need it to have an educational element? Choose the 31 piece wooden flat blocks with the alphabet on for R230

Dandylion Kids Rompers

If you know Rosie, you’ll know that she loves dinosaurs (I blame George from Peppa Pig). The new summer range from Dandylion kids has such gorgeous prints and this dino romper is the best! Available for R220

 

Clever Little Monkeys Wooden Camera

The Play Camera Toy is wonderful for all budding photographers and great for including in make-believe games.  It’s R285 and is available in 3 different colours.

Playtoys

Playtoys.co.za has an immense array of presents and whilst some of them are quite pricey, they are high-quality toys, a vast majority of wooden sets, craft packs and imagination-stimulating toys.

 

I hope this Christmas Gift Guide helped you find some inspiration for your kids…I know there are SO many other options out there, so if you’ve got something great to share, leave me a comment!