The Best Gifts For Kids: Our Tips & Advice

Yes, we’ve been writing about gifts for kids (babies, toddlers, older kids) for 30 years—and along the way, we’ve learned some important tips from our parent readers about gifts that work . . . and those that don’t!

Sure, the standard gift is candy or small plastic toys. We know, you’ve done that, been there.

Instead, consider these ideas:

• For the youngest kids, a classic book about bunnies is always a winner—and one that has humorous episodes is even better.

• Egg-themed kits (digging dinosaur eggs) is a good idea for elementary-school aged kids (roughly 6 and up). 

• Games that echo classic themes (egg toss) without the mess are another perennial favorite. We also like educational toys, like binoculars for checking out the environment. 

After looking over a dozen different ideas and testing these ones out with actual kids, here are our best gift picks:

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!