Gifts for kids

There are 54 squares, four of them large, and 46 triangles in three shapes. A lattice inside each tile keeps it from cracking, rivets keep the magnets in, and the maker backs them for life against defects. Build on a window ledge and the colors throw stained-glass light across the floor; a shallow bin keeps the pieces easy to find and quick to put away.

• 100 pieces
• Ages 3 and up
• Lifetime warranty against defects

What owners say: Owners say the tiles survive years of heavy use without cracking and that the magnets hold a build together, and many call it the toy that gets played with most. The price is the only complaint.

Featured in Gifts for kids ages 5 to 10 →

The aluminum frame weighs about 4.6 lb and takes riders up to 143 lb, from age 5. Check the height before each ride: the handlebar should sit around waist height. Practice pressing the rear fender to slow down before the first trip out, and fold it to carry indoors or tuck under a café table.

• Ages 5 and up
• Folds, weighs 4.6 lb
• Rear-fender foot brake

What owners say: Children pick it up quickly, and it’s sturdy for their size, with a fold that’s simple to work. Some families report a year of daily rides from one.

Featured in Gifts for kids ages 5 to 10 →

There are more than 100 projects, the parts are numbered, and the full-color manual starts simple and builds up. It needs two AA batteries, which aren’t in the box, so buy them with it. The parts work with Elenco’s bigger Snap Circuits sets, so a child who gets hooked can add one later rather than starting again. It suits ages 8 and up.

• Over 100 projects
• Ages 8 and up
• No soldering or tools

What owners say: Instructions are easy to follow, and children can build the first projects right away with no help. It holds their interest well, so the learning keeps going.

Featured in Stocking stuffers for kids →

Strider began in 2007, when its founder cut down a 12-inch bike for his two-year-old son, and the 12 Sport is its full-featured model: a 6.7 lb steel frame, foam tires that never go flat and quick-release clamps. Set the seat about an inch under the child’s inseam, measured in socks, so both feet stay flat on the ground; the longer seat post in the box takes a four-year-old.

• 18 months to 5 years
• Foam tires never go flat
• Built-in footrests for gliding

What owners say: Owners say children pick up balance on it fast and that it shrugs off hard use, and the quick seat and handlebar adjustments get a lot of credit.

The leads are glued along the whole length of the pencil so they don’t break when sharpened, and the wood comes from FSC-certified forests. Lay in a light tone with HB, then darken in layers with 2B and 4B rather than pressing hard, saving the 6B for the deepest shadows. Bearing down with a hard grade dents the paper, and those grooves won’t take shading later.

• 6 pencils, 2H to 6B
• Comes in a tin
• Leads glued full length

What owners say: Art students and beginners rate it highly, and one owner noticed a huge difference in how smoothly it shades and outlines compared with cheap pencils. They arrive sharpened, and the small tin travels well.

Gorilla, Groundhog and Narwhal cards bring moves of their own, and the first to get rid of every card wins. It rewards quick eyes and a loud voice more than strategy, so younger players soon keep up, and a round takes 10 to 15 minutes. Take off rings first: hands come down hard and fast.

• 2 to 8 players
• Ages 7 and up
• Slap the pile on matches

What owners say: Owners say it’s fast, funny and easy to learn, a family favorite that suits all ages and works for small and big groups alike. It’s small enough to carry in a pocket or a little bag, so it travels well.

Featured in Party gifts for kids under $20 →

Each pad holds 50 sheets of 9 × 12 in bond paper, FSC-certified, and even watercolor goes on it. Keep one pad in the car, one by the kitchen table and the third fresh for a rainy day. Let a painted page dry flat before the next drawing lands on top of it; crayons and markers need no such care.

• Three pads, 150 sheets
• 9 × 12 in pages
• Takes poster paint and watercolor

What owners say: Three pads in one pack is what owners like most, and they hand them to children who draw, color and stamp their way through them.

The thumb covers help if plucking metal tines feels sharp at first, and come off once thumbs get used to it. Note stickers are in the box too, and a polishing cloth gives the tines a wipe now and then. At 7.4 by 5.2 inches it rests comfortably in two hands.

• Mahogany body, 17 keys
• Tuning hammer and instruction book
• Thumb covers and note stickers

What owners say: Owners find it easy to learn and play, and an affordable way in for beginners and children. They like how it looks and sounds, and it keeps people of all ages entertained for hours.

There are 64 crayons, 40 markers and 20 short pencils, with 15 large sheets of paper, and Crayola marks it for ages five and up. The paper goes quickly, so keep a pad or a stack of printer paper beside it. The trays turn tidying into a game of matching each piece to its gap, and the handle means it can live on a shelf between sessions.

• Crayons, markers and pencils
• For ages 5 and up
• Washable markers

What owners say: Owners say the colors are bright with plenty of shades to choose from, and that the case keeps everything organized and goes anywhere.

Featured in Gifts for kids ages 5 to 10 →

Feathers, sequins, glue, sewing needles and thread and child-size scissors are in there too, with dividers in each drawer, so putting things back becomes part of the game and the case stays a usable kit rather than a jumble. Set out a handful of materials and a simple challenge, such as a creature with six legs or a necklace in two colors, and let them run with it. It suits ages 4 to 12.

• Ages 4 to 12
• 2-drawer case of supplies
• Pipe cleaners, pom-poms and feathers

What owners say: Children stay busy with it for hours, and parents like the sheer variety of bits and the dividers that keep them in order. It comes in handy for school projects, too.