It’s hard to find the perfect kids’ toys and products. This year our Kids’ Holiday Gift Guide Part II has fun games that both parents and kids will enjoy and cool products to make your life a little easier. It’s a win-win situation!

We received samples to create this post. All products were kid-tested for their seal of approval. Unfortunately, it’s hard to get good pictures of the toys when the kids are playing.

Kids’ Holiday Gift Guide 2019 Part II

Games:

ciao! baby Hoopman! Portable Basketball Goal -The three-year-old loves every sport she attempts and excels at most of them. She’s always asking someone to play baseball, golf, volleyball, kickball, soccer, or basketball with her.  Unfortunately for her dreams of joining the WNBA anytime soon, she’s a little too short for a standard basketball goal. Luckily for her, we have the ciao! baby Hoopman! Portable Basketball Goal.

Lightweight, foldable, and with a carrying strap for easy transportation, this basketball goal is perfect for the backyard, front yard, a day at the park, or if you’re particularly brave— a playroom.  Watching the older kids play a soccer game? Take the Hoopman to set up on the sidelines to keep the younger ones occupied. It’s easy to set-up with one-click and there’s no assembly required. Designed for ages three and up, the set includes a soft foam ball and a convenient carry bag to make toting it around easier. It’s also easy to clean and wipes down with a wet sponge.

The Hoopman Portable Basketball Goal has an MSRP of $49.99.

Sharks Are Wild Card Game -Our family plays three card games. Sharks Are Wild is changing that, giving us a fourth card game that allows my three-year-old to participate.  The object of the game is to be the first to collect five gold coins. Designed for two-to-four players, this game takes around fifteen minutes to play and teaches kids number sequencing. But, unlike some dreary games we’ve played in the past, this one makes learning fun.

There are two levels of this game, one for beginning players and one for more advanced.  In level one, players receive a gold coin for each sequence of five numbered cards. A shark card can be used to replace any missing number in the sequence. Once you’ve mastered Level One, you can begin playing Level Two, which adds fun cards like the octopus (to steal another player’s card) and the dolphin (to protect your hand from the octopus.) The card set includes 18 cards, 18 coins, and an instruction sheet.

Combining fun gameplay with the adorable under the sea inspired illustration on the cards, this is the perfect first card game for kids. A Mom’s Choice Awards Golden Seal Winner and winner of the Creative Child Seal of Excellence Award, Sharks Are Wild makes a great stocking stuffer.

The Hoyle Sharks Are Wild Card Game has an MSRP of $5.99.

Disney Snuggle Time Game – If you’re like me, your child refuses to nap. Bedtime is a struggle. Even if they deny sleep at every turn, they definitely need quiet time during the day to regroup. Disney Snuggle Time Game, designed for children 3-to-5-years,  is a calming prelude to naptime or bedtime, a great way to cuddle with the kids, and an easy way to spend a little time relaxing. The goal of the game is simple: help Mickey and Minnie Mouse and their friends get the farm animals into the barn before the sun goes down.

Ideal for one or more players, this can be played by your child or as a family. A game takes only fifteen minutes and the game is different each time, so it will captivate your preschooler over and over. With an easy to understand instruction manual and five animal movers, kids can start playing right away. The soft game board is perfect for snuggles and folds into a pouch when not in use, making storage and clean up a breeze. Ravensburger is a trusted company, striving to develop games with entertainment and educational value since 1883. They’ve succeeded with this game. Anything that allows my daughter to enjoy quiet time is a win.

The Wonderforge Disney Snuggle Time Game has an MSRP of $24.99.

Ematic Nintendo Switch Game Controller – Our family has always bonded over video games. One of my first memories is standing in a mountain cabin Gameroom with my dad beside me, teaching me how to use a Pac-Man machine. From there, we moved on to home consoles. We haven’t been without one in years. Lately, we’ve been playing just about anything we can get our hands on for our Nintendo Switch. However, I have a weird problem: I have giant hands.  The tiny Switch controller isn’t just an inconvenience for me, it’s practically impossible to use.

The Ematic Nintendo Switch Wireless Controller allows anyone to easily play their favorite Switch games.  It’s a lightweight, full-size controller that pairs with the Switch through Bluetooth. Setup was easy and, because the controller can be used from up to 32-feet away, I’m able to move around the room during game play.  After a charge time of two hours, the controller will be able to hold a charge for up to 20 hours, meaning we can play as long as we want.

Thanks to the vibrating double motor, I can feel like I’m part of the game. Best of all the buttons and joysticks are responsive and large enough for my hands. I’m no longer flubbing ten or twelve races in our favorite video game because my thumb is too big to hit the buttons on the switch controller or having to watch my little brother drive past me repeatedly.

The Ematic Nintendo Switch Game Controller has an MSRP of $27.99.

Springin’ Spiders Game – Does your child love bugs and creepy crawlies? If so, we have the game for you: Springin’ Spiders by Ryan’s World, the #1 toy reviewer on YouTube.  This is a fast-paced action game for ages five and up. It’s easy to play too. Kids simply fling spiders at the web as fast as possible and see how many stick. With 8 black spiders and 8 white spiders, this game can be played by one or two players.

Once kids have the hang of flinging spiders at the web, they can start trying trick shots and offensive maneuvers. Who doesn’t like knocking your opponent’s spiders off of the web and replacing them with your own spiders?  This is a quick game, making it perfect for a family game night. We all remember the nights of getting stuck playing a board game that lasts three hours. Springin’ Spiders can be played time and again, especially by the more competitive among us.

Not only is Springin’  Spiders fun, but it’s also educational. Aiming and flinging the spiders helps develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.  The game does have to be assembled each time it is played, but it only involves fastening the web to the posts, adding the graphics, and placing the lever on the bottom of one of the posts.

The Far Out Toys Ryan’s World Springin’ Spiders Game has an MSRP of $19.99.

Banana Blast -The problem with kids’ games is that sometimes they aren’t as much fun for adults. We’ve played too many games that left us groaning internally as we played the second round. Now, we’re all about family fun, but we prefer it to involve the entire family. Banana Blast, designed for ages four and up, is perfect for introducing younger kids to a family board game night without boring older siblings or parents.

The gameplay is simple. Participants roll a die to find the number of bananas to pick from the tree. One banana will make the monkey jump out of the tree, but it’s a different banana each time. The objective is to remove as many bananas from the tree as possible before the monkey jumps out. When he does jump, participants attempt to catch him before he hits the ground. The player who succeeds receives bonus points.  The game includes one jumping monkey, a banana tree with 12 bananas, a die with a sticker sheet, and an instruction manual.

All of the pieces are large enough for little hands to grasp easily and setting up the game is a breeze. There’s no assembly required, except for the initial task of adding stickers to the die. Banana Blast is meant for 2-5 players, the perfect number for a family game night. It can be found on Amazon, at Target, and at Walmart.

The Goliath Games Banana Blast Game has an MSRP of $29.99.

Starlux Games Glow Battle – I’ve been hooked on “lighted games” since playing laser tag with my daughter in kindergarten. With the new Starlux Games Glow Battle we can play similar games at home. Designed for ages 8 to 65+ and two to twenty players, this is a product all generations can enjoy together.  The game set includes 10 foam light weapons, 10 glow wristbands, and eight regeneration station markers. There’s an option of ten games ranging from the popular “Epic Glow Battle” to “Knights of Old” and “Vampires.”

Set up is easy and takes around five minutes before play can begin.  In Glow Battle mode, players attempt to avoid getting hit by a sword of an opposing teammate. The first time a player is hit, he returns to the team regen station, flips his bracelet from glow mode to flashing mode and returns to play. The second time he is hit, he leaves the game. This continues until only players from one team remain. Gameplay times range from 5 to 60 minutes, depending on player speed.  I am always the first person to sit on the sidelines, but this is a great interactive game for the entire family.

The Swords (foam light weapons) use 3 G13A batteries and bracelets use 2 CR732 batteries These are included and last up to eight to ten hours. Game pieces are designed so batteries can be replaced easily.
The Starlux Games Glow Battle has an MSRP of $49.90.

Stocking Stuffers:

Brüush Toothbrush -Is brushing teeth the worst thing to ever happen to your children? My daughter’s dramatics around tooth brushing could probably win her an Oscar. It is only the thought of potentially developing cavities that makes her acquiesce to having her teeth cleaned. For some reason, an electric toothbrush made her more amenable to the idea of a nightly tooth brushing routine, so we took that and ran with it.

Finding a quality electric toothbrush is harder than it sounds. Brüush Toothbrush is designed based on German ingenuity to be top of the line. The Electric Toothbrush set includes the electric toothbrush, 3 custom-designed brush heads, a charger, and a carrying case. Not only is it one of the most aesthetically pleasing toothbrushes I’ve ever seen, but it also has six cleaning modes, using sonic technology to produce over 30,000 brush strokes a minute,  and has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to four weeks.

Because Brüush cuts out the middleman and delivers directly to your door, replacement brush heads are affordable. You can subscribe to receive three brush heads every six months to save even more. We love the built-in two-minute timer, as well as the fact that it is available in three colors: white, black, and pink.  Not sure if you’ll love it? Brüush offers a 2-year warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee.

The Brüush Toothbrush is available for $89 as a one-time purchase or $69 as part of a subscription package.

Piggy Paint -My daughter, despite being a tomboy, loves nail polish. She wears nail polish on her toenails and fingernails and paints the nails of anyone who will sit or stand still long enough for her to catch. We were concerned, however, with the strong smell and possibly harmful chemicals in normal polish. That’s why we love letting her use Piggy Paint!

Piggy Paint is non-toxic, cruelty-free, odorless, kid-friendly, vegan, and contains no parabens or alcohol. Best of all, it comes in every color that your kiddo could ever want. There are 39 regular shades with fun names like “Dragon Tears” and “Drama,”  along with 13 shades of scented nail polish. It’s hard to find a nail polish that is water-based and doesn’t peel off, but Piggy Paint accomplishes this. They also make their own non-acetone nail polish remover with aloe vera and vitamin E.

Piggy Paint has been around for ten years, and during that time has become a favorite of moms everywhere for its safety and chip resistance. Every ingredient in Piggy Paint is biodegradable, and eco-conscious parents will be happy to learn that Piggy Paint tries to make their product and packaging as eco-friendly as possible.

Piggy Paint Nail Polish is $7.99 each,  the Cuddle & Kisses Gift Set is $19.99, the Nail Polish Remover is $7.99, and the Scented Polish Gift Pack is $20.

He’s All Boy – It began with a fart. Susan Levy is an Elementary School teacher with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, but couldn’t get her preschool son interested in learning his ABCs.  One day, in frustration, she told her son who had just passed gas, “F is for Fart!” From that statement, a business was born.  He’s All Boy offers books, flashcards, and a memory game, all based around getting boys to enjoy learning by indulging in their imaginative, sometimes gross and smelly world.

The Alpha Cards flashcards feature fun and silly illustrations bound to catch your kid’s attention, with illustrations like a waffle covered with worms for the letter “w.” The Memory Matching Game follows the lead of the Alpha Cards, using many of the same illustrations to teach letter sounds, memory skills, matching, letter recognition, and first words. Three board books, What Does The Dog Lick?, We Pee, and Where Does the Fox Fart?, are designed for ages one and up. They teach skills ranging from colors to counting to five and focus on fluency, rhythm, and repetition, allowing children to learn sight words.

The Alpha Cards flashcards and Alpha Cards Matching Memory Game are intended for children 3 and older. It’s a hilarious way to introduce your preschooler to learning letters and first spelling words. Plus, it works for girls too.

He’s All Boy Books are $9.99 each, the Alpha Card Matching Game is $14.95,  and the ABC Flash Cards are $14.95.

Bobbi-Toads -My daughter has always been a shoe-hater. Since she learned to walk, she has eschewed shoes (pun intended!) any chance she gets. This isn’t a problem in the summer, but with temperatures dropping, well… shoes are no longer optional. That’s where Bobbi-Toads shoes come in.  They make shoes fun for kids.  Bobbi-Toads have light-up and paintable shoes, both of which your child can customize. You can leave the light-up shoes blank and let the lights show themselves off, or add Bobbi-stickers to make them your own.

The paintable shoes are a great way to show off your cool nail polish during the winter when your bare toes would freeze. The paintable shoes have toes molded onto the top, right over where your real toes go, and you can use any nail polish you like to paint them!  It’s easy to remove the polish with nail polish remover and paint them again and again. Bobbi Polish, their own non-toxic and hypoallergenic nail polish, is available in over sixteen fun colors and shades and can be used on shoes or nails.

Their newest addition is Bobbi-Dobbiez. These  2-3″ plush accessories, available in a panda, dragon, dinosaur, or soccer ball, are perfect for clipping onto backpacks, purses, keychains, or shoes.

Bobbi-Toads  Paintable Shoes are $49.95 per pair. Bobbi Stickers are $3.99, BOBBi-DOBBiEZ are $ 7.99, and the Bubblegum Bubblegum Bobbi Polish is $8.99.

Skrible Pencil Case –  As an adult, I dabble in art mediums including my favorite, colored pencils. Our house is filled with art supplies and my daughter is constantly stealing my art supply satchel. With Skrible she has her own supply case she can be proud of. These stylish and functional pencil cases come in patterns and designs any child (or child at heart) would love to own.

The one we received, The Believer, features a galaxy patterned unicorn on the front.  The durable polyurethane outer case is hard molded hard, but feels soft and is a breeze to clean. The zipper is designed to stand up to daily use and the roomy case lies flat when opened. The inside has a polyester lining and 2 elastic mesh compartments and six pen or pencil slots, to keep your art or school supplies organized on the go. Unicorns aren’t your thing? No worries, Skrible has five designs that will suit just about any taste.

Skrible Pencil Cases are available for $19.99 each.

Frenchie  Store Organic Baby Leggings – I love the mission behind FrenchieStore.  The concept for their store was based on their adorable disabled Frenchie, Bluenjy, who, despite being born deaf and suffering from Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome, is an inspiration to disabled people around the world. Most of their shop is devoted to health-conscious pet products, a special vet-approved dog health harness, and eco-friendly sustainable fashion for pets.  But, they also make organic baby leggings with a French bulldog on the bum.

Made of a super soft blend of organic cotton and bamboo, these baby leggings are sized for 1-2 years, but will fit children a little larger or a little smaller. Everything in FrenchieStore is handmade with high-quality materials, making any purchase into one that is guaranteed to last. The organic baby leggings are made from organic cotton and a bamboo & cotton-blend jersey and come in six color choices; cream, blue, fawn w. mask, black, black pied,  and brown brindle.

Not only are they an adorable addition to any toddler’s wardrobe, but they are also machine washable and so comfortable that even the pickiest toddler won’t mind wearing them. Want a cute holiday photo idea? FrenchieStore also offers pajamas for your dog in a similar design, so your human baby and your furbaby can be Christmas card ready! Because FrenchieStore believes in quality over quantity, they offer a satisfaction guarantee that each product will last and hold its integrity.

Frenchie Store Organic Baby Leggings are available for $15 per pair.

Around the House:

Large Stuff ‘n Sit  Dinosaur -My daughter has always loved dinosaurs. In fact, after her dinosaur themed birthday party this year, we redecorated her room with props we had bought for the party, and now she has a dinosaur themed room. She also has an extensive collection of stuffed dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes, from a few inches tall to almost as big as she is. It can be hard to store all those dinosaurs effectively, and they often wind up strewn about the house. That’s not a good look, no matter how many times my daughter tries to convince me otherwise.

That’s where the Stuff N Sit comes in. This is a storage ball for stuffed animals, linens, or anything else soft and squishy you need to stow out of sight. Once it’s stuffed full of plushies, extra dress-up clothes, or throw blankets, it doubles as a beanbag chair for your child to sit on! We plan on adding it to her reading book as a comfortable place for her to unwind after a hard day of preschool. Creative QT offers a lifetime guarantee on their Stuff N Sit, and they stand behind the strong cotton fabric and the reinforced zipper. The fun dinosaur pattern on our Stuff N Sit fits right in at our house, but if dinosaurs aren’t your child’s thing, no worries. It’s also available in twelve patterns, ranging from bold unicorns to more neutral options. Three size options are available, toddler, which holds 50 toys, large, which holds 70 toys, and extra-large, which holds 90 toys.

The CreativeQT Stuff ‘n Sit Dinosaur has an MSRP of $26.95.

Nations Photo Lab Blanket – My daughter loves looking at photos of our family and cuddling up in soft blankets. Now she can do both, thanks to the Photo Blanket from National Photo Lab.  This soft, cozy fleece blanket is available in 50×60″ and 60×80″ sizes and in nine different styles with choices of one or four photos. Don’t see a style you like? Customers have the option to create their own custom designs.  With both portrait and landscape orientation, you can pick the blanket that works for you.

I chose to create a beach theme for our blanket, using portraits of Critter from various beaches and at different ages.  The process to create a blanket is quick and easy and you will be prompted to add a higher-resolution photo if one is too blurry. This happened on the top left corner photo and I chose to keep it. The designers worked with me to make sure it was less blurry. I can’t really see any blur in the picture. Nations Photo Lab works hard to create a product you love, so if you’re not satisfied they have a “Happiness Pact.” If the product doesn’t look or feel the way you like, reach out to their Photo Experts who will help to make it right.

These make a great gift for relatives, friends, or just to keep for the memories. Nations Photo Lab was awarded The Best Online Print Service by The Wirecutter, a New York Times Company.  They offer prints, photo books, photo albums, cards,  several styles of wall decor, and a variety of photo gifts suitable for any occasion.

The Nations Photo Lab Blanket is available for $49.99.

Want to find fab ideas for STEM Learning and Creative Play? Check out our Kids’ Holiday Gift Guide Part I.

Be sure to check out our other gift guides:

For Book Lovers

Adult Holiday Gift Guide

Foodie Gift Guide