Ultimate 2023 Gift Guide: Gifts the Whole Family will Love
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When gifts suit the giftee, there is no greater glee.
Now try saying that 10 times, fast.
It’s true, though. The best gifts bring joy to those who give and receive. And when a gift is truly loved and appreciated? It’s a gift that keeps on giving.
The problem is, finding ideal presents can take a toll on our time and add stress each holiday season.
We draw blanks brainstorming what to give extended family and shrewdly narrow down the gift list for present-loving kids.
We try our best to spend the same amount of money on everyone, without spending too much.
We want our gifts to be enjoyed, not unappreciated or wasted. (Thank goodness for gift receipts and gift cards though, right?)
AND, as parents, we try to spread love and fun–without the materialism that can come with it.
But whether we tend to purchase everything in July or shop frantically online the week before Christmas, the best gifts take careful consideration.
To help out, we’ve compiled a list of super easy ideas to save you some sanity (and a few brain cells) when choosing this year’s presents.
Table of Contents
Safe Starter Phones
They’ve been begging for a phone for months…maybe years. But you’re justifiably concerned about whether your kids are old enough to navigate the smartphone world (check out our blog on this topic).
Luckily, there are starter phones that allow you far more control–all while facilitating (monitored) access to the features you and your kids need most.
Gabb Wireless
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $-$$$
Gabb devices allow you to locate and communicate with your kids while remaining internet, game, and social-media-free.
Troomi
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $-$$$
Troomi phones are 100% monitored by you, and apps can be adjusted based on your kids’ needs and levels of responsibility.
Gifts That Encourage FUN Family Time
Family time should be about quality, not just quantity.
The last thing we need is to create more work for ourselves as parents. And sometimes, family activities can be just that.
Instead, we’ve pulled together some thoughtful gift ideas for the whole family–all void of too much effort or extravagance.
Individual MIND, BODY AND SOUL TIME® Activities as Gifts
Kids love presents, but the truth is, the gift of time–from parent to child–is the ultimate present.
At Positive Parenting Solutions, we always highly encourage one-on-one time with your kids. We call it MIND, BODY AND SOUL TIME® bonding.
We recommend this activity between each parent and each child for 10-15 minutes EVERY DAY. And while even this brief amount of time can be hard to set aside, it truly does help with everything from misbehavior to parent-child connection.
Our FREE ONLINE WEBINAR further explains why positive connection is so crucial, but it’s true: MIND, BODY AND SOUL TIME® activities are some of the best ways to make our kids feel loved and appreciated.
But beyond the fact that this attention is a gift in and of itself, it can still be wrapped up in a bow:
Build-a-Fort
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $$$
HearthSong has a fun collection of Build-a-Fort kits that you and your child can build and rebuild to your hearts’ content. This can work as a larger group activity too! This particular set is sold on Amazon.
Chasing Fireflies
Ages: 3+
Cost: $
Hide and Seek is a timeless, classic game kids love. With this fun toy, you can combine the game with cute, light-up fireflies and even hunt for the bugs alone.
Laser X
Ages: 12+ (In our opinion, kids much younger will enjoy this game, too.)
Cost: $
Kids always like a fun game of laser tag. With this set, you can play one-on-one at home. Some also come in larger sets for the whole family.
Family Time Gifts
Since most of us are spending more time with our kids than ever before, why not make it as fun–and as sane–as possible?
Family Paint Night
Ages: 6+
Cost: $-$$$
Painting To Gogh will mail paint kits to your doorstep. All you have to do is link to the tutorial when you and the fam are ready for your paint party! Recommended for kids ages 6+.
Escape Room
Ages: 10+
Cost: $-$$$
Escape rooms are an excellent source of entertainment, especially for older kids. They help families work together and problem-solve. Check this link to find an escape room near you and look for a family-friendly challenge! You can still wrap this by printing out a gift certificate or hand-written coupon detailing the experience. Or, for a family night in, purchase an escape-room-in-a-box kit, which are plentiful anywhere games are sold.
TableTopics
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $
Family dinners are always a wonderful time for families to connect. But if it’s been a long day for us parents, or the kids don’t feel like sitting, we often need motivation and icebreakers. There is also a teen edition.
Family Adventure Challenge
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $$
This is a book that takes family activities to an awesome new level. Families scratch off an adventure together and must complete it before taking on the next challenge. This is a great gift from kids to their parents, too!
Board Games: Family game night can’t be beaten. With a little set-up and patience for the rules, board games deliver good, old-fashioned fun. Here are our favorites:
Ages 2-3+
Ages 5-6+
Ages 10+
Educational Gifts That Kids Still Consider “Cool”
Educational gifts can be purchased for MIND, BODY AND SOUL TIME® pursuits, family activities, or solo play.
And sometimes, we really want kids to cherish their individual time–without the screens and while doing something educational.
Of course, when we do encourage that solo play, it’s important to find age-appropriate toys to eliminate frustration for everyone.
Subscription Boxes
Ages: Varies
Cost: $-$$$
Kids love receiving packages not just once a year, but once a month! KiwiCo offers monthly science and STEM subscription kits for kids ages 3-16, while MEL Science is for ages 10+ and includes virtual reality science lessons. You can also purchase single kits through KiwiCo.
Yoto Mini Player
Ages: 3-12+
Cost: $$$
With Yoto Mini, kids can listen to music, audiobooks, and educational audio on the go…all screen-free! In addition, there are zero advertisements.
Basically, they’re akin to modern Walkmans–but way cooler!
Don’t let your kids get sidetracked by media players with apps and Internet access–get a Yoto, instead!
Unofficial Minecraft Lab for Kids
Ages: 8+
Cost: $
Minecraft is an uber-popular video game, but getting our tweens off the screen is always ideal. According to this book’s description, “you can balance your child’s screen time with real-life learning and interaction.”
Crayola Color Chemistry Lab
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $$
This is packed with science experiments suitable for all ages.
Cooking Classes
Ages: 2+
Cost: $-$$$
In-person cooking classes or their virtual counterparts are always excellent for a budding, food-loving chef. Plus, your child can learn to cook for the whole family! We absolutely LOVE Kids Cook Real Food eCourse if you want to get your kids helping in the kitchen.
Telescope
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $$$
A lifelong love of astronomy–even philosophy–can come from a telescope. “This easy-to-use NASA Lunar Telescope is the perfect way to introduce your child to the wonders of space and to observe the moon with incredible detail!”
Mindful Buddiez
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $$
Calming techniques are an important part of a child’s emotional education. These adorable, interactive stuffed animals help kids manage big feelings (while offering a soft, warm cuddle).
IlluStory by Lulu Jr.
Ages: 4+
Cost: $
You can nurture your child’s love for storytelling with this book-making kit.
My Comic Book by Lulu Jr.
Ages: 6+
Cost: $
This is a similar kit, with an additional focus on artwork.
LEGO Technic
Ages: 6+
Cost: $-$$$
For kids ages 7-8 and up, LEGO Technic will get your children’s mechanical gears turning.
Gifts That Inspire Gratitude
As we all know, the holidays have become a time of excess. And while this is fun and exhilarating for kids and parents alike, it can also create feelings of entitlement.
Yes, we train our kids to say thank you for the gifts they open, especially in front of the loved ones who gave them. But sometimes, the sentiment isn’t there. And it’s not necessarily because they’re ungrateful.
Kids are simply conditioned to receive and to expect each holiday, without much afterthought.
One battle tactic is to purchase fewer gifts–or even just one–that may have more meaning to our kids.
We can also purchase gifts that instill gratefulness:
Time Capsules
Ages: 4+
Cost: $-$$$
Encouraging kids to think of something meaningful to them–which also represents themselves or their setting–is one of the many advantages of a time capsule. When kids have time to both reflect and consider the future, they learn about perspective. These suggestions will help you pick out a time capsule that you wrap, and they fill. Just include a DO NOT OPEN UNTIL date! (These make great gifts again at high school or college graduations!)
Repurposed Items
Recycle and Remake
Ages: 9+
Cost: $-$$
If our goal is to minimize commercialism and waste, we can repurpose trash and encourage our kids to do the same. This book does just that.
Eco Stars Recycled Crayons
Ages: 3+
Cost: $
Turn the purchase of recycled crayons into a learning lesson for your youngest kiddos, or even make your own! Thou shall not waste!
Love for Animals and the Outdoors
WWF Symbolic Adoption Donation
Ages: 4+
Cost: $$$
Through the World Wildlife Foundation’s Symbolic Species Adoptions, you’ll help protect wild animals and their habitats and receive a fun adoption package (an animal plush and adoption certificate) in return. The true lesson, of course, is explaining to your kids that this wasn’t just purchased for them, but for the greater (animal) good.
Outdoor Explorer and Bug Catcher Kit
Ages: 3+
Cost: $$
A love of the outdoors and tiny insects will make kids more appreciative of the massive–and miniature–worlds around them.
The Ultimate Book of Scavenger Hunts 
Ages: 4+
Cost: $
This contains 42 outdoor hunts. It helps engage kids when they’re bored without their screens (the horror!) and instills a sense of wonder and gratitude for the great outdoors.
Classes & Private Lessons
Private lessons can come in any shape and size. They even come virtually!
From music to sports, these one-on-one lessons with an instructor deliver much more than one package ever could. They can inspire a life-long love of creative and athletic pursuits.
Anything that your child has shown interest in can be gifted as a private lesson. And gratitude for this gift will only grow as your child learns more and excels at something new!
Music Lessons
Ages: All Ages
Cost: $-$$$
Music & Arts offers in-person and virtual music classes alike.
Sports/Fitness Lessons
Ages: Varies
Cost: $-$$$
Takelessons.com offers private lessons in sports and fitness.
TakeLessons.com
Ages: Varies
Cost: $-$$$
Not only does this site offer individualized lessons in sports and fitness as mentioned above, but it also offers lessons in languages and other academics.
Heirlooms
Ages: 7+
Cost: Free
Handing down heirlooms is something kids take to heart.
The older kids are, the more meaningful these gifts can be. But younger kids can appreciate them, too.
You can even go through an old box of vintage toys you had when you were little and let them pick out toys to be fixed, re-painted, or enjoyed as-is.
Here are some other ideas: Heirloom Gift Ideas
Fun and Frivolous Gifts (That Won’t Annoy Parents)
We’ve all had that doll that makes sudden, creepy cries in the middle of the night, and the high-pitched monotonous toy you feel the need to make “disappear.”
Let’s not forget the flashy, obnoxious, battery-eating toys that stop working after 5-minutes and leave us regretting our purchase.
Kids love these toys, though. They don the top of wish lists and catch their eyes at every store.
We’re bound to buy one or two–or a few–each season.
One idea is to save these toys, when they’re small enough, as stocking stuffers. That way we can keep more valuable and meaningful gifts under the tree.
But when we still want to wrap a few gifts for pure fun, here are some solid ideas:
Eco-Friendly Marble Run
Ages: 4+
Cost: $$$
We’ll admit, this toy still has educational value and the marbles can get everywhere, but it’s a classic game that always sparks joy.
Build-a-Bouquet 
Ages: 3-6
Cost: $
This sweet flower set made by Green Toys (from recycled plastics) helps kids create, build, and practice their gardening skills!
Hanging Solar System
Ages: 3+
Cost: $
This is fun to both unwrap and hang in their rooms.
Flybar Pogo Ball
Ages: 6+
Cost: $
Let kids expend some energy with this indoor/outdoor activity.
Little Live Pets Cozy Dozy 
Ages: 3+
Cost: $
Kids will love these cute teddy bear and koala babies. They can play animal, house, doctor, and dolls with these nap-friendly, soothing toys.
Gifts FROM Kids (That They Really Did Help With)
We’ve all presented gifts on behalf of our kids.
When a gift tag says “To Mom, from Liam,” it’s probably really “To Mom, from Dad Pretending to be Liam.” Because Liam’s only four.
Or, even more realistically, “To Mom, from Mom, Pretending to be Dad, Pretending to be Liam.”
Still, from an early age, kids can be encouraged to give thoughtfully. The earlier they learn the joy of giving, the less they’ll want. Really.
But how can a 4-year-old give something, at least monetarily? Well, that’s for each family to decide.
We can either encourage our children to contemplate and choose gifts while we cover the cost, or we can encourage them to use their allowance to budget for gifts.
With an Allowance
At Positive Parenting Solutions, we see an allowance as a fantastic financial training tool. We believe kids even as young as four or five can benefit from monetary management.
Ideally, an allowance isn’t just about spending. It’s about saving and giving. If kids do this successfully, they’ll have enough money of their own to spend on gifts.
It may not be much, but even a little can go a long way.
Ornaments 4 Orphans
Ages: 4+ (So kids grasp the donation concept)
Cost: $-$$$
100% of the cost of the items on this website (more than just ornaments) goes to fair wages for the artisans that create them. By purchasing through this website, kids learn about fair trade and supporting communities far and wide.
Toys for Tots
Ages: 4+ (So kids grasp the donation concept)
Cost: $-$$$
The well-established Toys for Tots is a great way for kids to consider those less fortunate. Children can choose a toy and donate it–all online.
4 Ocean
Ages: 4+ (So kids grasp the donation concept)
Cost: $-$$$
Buy a gift–some under $25.00–and help save the ocean! For example, kids can gift moms, grandmas, sisters–anyone!–the beautiful bracelets on offer.
Indoor Curling, Golf/Pool, Shuffleboard, or Darts
Ages: 8+
Cost: $$-$$$
Dad and Mom might both like these fun indoor options that encourage fun family time. Parents can even pitch in with the costs.
Starbucks Gift Card
Ages: 4+
Cost: $-$$$
Kids know what picks their parents up–and contributing to that joy is something almost any child can afford with basic budgeting. Naturally, kids can substitute other options for siblings, grandparents, and the rest of their peeps.
Small Gifts for Siblings
Ages: 3+
Cost: $
Many kids have just a few dollars to spend, but it’s impactful when kids remember not just Mom and Dad, but each other. One idea is to gift a LEGO-loving sibling a unique Minifigure. Another is to wrap some neon or glitter crayons.
Without an Allowance
Repurposed Toys
Ages: All Ages
Cost: Free
We talked above about repurposing trash, but kids can also repurpose their toys to make new gifts for family and friends.
Used Toy Donations
Ages: All Ages
Cost: Free
Kids can turn their excess into something valuable for another child.
A Helpful Activity
Ages: All Ages
Cost: Free
When kids give presents, a little can go a long way. It may be unrealistic to expect them to make breakfast in bed for mom and dad on Christmas morning, but they could make a dessert for holiday dinner or clean the house after the presents are opened.
DIY Crafts
Ages: All Ages
Cost: Free
Depending on a child’s age (and the type of craft), a DIY project may be something an adult needs to assist with. Still, if we let our kids choose the crafts and help substantially with the project, they will feel pride in a handmade gift. And the recipient will love the thought and work put into it.
Gift Exchanges
Many of us are familiar with the annual White Elephant or Secret Santa exchanges at work and at school. But kids will adore playing these games with family members. They’re a clever way to receive a gift while giving something in return.
Secret Santa encourages kids to consider what others care about, while White Elephant teaches, “We get what we get and don’t throw a fit.”
Best of all, they’re both riotous fun.
Final Thoughts
The art of gifting is legit–as in legitimately nuanced, thoughtful, impactful, stressful, and tricky.
Just remember that starting a tradition of substantial, meaningful gifting is the most priceless gift of all.
And everyone will benefit.
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