The Gifts Parenting Editors Are Most Excited To Give Their Kids

My own 5-year-old has been asking for this for weeks. “An ice cream shop” is what she’s written on all her letters to Santa and what she told the big man himself when she saw him this week. We have so many Melissa & Doug food sets and they are all a huge hit, so I know she’ll love this. It comes with over 40 play food pieces, and the cart actually rolls (and has a bell!) so she can call for “all of my customers” as long as she wants. I can’t wait for her to see this on Christmas morning.

I mean, ice cream is in, right? Evergreen toy idea, but this Play-Doh Ice Cream Toy Truck Playset is so ridiculously fun. We actually had this for our girls last year, but another Romper editor is picking it out for her 2-year-old this Christmas. It has tons of accessories so your little ones can squeeze out Play-Doh to make ice cream sundaes, ice cream sandwiches, and fancy cones, and you can also make sprinkles and other toppings. It’s so cool — our whole family enjoys it.

One Romper editor is buying the world’s most perfect hair clip for her 11-year-old daughter. That tween age can be tough to shop for, but fun accessories like this pizza hair claw from Jenny Lemons make for a sweet stocking stuffer or present. I’m obsessed.

One Romper editor is stocking up on some “big boy” essentials by gifting her 2.5-year-old these adorable Cars sheets from Pottery Barn Kids. When a toddler loves Lightning McQueen this much, it’s kind of a no-brainer, right?

Step2 has the best outdoor toys — our oldest is 9 and all three of our kids still use the Step2 playhouse she got when she was a toddler — and the Step2 Signature Rocket Swing for two made it on our list this year. One Romper editor is giving to her toddler son, and I’m obsessed with the fact that there are two seats. It hangs easily and has a great buckle system, and you just know baby and toddler squeals are going to happen.

What I would have given as a 9-year-old girl to get this play set as a kid. The American Girl Hogwarts Express Train is so beyond detailed, it’ll make you just want to get down on the floor and play with it, too. I can’t wait for my own 9-year-old to open this Christmas morning, especially since she already has an American Girl doll ready to go, dressed in her Ravenclaw gear. The candy cart and the platform and the working light on this train — it’s a Harry Potter dream come true.

As kids get older, buying them toys is less and less likely (sad), but LEGO sets are always, always a hit. One Romper editor is grabbing this LEGO Star Wars Ghost & Phantom II set for her teenage son, and it’s pretty much the perfect gift. Star Wars fans will love the extreme details, and anything that can get your teen to sit and tinker is always a win. They’ll love displaying this, too.

How adorable is this? Leapfrog is always a brand win in our house, so I’m grabbing this Leapfrog Match & Learn Cookies toy for my own 20-month-old. The letters are easy to pop in and out of the “baking tray” for kids to learn the sounds they make, but they can also be played with just as cookies for your tiny pretend baker.

Have you ever seen a more perfect pair of slippers in your life? These Children’s Place faux fur bear slippers are so bright and pink, and they look exactly like a pair of gummy bears on your feet. I’m buying a pair for all three of my girls.

My 5-year-old is obsessed with baby dolls. I mean obsessed. She has so many of them, but still requests more from Santa every year. I can’t wait for her to open this Bitty Baby Care & Play Set from American Girl this year. Bitty Baby is the ultimate doll if you have a little one into babies, and the accessories are just so good. She’s going to flip.

My 20-month-old has so many singing toys, but one of her all-time favorites is a bunny from GUND that one of her older sisters received for Easter a few years ago. So I’m beyond thrilled for her to get a brand new one that’s all hers this year — GUND Buttermilk the Cow animated plush. Just look at it! It’s absolutely adorable, sings “Old Macdonald” and makes animal sounds, and also “talks” and wiggles its ears. GUND plushes are always high quality, so I know this one will be a staple toy in her room for a long time.

Tweens, teens, college kids — Lush is always a win. One Romper editor is snagging the Lush Fairy Christmas gift set for her college girl, and it’s going to be a major holiday win. This set has eight Snow Fairy Lush products, including a lip mask and bubble bar, and it’s all packaged together so nicely. I want this for myself.

My kids have so. many. Calico Critters. We’ve been collecting them since my oldest was 3 (they are extremely high quality), and there are boxes of accessories, families, and play sets in our playroom. I’m thrilled to gift my girls this Calico Critters Red Roof Country Home with Secret Attic. We have a few of the houses already, but this one is enormous and opens up (great for storage). It also has a secret attic and a light inside, and I know my kids are going to lose their imaginative little minds.

My mom loves to crochet and has made some beautiful gifts for all of us over the years, and it’s inspired my 9-year-old to make her own little items. While my mom has taught her a few things, I’m so excited to gift her this beginner Amigurumi crochet kit from Zollie. It’s intended for kids as young as 8 to follow along, and she’ll make an absolutely adorable duck when all is said and done. For a kid who loves crafting and stuffies, this is the ultimate win.

Our editor with the college girl is literally so excited to see this one unwrapped. It’s a funny and fun gift for any kid, really, and who knows, just might inspire some museum trips in the future!

When I tell you my house is full of pretend food, I mean full. But I can’t resist adding more when I know my kids will love it, and this toddler bread basket from Hape is going to be my toddler’s new favorite toy. It features soft and felt bread items, like a baguette, pretzel, croissant, and even a soft jam cookie. Just adorable, and it’s all contained in its little basket.

The coolest babies love modern art! One editor is sending this to newborn nephew, and this super cute set of Andy Warhol-inspired crayons in a paint can to her 2-year-old niece.

I currently have two daughters in soccer with a third ready to start any day now, so this Nightball Light-Up Soccer Ball is definitely on our list. The lights are auto-activated as the ball is kicked around, and it’s going to be such a fun toy to play with as dusk is setting. Since it gets dark so early these days, I’m ready to extend our playtime a bit with this gift.

Pretend toys are always, always a win, and Kidkraft makes some of the best. (Our Kidkraft kitchen will last forever, I’m sure of it.) The Kidkraft Ultimate Helicopter Playset is absolutely incredible. The lights, the sounds, the details to make your little one feel like they’re an actual helicopter pilot — it’s too good. It even has an emergency kit on board! A Romper editor is gifting this one to her toddler, but it’s good for kids ages 3 and up, and the actual toy has a weight limit of 120 pounds, so your kids will get years of play out of it.