The Ultimate Little Kid Christmas Gift Guide (that they'll actually play with!)

Sponsored content. Some of the items in these gift guides have been gifted by the brand but our opinions are entirely our own. #sponsored #gifted 

As a toddler/little kid Mum, I know that toys and gifts can be overwhelming, expensive and also incredibly frustrating (especially when they play with them for 5 minutes and then never again) so this Christmas, I wanted to round up our tried and tested favourites to help you plan your Christmas gifting with ease. 

This list is a mix of brand new toys, old favourites, stocking stuffers and top tier gifts your kiddos will love - and play with all year long. 

So let's get into it! 

Gluten Free Christmas Recipe Roundup

 

Not sure what to put on your Christmas dessert menu this year? I've rounded up my favourite Christmas Recipes that are sure to impress!

Here's the recipes >> 

The Ultimate Kids Christmas Guide for 0-6 Year Olds

Well Halloween is over and you know what that means? Mariah Carey has well and truly defrosted, the Christmas decorations are up and you might just hear Christmas carols next time you're strolling through the aisles of your favourite shop.

In the parenting world, it may also mean you're scratching your head wondering what to buy your kiddos as you trip over yet another toy on the floor or wondering where that catalogue has gone that your kids have enthusiastically circled in colour coded markers (lucky Santa has a huge variety of choice with all bar three toys circled 😆). 

This year, instead of Christmas gift guides for all ages, I thought I'd scale things back and share my favourite picks for the kiddos in my life - from my baby niece and rambunctious toddler to the under 6's we spend our time with - and i'm going to break the gifts up into age categories so you can find the perfect gift for every kid on your list. 

So let's jump to it! >>

Baby and Toddler Gift Guide 2022

Can you believe that Christmas is so close?! I can't - but I also can not wait! 

Whilst last year was Jensen's first Christmas, this year will really be his first Christmas where he knows what's going on - so what better gift guide to start with than the Baby and Toddler Christmas Gift Guide!

We've rounded up our top gift picks of the year - combining both toys Jensen loved as a baby, toys he's loving now and toys that will be good for toddlerhood. 

So let's get straight into it!

Keep reading to see the guide >>

Kids and Family Gift Guide 2022

With Christmas right around the corner, we have rounded up the Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids this year, complete with group gift ideas for the whole family to enjoy together.

Keep reading to see the guide >> 

Mens and Womens Gift Guide 2022

Christmas isn't just for the kids! We've rounded up a bunch of great gift ideas that you may not have thought of for the adults in your life.... even if that adult is yourself 😉 #treatyourself

Keep reading to see the guide >> 

Recipe: Gluten Free Gingerbread Blondies

Blondies get a Christmas makeover with this Easy Gluten Free Gingerbread Blondies Recipe. With all of the flavours of gingerbread in a chewy white chocolate chip studded blondie, these are sure to be a holiday hit!

Is anyone else finding themselves slowly transforming their house into Christmas mode?

Whilst usually I'd get everything done in the one weekend, we're still working on some home to-dos before baby arrives - and at 9 months pregnant, I totally don't have the energy to decorate our house all in one go - so Christmas is slowly starting to appear.

One tree is up, another two are going up today, the lounge room is decorated and our kitchen has a sprinkling of Christmas magic too.... but most importantly, Christmas scents have been filling our house with treats baking away in the oven.

With a newborn arriving in just two weeks, I don't know how much time (or energy) i'll have for Christmas baking, so I've been baking and enjoying Christmas treats while I still can!

These Gingerbread Blondies are a new favourite we've been enjoying with a cup of coffee. They have just the right amount of sweetness, are full of Christmas flavour and are dense and fudgy like any good blondie should be.

Better still? You can totally make the recipe your own. Throw in nuts or stir through chocolate chips (just don't make the mistake I did with the last batch and stir them through when the mix is too hot - notes below!) or frost them with your favourite frosting and Christmas sprinkles. 

But let me share the recipe with you! >>

2021 Baby and Toddler Gift Guide

From educational toys and montessori must haves to baby essentials and eco friendly gifts, we've rounded up the best Christmas Gift Ideas for Babies and Toddlers this year with gifts to suit every budget.

Montesorri must haves 

We are in the process of setting up a playroom at our house and the Monti&Me toys we have in there are 100000% my fave! Beautiful to look at and designed to help your little one learn, Jayne has done all of the hardwork for you, simplifying the neuroscience and sourcing toys designed to help your little one grow. 

Monti&Me's playsets are a great Christmas gift as they're available in Birth+, 4 month+, 7 month+, 11 month+ and toddler age ranges and come with a variety of toys - or you can pick and choose what individual items you like. 

In our playroom, we have the Self Standing Black and White Contrast Cards ($19), Rainbow Peg People Set ($49), Rainbow Sensory Ball (on sale for $27!) and Wooden Maracas ($19) but there is so much to choose from!

A gift Mum will LOVE!

Toddlers are messy eaters, there's no doubting that. As a Mum of three little boys, Michelle of Mumma's Little Helpers designed her award winning high chair food catchers to make mealtimes easier and less of a mess.

The velcro fasteners attach to most high chairs and are wide enough to catch all of the mess, meaning you just have to empty them and wipe them down at the end of the meal. They also have a great food catcher and feeding starter kit that is perfect for little eaters as it comes with a food catcher in the print of your choice, catcher bib, bowl, easy grip flexi spoon, suction plate and easy grip cutlery set. 

Eco friendly essentials

I love Munch Cupboard's eco friendly range - and they have some perfect eco friendly gift ideas for Christmas. Our top picks? The Butterfly Teething Toy (a great stocking stuffer!), Baby Feeder (great for little ones starting solids!) and the Silicon Baby Bowl with Spoon and Suction Base. The perfect eco friendly gifts that will actually get used!

I also have my eye on the Wooden Bracelet Teething Toy for our little guy as it's free from all nasties and perfectly safe!

Toys that toddlers will love!

There are so many great toys available for toddlers this year - but we've rounded up a few of our faves!

The Toot Toot 2 in 1 Dino Park (available at Kmart and Big W) will provide hours of fun with the truck that transforms into an awesome dino play set. Featuring three imaginative play modes and multiple play areas to explore and discover, they can launch the net, feed the dinosaurs, push the truck and more.

For the Go! Go! Cory Carson lovers, O'Tool's Construction Site Playset is sure to be a hit. They can blow the whistle, build and knock down walls and play with their favourite characters and also connect the playset to the other Go! Go! Cory Carson playsets.

For the budding chef, the Chopping Fun Learning Pot is a must. Available at Target, this toy encourages role play and imaginative play as the pot "boils" with pretend water and teaches numbers and colours through play.

If your little one loves nothing more than setting up their own shop (or helping with the shopping in person), the Count Along Basket and Scanner will definitely be a winner. Filled with play food, shopping lists and an interactive scanner, kids can carry their basket or roll it along as the interactive play mode teaches them colours, numbers, shapes and groups as it asks them to scan certain items. 

Got a musical little one on your list? Leapfrog's Learn & Groove Thumpin' Numbers Drum will be a hit in more ways than one! This fun bilingual toy is perfect for little ones aged 6+ months as it teaches them colours, numbers and music styles in both English and Spanish.

Their first gift set

We love VTech for baby and toddler toys and the VTech Baby My First Gift Set is such a great idea for babies this Christmas. Available in blue or pink, this set comes with a soft hippo teether, rattle, mirror and piano that you can take on the go with you.

Find it at Kmart for $35 in Blue or Pink.

The gift of quiet!

For many parents of newborns, a silent night is not a thing - but it could be! 

The Baby Shusher would be a great gift idea for new parents and babies this year. Designed to break a baby's crying spell by engaging their natural calming reflex, the rhythmic shushing will settle your babe and send them off to sleep. Better still? It's portable and run using only batteries so you can use it in the car, pram or nursery!

Find it on Amazon and Amazon Australia with free shipping.

Something to snuggle

I'm a sucker for a cute plush toy and always think they make great Christmas gifts. If you're looking for the softest, snuggliest plushes, look no further than the Toby Dog (available in three colours!) or Gund Fuzzy Bear from Latest Buy.

Learn through play!

This is a gift for Mum and Dad (or the little ones carer!) that will keep on giving! Casey from Little Lifelong Learners has put together Sensory Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers and it's such a great resource.

Full of fun sensory play ideas, this book will inspire you with play and learning opportunities for years to come!

Buy it on Amazon and Amazon Australia with free shipping.

Bath time fun  

Looking for a stocking stuffer that's a little bit different? We love Child's Farm's products as they're perfect for sensitive skin with 96% natural ingredients. Available at Coles, Woolworths and Big W, their bubble bath and body wash range is full of fun scents that kids will love - and they have some great gift sets for Christmas!

   

   

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

2021 Men's Christmas Gift Guide

Whether you're shopping for your Dad, brother, boyfriend, husband, best friend or any other male on your shopping list, we've rounded up the Best Christmas Gifts for Men this year in our Mens Gift Guide. From the foodie guy to the car lover and everyone inbetween.

Get them what they REALLY want!

I feel like the men on my Christmas shopping list always want big ticket items - and whilst there's nothing wrong with that, maybe it doesn't fit into your budget.

Group Together make it easy to put together a group gift they'll love. You can put together a Group Together gift for your recipient, invite your friends or family members to contribute and they can then purchase the gift how they want to. They'll have the choice of cashing the money out, using it to order a gift voucher or splitting it - they can even donate some to charity!

Find out more about how Group Together works here.

For the guy who loves his car 

What better gift than a dash cam? The Nextbase 122 Dash Cam has an Intelligent Parking Mode to protect your vehicle when parked by recording any bump or physical movement when the vehicle is left unattended.

It also has a 720p forward facing camera with a viewing angle of 120 degrees, a 2" LCD screen, photo mode, G-force sensor, auto-start and loop recording. It's valued at $99.99 and available at JB HiFi, Harvey Norman and Amazon Australia.

For the Foodie or Traveller: TokyoTreat
available from TokyoTreat Snack Box

One of my favourite things to do when travelling is to try out local foods - and this Japanese Snack Subscription box allows you to do that from the comfort of home! From interesting Japanese candy to salty and crunchy snacks, there's something for everyone - and prices start from just $32.50/month for a 12 month plan or $37.50 for a single month. 

Learn something new

Have they always wanted to learn an instrument? 

Ukulele Mate's Bondi Surf Series Ukeleles are the perfect starter instrument, with each ukulele coming with: 

• A Ukulele Bag of your choice
• Tuner with LCD display
• Complete set of spare strings
• Accessories bag
• Ukelele bookmark
• Felt picks
• An adjustable Ukulele strap
• Fretboard "learn to play" stickers 
• Books and chord charts to help you learn how to play
• Cleaning cloths
• Chord stamp 
• 30-min Skype lesson

and a series of emails and tips to keep you motivated to learn. They have a handy Ukulele Buyers Guide to help you choose the right instrument and so many helpful tips. 

Forget buying a guitar that will only gather dust, a ukulele is so much easier to learn - and so much more fun too!

Perfect for game night

Love a game night? Throw Throw Burrito is the perfect game night addition for 2-6 players. It's the world's first dodgeball card game and hilariously fun.

Playing the game is simple. Collect your cards, play your hand and.... throw stuff at your friends 😅

Want more game ideas? Check out our Ultimate Board Game Guide.

For the BBQ boss 

Have a barbecue loving guy on your gift list? Outdoor Magic's Roasta Prongs are the perfect stocking stuffer (only $10.95) for making delicious roasted chickens on the barbecue.

For the barbecue and beer loving guy, why not get him the Chick 'n' Brew barbecue roaster to make delicious beer can chicken.

Something sporty 

We're on team you can never have enough water bottles - but Thermos bottles are our faves. The Thermos 770ml Vacuum Insulated Hydration Bottle keeps your drinks cold for up to 18 hours and we spotted it on Amazon for only $14.21 - a perfect stocking stuffer!

I feel like everyone knows at least once cyclist, right? I know I have a few on my Christmas list. 

For the lycra loving cyclist, Hinkler's Anatomy of Cycling is the perfect stocking stuffer.

A stocking stuffer for the music lover 

Got a Beatles lover on your list? Hinkler's Beatles Puzzles are an awesome stocking stuffer - and only $14.99 on Catch.com.au

For the guy who is itching to travel

With so little travelling being done over the last two years, it seems like everyone has a case of wanderlust!

For the guy who can't wait to get travelling again, Lonely Planet's guides are the perfect gift. Why not have a look at the Lonely Planet Wine Trails Australia & New Zealand Guide or the Lonely Planet Best Day Walks in Australia Guide?

For the foodie

Got a foodie on your list? We are obsessed with Sticky Balsamic and their Sticky Balsamic Gift Pack would be perfect for a foodie in your life. It comes with your choice of bottles - either the original or premium range - and is perfect for creating delicious meals. We love the original and lemon, but they're all delicious!

Another great foodie gift idea is Wymah Organic's award winning Olive Lover's Gift Pack. Each pack contains three varieties of Wymah Organic's delicious organic olives, beautifully presented in a recycled cardboard gift pack. 

There's their Champion Kalamata Olives (winner of Best Table Olives in the World at the 2021 Australian Olive Growers Awards), Pitted Kalamata Olives and Garlic and Oregano Kalamata Olives - perfect for Christmas cheeseboards!

They're organic, vegan, gluten free and SO delicious!

   

   

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

2021 Kids Christmas Gift Guide

Don't let Santa get all the credit! We've rounded up the best gifts for kids this year with our 2021 Kids Christmas Gift Guide. From ukuleles and monster trucks to colouring books and pet puppies, there's something for every child in this gift guide.

A Classic Gets a Makeover!

Marbles are cool again thanks to VTech and their new Marble Rush Launch Pad. 

Designed for ages 4 and up, this toy lets you build stunts and challenges before launching your marbles across the course. Colour coded with a musical light-show rocket ship, it includes an easy to follow guide with three different builds frm beginner to advanced - or you can use your imagination and create your own courses.

When you've finished building, drop the 10 marbles into action and watch them race down the ramps to the launcher and across the course.

Dads will love this toy as much as the kids!

Get ready to battle!

Our top picks for boys this year? Definitely the VTech Switch and Go, Smash and Crash Dinos for the older boys and the VTech Toot Toot Drivers Smart Monster Truck. What little boy (and let's be honest, their Dads too!) wouldn't love a new car for Christmas?!

A Pet without the Clean Up!

I feel like every kid adds a pet to their Christmas wishlist at least once - and VTech have the perfect no-mess solution.

The Play and Go Puppy Salon is such a fun gift idea for any puppy lover, with its carry along salon complete with fabric puppy and accessories. Pop puppy into the turning chair and use the comb, clippers, towel and bone to make sure she looks her best!

The salon has 5 chunky light up colour buttons to teach objects, colours and grooming facts through 3 modes of play; learning, role play and music. You can even blow dry or shower the puppy with the interactive hairdryer and shower accessories.

Gifts that They'll Use Again and Again! 

Smiggle always have a huge variety of Christmas gift options - and this year, they have an incredible Disney collection. From your favourite Marvel characters to Ariel and Cinderella, they've got the Disney fans sorted.

I love this Ariel Backpack and matching water bottle that would be perfect for school or daycare (or just using on the weekend!) and we always think that Thermos's FUNtainer range is great for gifting because they're fun, durable and perfect for back to school.

Family Game Night

We love board games in our house and these are two of our family favourites from Latest Buy!

Qwirkle is a fun matching game for ages 3 and up where you match colours or shapes to make up a row. It's just as fun for kids as it is for adults and will keep the whole family occupied. 

Connect Four is another favourite - and an all time classic that never goes wrong!

Want more game ideas? Check out our Ultimate Board Game Guide.

Make Learning Fun!

I love gifts for kids that also teach them something - and we've got two gifts that combine both play and learning!

Ukulele Mate's Bondi Surf Series Ukeleles are perfect for kids with their fun colours and small size and prices start at $129 and that includes: 

• A Ukulele Bag of your choice
• Tuner with LCD display
• Complete set of spare strings
• Books and chord charts to help you learn how to play
• Cleaning cloths
• Chord stamp 
• 30-min Skype lesson
• Accessories bag
• Ukelele bookmark
• Felt picks
• An adjustable Ukulele strap
• Fretboard "learn to play" stickers 

and a series of emails and tips to keep you motivated to learn. They have a handy Ukulele Buyers Guide to help you choose the right instrument and so many helpful tips.

Our second learning made fun gift is the Hape Monster Math Scale. This monster family themed toy introduces kids to weight, measurements and balance through play whilst promoting fine motor skills and concentration. 

Stocking Stuffers

Hinkler have so many fun activity books for kids this year. Our picks? 

1000 Ways to Colour Gratitude ($4 at Big W!), Positive Vibes Colouring Kit ($9 at Big W!), 101 Super Cool Puzzles ($4 at Big W!) and the Super Thankful Sticker Activity Book ($4 at Big W!).

But tell me! 

What are you buying for the kids on your list? 

   

   

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.