42 Best Gifts for Kids That Are Beloved by Children of All Ages
There’s no question that finding the best gift for a kid can be daunting. Even if you're a parent, you'd probably agree that out of everyone on your list, children are likely the hardest to shop for. Unlike sourcing the perfect presents for teens or TikTok-obsessed 10-year-olds who are very vocal about their interests, it can be more difficult to discern what the developing little one in your life wants. Plus, if they're fortunate enough to be spoiled by their loved ones, then they've already got a slew of toys they never touch
So how do you find just the right thing—the thing that makes their eyes open wide with delight—that they'll actually use? Another set of Legos may be a tempting (and safe) option, but we recommend picking up something a little more inspired. Whether you’re buying a gift for a two-year-old, a present for a one-year-old, something thoughtful (and educational) for a five-year-old, or a small token for a kid nearing adulthood, look for items that are a little outside the box—like a projector that fills their room with all the stars in the galaxy, a balance bike that will help get them outdoors and help with their development, or a DIY neon sign kit for them to flex their creativity.
To help narrow your focus on some of the most unique items out there, we scoured retailers big and small, chatted with children, and asked parents what items their kids can't get enough of, to find the best gifts for kids of every age—and yes, there are home runs here even for people who have everything they could ever want.
Our top picks:
Best Stocking Stuffer: DIY Neon Sign, $8
Best Personalized Gift for Kids: Personalized Name Puzzle, $35
Best Unique Gift for Kids: Star Projector, $60
Most Popular Gift for Kids: Magic Mixies Magical Misting Crystal Ball, $62
Best Learning Toy: Sesame Street Elmo’s Letters on the Go, $22
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
- Courtesy of brand1/42
Rossetta Galaxy Projector
The unique dinosaur egg design will catch your little one’s eye, but they’ll be really impressed once you turn the projector on. The internal light shines 14 vibrant colors and night stars onto the ceiling and walls to turn their bedroom into a planetarium of sorts. It also functions as a night light and a sound machine.
Great for ages 3 and up - Courtesy of brand2/42
Magic Mixies Magical Misting Crystal Ball
This crystal ball comes complete with a magic wand and a book of spells your child has to recite in order to conjure a stuffed animal from the depths of the toy. During the process, they’ll uncover all kinds of special noises and even magical mist. Once they’ve summoned the stuffed animal, they can use the wand to interact with the doll.
Great for ages 5–15 years
- Courtesy of brand3/42
Sesame Street Elmo’s Letters on the Go
- Courtesy of brand4/42
Crayola Ultimate Light Board
- Courtesy of brand6/42
Nintendo Switch Lite
With this handheld game console, the child on your list will have an endless array of video games at their disposal. Choose from classics you grew up playing or tap into one of the new, highly popular choices like Animal Crossing. Either way, you’re looking at hours upon hours of entertainment.
Great for ages 6 and up
- Courtesy of brand7/42
Jellycat Stuffed Animals
- Courtesy of brand8/42
Sit-in Character Rocker
For a gift that will really wow a new mom, consider this rocking chair. It not only provides hours of active fun for toddlers and younger kids but also serves as a great decor piece for their nursery or playroom.
Great for ages 18 months–7 years - Courtesy of brand9/42
Strider Balance Bike
- Courtesy of brand12/42
Personalized Name Puzzle
- Courtesy of brand15/42
Glowing Bath Time Buddies
Parents of toddlers know what a great time killer bath time is. And there’s nothing that makes it quite as much fun as these light-up figurines. Simply drop them into water and watch them illuminate. Choose from five different personalities, but beware: You’ll soon have them all.
Great for ages 3 and up - Courtesy of brand16/42
TonieBox
Think of this as a kid-friendly speaker. Whenever a “tonie,” which is essentially a little figurine, is place on top, the device plays music, stories, and more. The whole thing is light and soft enough for your little one to manipulate, plus highly durable in case they drop it (they will). And you can always purchase more tonies to expand upon your collection.
Great for ages 3 and up - Courtesy of brand17/42
Lovevery Play Gym
A play gym isn’t a gift only for the baby, who will enjoy the time spent manipulating the items hanging within reach, but also for parents who need a safe, clean spot to put their newborn down. We love this one because it has a longer lifespan than most—once baby outgrows the play mat, place the cover on to transform the whole thing into a fort.
Great for ages 0 and up
- Courtesy of brand21/42
Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit
You’ll need a tablet to play this game, but if the child already has one, it’s an excellent way to level up their screen time. Rather than simply watch videos, their kid will use the included game pieces and board to engage in learning games that improve both comprehension and math skills.
Great for ages 3–5 years - Courtesy of brand22/42
Kinetic Sand
Sand? In the house? Don’t worry: This sand is kind of like magic—it sticks together, so their child can build all kinds of structures without turning their home into a sandbox in its own right. There are all kinds of sets, but this one comes with construction vehicles for digging and is also surprisingly fun for adults to play with.
Great for ages 3 and up
- Courtesy of brand23/42
New Classic Toys Wooden Pretend Toy Kitchen
When it comes to a play kitchen, there’s endless potential. Toddlers and younger kids will have tons of fun taking your order, cooking, and serving up all kinds of snacks and meals. You can always add a cash register and a shopping cart to the set so they can pick up some groceries too.
Great for ages 3–10 years - Courtesy of brand24/42
L.O.L. Surprise! Clubhouse Playset
Kids love the process of unboxing, and this L.O.L. Surprise! Playset comes with 40 surprises to unbox, including characters and accessories. Once they’ve torn into all the goodies, they’ll have hours of fun playing with them in the clubhouse, which features seven hangout areas: a game room, skateboard zone, hammock patio, movie room, stargazing space, bedroom, and kitchen.
Great for ages 4–15 years - Courtesy of brand25/42
Magna-Tiles 32-Piece Set
Although the child on your list may already have a set of Magna-Tiles, one can never have too many. The colored tiles feature safe, interior magnets that allow pieces to snap together effortlessly. They can create all kinds of structures and figures, from castles and skyscrapers to robots and cars.
Great for ages 3 and up - Courtesy of brand26/42
Kidz Bop Karaoke Microphone
Play songs from any app on your phone—Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music—then pass the microphone over to your kids, who can use the microphone to broadcast their voice. For even more fun, the precision stereo acoustic speaker comes equipped with four voice effects: high pitch, low pitch, chipmunk, and echo.
Great for ages 3 and up
- Courtesy of brand28/42
Floor Is Lava
This isn’t your average board game—it gets everyone in the family up and moving. How does it work? It’s simple really: Players spin the wheel to determine what color foam stepping stone to jump to. But here’s the catch: They have to make it to the right color without touching the floor—it’s molten hot lava.
Great for ages 5 years and up
- Courtesy of brand32/42
Cake Pop Kit
This DIY baking kit is super fun for kids, but it’s a gift for parents too—it’ll help limit all of those Starbucks trips. The set makes 12 confetti cake pops (vanilla cake with white chocolate and rainbow sprinkles) and comes with premeasured ingredients and beginner-friendly instructions.
Great for ages 4 and up - Courtesy of brand33/42
Kids Books Scratch Off Poster
Whether you have a voracious reader on your hands or a child who really needs some extra incentive to pick up a book, this poster is a great motivator. It looks a lot like a giant lottery ticket, but each scratch-off square reveals a classic kid-friendly book to add to their reading list.
Great for ages 3 and up - Courtesy of brand34/42
MagnetBlox Standard Set
These life-size building blocks may be on the expensive side, but they make a fantastic gift for any playroom. They’re incredibly easy to manipulate, and each one features safe, internal magnets so they click together effortlessly. Kids will love creating castles, bridges, rocket ships, and more.
Great for ages 2–10+
- Courtesy of brand35/42
Melissa & Doug Oversized T-Rex
- Courtesy of brand36/42
AI-Powered Miko 3 Smart Robot for Kids STEM Learning & Educational Robot With Coding Apps
Today’s robots are so much more than remote-controlled toys. This supercool STEM toy has a wide-angle HD camera and high-tech sensors that make it highly functional. In fact, it comes equipped with 50,000 hours of experiences, including more than 1,000 games, puzzles, coding lessons, yoga, and more.
Great for ages 5–10 years
- Courtesy of brand37/42
Radio Flyer Walker
Help babies and young toddlers hone their gross motor skills with this classic Radio Flyer walker. This wooden version is exceptionally high-quality, so it can be passed down from one sibling to the next; plus, it features a handful of activities to keep them busy when they’re not cruising.
Great for ages 1–4 years
- Courtesy of brand42/42
Mini Brands Surprise Balls
Another surprise toy kids can’t get enough of. Mini Brands Surprise Balls open to reveal four teeny-tiny toys, all of which are classic items you might find in the grocery store. Each compartment in the ball houses its own figuring, ranging from Airheads, to Lipton tea, and more.
Great for ages 5–15 years
