If you’re looking for a few more fun ideas for under the tree or in the stockings this year, here are a few of our last minute Christmas picks to help out with some inspiration….
Family Fun
Roxi is a new musical entertainment product from Electric Jukebox, which offers 5 in 1 music fun for the whole family. We particularly liked the unlimited music streaming feature, music quiz game and are looking forward to playing kareoke with the family over Christmas.
It’s small and compact, and just plugs into your TV with very minimal set up so it’s easy to take with you if staying with family over Christmas too – a great idea as it’s something to bring the generations together!
Available in three colours from myroxi.com (RRP 149.00)
Puzzles
Another great multi generational idea at Christmas is puzzles, and one of the loveliest ones I’ve seen are these wooden puzzles from Wentworth. This 40 Piece Yuletide Puppies puzzle is in a small box, and is quite small once completed, which makes it really cute! The special thing with the Wentworth puzzles is that they have shaped whimsy pieces, which you can see in the finished image below, plus with being wooden they are really high quality to be made over and over again. With it’s small size, this puzzle is a perfect stocking stuffer. Check www.wentworthpuzzles.com for the full range.
Games
Family games are a must over the festive season, as a brilliant way to spend fun quality time together – which for me is what Christmas is all about!
Pass the Pigs is a hilarious dice game for the family, which has been popular for years. I remember playing this when I was younger, and it’s just as good fun now! Visit www.passthepigsofficial.com to see the different versions available.
And who’s to say that games can’t be fun and educational at the same time? This Kings and Queens quiz game from the Royal British Legion shop has been a hit with both the kids and adults in our family. Card games like this are perfect for stockings due to their compact size. I used to have something very similar when I was a child so I’ve really enjoyed refreshing my history knowledge alongside the kids!
Shopping at their online shop is a way to support this charity all year round, and not just during the Remembrance period.
PJs
You can never go wrong with PJs at Christmas! Another great charity gift from the Royal British Legion shop, is this Poppy onesie is designed to suit either girls or boys. You can get adults sizes too. It’s really nice and snuggly in the cold weather!
For the Little Ones
For kids of around 2-6 years old, I’ve been really impressed with Kid K’NEX and would definitely recommend this as a Christmas gift that will get played with again and again.
K’NEX is a brilliant open ended building toy, and now with Kid K’NEX, the fun is open to much younger children. The pieces are much bigger and chunky, and the Budding Builders set which we have comes with a whole tub, and a booklet filled with ideas to get your creativity started.
Visit the K’NEX site to see all of the sets available.
Trading Cards
My kids and their friends are crazy about trading cards, with Pokemon being one of their favourites. These Sun and Moon & Crimson Invasion theme decks include 60 cards each and allow you to play the trading card game with just one pack, as well as collecting the cards and swapping with friends.
You can also get the 10 card booster packs, or the tins which contain at least one GX card.
Technology Toys
Lightseekers is a new toys to life game from PlayFusion and Tomy, which does not require a console as you play it via your tablet. The game also comes with collectable cards, so it combines a lot of cool elements to get kids interested. My boys were drawn to this game straight away!
The game offers a great combination of real toys, and virtual gaming, which are cleverly combined.
Azoomee is children’s multi-entertainment app for children that offers the best TV shows, games, audiobooks, an art studio and secure messaging in one safe place and can be used on any device. I was impressed with the range of content, and the boys have been having lots of fun with it on our iPad. Gift cards are available for weekly, monthly or annual passes and would be a great stocking filler that’s small in size but big in entertainment value!
Books
Books are another must for us in the Christmas stocking. Fact books like the National Geographic Kids Weird but True 2018 are ideal for dipping into, and can intrigue even reluctant readers, tempting them in for a browse through it’s pages! This book contains all kinds of weird and wonderful facts, from the animal world, to sports, and more.
Activity books are also perfect for keeping the kids busy, especially if you give a new packet of felt tips or pencil crayons along with it. We’ve enjoyed the Space Adventure Activity Book from Button Books, which has a lovely mix of different activities.
For the youngest family members, board books are great to allow them to explore without worrying about damaging the pages. The Mibo board books are beautiful, combining gorgeous animal illustrations with simple rhyming text
I hope these ideas helped out with some gift giving inspiration, and merry Christmas to you all!
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
Pass the Pig is a great game, we had a different version of it while growing up. Amazing Gift Guide as always