Christmas Gifts for Children

This topic happens to be a very hard one to tackle. Not only do kids have a million and one interests that can change as quick as the weather, but buying for kids also means making a compromise between finding something age-appropriate, fun, and practical. And, as if gift-giving weren't hard enough, every day young minds are bombarded with advertising to persuade them to covet the newest toys, which no doubt, they will beg for. Keeping up with all these variables is no small feat.

So where does one start? Toys happen to be the big thing for Christmas. To get started, you might want to check out the Holiday Toy Guide, an excellent snapshot of the hot toys available for Christmas. There are also many useful articles at ShopWiki about toys and games that can help you choose a gift by age, by interest, gender, or by award. There is even an extensive series of guides dedicated to video games.

Nonetheless, toys and games aren't the only things to purchase children for Christmas. While fun, toys may not always be practical, nor educational. Sometimes, a child has so many toys, that buying them more is just absurd because they don't have enough time in the day to play with them. If you are not the parents, consider offering gifts such as apparel, sporting goods, books, and movies.

Also, don't miss our Stocking Stuffer Guide.

Shopping and Gift Giving Tips

Buying gifts for kids is fun, yet sometimes grueling; you never know if what you think is an awesome gift will just get thrown into the dark depths of the closet and be forgotten about within five hours after tearing apart the packaging. Part of the responsibility as a grownup is doling out just the right types and numbers of gifts without letting kids get greedy or wasteful. Here are some quick tips to help you manage your child's holiday wish list.

• Start shopping early. If you see something in a store that seems like a good purchase, buy it. Keep it hidden and don't lose the receipt. If you decide that it's not a great purchase you can return it or donate it to a children's charity come Christmas. On the other hand, if you feel the purchase was a good choice, you can give it for Christmas or save to give to your son or daughter at a later date.

• Don't give your kids too many gifts at once. A pile of gifts looks great under the tree, but once the wrapping paper comes off, kids will play with all of their new toys, quickly wearing out their novelty. Saving a few gifts for a couple months down the road will make a great surprise for a rainy day or another special occasion.

• Beware of commercialism. If your kids are the type to ask you for things throughout the year, which you may or may not be willing to buy for them, don't give in to their demands. Instead, tell them to write what they want down on a list. Teach them to keep this running list throughout the year and give them some stickers to serve as a point system. If there is something they really want, they can put three, four, five stickers, etc. If later on they decide that they don't want that thing anymore, they can take the stickers off. It is a great way to teach children not to be impulsive, pick and choose what they really want, and to learn that just because they want something now, doesn't mean that they'll like it a month later. It also gives you a heads-up on some items they might really be into rather than asking for a "Christmas wish list" at the last minute.

• Teach about the gift of good will. If kids decide that they don't like a gift, but it has already been opened, make a plan to take it to a local charity or offer the toy to one of your child's friends. It will help teach kids about sharing and about those who are in need.

• Don't be afraid of educational toys. Just make sure that they are age appropriate and that they have something to do with a child's interests. They'll often provide much more entertainment than some new gadget without a purpose.

• Pay attention to a child's interests. Think back to the moments that you and your child(ren) have shared together and how happy he or she was. Look for gifts that emulate those moments.

• Consider a themed Christmas. Get a kid into a particular activity. For example, a sporty Christmas might kit a child out for a ski trip, Basketball season, or learning how to inline skate. A creativity fueled gift selection might include paints, and easel, some canvases, and an art book. A kid who loves science might enjoy tools for creating his or her own vegetable garden.

• Be careful about buying for siblings. If you are buying for two or more siblings, be careful to get gifts of the same value (not necessarily monetary but quality) so that neither child feels that he or she is being cheated. Don't just get them the same thing but in different colors -- kids have their own personalities just like grown ups do.

Three to Five Years Old

These are some of the most popular things to buy for preschoolers and kindergartners.

Outdoor Toys  Playhouses  Bounce Around  Play Tents  Sandboxes  Tricycles  Battery Powered Cars	Toys  Bath Toys  Baby Grand Toy Piano  Toy Cash Register  Farm Set  Stuffed Animals  Rocking Horses  Fisher-Price Kid Tough Digital Camera	Movies  Sesame Street Elmo's Sing Along Guessing Game  The Little Mermaid  My Little Pony: The Runaway Rainbow  Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus  Bionicle 3	Educational Items  Children's Books  My First LeapPad Learning System  Superman Junior Laptop  Barbie B-Bright Laptop  Write & Learn Letter Book  Kid's Easel	Apparel  and Kids' Room Decor  Party Dress  Scarf and Hat Set  Sweater Set  Synchilla Fleece Jacket  Elmo Giggle and Shake Chair  Kids' Patio Set

For Boys

Mack Truck Bachelor Pad Playset	DC Comics Ultra Blast Batman	Power Rangers Mystic Force Cycle	Shake & Go Racers: Raceway Playset	Excellion Transformers Cybertron Deluxe

For Girls

Princess Genevieve Doll	Fisher Price Creative Activities Spark Art Easel	Littlest Pet Shop Games	Fairy Wishes Dora the Explorer	Barbie And The 12 Dancing Princesses Magical Dance Castle

Six to Nine Years Old

Outdoor and Active Fun  Giga Ball  Speed Stacks Set  14' Trampoline  Moon Shoes  Snow Bunker Junior	Educational  Faber-Castell Art Set  Smart Globe  Illustory  Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes	Toys and Games  Cranium Hullabaloo  Disney: Scene It? DVD Board Game  DJ Scratch CD Mixer with Radio  Tekno the Robotic Puppy	Movies  Harry Potter DVD Collection  Disney's Cars  Ice Age: The Meltdown  Star Wars  Bratz Diamonds	Electronics  Electronic Room Safe  Nintendo Wii Disney Princess Pix Clicks VGA  Itech MP3 CD Boombox  Tamagotchi

For Him

RC Car	Air-Powered Action Stadium	Backyard Safari: Bug Habitat	K'Nex Super Structures	Video Gaming Chair

For Her

Jewelry Box	Princess Canopy	Easy Bake Oven	Hello Kitty Portable CD Player	Amazing Allysen

Ten to Twelve Years Old

Electronics Emerson Karaoke System  Fly Pentop Computer  Nintendo DS Lite Sony Playstation Portable (PSP)	Toys and Games  Scene It  Star Wars Trivial Pursuit  Yahtzee Game  UNO Spin Card Game  Here & Now Edition Monopoly Board Game  Plug 'N Play TV Game	Educational  LEGO Mindstorms NXT  Electronic Chess  National Geographic Junior Digital Metal Detector  Blokus  Gel Ant Farm  Snap Circuits SC-300	Other Items  iPod Skin  Razor Scooter  Inline Skates

For Him

Speed Bag and Heavy Bag Set	Skateboard	Baseball Hat	Electric Guitar

For Her

Tiffany Bracelet	Telescope	Girl's Mountain Bike	Pajamas

Top Sellers

Check out these top-selling gifts for that special child in your life.

My Neighbor Totoro  If your children have seen every Disney movie ever made -- and even if they haven't, it's a great time to introduce them to the works of Hayao Miyazaki . His beautiful animation and magical, uniquely riveting fantasy storyline make this film a much-loved children's classic.	Heavenly Rainbow Bed Canopy  In my ideal alternate universe, I live on a creampuff and order my servants to hand- feed me dried cranberries. I also sleep on a feather bed under the above rainbow canopy. If your child wants to feel like a princess, this is the gift to get her. She'll have sweet dreams of lords, ladies and royal quests for holy grails (and maybe a cream puff or two).	Celestron FirstScope Telescope  Venus and Mars and Jupiter, oh my! Don't live near a planetarium? Bring the adventure to your own backyard. There is nothing more exciting than viewing galactic formations and making them your own. A great starter telescope for kids to get acquainted with the stars above.	Taboo  Taboo combines educational value with competitive fun: like Trivial Pursuit  and Monopoly, this wordplay game is great for family fun time, and stimulates an older child's love of wordplay.	Melissa & Doug Plush Giraffe  Does your young child love giraffes? Does the African Serengeti capture his imagination? Incite excitement and pleasure this Christmas when you present him with a plush baby giraffe that's life-sized.

Related Guides

Christmas Traditions Around the World	Hanukkah	Christmas Trees	Outdoor Christmas Lights	Stocking Stuffers