Holiday Gift Guide 2016: 11 Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Kids This Year

Holiday Gift Guide 2016: The Best Toys for Your Kids This Year - This Parenting Thing

Make sure to read our Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for a list of the best Christmas gift ideas to amaze your kids that also fit your criteria, like your budget!

You’re looking for Christmas gifts that fit all of your criteria: novelty, your kids’ taste, your budget, and your values?

We have been gifted with and tested many products that came out this year and may very well fit those important criteria.

Some are thrilling because of their novelty, some can be afforded on a small budget or a good fit for minimalist needs, one is even “zero waste”.

And we also have a nice giveaway when you get to the end of our Holiday Gift Guide (it’s a really nice one, not telling!)

Let’s dive in, shall we?

 

Our Holiday Gift Guide 2016

1. Diono Travel Dreamliner Bassinet

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for Kids - Diono Dreamliner Bassinet- This Parenting Thing

If you have a newborn, this Diono portable bassinet could be a great choice this Holiday season. You can use it at home and on the go, to have a safe place for him to sleep while you’re visiting family.

My newborn is mostly in arms and he cosleeps in my bed, but the bassinet is a nice option when I have to be alone, as taking a shower. It comes with a carry bag for easy transport and it pops open easily with one hand – tested. It features a padded mattress, an adjustable hood and an insect net.

Available at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca

Price: Starting at $47.99

2. Baby K’tan Babycarrier

holiday gift list kids baby k'tan babycarrier

The Baby K’tan babycarrier has been around for a long time, however I tested it this year. And I’m in love with it! (Click here to read the whole Baby K’tan review).

I love to wear my two littles ones, a toddler and a newborn, with it as it’s really easy to put on, no adjustments because it is to our size, newborns are well nested and we can wear older babies on the hip as recommended. I’m very pleased with it for a fulltime babywearing.

Available at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Caribou Distribution, Baby K’tan

Price: Starting at $35.99

3. Hot Wheels Darth Vader Remote Control Car

holiday gift list kids hot wheels remote control car vehicle

This Darth Vader car is a great RC vehicle that has glowing lights and… Darth Vader sounds! Fun for little kids and big kids parents.

Even my toddler had fun with it.

Available at: Amazon.caToys’R’Us Canada

Price: Starting at $29.97

4. Diono Travel Pal

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 - Diono Travel Pal for Kids - This Parenting Thing

Familiar with toys all over the car too? This could be a great stuffing gift to organize toys received or to organize baby items better. The product is waterproof, a great option when your kid needs his bottle in the car. It fits between two child car seats and it has enough space to hold everything for both children.

Available at: Amazon.com (discount for Prime members as I’m writing this), Amazon.ca

Price: Starting at $10.09

5. Watchitude Watch

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 - Watchitude for Kids - This Parenting Thing

Have a child passionate about time, or your own watch? My older son is obsessed with machines and clocks are all over our house as well as in his games. He’ll be all over the moon when he’ll receive this beautiful and affordable watch.

There is one to your child’s taste for sure with over 100 choices offered. The slap-on watch is high-quality, durable, water-resistant and made of non-toxic material.

Available at: Amazon.com

Price: $21.99

6. Go! Go! Smart Friends Enchanted Princess Palace, and Go! Go! Smart Wheels Treasure Mountain Train Adventure

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 VTech Go! Go! Smart Friends Enchanted Princess Palace for Kids - This Parenting Thing

If you’re looking for a toy to WOW your toddler, new playsets by VTech could very be it.

The Princess Palace is over 4 feet large, featuring interesting activities for whoever is into playing with cute princesses. Animated (with parents in mind as we can control sound levels), you can place the princess on 5 magic points for an interactive experience. The playset can also be completed with other characters, such as princesses that chat together and a beautiful unicorn.

I have not tested it, but the Mountain Train Adventure seems interesting as well for transport-oriented little ones. It features a nice ride through a city with many games on the side, as well as fun phrases and 3 sing-along songs.

It won a PAL Award this year.

Available at: Toys ‘R’Us (US), Toys’R’Us (Canada), Amazon.com (discount for Prime members), and Mastermind Toys (additional locations for the train adventure: Walmart, Canadian Tire and Loblaw)

Price: $69.99

7. The Moon Inside, by Sandra V.Feder and Aimée Sicuro

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 Book The Moon Inside for Kids - This Parenting Thing

This beautifully illustrated book gives children a new, positive way of looking at night time.

Author Sandra V. Feder, a mother of 3, observed that when her children were outside as the darkness fell they were less afraid, so she offers observation of nature at night in the book.

My little girl was entranced by the drawings. A must-read!

Available at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca

Price: $17.23

8. Ipad Mini 4

holiday gift list kids ipad mini 4 otterbox case

Tired of buying toys that don’t get played with? This one will be definitely played with and can grow with your kid. We started with an Ipod and a Fisher Price case, great for toddlers. But the Ipad Mini 4 can be used for many years and his size is more appropriate for fun and educative games. We use it for homeschooling too.

A family favorite, I paired it with a great Otterbox case for adequate protection. We bought the Ipad Mini 4 refurbished on the Apple website and they come with a 1-year guarantee.

Available at: Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Apple Canada, Apple US

Price: Starting at $369.99

9. SwapTale: Leon App

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for Kids - This Parenting Thing

Are you away from your child during the holidays, a zero-waste fan, or looking for a technological gift?
SwapTale: Leon is an educative app to practice reading skills, geared toward 9 to 11-year-olds. You choose among 5 languages and change the story as you go along reading, coloring, and solving clues. My children played it cooperatively.

This iOs ans Android app could be offered with an iTunes gift card, easily bought on the iTunes store, and it can be emailed to the person of your choice.

Available at: iTunes Store

Price: $4.99

10. Cosmic and Eternal Love: An Everlasting Love Story Coloring book and CD

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for Kids - This Parenting Thing

I discovered adult coloring books this year, and this is an interesting book with 96 illustrations that I’ m saving for me and my girl to draw together when she’s older.

This product comes with songs to be inspired while drawing, sung by Amrita Sen.

Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Dillard’s

Price: $19.99

 

11. Y Flyer

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for Kids - This Parenting Thing

This new kind of scooter is going to amaze your whole neighborhood, and your child will likely have the time of his life riding it. The scooter self-propelling action is made when children step on the pedals in an upward and downward motion.

The Y Flyer is a great way to have fun and exercise regularly. It is recommended for children ages seven and up, with a maximum weight of 150 pounds. Can be easily folded for easy storage.

It won a Scholastic Gold Star Award for best toys of 2016.

Available at: Toys’R’Us (US) (On sale at $127.99 at the time of writing the Holiday Gift Guide), Toys’R’Us (Canada)

Price: $199.99 

 

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 – Y Flyer Giveaway

Holiday Gift Guide 2016 for Kids - This Parenting Thing

Yvolution generously offers you a chance to win a Y Flyer!*
a Rafflecopter giveaway

* For Canadian residents only. Make sure to use your best email as the winner will have 48 hours to claim his prize. 

Good luck, and have wonderful holidays!

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Related Resources

Cosleeping safely with baby

Why you should wear your baby

Baby K’tan Babycarrier review

Disclosure: I have received review products for the Holiday Gift Guide and some links are affiliated to help support the website. However, the opinions are my own, and I only recommend products that I use and love ❤️ 

Marie-Eve Boudreault