Holiday Gift Guide 2017

{Scroll to the bottom for a big SALE items that you have been asking me about… AND some fun blog shares!}

So I mentioned not wanting to buy a lot of toys this Christmas. Howeverrrrr, call me a softie,  but I still want Christmas morning to be exciting for the girls, with presents to open. (Fine- I’m a glutton for punishment…and for spoiling my kids on holidays!)

With that being said,we are making an effort to GIVE more this year and I’m also trying very hard to suppress my shopaholic tendencies and buy the kids items for Christmas that:

A. They actually need

B. They will actually get good use out of.

You know what that means? Less of those giant space sucking toys that light up and cry and sing and pee and bark and god only knows what else, that the kids play with for approx three seconds and then get buried in the abyss of “toys never played with”. Yeah, those. I will probably cave and get them each one thing that they really WANT (that I cringe over) but that will not be the majority of the toys under the tree, like in years past. I cleaned out out the playroom pretty seriously recently and only left the girls with 5 “toy” categories:

  1. Blocks/Legos
  2. Barbies
  3. Dolls/Doll accessories
  4. Kitchen Set
  5. Dress Up/Pretend

These are the things they play with the most, so I basically got rid of everything else. I guess I don’t include books, games, or art in those categories, but I’ve made a drastic change in the items we buy for THOSE categories as well. Only classics games are allowed…no more “Trolls Chutes and Ladders” or “Princess Candy Land”. Nope, it’s classics or bust. I make exceptions for card games and other newer QUALITY games I come across (most are educational).

Quality is our theme this year; items that will be cherished, will last, and items that already have a need and/or a place they can fit into in our house. There is no space left to create “new homes” for more STUFF!

So, here you go…some of the quality items I’ll be getting the kids this Christmas!

(Note: These are ideas and wish lists. The kids will not be getting ALL of this stuff!)

big gifts
I like doing one big themed gift for the girls this year. This year its a new bike for Cub and some gymnastics equipment for Q. They are both going to be so surprised and excited!

1.Public Bike | 2. Rainbow Streamers (I got this cuuuute idea from my friend Lee’s Gift Giving Guide. Her site Do Say Give has SUCH great ideas. Definitely check it out!)| 3. Bike Bell | 4. Helmet |5. Basket | 6. Handstand Practice Mat (goes on the back of the door and then folds out to be a cartwheel mat as well! | 7. Gymnastics Mat | 8. New Leo from Remie Girl | 9. Balance Beam (in case you are wondering, gymnastics equipment will live in the walk-in attic that opens directly from the playroom…perfect placement and storage option!)

cooperative play
I like any toys that encourage DOING, especially the DOING of something TOGETHER. These are great items that will encourage your kids (and you!) to spend time together learning and playing!

1.Julia Child Book (to go with the cooking equipment theme) | 2. Family Scavenger Hunt (how fun?!) | 3.Cooking Kit (my girls LOVE helping in the kitchen!) | 4. Children’s Cook Book | 5. Moulin Roty – Another sweet cooking kit option | 6. Kid’s apron | 7. All Natural Spa Day (how fun to save for a sleepover?) | 8. Time Capsule (I’m excited for this one!) | 9. School Time |10. Fort Building Kit

educational
It’s no surprise that as a former teacher, educational gifts rank high on my list. These are a few I love!

1.Rhyming Sound Sort (I did an IG story on this game, once!)| 2. Me: A Compendium (like an “all about me/baby” book but for older kids!) | 3. City Atlas (a gorgeous giant book- thought it’s be fun to have for all our travels!) |3. (The second number three, since I put it up there twice and was too lazy to fix it -haha!) The First Big Book of Why | 4. And Then, Story Starter Cards | 5. Allowance Game (like Monopoly for littles!) | 6. Domino Set (Q learned to play this summer with her Aunt Britt-Britt so I told Britt these would be a great idea to get for her! | 7. Smarty Blocks (looks like such a fun game that both girls can play!)

quality toys
Actual “Toys” that the girls want and that I don’t hate!

1.Spirit horse and girl figurines (Did you watch the movie Spirit? They now have a show on Netflix and the girls LOVE it!) | 2. Melissa and Doug Horse Mat | 3. Hearth and Hand Dollhouse (I thought Cub would love this in her room since Q has a little Pottery Barn one in hers.) | 4. Q is obsessed with her American Girl Bitty Baby, named Autumn so she wants some cute AG Accessories and | 5. I found an Etsy shop that makes the cutest handmade doll clothes! | 6. Pottery Barn Lock Box (they are obsessed with “hiding and storing their treasures” lately. And, it’s personalized! | 7. Little Cosmetics (fake makeup!) | 8. Rainbow pillow (bc, rainbows!)| 9. New craft box (we get a new one every year- they use it every day!) | 10. New clothes for Cub’s Hazel Village doll | 11. Wooden Wagon Dollhouse (we keep our collection of wooden blocks/toys in a basket downstairs so I thought this would be an adorable addition. This one is sold out, but I linked a similar one! | 12. Some furniture and dollhouse people

electronics
We are always looking for great quality toys for travel/restaurants

1.Roll up piano (obviously not for restaurants but cool for the girls to bring to their rooms/playrooms when they “perform shows”, etc.) | 2. Tiggly (a great educational game/app for Cubby’s ipad | 3. Build a Cupcake magnet game | 4. Joke Books |5. Pink Etch-a-sketch | 6. Lego on-the-go case | 7. Osmo (a great educational game/app for Q’s ipad!)

Babytoys
Some things for Baby Max this year!

1.wooden cars | 2. Gathre Car Mat | 3. Shape Puzzle | 4. Tool Work Bench (I know Max is too young for this but I HAD to get it from the Hearth & Hand Collection before it was gone…and I’m sure the girls will play with it in the meantime!) | 5. Skiphop Play house book | 6.Cactus rattle | 7. June and January pom beanie hat

 

stocking stuffers
Some fun ideas for the girls stockings

1.iRig microphone | 2. Rainbow Maker | 3. Magnetic Slime | 4. Kid friendly nail polish | 5. Whatchamadrawit card game | 6. Flashlight projector | 7. Rubix Cube

 

Other
Some other ideas that we aren’t getting this year but thought these were great gifts!

1.Push car | 2. Magnetic alphabet practice | 3. Slime Making Kit | 4. Solve the Mystery Books | 5. Rainbow Blocks | 6. Cutest little poodle plush | 7. Crayon “Rocks” | 8. Science Myths Kit | 9. Instrument Set | 10. Wooden Marble Run

 

 

 

AND A FEW FUN EXTRAS:

 

Jump Rope Rhymes Book | Double Dutch Jump Rope

 

cam
My girls LOVE these!

polaroid camera

 

art
nothing better than new crayons!

Art Set

blanket
all three of my kids have one! Coziest ever!

personalized blanket from Highway3

 

ramp-racer-c
So adorable…and I love the wood!

Car and Ramp Set

walker
for when Max learns to walk (waaah!)

cutest walker from Hape

doll-carrying-backpack-c
Because Q’s “Baby Autumn” must come with us everywhere!

Doll Carrying Backpack

abigail-jewelry-box-collection-gray-o
Q loves hers and I think it’s time Cub gets her own! We personalize the lid with the girls’ names!

jewelry box

 

NEW Additions to the Gift Guide and on SUPER SALE!!!

 

SB2
Bought these for the girls’ “tent sleepovers” in the playroom! BONUS: they are originally $189 and are on a ONE day sale today 11/28/17 for $89!!!!

White Fur Sleeping Bag

tent
Super Similar to our “out of stock” tent from Land of Nod. This one is from Anthro and I might like it better than our own!! (unfortunately, not on sale…)

 

Tent

 

playhouse
from my playroom tour, we used this over the closet/playhouse door! 20% OFF Sale!  PROMO CODE: SAVE 20 (today only 11/28/17)

Land of Nod Play House Door

 

treehouse-play-set
From our piano room. Cub loves this and I can’t wait to pass it on to Max! 20% OFF Sale!  PROMO CODE: SAVE 20 (today only 11/28/17)

Tree House Set

 

the-smore-the-merrier-campfire-set
From our playroom tour: we have this in our “Christmas tent”!  20% OFF Sale!  PROMO CODE: SAVE 20 (today only 11/28/17)

Plush Camp Fire

 

Spreading the LOVE:

Since my gift guide is mainly for my own kids, and therefore isn’t all-encompassing, I’m sharing a few other Mama Blogger’s Guides with you! For some more Christmas Gift Guides, check out these fabulous ladies linked below! There are six of us and between us all, we have a total of 13 kids, ages 3 months to 7 years… so I’m sure there’s something for everyone!

Check them out:

Hello Tiny Love |Steph Pollock |The Love Designed Life |

Occasionally Perfect Style |Cultivate Motherhood

 

 

LoveJordan

3 thoughts on “Holiday Gift Guide 2017

  1. Such great selections! We try to buy only what we hope would be used and played with but the toys still takeover every room in the house. It’s hard not to spoil them. Happy shopping and good luck!

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