Finding the perfect gift is half the fun of the holidays. The other half? Watching someone open it!
We've rounded up some of our favorite gift ideas for 2026, from creative toys and building sets to hands-on experiences, family adventures, and meaningful surprises. Whether you're shopping for a kid who's hard to impress or looking for something the whole family can enjoy, you'll find plenty of inspiration here.
This guide includes paid advertising features, independently selected gift ideas, and links that may earn our partner site, CertifiKID, a commission if you make a purchase.
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Creative Kids · Family Traditions · Active Kids · Skills & Confidence · Whole Family · Free Fun · Trips & Experiences · Give Back
Creative Gifts for Kids Who Love to Build & Read
For builders, bookworms, and kids who love to make things.
Sponsored Feature
Three Awesome Builds. One Gift Under $30.
Three animal builds in one gift.
Animal lovers can build a playful red panda, then rebuild their LEGO® Creator 3-in-1 Cute Animals set into other animal adventures. It's one box with three ways to build, sparking imagination and hands-on fun long after the wrapping paper is gone. Explore LEGO® Creator 3-in-1 sets for a gift designed for creative play, problem-solving, and fresh stories every time kids rebuild.
Best for: Kids ages 8+ who love animals and building
Price: Under $30
Gifts for Young Readers
- Book Set: For the kid who always wants one more story. We love this 10-book "Who Would Win?" book series from Scholastic.
- Highlights Magazine: Just $2 for three issues, an easy little extra to tuck in with the big gift.
Personalized Holiday Extras
Staples: Put their favorite faces right on the wrapping paper. Staples' personalized gifts include custom photo wrapping paper, ornaments, mugs, and calendars, and they run holiday print deals all season. Explore Personalized Gifts →
Gifts That Become Family Traditions
For the little holiday moments your kids will remember forever.
Sponsored Feature
Santa Knows Your Child's Name in This Christmas Story!
A personalized bedtime tradition, one story at a time.
What if Santa told your child a bedtime story every night until Christmas? With Wonder Tales Hub's The Advent Story, kids open a new chapter each night from December 1–24, with Santa greeting them by name and wishing them goodnight.
Each gentle, three-minute story is designed to make bedtime magical without overstimulating little listeners. With three age-appropriate versions for kids ages 2–10, families can start anytime and revisit the stories year after year.
Best for: Families with kids ages 2–10 who love Christmas magic
Price: Door 1 is FREE; $14.99 for the full calendar (up to four children)
Free to download on iPhone, iPad, and Android. One $14.99 purchase covers up to four children.
Sponsored Feature
The Christmas Eve Keepsake They'll Never Forget
Santa's cookies deserve better than a paper plate.
There are only so many Christmas mornings when they still believe! Rustic Marlin's Dear Santa Tray gives Santa's cookies, milk, and Rudolph's carrot a spot all their own. Handcrafted from solid wood in Massachusetts, it's the kind of thing you'll pull out of the Christmas bin every December, and maybe hand down someday. Personalized versions are available, too! Rustic Marlin has even been featured three times on Oprah's Favorite Things.
Exclusive Macaroni KID Offer: Save 25% with code MAC25!
Best for: Families with little believers, new parents, and grandparents
Price: $75 | Just $56.25 with code MAC25
Offer valid through January 5, 2027. Order by December 15 for Christmas delivery. Personalized options cost extra.
Personalized Holiday Extras
- Staples: Put their favorite faces right on the wrapping paper. Staples' personalized gifts include custom photo wrapping paper, ornaments, mugs, and calendars, and they run holiday print deals all season. Explore Personalized Gifts →
Active Gifts for Kids With Big Energy
For big energy and year-round play.
Sponsored Feature
A Year of Fun & Play at Sky Zone
Save 50% with the Holiday Annual Pass and play now + all next year.
Give kids something they'll enjoy long after the holidays! With the Sky Zone Holiday Annual Pass, they'll get daily access to Sky Zone for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027, plus extra savings and perks along the way.
The pass includes discounts on food, drinks, and birthday parties, with a Parent Pass add-on available. And right now, you can save 50% on a year of play!
Best for: Active kids who love to jump, play, and burn off energy
Offer: Save 50% on the Holiday Annual Pass
A Family Night Out They'll Love
- Harlem Globetrotters: A slam-dunk family night out. Save 25% on tickets through CertifiKID with code DUNK. Get tickets →
- Paintball USA: Got a thrill-seeking teen? Give them a day of paintball! Passes are just $5.99 with code KIDS (up to a $35 value) and include admission and equipment rental at participating parks nationwide. Plus, tickets never expire! Get Paintball Passes →
Gifts That Build Skills & Confidence
For kids who love to learn, grow, and try something new.
Sponsored Feature
Swim Lessons They'll Use for Life
A gift that keeps giving after the holidays are over.
Give kids the gift of confidence in the water! Goldfish Swim School Holiday Packages turn swim lessons into a gift that develops important water safety skills and creates lasting memories.
With a welcoming, kid-friendly environment and lessons designed to make learning fun, little swimmers can feel comfortable, celebrated, and excited to reach new goals. Choose from Holiday Packages ranging from one to 12 months at participating locations.
Best for: Families who love experience gifts
Packages: One to 12 months
Package pricing and availability vary by participating location.
For Kids Who Love a Challenge
- IXL: Online practice in math, language arts, and more. Save 25% on a membership through December 31, 2026. Explore IXL →
Gifts for the Whole Family
Comforts, keepsakes, and gifts that mean something to the whole family.
Sponsored Feature
Avocado's Organic Kids Pillow Is 20% Off Through December 7
A big-kid pillow made just for little sleepers.
Ready to graduate from a toddler pillow? Avocado's Organic Kids Pillow is designed for kids ages 3+, with a full-size shape and a lower, kid-friendly height.
Made with certified organic cotton, latex, and kapok, it's certified organic throughout, not just the cover. Plus, it's sewn shut with no zipper or removable fill, giving parents one less thing to worry about at bedtime.
Best for: Kids ages 3+ ready for their first big-kid pillow
Offer: 20% off through December 7, 2026
Sponsored Feature
The Gift Grandparents Actually Want This Year
We already know this is going to be Grandma's favorite gift.
Grandparents are hard to shop for, but a photo of the grandkids works every single time. JCPenney Portraits by Lifetouch turns your family photos into personalized holiday cards, mugs, wall art, and keepsakes. Book a studio session, pick your best shots, and they'll print them on just about anything you can imagine!
And the holiday deals are good: $70 off a digital album, 89¢ cards, a free session (fee waived!), 50% off wall art and gifts, and $6.99 standard prints.
Best for: Grandparents (seriously, they might cry)
Offer: Holiday photo and gift savings through December 31, 2026
Exclusions apply. See offer details for terms and conditions.
Free Holiday Activities for Kids
A free outing that ends with something to bring home.
Sponsored Feature
Free Lowe's Kids Workshops This Winter
Free hands-on fun, plus a project kids can take home!
Give your kids the fun of building something themselves! Lowe's Kids Club workshops are FREE, with Lowe's Red Vest associates helping little builders assemble and decorate their own creations.
Coming up: A festive Holiday Trolley Car on December 12, 2026, and a cozy Winter Play Lodge on January 16, 2027. Both workshops run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in-store.
Best for: Families who love hands-on creativity and quality time together
Price: FREE
Registration opens:
- Holiday Trolley Car: November 14, 2026, at 10 a.m.
- Winter Play Lodge: December 12, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Experience Gifts & Family Trips
Give the whole family something to look forward to.
Featured Gift Idea
A Family Cruise They'll Talk About for Years
One gift. A whole vacation of memories.
What if the big surprise this year was somewhere to go? On an MSC cruise, kids get their own clubs, teens get their own space (which they'll appreciate), and there's live entertainment and food for every kind of eater.
Plus, with accommodations, meals, entertainment, and travel between destinations included in the cruise experience, there's less vacation planning for parents and more time to enjoy being together.
Best for: Families who love adventures and making memories
Gift idea: A family cruise vacation
More Family Trips to Count Down To
- Walt Disney World: For a magical trip together, give the family a vacation they can count down to all year. Start planning now →
- Dreams® Macao Beach Punta Cana: We sent 22 of our publishers to Dreams Resorts in 2026, and they loved every minute, from the pool and beach to a one-of-a-kind MasterChef Junior experience. Want your family to try it? Book Your Dreams Getaway →
- Dude Ranchers' Association: For outdoor-loving families, a dude ranch trip is the kind of vacation kids never forget. Find a ranch getaway →
Gifts That Give Back
Meaningful ways to celebrate generosity as a family.
Sponsored Feature
A Christmas Gift That Gives Back: Wycliffe's Gift Catalog
Make generosity part of your family's Christmas traditions.
Looking for a meaningful way to teach kids about giving? Wycliffe's Gift Catalog features 22 gifts that help people around the world experience God's Word in a language and format they understand.
From helping children learn about Jesus to providing Scripture resources for communities, families can choose a cause close to their hearts. Even better, two projects focused on children offer matching opportunities, helping your gift make an even greater impact!
Best for: Families who want to celebrate generosity and giving back
Price: Starts at $25
However you celebrate, we hope this list takes a few things off your plate. Grab a coffee, pick a gift or two, and enjoy the season with your crew!
