Gift-giving can be challenging, especially when you’re gift-shopping for kids — the harshest of critics.
Whether you’re shopping for your little one’s first birthday or your niece, who has just entered those infamous tween years, a bit of gifting inspiration never goes astray.
In this guide, we’ll unpack our top gift ideas for boys and girls ages 1 to 12. From plush toys and puzzles to gaming consoles and scooters, there’s something for every little one in your life.
GIRLS | BOYS
Gifts for Boys
Gifts for 1 Year Old Boys
1 is an exciting age (for the little ones, their parents, and their loved ones alike!). By age 1, little boys are starting to make their way around on their own two feet, so it’s no surprise that their curiosity piques.
Experts agree that for 1 year old boys, open-ended toys make the best gifts. These are the kinds of toys that let 1 year olds decide what they want to do instead of following step-by-step instructions.
Think play kitchens, activity tables, and interactive books.
Gifts for 2 Year Old Boys
At age 2, little boys are well and truly filled with energy, fearlessness, and curiosity.
So, what gifts will encourage their independence?
Toy cars, figurines, trikes and stacking blocks are winners!
Gifts for 3 Year Old Boys
When he turns 3, he’s on his way out of toddlerhood! He’ll soon begin imagining his own universes and characters. This is the age where creative and interactive toys make a real impact.
Look to activity tables, dress-ups and legos to get his imagination going.
Gifts for 4 Year Old Boys
As he prepares to graduate from kindergarten, he’ll love toys that challenge his motor skills and cognitive abilities.
Great gifts for 4 year old boys include puzzles, construction toys and dominoes.
Gifts for 5 Year Old Boys
Once your 5-year-old boy starts prep, he can expect to enjoy a whole new world of learning and play. The best gifts for 5-year-old boys are ones that help develop their balance, coordination, play skills and cognition.
Sports equipment, arts and crafts and role-play items are great options.
Gifts for 6 Year Old Boys
The best gifts for 6-year-old boys are those that keep them active, focused, and engaged with others.
Scooters, motorised toys, board games and toys inspired by their favourite movie characters will be adored!
Gifts for 7 Year Old Boys
At age 7, he’ll be able to tell you about all of his favourite things, which can inspire your gift shopping.
Is he into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), sports, arts and crafts, dance or theatre?
Gifts like at-home science kits, portable musical instruments and sports equipment are excellent choices for a 7 year old.
Gifts for 8 Year Old Boys
8 is an in-between age, where young boys will still be interested in playing with toys, but they’ll be looking for more advanced versions that teach them a new skill or challenge them in some way.
Mind puzzles, buildable toys, beginner cookbooks and educational books are great gifts for 8 year old boys.
From kids’ toys, and play-proof clothing to boardgames, plushies and more, here is your fail-proof guide to The Best Kids’ Outdoor Toys to Inspire Screen-Free Play.
Gifts for 9 Year Old Boys
When it comes to gifts for 9 year old boys, look to STEM toys, tech-focused gifts and elaborate project-based toys.
Challenging board games and electronics are also great options, as are paintbrushes and canvases, which give them the freedom to create something new.
Gifts for 10 Year Old Boys
He’s 10 years old and officially a pre-teen.
Fun and interactive gifts for 10 year old boys include buildable models, notebooks and pen sets, smartwatches and solving puzzles.
If you’re going down the tech route, stick with tech specifically designed for kids.
Gifts for 11 Year Old Boys
Models, gadgets, brain-teasers, books and games.
When you’re gift-shopping for an 11 year old boy, these are the categories to target.
Consider book sets they can devour on the next family holiday or brain-teasers they can tackle with their friends.
Gifts for 12 Year Old Boys
At 12, they’re on the cusp of high school. They’re growing up, so it’s only fitting that their gifts are a bit more sophisticated.
Look to tech gifts like headphones, speakers and game consoles. Consider stationery they can take to school, or a cool new lamp they can put in their room.
Gifts for Girls
Gifts for 1 Year Old Girls
At 1 year old, girls are starting to explore the world beyond the playmat (and we all know how quickly those little legs can move!).
Encourage her curiosity with engaging gifts, like activity walkers, plushies, dolls and stackable blocks.
Gifts for 2 Year Old Girls
The best gifts for 2 year old gifts will help them hone their burgeoning fine motor skills. Toys that allow stacking, fitting, twisting and moving are a great place to start.
Think counting piggy banks, play cash registers and dressable figurines.
Gifts for 3 Year Old Girls
At 3 years old, she’ll be enjoying imaginative play and sharing.
Look to dress-ups, play sets (kitchens, shops and tool kits) to make playtime all the more fun!
Gifts for 4 Year Old Girls
When shopping for gifts for a 4 year old girl, opt for toys that help her hone those newly-acquired skills.
Challenging puzzles, beginner board games, construction kits, and dress-ups are great options.
Gifts for 5 Year Old Girls
At 5, she’ll be heading to school. With school comes a range of new learning experiences, so she’ll be ready to put her new knowledge to the test at home.
The best gifts for 5 year old girls will challenge their cognitive development, encourage creativity and imagination, and teach coordination.
Consider puzzles, books, paint sets and Legos.
Gifts for 6 Year Old Girls
When it comes to gifts for 6 year old girls, think ‘creativity’. The best gifts will help her explore her imagination freely.
Arts and crafts, science experiments, buildable models, and portable musical instruments are just a few ideas.
Gifts for 7 Year Old Girls
By age 7, many girls have identified several passions or interests; let these guide your gift choices.
Sports equipment (like totem tennis or a soccer ball) are great options if she loves staying active. Or, if she’s always imagining her own worlds and coming up with stories, consider a book set.
Board games, play makeup kits and remote-controlled toys are also wonderful gift ideas.
Gifts for 8 Year Old Girls
When gift-shopping for an 8 year old girl, opt for games and activities she might enjoy with friends or siblings.
DIY craft or beauty kits, beginners cookbooks and personalised items (clothing, jewellery and decor) are guaranteed to impress even the toughest critic.
Gifts for 9 Year Old Girls
As she moves through her 9th year, she’ll be hoping for slightly more sophisticated gifts (and will likely shy away from anything labelled ‘toy’).
Gift ideas include solvable puzzles, a scooter, a duffle bag (perfect for sleepovers), kid-specific tech gadgets and DIY baking kits.
Gifts for 10 Year Old Girls
At 10, she’ll likely be focused on graduating from ‘kid’ to ‘tween’. The good news is that there are all kinds of gifts to help her do just that.
Clothing, hair accessories, fiction books, outdoor games (think table tennis and giant jenga) and challenging board games are great choices.
Gifts for 11 Year Old Girls
By 11, she’ll know the importance of treasuring and taking care of her things, so you can afford to go for more permanent gifts.
Jewellery, decor for her room, a backpack or sports shoes are wonderful gifts for an 11 year old girl.
Gifts for 12 Year Old Girls
She’s on the cusp of teenhood, so gifts tend to feel a bit more challenging.
Opt for something she’ll use every day, like a stationery kit, or an extra-special gift, like a gaming console, a pair of headphones or a speaker.
The Kids Gifting Guide | Find Something They’ll Treasure
With a few gift ideas on your list, it’s time to start shopping.
Browse our kids gifts collection for our full range of kids toys and other presents.
For personal gifting advice, get in touch with our expert team.