Hello!

I can’t BE-LIEVE how long it’s been since I’ve pressed publish on a post here (seriously, if you don’t already follow me on Instagram, and you give even the slightest bit of flip about keeping up with M is for Mama, head over there…it’s my “blog” at the moment).

And honestly, I briefly considered letting this year slide without doing an Amazon gift guide (in case you missed it or need a refresher, you can see last year’s here). But I’ve already been asked multiple times if I’m doing it this year, and, once I got going, I was finding all kinds of cool stuff to share. So! Here I am.

And here you are!

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If you buy even one thing from this list for any child in your life, make it this one:

Every single one of my children (including Shiloh, even though he’s not actually allowed to play with them) LOVE these. They all make elaborate creations with them and have even been known to sport silly brain flake crowns. And when their friends come over? Yep. They love them too!

Oh, and here’s a version with a lot more pieces.

Another favorite around here are these magnetic shapes, which are a much cheaper alternative to name-brand Magnatiles.

These wooden magnetic shapes are a lot of fun too.

Basically, one week earlier this fall, when Theo and Honor were, shall we say, demonstrating their need for distraction during homeschooling hours, I hopped on Amazon and started ordering sensory + stem toys (hence the tiles and brain flakes above).

My brief binge of all things little boy distracting was rounded out by a bit of kinetic sand.

Yes, it’s messy, but I dump it in large plastic bins and let the kids more or less go to town, and it keeps them happy for quite a while. And you know what they say: when the 2-year-old’s happy, Mama’s happy. Or…something like that.

The next several items all fall into the “wood toys that look way prettier than their loud plastic counterparts” category, but that’s a rather unwieldy title, so let’s skip the categorization and head straight to the toys.

I can see Honor playing with this for a good long while.

And Shiloh’s a fan of these:

And this:

And I’m genuinely considering these for Honor who has a typical little boy’s obsession with all things that go vroom.

I don’t think he’d complain too much about this cute wooden bus situation either.

This stick horse is another little boy-pleaser. We’ve had several versions of these over the years, and while I can vouch for the fact that the sound effects don’t last long (and the batteries can’t be changed), I can also vouch for the fact that that will be juuuuuuust fine with  all the mamas.

This brightly colored stacking rainbow is a fraction of the cost of the name-brand version. It may not be “heirloom” quality, but I can vouch for the fun pop of color plus open-ended play it provides.

Theo and Honor (well, basically all my kids) are obsessed with cyrstals, and Theo took a particular shine to the concept of having one on a keychain like this one when he saw one while we were out and about the other day.

I have it one good authority from a real-life friend + quite a few good reviews that these mini-robots that will repeat anything you say in tiny robot voice are super-cute and entertaining for pretty much all ages (including mamas!).

For the babies in your life…

These adorable neckerchief bibs are such a fun alternative to conventional versions.

And I have this exact set of muslin blanket and can attest to their extreme softness after a few washes. I use them for nursing covers, and all of my babies have preferred them as their sleeping blankets. They make a fantastic gift!

Another fun baby item are these fringed Minnetonka moccasins.

And for the little girls in your life…I had these on my list last year, but this year’s patterns might be even cuter!

Oh! And these velvet bows are adorable and affordable. I just got some for my girls for family pictures, and they are great quality!

Speaking of velvet, this super-plush stuffed peacock comes in multiple sizes and color schemes and has an Anthropologiesque vibe.

Oh, and to keep the girl gifts coming, these nail art pens have surprisingly good reviews (although it sounds like it’s best for ages 10 and up or with close adult supervision).

Another fun one for girl tweens are these washable “hair markers.”

I don’t know if your kids are anything like mine, but I’m guessing a love of carrying things is pretty universal because all 7 of mine who can express such a preference have been allll about that “pack-pack” life. Skip Hop makes a version for little kids with cute animals/shapes and great reviews!

Speaking of carrying things…I kind of want one of these adorable crossbody bags in my size.

My kids looooooove craft supplies, which means they would be ecstatic to get this Crayola craft kit.

Kids (at least mine) aren’t the best at putting things back perfectly in those awesome craft cases they come in, which makes this cute little art caddy a nice companion to all of those shiny new art supplies.

Another favorite around here: Bananagrams! Even the twins (who are seven) play, so it makes for a great family activity.

You might have noticed a particular demographic that I’ve neglected on this list and that is the tween boy (I’m not even trying very hard to hit the teen+ demographic here). I happen to have a couple of those, and, while I know every kid is different (Ezra and Simon are polar opposites in some ways), both of my boys would love to get a pair of these (extremely well-reviewed!) binoculars. (Of course, so would my 4-year-old).

These cute backpacks are on the pricey side but are known for their style + durability and might make for an ideal gift from a grandparent.

They would also really dig these fingerless camo gloves as rad accessories for their chilly, epic Airsoft battles.

I could keep going, but I’ll leave it right here. I sincerely hope this helps you knock out a couple of gifts for some kiddos on your list. I’ll be back very soon with my Under $20 for Women post.

Disclosure: when you shop from my gift guides, I receive a small percentage your Amazon purchases–at no extra cost to you. Win-win!

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