Best Gifts for Preschoolers

If you need a great gift for a preschooler in your life, you are going to appreciate this list! It is filled with fun ways to engage preschoolers while encouraging them to learn via play. From games to building kits, these are some of my favorite gift ideas for the 2019 gifting season.

Samples were provided for original photography. Affiliate links may  be used.

Challenge preschoolers with this engaging brain train. Kids will be sorting shapes and practicing their sequencing skills with this train learning tool by Smart Games. Find it from Fat Brain Toys and retailers like Walmart for about $30.

Toddlers will love adding a realistic element to dramatic play with this recycling truck by Green Toys. This is so much fun for kids and it introduces the idea of recycling as a part of daily life. The truck is super durable for curious hands. Get one online or at select retailers for about $30.

This Sizzling Smart BBQ from Leapfrog gives kids a chance to cook out anytime they want! Including 8 play foods to keep the fun sizzling, this interactive toy keeps toddlers learning colors, shapes and more. Add one to the Christmas list and cook up a smile with your favorite toddler. Retailing at $40, get it from select nationwide retailers or online.

Send your favorite preschoolers on high seas learning adventure with some engaging Vtech friends. The Treasure Seekers Pirate Ship gives toddlers a chance to develop and improve fine and gross motor skills while having an adventure fit for any thrill seeking pirate! Find it from select retailers like Target, Walmart and Amazon for under $35.

If you want to find the perfect gift for a preschooler that loves unicorns, Myla the Magical Unicorn by Vtech is the perfect option. She lights up, changes colors and sings to the delight of preschool girls. Find Myla at select retailers like Walmart, Kohl's and Buy Buy Baby for under $60.

Give your preschooler a chance to enjoy their tablet time and favorite music at a kid safe volume with Buddy Phones. These are comfortable, wireless, and ideal for the long car trips that often occur during the holidays. Starting at $50, these are a gift the entire family will appreciate and that can be used in daily life, including at school.

The PBS Kids VR Viewer makes for a fun way to make more out of time with mom or dads phone. This VR viewer holds the average smartphone to give preschoolers a virtual reality viewing experience. This retails for about $10 and can be found at Walmart.

Give kids a really friendly introduction to a classic game with Story Time Chess. With large friendly pieces, this revolutionary approach to chess makes it simple to teach kids as young as three the art of the game. Find this must get game online for $50 for fun that keeps going well past the holidays.

Send your preschooler on a learning voyage without ever leaving the house with this World Village Ireland Play Set Kids will love exploring a new culture in a hands on method with this play set. Retailing at under $60 this is a perfect option for curious kids this holiday season. Order from the Whole Wide World website.

Give curious kids a chance to explore the whole wide world with this Happy World interactive map. It gives kids a chance to dive into geography with a map they can write on or stick some reusable stickers on. Buy it online at the Whole Wide World website for under $20 this holiday season for a learning experience that they will keep coming back to.

Give kids who love to build a chance to imagine and design their own creations with Brackitz.
This is a building kit for kids that combines math, science and hands on fun to create a recipe for fun that kids 3 and up won't be able to get enough of. This is my favorite STEM option for preschoolers this year. Order it online from the Brackitz site for about  $60. Come back to visit again once our holiday giveaways kick off for your chance to win one.

Find all of my gift guides here.

Squishy Eye Sensory Bag

Squishy, silly, sensory play with a spooky feel just in time for Halloween!

We love sensory play! Bins, bag and sensory activities are always a hit with my kids!

I made this easy but oh so fun  spooky eyes sensory bag for Harper. It is perfect for Halloween and can be used in several ways. 

This bag makes a great stress reliever for little hands. Kids feel stress too, and squishing this bag helps them to relieve some of it. But, this spooky eye sensory bag is also a fun way to practice sorting skills.

This post contains affiliate links.

Supplies:
Hair gel
Zipper seal bag
Googly Eyes

Squeeze about 1/4 cup of hair gel into a zipper seal bag.

Add googly eyes.

Seal the bag.

If your child has a tendency to use rough hands or is a toddler, you might want to reinforce the sides of the bag with duct tape.

Invite your child to squish, squeeze and sort the spooky eyes sensory bag!

You might also like these  sensory activities.
Unicorn Fine Motor Play is a whimsical way to engage the senses.

Feather Beading Fine Motor Activity

Feather beading is a fun fine motor activity that kids will love. It is perfect busy work and offers an outlet for creative expression with essential skills. Best of all, the supplies to create this activity are affordable and easy to find.

The kids have been out of school for a long time, at least 4 months already. I have been pulling out all of the stops to keep mine entertained and ready for when they are back in a classroom. This easy fine motor feather beading activity has been a big hit with both kids. They love to make patterns and have something to tinker with.  It is ideal for preschoolers and kindergartners.

Supplies:

Craft Feathers

Pony Beads

Directions:

Give your child a few feathers and a pile of beads.

Encourage your child to thread the beads onto the feathers.

To make things more of a challenge, encourage your child to make a pattern with the beads.

If you are offering this activity to younger kids, observe them carefully as beads can pose a choking hazard.

If you are giving this activity to older kids, challenge them to make more complex patterns, with a reminder to keep beads out of the ears, nose and mouth. No matter what age you complete this with, it is a great boredom buster with some educational perks.

                                             You can find all of my fine motor activities here.

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Fine Motor Counting

Unicorn Fine Motor Bin

Fine Motor Counting Activity

This easy activity is perfect for practicing early math while developing fine motor skills.

Before I was a mom, I was a developmental psychology major. In my studies, I was intrigued by sensory and fine motor development then. Now that I am a mom, I love setting up activities for my own kids that give them hands on fun and learning opportunities without spending a ton of money to do it.

This fine motor counting activity is perfect for preschoolers.They can work on their fine motor skills while practicing counting. You might have all the materials at home to do this, making it fuss free and frugal. If not, I have included some affiliate links you can use to get your supplies.

Supplies:
Rainbow Bands
Large Craft Sticks
Sharpies

Directions:
Write numbers on large craft sticks with sharpies.
Use the largest craft sticks you can find to make the activity challenging.
Offer your child small rubber bands, like the rainbow loom style of bands and encourage your child to count the number of bands that need to go on each craft stick and slide that number of bands on to each craft stick.

If you are looking for more fine motor activities for kids, check out these posts:
Unicorn Fine Motor Bin
Play Doh Pre Writing

20+ Funko Pop Figures for Collectors

Funko Pop figures are so much fun! I love to see all of the awesome renditions of famous people and characters that they come up with!

Last month a friend of mine had 2 custom made for his engagement and I am in awe of how cute they turned out! Ever since I saw them, I have been obsessed with them! While checking them out on amazon I rounded up 20 of my favorites to share with you. If you to love them, or are shopping for a gift for a collector, you are going to get a kick out of this list!

 I am a participant in the amazon affiliate program. Making a purchase gives me a small commission at no cost to you.

Deadpool- Bob Ross Funko Pop
Buddy from Elf
Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation
The Dragon from Game of Thrones
Marvel Venom
Gizmo from Gremlins
Pickle Rick from Rick and Morty
Slash from Guns n Roses
Rainbow Brite and Twink
The Grinch
Ed Sheeran 
Dumbledore
James Bond
Flying Rocket
Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation
Steve with Sunglasses from Stranger Things
Krampus 
Sub Zero from Mortal Kombat
Jon Snow from Game of Thrones
Skeletor in Battle Armor from Masters of the Universe

Cousin Eddie is my favorite! How fun is that? I can't wait to hear about your favorite from this list, or a special Funko Pop in your collection!

I have so many fun shopping guides on site! You might want to check out a few others like:

15+ Unicorn Gifts for TeensStar Wars Gift Ideas

Ways to Keep Tweens and Teens Entertained This Winter

 Winter is the time to introduce tweens and teens to new, screen free activities. If you are looking for inspiration for busting boredom while teaching new skills to older kids, you are going to love these ideas.  From knitting to financial know how, this collection has something for a variety of interests.

Making a quilt is a great project because it teaches useful sewing skills and produces a good blanket to keep them warm once they're done. Try getting some simple quilt patterns from here and see what kind of project your teen will produce from there on out.

Keep a teens hands busy while creating a useful item with knitting kits. Make a scarf with the included pattern and knitting tools. These are so much fun for kids of all ages and they will love wearing their creation all winter long! 

Give kids the chance to have fun while developing financial literacy. This game is perfect for a variety of ages and will help pass the time on a snow day. Cash Flow for Kids is from the Rich Dad line of goods, and packs a lot of fun into a compact package.

Y'art Kits are the perfect crafty escape for a winter day. These are easy to create works of art with yarn. Harper and I loved this unicorn kit from Play Monster and it only costs about $11. We are going to order the Pug Y'art Kit too because it is so cute!

Knitting is the thing to do this winter, and this Hat Not Hate Loom Kit is the perfect way to get started. This makes it so easy to make a toasty hat for yourself and to share. Buy more yarn and keep creating hats, which are so much more fun to share than hate. Order for $25.

In the 1980's my cousin was really into Latch Hooking Rugs. I was always a little jealous of her creations and wished my parents would buy latch hook kits for me. 40 years later, my daughter has been latch hooking some impressive works that would have my cousin jealous! Order these for about $15 from Play Monster for a fun crafting session that will have your girls hooked.

Yamaha offers an assortment of high quality musical instruments that are perfect for all ages, including teens and tweens. Something like the Alto Venova makes for a perfect pastime. The instrument produces the mellow sounds of the sax, in a portable and fun to play package. Tweens and teens will love picking up a new skill this winter like playing a unique instrument. 

If you are looking for more ways to craft with tweens and teens check out these ideas.

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Dragonfly Bookmarks

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Cupcake Coloring Page

Grab this free cupcake coloring page for a sweet coloring activity for the kids!

Cupcake Coloring Page

Since my kids have been home for remote school for *almost* a full year now, I have become an expert on how to keep them entertained, and what to do to give them a break from each other. When tensions run high, I like to offer them a coloring page or two. It gives them a chance for quiet reflection, and an outlet for creativity. I love to create coloring pages to meet the need or suit the season. This cupcake coloring page was designed on a day when Harp needed a little sugar to combat her salty attitude.

Print as many as you like, share with a friend, or send to school with your little ones to spread a little sweetness for Valentine's Day. These are also nice for sending along with a birthday treat. Make sure to pin this free coloring page for later!

If you are looking for more free print-able coloring sheets, I have a bunch for you!

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C is for Cat

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6 Yummy Cookie Recipes

I am watching what I eat so all I can think about is... cookies!  While this is semi-torturous for me, it is good for you. My sudden obsession  interest in cookies inspired me to check out some of the great links submitted to the Tell Me About It Tuesday linky party hosted right here on Sweet Silly Sara and compile a small roundup of mouth watering temptation- cookie style.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Bars from Bakewell Junction have me tempted to bake now and use the elliptical for an extra hour tomorrow.

A while ago I made something yummy and easy that I have been dreaming about...Donut Balls.

Bitz and Giggles made these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites just to make me drool. I am sure of it.

Homemade Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies... hmmm almonds have protein... so that makes these health food right?

This Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe from A Few Shortcuts is dairy and gluten free.

Unicorn Poop Cookies? If the name didn't draw you in, maybe the knowledge that this recipe comes from the coolest blog ever {Kids Activities Blog} will.

When you are dieting, what do you crave? I can't wait to hear from you. If you are one of those lucky people that never diet, tell me your secret ;)