Top Picks for Gifts for Boys

It is time to start checking your list and shopping for the special boys in your life! I have gathered some of my favorite picks for this year and I can't wait to share them with you! These are some of the hottest toys of the season with educational benefits, that are perfect for boys!

This guide contains both affiliate links and partner links in exchange for inclusion in my gift guide.



An adventurous boy is going to love opening this action packed gift option.There are so many things I love about this particular model. The color choices are fantastic. We loved the purple, which is super stylish and works well for boys and girls. With speeds up to 7.4 miles per hour, the Hoverfly Plus glides smoothly for up to 12 miles on a single charge. Complete with all of the bells and whistles you could want, including a built in bluetooth speaker and  zero radius turning capabilities, the Hoverfly will send your boys into orbit for under $200. 

This is a great model for a beginner, it makes learning to operate a hoverboard a breeze, which was perfect for my beginner. I loved that this model from Go Trax can support up to 220 pounds so that the fun loving adults in the family can take their turn on the Hoverfly too. 

Asides from being safety tested, this model is equipped with cosmic led lights to make sure everyone notices you on the path with your Go Trax Hoverfly Plus! This is a great hoverboard at a great price that is sure to make you a holiday hero with any adventurous boy!



Your young programmer is going to LOVE building his own interactive and adorable pet! This is an easy to assemble dog that will satisfy several desires; the wish for a dog of his own and his very own robot as the toy is basically an ultra cute robot dog.

I love that this is a great introduction to coding for kids ages 6 and up, there are so many ways to make this FurReal Makers Prototype your own that it is kind addictive. Retailing for about $120, you can find this one of a kind puppy your own exclusively through Amazon this holiday season.

I know that this is going to be one of the hottest gifts of the season, packed with tail wagging fun for kids. My son has been itching for his very own dog, and this is the perfect way to introduce him to the concept of responsibility, while giving him the fun of his own puppy.



3) Little Bits Droid Inventor Kit
If you have a Star Wars fan boy in the house, this is the ultimate gift for the holiday season. It combines all of the fun of Star Wars with STEM for a one of a kind building and learning experience. This kit contains everything you need to build a functioning droid including the battery. This is a fully customizable experience that is going to appeal to boys 8 and up. I can personally attest to the fact that boys at heart will want to get their hands on this kit! I don't know who is more excited, my husband or my son, to start building and sending their very own R2D2 droid on missions!

One of my favorite things about this kit is that after you have built your droid you can rearrange it to create a new and exciting droid! No matter what droid you create, you can count on it having 20 sounds right from the Star Wars movies included!

Retailing at under $100 this is a great kit to gift for the holidays because it has so many missions and ways to play with your completed droid that kids are definitely going to play with this gift long after the tree comes down.



4) Thomas the Train Stop and Go RC
My son has been a big Thomas fan for years. He can't resist that friendly train face! Toy State offers a fun RC train that will take your boy to the tracks in search of fun! This is a wired remote, which encourages active play.

Retailing for about $30 you can find this fun train remote control toy at major retailers and online. Boys 3 and older are going to love the Thomas vocals and sounds, as well as the fun to use remote control.


5) 3D Pens
If you are shopping for an aspiring young artist, 3D Simo offers some of the best 3 D pens. I love that they offer a basic pen which is super safe and ideal for ages as young as 8. This is an easy to create with pen that kids and adults are going to have a ton of fun creating with. Retailing for about $100 this is an awesome gift that will inspire creativity while giving kids a new way to draw.

They also offer a mini pen option which can do so much more than just draw! It can solder, burn, cut foam and more and has the amazing benefit of adapting to any filament.





6) Thin Stix
I love gifts that encourage creativity in kids. Painting is something that my son can't resist, and now that we have been using Thin Stix tempera paint sticks, I love to see him painting! These are the best way to paint with kids. They dry super fast, are easy to use and can work on so many surfaces!

These make an awesome stocking stuffer, or paired with a pad of paper or some wooden cut outs, Thin Stix make for a great gift that will keep giving long after the holiday has passed. A 12 pack retails for about $12.

7) Nintendo Switch 
If your boy loves to game, the Nintendo Switch is the system to get. We are loving this new addition to the Nintendo family and all of the fun games offered. This holiday season my son is crazy about the Gear Club Unlimited Game. Available at about $50 this is a game that is sure to send your boy speeding off towards fun this Christmas.



8) Educational Insights GeoSafari Constellation and Solar System Explorer
This was a must have item for my shopping this year. My son is a budding astronomer and loves to attend viewing the night sky and belongs to a star gazing club. This is such a fun and educational option for kids. From your house, you can check out the 12 zodiac constellations, the sun, moon, 8 planets, and the big and little dipper. These are viewable in 3 ways; celestial, connected, and illustrated mode. There is an included guide which is packed with information to combine play and learning!

Retailing at under $25 this is an awesome option for kids. It is STEM supportive and a great way to learn something new that may not be taught in school. I love to give gifts that spark the imagination and this one absolutely does that!



9) Y Glider XL Deluxe 
If you have an active boy on your shopping list, this is a great gift option that will provide years of fun without breaking the bank. There are adjustable levels for varying skill levels. I love this feature because as my son learns to maneuver the scooter and grows, he can still get a lot of use of this active toy.  The extra wide rear wheel provides control and stability for added safety. The Y Glider XL Deluxe also features an adjustable steering and arc-folding handlebars make this a scooter you can take with you anytime, anywhere.

Retailing for under $90 this is an awesome gift to encourage active outdoor play. It is portable, too fun to ride and is sure to bring countless hours of entertainment to a special boy on your Christmas list this year!



10) Discovery Lunar Crystal Terrarium
I love gifts that encourage a love of learning so this Discovery kit was a natural fit for my top picks for boys. This is a fun way to create a three dimensional moonscape terrarium! Explore simple chemical reactions and the science behind crystal growing, while honing in on observation skills. This is a gift that will be admired long after the experimentation has been completed! Retailing at under $20 this makes a perfect gift idea for kids older than 12. You can find the kit at Michaels.



11) Discovery 3D Motion Sandscape
This is another fun and educational gift option for kids. You add sand and water to create a visually stunning display. This is a great gift that will be enjoyed long after the season has passed because it looks so cool you will want to turn the structure time and time again to get the soothing motion of the sand! This is available at Michaels and retails for under $20. It is a great gift idea for a teen or tween, or maybe a child that needs a way to center themselves.



12) Kidizoom® Action Cam 180
My son is an aspiring youtuber and a regular on facebook live, so when I heard about the Kidizoom Action Cam 180 I knew this was the perfect gift for him. Retailing for under $50 this is a great first camera for kids. They can take selfies, photos and record video to capture all of their adventures!

I love that this action cam is simple to operate and features 3 included games. The waterproof case helps parents to know that whatever their kids may be capturing on camera, the camera is safe! This is really durable option for young videographers. The included usb cable allows you to transfer your footage and recharge the camera.



13) BB8 Smartwatch
This smartwatch is so much fun! It gives kids a chance to express their creativity! Made by Vtech, this durable smartwatch can capture both photo and video with Star Wars themed effects. Kids can choose the watch face they like best from 30 options and it has mini activities to keep kids entertained on the go. I love that it helps to teach time in such a fun way! Packed with so many fun features this watch is a perfect way to introduce kids to wearing a smart watch. The BB8 Smartwatch by Vtech includes an alarm, timer and stopwatch, a calendar feature and a calculator so your young Jedi can work out simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems. On top of all of that, it has a really fun voice changing feature so that your special little guy can sounds like a robot among other things. Retailing for under $70 this is a great gift idea for a special young droid on your shopping list.




Easy and Budget Friendly Christmas Treat Ideas

Christmas is near, and if spreading holiday cheer on a budget is on your to do list, you are in the right place!


I have an incredibly cute and easy Christmas treat idea to share with you. You can either draw these or print the text, whichever is easiest for you.

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This was so easy! We grabbed a few Kind bars and came up with a fun saying, and bam, we had a treat to share with friends and community helpers!

We used Kind bars because they are delicious and they are a nice change of pace from the standard cookies or candy!



This was a great gift option for my family because we spent under $1.25 per treat and were able to spread healthy holiday cheer to the special people in our lives!

You might also enjoy this Easy Popcorn Gift idea.


Easy Popcorn Gift Idea

This cute idea dresses up an economical treat like microwave popcorn and makes it gift worthy!

There are so many people that make our lives extra special, from the volunteers at school to the bus driver; the delivery people to the trash company. There are so many great community helpers that we want to say thank you to around the holidays that fitting them all into our budget can be tricky.

This year we decided to dress up some everyday snacks and share them with our nice list, and we had a ton of fun creating these treats!

The first one we want to share with you came together so easily!

I cut a stack of simple tree shapes on green cardstock with my Silhouette portrait.

Next, I took a sharpie and included a handwritten message:

"Have a pop-sitively wonderful Christmas"


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I next punched a hole in the tree and threaded Christmas ribbon {about 18 inches worth} through the hole then tied the popcorn to the card.

We shared these with a handful of community helpers in our lives. We loved gifting this simple token because it cost less than 40 cents to make, and allowed us to show appreciation and spread holiday cheer on a budget.

As the holidays approach we will be sharing a few fun and affordable gift ideas with you! If you have ideas please be sure to share them in a comment, as we love to make cute and inexpensive gifts!

You might also like this DIY Christmas Ornament Collection.

Melted Snowman Bark


Melted Snowman Bark is an incredibly easy and adorable treat to make and share this holiday season! Perfect for sharing with friends and family, it comes together in a flash. This is a snack that melts the hearts of all who see and taste it!



This is such an easy recipe, you guys! It takes easy to find ingredients and creates an unforgettable treat with less than 10 minutes of prep!

Ingredients:
This post contains affiliate links or sponsored content.

1 lb package of candy quick coating, in white chocolate or vanilla flavor.
Pretzel Sticks
M&Ms
Orange Food Coloring
Edible Eye Decorations
Mini Reese's cups, cut in half

                       
Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Melt your candy coating in the microwave. Stir every 30 seconds until it is smooth.

Take about 2 spoonfuls of the melted white coating and place it in a baggie with one drop of food coloring. Make a tiny cut in the corner of the baggie and make tiny little carrots for the noses.

Spread the melted white candy coating on the lined cookie sheet.

Add Reese's halves to make hats, adding eyes below them, an orange 'carrot' nose, stick pretzel arms, and add M&M's for buttons.



Keep spacing in mind as you make these, as after it hardens, you will break them into chunks.
This should set in the refrigerator for an hour to harden, maybe longer depending on how thick you spread the white candy base.

You might also like this 10+ Tasty Sheet Pan Meal ideas post.

Mini Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments



As soon as a hint of winter is in the air the kids and I start to clamor for Christmas. We want to decorate, bake and shop! And we want to do it now! This year we started asking Adam about getting our tree ready in October. He knows us too well and he reminded me that we did this with Halloween and by the time it rolled around we were so over that holiday already.


This year we got our early Christmas fix by making a lot of fun ornaments! There is nothing like giving or receiving a kid made ornament, and these are especially fantastic because they are Mickey Mouse themed!

This post contains affiliate links or sponsored content.

 These are so easy and economical that you can make a dozen of these for $3. To make mini Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments you will need:

2 sizes of jingle bells; You will need 2 smaller and one larger bell per ornament
Super Glue
Thin ribbon


Instructions:
Begin by threading a 6" section of thin ribbon thru the loop on the larger of your bells.
Tie a double knot in the end to keep it secure.
Next, glue one of the smaller jingle bells onto the side of the larger bell.


 Now glue the other bell onto the other side.
Allow to dry.


I loved these mini sized Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments! They were really fun to make and display and we will absolutely be sharing these with friends this Christmas!

We used hot glue to begin this project because the kids can handle the glue gun, I added a bead of superglue to hold these securely. You can use school glue or hot glue, but I recommend the drop of superglue as a precaution. These are so cute that little hands are going to want to grab and shake them!


Green Button Tree Kid Made Ornaments


Making a handmade ornament with the kids can be a lot of fun for the holiday season! These button trees are so easy to make and adorable for gifting something handmade from the heart this Christmas. Everyone loves a kid made ornament to display on their tree! 


Last weekend I found a great deal on dyed craft sticks! 80 for $1. What a bargain! This inspired us to make a ton of fun craft stick ornaments to share this holiday season. I am going to be bringing them to you, so that you can make something cute with your kids to share with friends and family.



These kid made Christmas ornaments came together in just a few moments. We used hot glue for instant gratification, but you can use white or PVA glue if you have patience!

You will need:
4 craft sticks, I used green.
Buttons
4" of  thin ribbon
3" of thin ribbon
One small bell
Glue

 Make a triangle shape and glue it together.
With your remaining stick, cut it in half. This will be your tree base. Glue it on the bottom.


Glue buttons on to the tree in any pattern you prefer. We used blue and green for this ornament and loved the way it turned out!


Flip the tree over. Thread a small bell on the 4" section of thin ribbon. With the bell in the center, glue it on the tree so that it dangles to the middle section of the tree.

With the other 3" of thin ribbon make the loop for hanging from the tree!

Now your button tree ornament is finished. Hang it from your tree, attach it to a wrapped gift, or share with someone special!




This was a cute and fun project to make with Rolf. We love kid made ornaments and have several other variations of this to show you over the coming weeks. From my family to yours; Happy Holidays!

Easy Cookie Dough Truffles


There is nothing like a truffle to delight my taste buds! A few weeks ago the kids and I were craving something sweet and we decided to try our hand at making some really easy truffles!

These were so simple to make and so fun to share with my 2 little sweeties! I can't wait to share this idea with you so that you can whip up some decadent truffles to share this holiday season!

To make these easy truffles you will need:
 melting chocolate
Cake Mix in your favorite flavor
A stick of butter, melted




Mix your cake mix and melted butter until it is well combined.
Melt your chocolate and pour a touch into the bottom of a silicon mold.
Scoop the cake mixture into the molds then top with more chocolate.
Allow to cool and harden. Then share.





As you can see, we mixed things up a bit! We added chocolate chips to a vanilla cake, we also mixed up a red velvet truffle base and a chocolate fudge one too!




I couldn't give you an opinion on which one was the best, because they were all incredible and dreamy!!

Mumkins

Over the weekend I scored a great deal on mums. They were not in the best shape, but they were $1 for a big bunch! The farmer also had some lopsided pumpkins priced to move, and an idea that I have loved but never got around to trying popped into my head.

Out of my bargain shopping, a mumkin was born.

This was such an easy project! All you need are:
A pumpkin
Some mums
A drill with a 7/16th bit

Simply drill holes into your pumpkin, be generous with your holes!

Snip the mums to be about 2" long, insert them into the holes you drilled.

And there you have a mumkin!



This is a perfect activity for preschoolers. I made one live on the Quirky Mama page with Harper and we had a ton of fun with it! I loved that making a mumkin gave her a chance to work with natural materials and to use her fine motor skills in the process.

The mumkin is a very chic and classy option for Halloween decor without going the route of spooky and scary! I can't wait to make more with the kids!


Easy Cornucopia Snack for Kids

Thanksgiving is near and there is no better way to build excitement for the kids than with a yummy and easy snack like this kid made Cornucopia snack!





This is such an easy snack to make with little kids. My preschooler and first grader had a ton of fun making, sharing and eating this!

It is as simple as dumping your ingredients in a large bowl and giving it a stir! You can completely customize the ingredients to match your preferences or what you have on hand!

Ingredients:
Unless otherwise specified, use one small box or package of each ingredient
Cheerios
Cheeze Its
Honey Nut Cheerios
Fruit Flavored Mini Marshmallows
Dry Roasted Peanuts
Peanut Butter M&Ms
Craisins
Milk Chocolate M&Ms
Peanut M&Ms
Chocolate Chips
Sugar Waffle Cones

After mixing well scoop the mix into sugar cones and serve!



This stores for 3-5 days in an airtight container or ziploc baggies. We like to substitute Rice or Corn Chex for Cheerios and Reeses Pieces for M&Ms sometimes. No matter what you mix into this Easy Cornucopia Snack, it will be a delicious hit with anyone you share it with!


13 Savory Pumpkin Recipes

Fall is here and I am craving all things pumpkin! Pies, breads and cakes are lovely but there is something amazing about a savory pumpkin dinner! I gathered 13 recipes from my favorite bloggers to share with you. These recipes are completely craveable! I still can't decide which I will make first!





Pumpkin Pasta with Sage and Sausage by Food, Folks and Fun

Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta by Dizzy, Busy and Hungry

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls by Tastes of Lizzy T

Cheesy One Pot Pumpkin Pasta by Domestic Superhero


Beef and Cabbage Dinner in a Pumpkin by Over the Big Moon

Family Dinner in a Pumpkin by Capturing Joy

Vegan Pumpkin Nugget Tacos by Elephantastic Vegan

Pumpkin Chicken Enchiladas by Tatertots & Jello

Pumpkin & Feta Empanadas by Amuse Your Bouche

Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Bread by Om Nom Ally

Pumpkin Sage Scones by Houseful of Handmade

One Pot Pumpkin Mac & Cheese by B Inspired Mama

Pumpkin Chili by Food, Folks and Fun

If you still need a pumpkin fix, check out these yummy pie recipes or these other pumpkin for dinner ideas.

Which of these savory pumpkin recipes will you make first?

Paper Plate Spider Craft

This cute craft is perfect for Halloween, it is easy to make and the results are so cute you will want to display the finished project so everyone can see how creative your little crafter is!



We are big on holidays! We get excited about them all; Easter, Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, of course Halloween is a big one too!

This year we started crafting up Halloween fun maybe a little too early, but we couldn't resist! This is one of the first ones we made and it was so easy and cute!!


This post contains affiliate links.

All you will need is:
A paper plate
A piece of black construction paper
8 googly eyes
A black kwik stik
school glue
Scissors



Paint your paper plate black with a Kwik Stik.
Cut 8 strips of paper for legs and glue them on, 4 to a side
Add 8 eyes
Give your spider a smile and you are done!




Find more of our favorite halloween ideas here
Favorites include

Easy Paper Apple Craft

Every day, my little girls says, "Let's make a craft!" I love her enthusiasm and always encourage activities we can do together. On this particular day, we were anxious to get into some fall themed crafts, and we are always super excited to kick off fall with the harvesting of apples!

This craft was so incredibly fun! It was a bit of a challenge for my almost 4 year old, but we worked together to get it right.



You will need:
A square of heavy white paper {Ours was about 6'' x6''
A piece of green, red or yellow construction paper
School Glue
A tiny strip of brown paper for the stem


To begin we made thin strips of green paper that were 4 inches longer than the square of paper
Next we began folding those strips of green paper so we had 2 folded edges per strip
We glued these on the white paper
Working in a circle we kept gluing both sides of the strips on to the square, being careful to not disturb the other strips of paper
At the end, we added a tiny stem to the top.



We liked this apple craft because it was challenging, a good exercise in patience for both Harp and I. It was also really cute when it was finished! This was a fun craft to follow up with apple slices as a snack!


Easy Apple Tree Stained Glass Window

Cute and easy to make, this kids craft adds a pretty touch to any window, just like stained glass!



We love to craft with contact paper, it is so much fun to use in so many projects! But, one of my favorite uses for it is to make 'Stained Glass' or window decals! These are so cute!

With fall being on the way, our thoughts drift towards the apple orchard almost every weekend. We head out for the time together as a family, harvesting fruit, eating fresh donuts and playing outside. In anticipation of the fun fall weekends that are to come, we made these easy as pie Apple Tree Stained Glass projects.

You will need:
one square of transparent contact paper per decoration
assorted colors of tissue paper, we used green and yellow
one strip of brown construction paper

Lay your contact paper sticky side up
Place your brown paper on the sticky paper to form a trunk
Next cut small circles of yellow or red tissue paper for apples
Place the apple cut outs around the tree
Fill in the leaves using green tissue paper
Leave a few sticky places without paper to easily affix to the window for displaying.




Chicken Salad Recipes to Cluck For

I have been on a chicken salad kick lately. It is an easy lunch, it tastes great, and there are so many economical ways to make it! I guess it is easy to see why I am clucking for chicken salad these days!

I have found some awesome recipes that I can't wait to try, and I know you are going to love them too! I had no idea there were so many yummy ways to make this lunch time staple. I also have a few tips to help you make the best chicken salad!


  • Poached chicken breast is the best option for making chicken salad, but you can use a rotisserie or canned chicken if that makes it easier for you.
  • Allow your chicken to cool, no matter how you cook it! Wait until it is cool to add it to the other ingredients.
  • Cover your chicken salad tightly to keep it fresh while stored in the fridge.


Some of the best chicken salads I have ever made have been on a whim. Made by surveying what ingredients I have on hand and making them work for me. However, these all look superb and I will be modifying my shopping list to make these happen in my lunchtime future!


Which of these sounds best to you? I think they all sound perfectly devourable!


A Day at Malabar Farm with the Kids

A few Sundays ago we decided to re-visit Malabar Farms in Richland County, Ohio. We have been numerous times in the past, but it seems that since the kids were born our visits have grown fewer and further between.

As a Louis Bromfield fan, I love to not only check out the house but also to stroll the scenic, Pleasant Valley farm.  The property has a lot to offer, making it a destination that can appeal to everyone.

When we arrived, we had to visit the playground area. The kids were entertained by the large tractor, slide, and swings. After a few moments of leg stretching and playing, we took a walk to the barn, where we petted cats, cooed over baby goats and checked out some lazy cows.



From there we admired the house, from outside.



We strolled to the Pugh Cabin and continued back to the cave formation.  The walk was ideal on a late Sunday afternoon as traffic was minimal. As a parent, I truly appreciate a walk in the woods, so this was one of my favorite parts of the adventure.



The kids were tired upon arrival of the gift shop. We chatted up the lobby bird, strolled the shop and picked up a snack of fudge.

Snack excluded, this was a completely free adventure. They do not charge admission to visit the grounds of Malabar farm, but the house tour does hold a fee.



If you go, plan to drive to the top of nearby Mount Geez for a breathtaking view of Plesant Valley. Stop by the cemetery on the farm to pay your respects to Bromfield, and don't forget to check out famed Pugh cabin from the film, the Shawshank Redemption. You might also want to peek at the infamous Ceely Rose house.



You might also enjoy this guide on activities in the Richland County area for kids.