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Gift ideas under $50 for all the kids in your life
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items Buying presents for kids, especially kids you don't know well, might drive you mad. Save your sanity and try these ideas out! Age ranges listed, all were under $50 when added.
Sections
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Gifts for ages 0-4
Gifts for ages 5-8
Gifts for ages 8-10
Gifts for ages 10-13
Gifts for ages 0-4
Most little ones will love fun picture books and really tactile toys.
Ages 0+ - Wild Republic is our go-to stuffie shop and I would recommend anything they sell. Their stuffed animals are varied in size, price, and species and you can find something for any child there. These stuffed animals are very high quality and w...
Wild Republic stuffed animals
Ages 0+ - A super fun read where the kids will be saying "No, Pigeon!" while giggling about birds begging to drive buses.
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Ages 1+ - This paint set will be the talk of the playpen! It'll keep the mess (mostly) contained, and anything that ends up on clothes should wash out without too much fuss.
Washable Paint Set
Ages 2+ - Our favorite chicken will quickly become your family's favorite, too! Chicken keeps interrupting her father as he tries to read her a goodnight story, adding her own special twists to each one. This will have the kids giggling the whole way...
Interrupting Chicken
Ages 2+ - This has info about lots of different birds and buttons that play their call. It's fun for kids and a great way to get them to recognize an animal on a page and find its match on the buttons. There are a lot of bird books in this series to ...
The Little Book of Garden Bird Songs
Ages 3+ - One of our absolute favorites, The Day The Crayons Quit has a letter from each color in the crayon box venting about the trials and tribulations of being used to color too much, not enough, or fighting over the “correct” color of the sun. T...
The Day the Crayons Quit
Ages 3+ - A great book for anyone, especially those who may live life a bit differently than the people around them. The fight scene is ADORABLE. You're going to love it. (And so will your kids.)
The Princess and the Pony
Ages 2+ - Not quite as loud as an actual drum set, this one is just as fun!
Drum Set - 9 in 1 Musical Instruments
Gifts for ages 5-8
This is the age where Lego starts getting really popular.
Ages 6-12 - For graphic novel/comic lovers! The Phoenix is a weekly comic magazine from the UK. You can get the first 6 weeks for $1 each, then $49.99 quarterly (as of 2025). There are pages and pages of new comics (famous and not so famous) each wee...
The Phoenix comic magazine | weekly subscription
Ages 5+ - A great book with pages talking about different instruments and matching buttons playing the sounds of each in the symphony. While younger kids will probably enjoy this, too, it's great for this age range because they can start to learn abo...
Welcome to the Symphony: Beethoven's No. 5
Ages 5+ - Another book showing different instruments and voices with matching buttons for the sounds they make, this is a little more exciting than the symphony book, though both are great in their own ways. I recommend getting both for any music lov...
Welcome to Jazz: Swing-Along Celebration
Ages 5+ - Following Cimorene, a princess who's tired of doing what she's told, as she sets out to be "captured" by a dragon she can get the knights and her stodgy parents off her back, the Enchanted Forest Chronicles are a lot of fun. Each book is fr...
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles: (Boxed Set)
Ages 5+ - Your nature lovers will get a kick out of this kit, which lets them plant seeds and watch as they grow. Seeds along the side are great to check on every day as the plants sprout and the roots grow.
Light-Up Terrarium Kit
Ages 6+ - For your favorite painter! This art set feels grown up and could be gifted to a kid over 8 as well. The smock may be too big for smaller kids but it should stay on decently well.
69 Pack Kids Paint Set by Shuttle Art
Ages 4+ - These puzzle sets are fantastic! We have several and they get pulled out regularly to assemble. The pieces are large so good for small hands still working on fine motor skills, and the pictures are engaging.
QUOKKA 100 Pc Puzzles for Kids 4-6 - 3 Floor
Ages 6+ - This Lego creator features a dragon, a phoenix, and a fish.
Red Dragon 31145 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Ages 6+ - This Lego creator kit features a space shuttle, a flyer, and an astronaut.
Space Shuttle 31134 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Ages 7+ - This Lego creator kit features a unicorn, a seahorse, and a peacock.
Magical Unicorn 31140 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Listed for ages 7-12, though I've seen many a 6-year-old assemble this one, so I'm putting it in the lower age category. This Lego creator kit features a tyrannosaur, a stegosaurus, and a pterodactyl.
Mighty Dinosaurs 31058 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Ages 7+ - This Lego creator kit features a tarantula, a cobra, and a scorpion. While it's possible for someone younger, it can be pretty challenging to complete on their own.
Wild Animals: Surprising Spider 31159 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Ages 8+ - This Lego creator kit features 2 pandas, 2 orcas, and 2 penguins. It's also incredibly cute.
Wild Animals: Panda Family 31165 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Gifts for ages 8-10
Kids 8 and up are more particular about what they like, so choose wisely!
Ages 8+ - For kids who love to sing and perform, this one's easy. Especially great for those who have sleepovers or lots of gatherings with other kids.
Mini Karaoke Machine for Kids
Ages 8+ - For the budding artist! This focuses on drawing and sketching rather than painting, so great for older kids who are honing their art skills. This is a lower end kit, so if you're buying for a serious artist, you may want to splurge on somet...
176PCS Art Supplies Sketching Kit
Ages 8+ - This Lego creator kit features a hamster with a wheel, a dog with a ramp, and a cat with a tower (and additional tiny animals). Great for kids who really love pets.
Hamster Wheel 31155 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Ages 9+ - This Lego creator kit features a tiger, a koi fish, and a red panda
Majestic Tiger 31129 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Ages 9+ - This Lego creator kit features a fox, an owl, and a squirrel.
Forest Animals: Red Fox 31154 | Lego Creator 3-in-1
Ages 8+ - Percy Jackson is a great series for kids who love mythology, friendship, and portrayals of kids that feel real and relatable. Absolutely fantastic!
Percy Jackson Collection (7 Books)
Ages 8+ (mostly) - The incomparable Tiffany Aching series with a tween witch and the endlessly fun Nac Mac Feegles (Scottish-type sprites) Note: You might skip the 4th book for kids under 12, it has some heavy topics better suited to older kids and y...
Tiffany Aching Complete 5-Book Collection: The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight, The Shepherd's Crown
Gifts for ages 10-13
Buying for this age without knowing interests is tough. Cash always goes over well for these ages, though you can still give these a try.
Ages 10+ - For crafty kids who want to learn a new skill, this crochet kit has everything they need to get started. (I recommend adding a “learn to crochet” book geared toward kids, too, though YouTube has them covered.) Woobles kits are great, but $...
CRAFTISS Crochet Kit for Beginners
Ages 10+ - I love love love this series! Teenagers in London are able to see ghosts when adults can't, and hunt them to keep them from killing anyone out after dark. Lots of angst, lots of spookiness, lots of death (so best for kids over 10). The cha...
Lockwood and Co Box Set (5 Books)
Ages 10+ - For your favorite adventurer! They'll likely enjoy the chance to become dungeon masters! This is a great collection to get into Dungeons & Dragons.
The Young Adventurer's Collection Box Set 1 [Dungeons & Dragons 4 Books]: Monsters & Creatures, Warriors & Weapons, Dungeons & Tombs, and Wizards & Spells
Ages 10+ - The second set of books in the kids D&D series, these are just as great. Beautiful illustrations, too!
The Young Adventurer's Collection Box Set 2 (Dungeons & Dragons 4-Book Boxed Set): Beasts & Behemoths, Dragons & Treasures, Places & Portals, Artificers & Alchemy
Ages 8+ - This game is a cross between Pictionary and telephone, and SO much fun. Younger kids can play this but it'll be really fun for the older ones. They can play with adults or their friends (there's also a version for 12 players).
Telestrations Original 4-8 Player Board Game
Any age - When in doubt, gift cards are great! You can give cash or go straight to Michaels, Amazon, Bookshop or Barnes & Noble, their favorite restaurant, a local toy store, anything you can think of that they might enjoy.
Buy Gift Cards, eGift Cards, Visa - 350+ Brands | Giftcards.com