This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill! It is time to start thinking about and planning your gifts for the holiday season! As a mom of four, including twin toddlers, I love to start my holiday shopping early!
VTech® toys are always at the top of my list, and I have some ideas for every child on your list. I really do mean every child—from babies to your older kids, you will find something here! PROMISE! Let’s dive in!
The Ultimate Gift Guide for Kids
I remember my first Christmas as a mom; it was filled with trying to hunt down the perfect gifts. I also remember my first Christmas as an aunt; it was also filled with trying to hunt down the perfect gifts. And every year since then, the goal has remained the same.
Now, to me, the perfect gift is educational, fun, interactive, age appropriate, and has a great price point, which are all qualities I find in VTech® products.
Gifts for Babies
Let’s start with the littlest of the group. I honestly find holiday shopping for babies to be the most challenging. They are still so little, and they can’t yet tell us what they like, so I find myself gravitating towards toys that will grow with them!
VTech® Tummy Time Discovery Pillow™ (birth+)
I am a HUGE proponent of tummy time. One of the best ways to encourage your baby to stay on their tummy is by entertaining them. The Tummy Time Discovery Pillow™ provides comfort and support for your baby as they grow.
To start off, it provides support as your baby strengthens their neck muscles and while they learn to sit. The design, colors, and patterns are great for visual and tactile stimulation. Both of these are super important in helping to develop your baby’s sensory system.
As your baby grows, the pillow can be used for take-along play AND the piano, baby-safe mirror, and rattle are removable! I LOVE that this product can go from tummy time to playtime as your baby grows.
VTech® 7-in-1 Senses & Stages Developmental Gym™ (birth+)
Now if you are looking for a gift that gives you even MORE playtime and tummy time, the 7-in-1 Senses & Stages Developmental Gym™ is for you! Let me tell you that a play gym is an AMAZING gift for babies and toddlers. When my twins were born, it was a must on my list, and it was constant entertainment mixed with learning.
I love that the 7-in-1 Senses & Stages Developmental Gym™ comes with a guide, which teaches you about its built-in features.
This play gym also TURNS INTO A BALL PIT! It is one of my favorite features because it is super simple to set up AND comes with storage for the balls. A few other additional cool features are the different textures and sensory toys for the mat as well as the musical xylophone. The xylophone can also be removed and has a stand, so it can grow with your baby.
Now—the BIGGEST plus, totally a mom’s perspective here—THE MAT AND PILLOW ARE MACHINE WASHABLE! Babies make messes and this is a HUGE plus for me.
Gifts for Toddlers
The toddler years are so fun. This is probably one of my favorite stages for a few reasons: you start to really see their personalities shine through and they are exploring and learning about the world every day. All these things make gift giving for this age range SO MUCH FUN for me.
VTech® Drill & Learn Toolbox™ Pro (ages 2-5 years old)
My twins have grown up seeing their dad fixing and building things. This Drill & Learn Toolbox™ Pro has them saying “wow” and feeling so cool. Complete with a tool belt, this has my kids feeling like the world’s smallest DIYers, but oh so mighty and capable!
The tool buttons on the toolbox make wrench, hammer, and drill sounds, as well as songs and they also teach how the tools are used. The drill can be used to drill the screws into the designated holes and the project cards are full of colors, and numbers, and are so easy to use.
I love that this toy provides kids with imaginative play or guided play as well. Bonus points—the pieces are stored in the toolbox for easy cleanup!
VTech® Level Up Gaming Chair™ (ages 18-48 months)
My twin toddlers want to be just like everyone they see. They want to be like their sisters, dad, mom, grandma…etc. The VTech® Level Up Gaming Chair™ is absolutely the cutest thing ever! It will have your toddler feeling just like one of the “big kids”. The chair swivels and has a joystick, as well as pretend headphones to really give them that gamer experience without the Wi-Fi and the worries!
BUT the coolest part is the interactive gaming tablet that teaches them numbers, letters, animals, and music with the added gaming sound effects for the full experience. The gaming tablet is also removable making it perfect for take-along play AND the tray on the chair can be used for snacks or even coloring too.
VTech® Pop & Spin Mower™ (ages 2-5 years old)
Our family is an outdoor family. We clean our yard together, garden together, and play together. Many moments have been spent with my kids observing my husband mowing our lawn and joining our gardening activities. The Pop & Spin Mower™ introduces gardening basics and lawn mower safety through music.
The twins’ favorite part—the balls popping when they move the mower and the ability to pull on the cord and hear the engine rumble! They felt like the real deal! And if your little ones are not walking yet, the roller and light-up buttons are great for sitting as well.
*Be careful to avoid hard objects when mowing and do not expose it to water or moisture.
VTech® My First Kidi Smartwatch™ (available in purple or blue) (ages 3-5 years old)
Let’s start with probably the coolest part of this smartwatch—the reminders. You have reminders that tell kids to go potty as well as to brush their teeth, and when it’s time to get ready for bed!
These reminders are HUGE for parents and kids. These features allow for some independence while providing parents with the ability to step back a bit and allow our kids to grow. They are learning responsibility with their digital doggie watch! HOW COOL IS THAT?!
You can set 30-, 60-, or 90- minute reminders for the potty. This is HUGE because little ones at this age still require many reminders and can many times end up running to the potty and barely making it.
The digital doggie can also be taught tricks, and celebrates with barking and confetti! Now, this is also a great gift for siblings. You can connect watch-to-watch for more games and activities.
Gift Ideas for Preschoolers & Kids
Much like the toddler stage, preschoolers are also constantly learning. The biggest difference and the most fun part of this age is that they have ZERO filters and that they want to do everything themselves. They speak their minds, and I am here for it.
As they grow past the preschooler age to the “kid” age, that desire for doing things themselves only grows. I love all the VTech® KidiTech toys because they help encourage and nurture that independence. So, let’s talk about some of my favorites.
VTech® KidiZoom® Smartwatch DX3™ (ages 4+ years old)
Now, if you have a child that is slightly older and love the idea of a smartwatch but want something a little more “advanced”, the KidiZoom® Smartwatch DX3™ is the perfect choice. From the moment my 6-year-old, Lia opened it, she has been using it! She has watched my husband and I use our smartwatches her whole life and seeing that her watch has cool features too is icing on the cake.
The kid-friendly DX3 has dual cameras for pictures, selfies, and videos, which Lia has been using to the fullest extent. She has become a pro at using the sunglasses filter and taking those selfies.
Along with a great camera, it also has one and two player games she enjoys as well as the ability to set daily reminders too. And to help your kids not get distracted, you can switch to School mode and make the DX3 a watch only product.
As if all these features were not cool enough already, there are movement games to help keep your kids active and you are able to pair up the device with another DX3 for additional games and to send preset messages.
VTech® Creator Cam (ages 5+ years old)
There are moments in life when I realize how much my kids are listening and watching what we do and the moment I watched Lia use her KidiZoom® Creator Cam was definitely one of them. Being a content creator, who is focused heavily on family life, means my kids are a HUGE part of what I do and share. They are big participants in it, and we have a lot of fun creating together.
The KidiZoom® Creator Cam has Lia channeling her inner content creator through still images and high-definition videos that can all be uploaded to a computer with the included USB cable. The camera comes with a green screen perfect for the built-in animated backgrounds and includes a built-in microphone as well. To complete the creative process, the camera comes equipped with editing and creative tools to let your child’s creativity run wild.
This camera is at the top of my list for kids ages 5+ because it allows them so much freedom with creative tools at their fingertips and the ability to capture the world around them through their own eyes.
VTech® KidiGo™ NexTag™ (ages 5+ years old)
My whole list has been made up of toys that can be used solo and some that can be paired with others as well. Now, the KidiGo™ NexTag™ provides play for up to four people allowing the whole family to join in! And if you combine two KidiGo™ NexTag™ systems, you can play with up to eight players.
This toy mixes technology and movement beautifully. There is no internet needed. The friendly voice explains the rules, which are quick and easy-to-learn, so kids can start playing quickly.
Now from a mom of four, my favorite feature is that the game lets you know who got tagged, who’s safe, who’s it, etc. There are no referee skills required, which is a huge plus!
*Can be used indoors or outdoors with a 120-foot range between units.
Holiday Wishes
I feel like I could honestly go on and on and name 30 VTech® toy recommendations. In 12 years, I have not met a VTech® toy I did not love and when it comes to gift giving, you bet, I always look for the VTech® section at my local store for options.
With the holiday season literally right around the corner, I want to wish your family a season full of laughter, fun, joy, and above all love. I hope this guide helps to ease some of the busyness of the season, so you can focus on the memories.
Happy Holidays, friends!
About the Author
Karen is the mom behind Mamma Bear Says, a family and creative brand empowering parents to live their most authentic and creative lives. She is a mom of 4, including twin toddlers, and loves to share her tips, tricks, and stories of all the good, the messy, and the chaos.
