JoAnn’s Last Minute Guide to Kid’s Christmas Gifts

It’s not too late to pick up a present for the little people in your life.

Are you out of ideas? Afraid of the mall parking lot? Can’t wrap your mind around a 300 dollar Hatchimal? I’ve got you covered.

I know this is a bit late to be Christmas shopping, but sometimes life gets crazy and you find yourself, like me, with a fresh tree…in the garage, and presents…unwrapped…and it’s one week until Christmas! Try not to panic (I say to myself). There’s plenty of time to spread Christmas cheer.

For the Magnetic Personality

Magna Tiles!  They are geometric shapes with edges that connect by hidden magnets. My kids make a lot of tall towers, airports, and even fortune cookies out of these suckers. These are available on Amazon, however if you want to pick these up locally, Professor Toy carries them (but call first because sometimes they sell out).

 

For The Person Who Believes in Christmas Magic

Check out the nice wooden Magic Sets from Melissa and Doug (another brand carried by Professor Toy).  These magic sets are durable and rather easy to use. I cannot tell you how many minutes of my life are spent watching the Disappearing Scarf Trick.

 

For People Ready To Move Past Finger Paint

Watercolor Pencils. These look like colored pencils, but when you add water things get crazy. The pigment is transformed into acting like watercolors!  You can pick up a box at Allard’s Art and while you’re there, check out their amazing coloring book selection. I personally think Allard’s is one of the coolest stores in Fresno. Whenever I take my kids into Allard’s they want to buy the whole store.

 

For The Person Who Needs To Get Out More

If you’re looking for a guaranteed hit, give the gift of experience! Several local kid spots offer gift certificates or season passes. The Fresno Zoo is always a fun destination. Preschool aged children will love Story Land membership (which gives you a discount on train rides), and the Discovery Center has great science centered activities for all ages. For example, they’re making snow this Thursday!

For the Tech Savvy Tyke

If you have kids (or know kids) who’s favorite “toy” is an ipad, this is the last minute gift for them. You can purchase a yearly subscription to Tynker.com and feel good about yourself because a) you bought this while still in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home and b) it’s educational. For ages 7 and up, it teaches kids to code using fun games. My 9 year old uses it to make Minecraft mods, which are basically changes to the Minecraft game through coding. I don’t know what I’m talking about either but trust me, it’s cool.

Jelly of the Month Club

Just kidding! I’ve been watching too much National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. NO one wants a Jelly of the Month Club subscription, especially if they’re a child! That’s crazy talk. What they WILL want is a subscription to Kiwi Crates. These are packages shipped to the child every month with a cool project for the child to do. These crates are customized to the child’s age. You can gift a certificate or a subscription. This is another one you can do online (aka while eating cookies at home, as it should be).

Finally, I just want to make sure you know that even if you are crunched for time and can’t go out into the community to shop, you can still make a difference. Amazon has a program called Amazon Smile. If you shop using Amazon Smile, prices are the same but some proceeds of your purchase go to a nonprofit of your choice. There are a LOT of local non profits who are signed up for this program, including the Discovery Center. For more info click here.

So, those are my brilliant last minute shopping ideas for children. I hope this cuts down on your stress level, because stress is against the rules and regulations of Christmas (I tell myself). If anything, I hope it gives you time to go decorate that tree (finally!) and drink a cup of hot cocoa before Santa arrives.