ABBOTT FAMILY GIFT GUIDE

We have a big “food and cooking” bin that we keep stored in a closet.
On snow days or long days inside, we bring it down and it instantly becomes the favorite thing in the house. We have a lot in that bin, but these are truly the best pieces.

The food sticks together with Velcro, and you use the little wooden knife to “cut” everything apart — kids (and adults) love it. It’s one of those toys that gets played with every single time we pull it out.

These LeapFrog binoculars are the coolest. Not only are they real binoculars, but they have a night-vision mode, and you can take little photos and screen captures with them too. Since they are LeapFrog, there are cute educational videos and images of animals sorted into categories, which makes it even more fun for kiddos to explore. It's a total winner and absolutely one of Jordy-man’s favorites.

This is an Abbott staple. I could not recommend this toy more. It is such a wonderful family toy because younger kiddos will need your help building forts at the beginning, which honestly makes it even more fun. As they get older, they start building on their own, and it has stayed one of our top toys for years.

Snow day, let’s build a fort.
Kids are bored, let’s build a fort.

And it is not just forts. These sticks and balls have become fire pits, microphones, pretend food, and so many other things. We keep ours in a tub for easy storage.

If you are like us, go ahead and buy two kits. You will not regret it. Just make sure you buy the same kit so the pieces match. We learned that the hard way when we bought a second kit with different sized balls and sticks. I do not think the quality differs much between sets, but pick one you like and stick with it and you will be happy you did.

Tegu pieces are definitely on the expensive side, but they last forever and are genuinely beautiful to play with. The little magnets inside make the blocks click together in such a satisfying way. My aunt started buying these for the kids when they were around three and kept adding extender pieces over the years, so now we have a huge set. I honestly do not think I will ever get rid of them because I love building with them just as much as the kids. It is an investment, but truly one of those toys that stands the test of time.

This ice cream cart lasted so much longer than I ever expected. Both kids LOVED playing with it, and then it lived in our garage for years because every young friend who came over went straight to it. If kids want to be active, they push the little cart around. If they want something calmer, they use the little order cards to request specific ice cream creations. It is so darn cute. It has a magnetic ice cream cream scoop, popsicles, pretend money, and fun sounds that are not annoying. Truly a great buy.

My family had and loved our Fisher Price Bright Beats Juniors, and this seems to be the newer version of that toy. We had so many toddler dance parties with this thing. My husband and I had the songs memorized, but the smiles from the kiddos every time they pushed that flashing button and started to bust a move, made it worth it. It is an inexpensive buy and is absolutely going to be a favorite.

What can I say? Kiddos love remotes and this one was a favorite of ours to keep the kiddos happy in the car. If you are worried about a little one crying or getting bored in the car, hand them this remote and it will keep them more than entertained. It even lasted into early childhood because the kids pretended it was a phone and all kinds of other things. Such a simple toy, but a good one.

My sister got this for Millie when she was maybe two, and we finally had to get rid of it a year or two ago when she was around seven because it had a little hole in the side. It was another toy that had so many purposes. When the kids were little, corralling the balls inside the tent with the babies was the best. The balls themselves have been used for a million different games, and the tent became a staple in so many pretend play scenarios. It is a great size and it easily folds down into a small flat circle for storage. Lots of fun and lots of laughs with this set.

My daughter loves her Magic Mixies. We have had pretty much all of them and she has loved every single one, but the original was probably the best. They are definitely the most exciting the first time you play with them because you get to perform the magic and earn your Mixie, but what always stands out to me is how she refuses to part with any of them. If you look at the toys she keeps in her room, the Mixies always stay.

If you have a daughter like mine, consider this toy. The original magic moment is so fun, with real mist and little sounds coming from the cauldron. The anticipation and smiles during that first reveal are something you will never forget.

Our little Jordy-man loves going out and digging, and if you have a little boy like ours who loves digging in the dirt and sand, look no further. This has been such a simple but perfect outdoor toy for him.

Millie got really into weaving in the second and third grade era after a school project, and my mom did a ton of research on the best loom to buy. Of course, Melissa and Doug was a no-brainer. It is really solid and such a great buy. Millie has made several projects on it and absolutely refuses to give it up. I love that she will be able to use this for so many years in the future.

It is not something she uses every single day, but when she gets a creative bug, she pulls it back out and goes to town. I also love that it is not an instant-gratification kind of project. It takes time, and she has to stick with it, which makes the finished product feel even more special. Some of her creations have taken weeks, even a full month, which I honestly love. If you have a creative kid who likes to stay busy and work with their hands, this is a really cute option.

We have a few OSMO games and have enjoyed them over the years. We try not to overdo the technology, and the OSMO toys are great. We love the original monster game and the coding game the most, but we have a few others too. They are educational in nature and so much more interactive than typical educational apps because the kids are actually building, moving, and creating. If you do not mind a little bit of thoughtful screen time for your babes, this is definitely something to look into and consider.

The OSMO coding game is such a good one. The kids have to think ahead, problem solve, and use their numbers to move the little characters where they want them to go. It makes them slow down and really plan their moves, which I love. It is fun, engaging, and gives just the right amount of challenge.

If you have littles who like to color, try these crayons. They fit on their fingers and in their little hands so well, and they do not break like regular crayons. They are super solid. Ours lasted us years and we used them all the time.

Both kiddos loved this book. They never got tired of pushing the button on each page to make the animals moo, oink, chirp, and everything in between. Such a simple book, but always a hit.

Both kiddos had a Lumipet and were obsessed with theirs. It is a night light, but soft to the touch, and it gives off the perfect amount of light. Not too bright, not too dim. There is a little remote that lets you pick the color and brightness level, and they come in all different animals. It is such a sweet little bedtime companion.

The LeapFrog LeapPad is great if you want to give your kid something fun and educational without jumping straight into full blown tablet access. It has learning games built in, and my little man, who is always asking for video games, has been more than happy with his LeapPad. I also appreciate that everything stays age appropriate, so I don’t feel as though I need to watch him like a hawk. It feels like a safe, simple option that works really well for our little man.

A must have in our home. Both kids have a LeapReader pen and we own so many of the books. Honestly, this is an outstanding purchase. Even before your kiddos are reading, definitely pre kindergarten, they can use the pen to read the whole story to them or tap the pictures to make them come alive. As they grow into readers, they can use the pen to read individual words they are struggling with.

Even without the books, the pens tell fun facts and stories. I cannot tell you how many nights I checked on the kids and found them curled up listening to their reading pens. Both boy and girl absolutely loved these.

We have a pretty big train set and Brio has been the one we have stuck with. The pieces are solid, wooden, and really well made. They never feel cheap, and I am never worried about a rough little boy breaking them. This set with the bridge piece was our very first Brio purchase and it has stayed a go to. If your kid is anything like ours, this set will make them fall in love with building different tracks and will probably lead to an extender pack or two. We eventually added a battery operated train and our little Jordy loves it.

Did I mention expansion packs? If you can manage it, I recommend grabbing both. They add so many fun options for building and really open up what your kid can create with their tracks. Our Brio pieces have held up so well, and the add on sets keep the play going for years.

We have a dino lover at home who can tell you any fact you want about dinosaurs, so trust me when I say we have more than our fair share of creatures roaming the corners of his room. We have many, but his go to favorites are by far the Jurassic World sets. The T. Rex is the hands down winner, and the Mosasaurus is a very close second.

We do not let him use it often, but each dino also comes with a QR code so you can collect them and play with them in an app. It is a fun little treat when he gets to interact with them online and project them into our living room (3D feature thing), but the in person dinos are why we love these.

My daughter is nine, turning ten, and she received an early Christmas present in November that she had been asking for all school year. Apparently skin care is a whole thing for young people now, and she could not have been more excited. It is the set all the kids seem to love. From a mom standpoint, it is simple enough that I feel good about it. A nice basic face wash, a moisturizer, and a little resetting spray.

She feels very big time using it, and she finally has real skin care to put in her little mini fridge she got last Christmas.

Last Christmas, my daughter really wanted a mini fridge. I was not quite sure why, but I ended up going with the one that has the built in light up mirror, and it has been a total winner. Even though my daughter mainly uses her fridge to store the candy she buys with her own money, she also uses the mirror every single morning to get ready. She swears it is one of her favorite presents ever.

I have already highlighted our fort building kit and play tent, and this tunnel was part of that trio. It is pretty big when you unroll it and let it extend, but it collapses into a tiny circle that is so easy to put away. This tunnel has been part of obstacle courses, the doorway to our forts, something the kids “boing” over, and so many other imaginative games.

If you have a hands on, always moving kiddo, this is a great toy for indoor play when they need to stay in the house but still want to burn some energy and use their imagination. It is actually set up in my son’s bedroom right now. I am not sure why, but I went in to tuck him in tonight and there it was.

We finally just got rid of this after having it for many years. Both kids used it on and off for chore charts, potty training markers, and all kinds of little routines when they were toddlers and a bit older. It is Melissa and Doug, so of course it was really well made and held up great.

We had some of the more expensive swings options at our house, but both kids’ favorite swing, hands down, was this one. It almost felt a little more “rough” and less smooth than the others we had, but if you want your kids to pass out, this is the winner for both Abbotts. For the price, if you have a little one or know someone who is expecting, go ahead and consider this one. It was a total favorite in our house.

I almost tear up looking at this one. Both kids, as infants and as toddlers, absolutely loved this mat. It truly does grow with your child. It starts as a regular play mat for your baby to lay on and interact with the dangling toys, but the real magic is the little piano at the bottom. The babies kick it with their feet and it plays a music note or little snippet of a song, and they definitely understand it, because oh my goodness, the kicking!

Once your babies can sit up, you can flip the piano and put their legs under it, and they love pushing the buttons with their hands. And once we outgrew the mat, that little piano stayed around forever. This one has a special place in my heart.

Fishing bath toy. It is a total no brainer and so much fun. This one has always been an easy win in our house. You cannot really reel anything in; you just use the little magnet on the tip of the pole to catch the fish, but that never mattered. It was our favorite bath toy for so many years.

What a great idea. If you want to teach your kiddos how to play chess, try this set out. There is a story you read that teaches the kids all the different pieces. For example, one of the kings is named King Chomper and he moves slowly because he is so weighed down with snacks in his pockets that he can only take one step at a time. How cute is that?

Each piece has a little story, and your kiddo really does learn to play slowly and naturally. We did this with Millie and she loves to play. And honestly, it is definitely time to get the book back out for Jordy. He loves chess too, although he usually plays by his own rules. :)

Another well made toy that lasted such a long time for both kids. The cleaning toys are most definitely not just for little girls. This set comes with the broom, mop, duster, brush, and the little dustpan, and my kids used every single piece. You really cannot beat Melissa and Doug. Everything is sturdy, wooden, and holds up through years of play.

The Melissa and Doug puzzles were the best. The quality cannot be beat, and the ones with the knobs were always our favorites. Both kids were really drawn to them, and we had several over the years. These two were our all time favorites, and they were played with constantly.

The Melissa and Doug puzzles were the best. The quality cannot be beat, and the ones with the knobs were always our favorites. This particular one was one of our top two that both kiddos were really drawn to, and we had several. I can still remember my little twelve month old pointing to all the vehicles and proudly naming them, “fire truck,” “AM-BU-lence,” and everything in between. So sweet.

Okay, the Abbotts did not own this toy, but we had friends who did and it was always a hit with all the kids. I once watched my two play on it for no joke three hours straight while the other moms and I actually got to sit back and relax. They also wear themselves out because they have to push the little roller coaster car back up to the beginning every time. Such a fun one!

Have a kid with too much energy? Look no further. It is soft, padded, and has a great little railing to hold onto. We practiced our numbers a lot with this one… “Now give me ten more jumps!” :)

Such a fun way for busy kiddos to burn energy inside.

This does not look like much, but it kept both kids so entertained. The slide is small, but it builds a surprising amount of coordination and confidence as your little one climbs up, sits, and slides down. All the extra toy parts are just a bonus, because the super low, super safe slide was what sold me as a mom (and the fact that both kids loved it).

You can put it right in the middle of the living room on soft carpet, surround it with pillows, and let your littles do a little safe risk taking. It was such a sweet stage.

Our friends donated their first hoverboard to one kid, so of course the other needed one. Our hoverboards actually stay in the house, and the kids love zooming in circles and even doing their chores on them. They also love racing on their butts, of all things. Most people already know about hoverboards, but both boy and girl love them in our house and use them regularly.

Millie was starting piano lessons and we had no room for a full piano, so my aunt bought her this folding piano. It is VERY nicely made, full size when it is open, and then it folds in half to store away. It is a really nice gift for someone who plays or is interested in playing, especially if you are short on space.

If you have a little one wanting to skate, these Fun Roll skates are perfect. They are not the simple strap-on skates that go over shoes like the toddler versions, they are real skates that are still low to the ground and so steady for beginners. Both of my kids had kindergarten skate parties, and these were an absolute must for us.

Millie originally had a different pair that did not work at all because she was too high off the ground and could not get the hang of it. With these, both kids learned quickly and could truly zoom around. They start slow so kids feel safe, but they pick it up fast. These are great for littles all the way through kindergarten or even first grade. We loved them, and I would recommend them every time.

Little buddy loves his balls, but most of them get torn up so fast. This one is solid. It is soft enough that it does not hurt if someone accidentally catches it with their face, but it still has great grooves that make it easy to throw well. Dad got Jordy this ball, and he wants to play with it every single day. It has held up better than any of the others we have tried.

This is my little man’s favorite dress-up character of all time. There were so many mornings I would wake up and find “IronMan-SpiderMan” (as we called it) lying on the floor, and it was the cutest thing. Both kids had so much fun with this costume, and it was such an easy go-to for pretend play.

If you are okay with Nerf guns in your house, this one is our favorite and we have several. It shoots accurately without being too intense, which I appreciate as a mom. It has a little scope on top that Jordy loves to use, and it is the perfect size for kids to handle on their own. It is one of those toys that ends up pulled out again and again, especially when friends come over. A solid, fun pick if your house is a Nerf house.

Any future scientists in the room? My daughter loves science, so it is no surprise that we have had a few microscopes over the years, but this one is still our favorite. Like many, it comes with little slides for the kids to look at, but this one also gives fun facts as they explore, which makes it even better. Little brother thinks it is pretty cool too, although he definitely spent less time with it overall than his sister. If you have a science-loving kiddo, this is a great one to consider.

One of Millie’s favorite dolls growing up. The pacifier is a little magnet that sticks right to the baby’s mouth, and the whole doll is soft and sweet. Such a simple idea, but it truly became a well-loved favorite in our house.

I looked and looked and researched for one of these when my kiddos were little, and this was the winner. I was so happy with my selection. Both kids loved it, and at some point they both insisted on standing on top of it, so do not say you were not warned.

As an actual activity cube, it was such a good one. It kept little hands busy with all the different sides to explore, and it was great for fine motor skills, problem solving, and keeping them entertained. This was really well-made and sturdy.

This is one of my all‑time favorite recommendations for anyone with kids ages 4 to 9. This series is incredible and an absolute favorite in our home. The books are like choose‑your‑own‑adventure stories with a meaningful twist. Kids get to explore what happens when Danny makes good or bad choices... More than anything though, they just love the books.

A must for any mid-elementary school girl. This was another grandma gift, but Millie uses it all the time to make bracelets for her friends. I one hundred percent recommend the larger beads like this set because the tiny ones are just too hard to work with at this age. This kit comes with a lot, so Millie keeps hers in a cute little magnetic box. Grandma bought her extra string too, and we have a special glue we use to help secure the ends, but otherwise… an absolutely perfect gift. Total winner.

Jordy-man hung out with his baseball-loving friends and immediately decided he had to buy some glasses. Truly every little boy’s dream. He now wears them regularly, and they make him feel like one of the big kids. A simple little purchase that has gotten so much use.

My kids love their Echo Dots and I love the parent controls. They listen to audiobooks at night, control the nightlight, and ask Alexa to play music. It’s great for timers for ending playtime or picking up when needed too.

This one is a family favorite. It is exactly what it sounds like, a little bow and arrow set with suction cups that stick to the target. We have had so much fun shooting this thing… the target, the wall, Mommy’s car, you get the picture. I actually enjoy playing with it too. There is a notch in the base of the arrow that makes it pretty easy to shoot, and a five or six year old can handle it really well. It is a great fit and such a fun toy.

As a mom, I cannot totally explain why this toy is an all-time favorite, but both kids insisted it had to be on the list, and they are not wrong. We got this when Millie was around five, and we STILL have it. Millie, even at nine almost ten, absolutely refuses to give it up. It is this animatronic/stuffed-animal toy that keeps a little baby “Peek-a-Roo” tucked in its pouch. The pouch opens and closes based on your interactions with it to give you access to the baby.

It makes all kinds of little sounds and movements when you play with it, but honestly, I think the kids just think the baby is really cute...? That is the magic of this one. It was technically Millie’s toy, but Jordy played with it just as much when he was little, which was always really sweet.

We do not have a big house and we clean out toys constantly, but this one has survived every single round of purging. Fully kid-approved and still going strong.

Not an Amazon find, but these were our absolute favorite princess dresses for girls. They are a little more expensive than what you see in big stores, but they are so nicely made and truly last. I think we have passed almost all of ours down to other families once we outgrew them, and several even doubled as Halloween costumes. If you are looking for a princess dress, these are such a good pick.

Jordy loves his “trucks” — the diggers, excavators, dump trucks, all of it. If you want a good truck for inside the house, I recommend the Maxx Action motorized excavator and dump truck. They move forward and dump using motorized levers and are so fun to play with.

However, if you want something to take outside and actually dig in the dirt, I recommend The Big Digger I listed above, or a complete set of non-motorized trucks from Tractor Supply. Those hold up really well outside and are perfect for real digging and hauling.

Okay, maybe not a toy recommendation here, but when I look back on our must-have kid purchases, this is the bed rail we ended up going with after quite a bit of research. We kept it on my side of the bed because we often had little people climbing in during the night who were still too small to be trusted not to roll off. You can easily pop it up or down depending on whether a kiddo is sleeping with you. It was a total peace-of-mind purchase for us.