The Kid Lit Mama’s 2022 Bookish Holiday Gift Guide
Hello and Happy Holidays!
Do you struggle with gift giving? I know I do. I always overthink things!
This gift guide is divided into sections by interests/characteristics, as well as a few specific ages/groups. I’ve included mostly books but you’ll also find some toys, learning tools, and even apparel to fit with each theme.
Let’s get to it, shall we?!
FOR THE SCIENTIST
This fabulous book offers 25 easy science experiments with extra simple setup and cleanup. With her books, the author (known as the Kitchen Pantry Scientist) aims to show readers that anyone can be a scientist!
This “journal” will appeal to analytical, data-minded kids. With it, kids can track their daily life activities with a variety of infographics. It is really fun and unique - I haven’t seen a workbook like this!
Sleuth & Solve: Science: 20+ Mind-Twisting Mysteries
This super fun interactive book features over 20 mysteries that kids can try to solve using their knowledge of science! This would be a great book for kids to enjoy independently or with peers or family. I could also see it being a lot of fun as a large group activity in a classroom setting!
Battle of the Brains: The Science Behind Animal Minds
This title offers a fascinating look at the minds of animals! I love how readers are encouraged to rank the animals based on their smarts. This battle format makes the book feel game-like, which is always a win for engagement.
Piccolina Tulle Appliqué Skirts
Piccolina has so many gorgeous and fun tulle skirts with appliqués that capture a variety of sciences: Space Exploration , Botany, Entomology, Chemistry (shown here) and Paleontology.
I find forensic scientist SO fascinating. Kids really gravitate toward mystery stories and activities, so I think this would naturally be a hit. Fingerprint collection is so interesting and fun! Recommended for ages 8+.
Little Passports Science Jr. Subscription Box
Keep the fun going all year long for your little scientist. This Little Passports Science Jr. Subscription Box is best suited for ages 5-8.
Tender Leaf Toys makes THE cutest toys for kids. I love all of the details in this Life on Mars set and the questions it would inspire. So much learning to be had!
FOR THE PERFORMER
Sarah's Silks Star Fairy Dress-Up Costume
I absolutely love the whimsical nature and high quality of all of the Sarah’s Silks products. This is one of many lovely dress-up costumes, playsilks, and toys they sell. You can use the code ELIZM10 at checkout for 10% off your total purchase.
Tender Leaf Toys Musical Table
I love how this includes so many musical instruments in one table! I’m also a big fan of the woodland vibes and muted = colors - it’s so cute! Recommended for ages 3+.
The Story Orchestra: I Can Play
This book is the COOLEST! It helps kids learn to play the tunes from the other Story Orchestra Books. Notes are represented by colored shapes, which makes this book accessible to all kids - not just those who know how to read music. Kids can also mess around with the piano and make their own songs.
This stunning picture book tells the stories of six groundbreaking Black ballet dancers, including Essie Marie Dorsey, Arthur Mitchell, Christian Holder, choreographer Dwight Rhoden, Misty Copeland, and Michaela DePrince.
In this story, we follow a little kid named Thomas to his winter ballet class. The class practices together, then chooses their costumes for their performance of The Nutcracker. I love how Thomas gets to dress as the Sugar Plum Fairy!
BONAOK Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone
Kids LOVE this microphone. The built-in Bluetooth module can be used as a wireless speaker, mp3 player, or recorder.
FOR THE VEHICLE LOVER
In this interactive board book, little hands can get to work fixing cars at the Big Green Garage! This book is sure to be adored by fans of cars and trucks. Recommended age is 2-4, but I think slightly older kids would have a lot of fun with it as well.
C Is for Car: A Car ABC Primer
This alphabet book introduces kids to SO MANY varieties of classic and luxury cars, many of which I’ve never heard of! I think any car lover would have a lot of fun browsing through this one. And even though it’s a smaller board book, I could see it being a neat coffee table book!
Vehicle Adventure (I Spy with My Little Eye)
Search and find books are such a blast, and this one is no exception! This is a series of books, and each has a different theme. This one is vehicles!
These cars are our favorite! They’re so vibrant and retro. My daughter loves playing with hers, and they look great on a shelf, too! Note that the paint chips pretty easily, which is to be expected with something hand painted like these are. Gives them character!
IVI World Mini City Play Carpet
We have the Beach House play carpet and LOVE it, but I think this one would be much better suited for a little car lover! There is so much to explore here, and you can pair any toys with it!
Miniland Sort & Count Vehicles
This set is so much fun for older toddlers and preschoolers! My 2.5 year old LOVES it. Kids sort the vehicles by color and shape on the different activity mats provided. They can also use the vehicles for more open-ended play and as simple math manipulatives.
FOR THE MAKER
The ME Book: An Art Activity Book
With this super fun activity book, kids can create a book that’s all about them! It offers so many opportunities for creative expression. The author/illustrator, Marion Deuchars, has such a unique style that is evident throughout the pages of this book.
Bare Books are the best! These mostly-blank books provide an empty canvas for kids’ creations. Some of the books offer lines, frames for illustrations, etc., while others are entirely blank.
This neat activity book gives directions for 35 different activities that will give new life to recycled objects. The back of the book provides the printables to copy for each project.
Little Library Storytelling Box
This little box is full of possibilities! It includes 10 miniature books and 40 storytelling coins that your little one can use to inspire their own stories. The inside looks like a miniature library. So cute. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
This desk is super sturdy and versatile! My 2.5 year old uses it for drawing and coloring, but we don’t stop at that…we also use it as a platform/stage, tunnel/parking garage, and more.
These are by FAR my favorite art supply for little ones. The colors show up so well on different materials. They dry super fast and are totally washable. We’ve used them on paper, cardboard, rocks, etc. My little one even painted all of her outdoor toys (slide, bike, etc.) with them over the summer - washed right off!
Portable Light Pad & Geometry Shapes
We recently received these products from Miniland and are having a ball with them! The light board is really lightweight and gets surprisingly bright (you can adjust the brightness). The Geometry shapes are super fun to create with on the light board.
Miniland Pre-Writing Basics Patterns
These are so awesome for toddlers and preschoolers!!! My 2.5 year old really enjoys following the patterns and using them to create fun designs.
FOR THE ADVENTURER
Spin to Survive: Deadly Jungle
This book is truly epic! Remove the pop-out spinner, place it on the pages, and spin to determine your fate. Full of adventure and super interactive, this book really is a game in a book. There’s one other title in this series so far, Spin to Survive: Frozen Mountain.
The Pop-Up Guide: Natural Wonders
These pop-up books are awesome! I especially love this one - the natural wonders featured in the book are gorgeous and will get kids dreaming of incredible adventures! My favorite is Mount Everest!!
This miniature audio player is perfect for on-the-go adventures! You can play any Yoto cards in it and even make your own cards with the audio of your choice. Plug in headphones for easy listening!
How adorable are these binoculars? Binoculars are an essential tool for little explorers.
Sarah’s Silks Play Clips & Giant Playsilks
Use these clips to secure your playsilks to chairs, branches, and more for some truly epic fort making!
Wooden Climber Triangular Rope Ladder
How epic is this three-sided ladder?! I think any little adventurer would have an absolute blast with this.
How fun does this look? I envision many trips to outerspace and hours upon hours of imaginative play!
FOR THE SENSITIVE CHILD
This game features playful, cartoon-like illustrations of feelings (they give me big Inside Out vibes) that kids will really enjoy. By playing, kids get to better know their feelings in a fun, low-stakes way.
Meet Leisel and her emotional aid pocket pal, Lexi! You can get an extra pocket pal for your child to carry with them when they’re not at home. This is a sweet toy/tool for coping with separation anxiety!
Unicorn/Self-Worth Sensory Kit
Each of these little jars focuses on a different element of social-emotional learning/emotional literacy! This one deals with self-worth. The jars are small enough to easily throw into a bag and bring along to a family event, restaurant, etc.
Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective
This is a fun pick for kids who experience anxiety. They’ll learn different coping techniques and the importance of self-care.
Each of the Slumberkins focuses on a different social-emotional learning skill. Ibex is from the Emotional Courage collection, created for kiddos who are highly emotional and experience big feelings.
This book is perfect for a child who feels deeply. It is so beautiful and moving!
This is a great tool to help kids better understand and express emotions. It’s also just a lot of fun!
This fantastic title features a non-binary child who deals with performance anxiety/stage fright. It’s a great choice for kids who experience anxiety.
FOR THE TODDLER
Lovevery Post & Play Peg People
I absolutely love this set of colorful wooden peg people and cups! Lovevery for Target products are really affordable and just as high quality as the toys in their play kits. It’s fun to match the colors but even more fun to use the pieces in new ways for imaginative play.
Book & Suzette Rattle Gift Set
This set is adorable! The Suzette rattle is so cute and high quality, definitely not just for babies. My 2.5 year old loves the book SUZETTE MAKES A CRÊPE.
Hide & Peek Mermaid | Hide & Peek Unicorn
Here are two interactive board books my 2.5 year old adores! We’ve read each of these on repeat!
This set is so versatile! When my daughter was really little, she loved the flat sticks for grasping and knocking together. We use the cube blocks as chairs for her little people. It’s fun to transform the box into a vehicle.
Touchwords: Color Cards: Touch and Feel
These cards are awesome! They include raised die cut shapes, which makes for a great tactile learning experience. I love how the back of each card features a variety of objects that are the given color AND the names of different shades of the color.
With this card set, toddlers learn to match the baby animal with their grown up. We don’t play as a memory game yet (my daughter is 2.5). I love how the cards feature photographs - they’re awesome!
FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
You will love this hilarious remix of Mother Goose. It will have everyone giggling!
This title includes an engaging nature activity for families to enjoy together every weekend of the year. Awesome!
Match each animal’s top/front half with its behind. Make funny combos and laugh together. Play as a memory game if you prefer!
My favorite read aloud of 2022. Hilarious, clever, and inclusive!
An enjoyable new look for the classic game. The pieces are suns and moons!
Tileblox Magnetic Building Set
Magnetic tiles were always a hit in my classroom, and I’m excited to get my daughter a set soon. I thought the colors in this set were so fun!
Every night at dinner, we do a few of these conversation cards together as a family. They get us off our screens, give us something fun to talk about, and help us get to know each other better.
This sweet journal is meant to be filled out with parent and child together. What a keepsake this could be!
Reading Together: Share in the Wonder of Books with a Parent-Child Book Club
This book provides everything you need to start a parent-child book club in the new year, from choosing a book to structuring meetings.
FOR THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM
Each of these cards provides a different mindfulness activity that can easily be done with little ones.
Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts
Here are a variety of books that would be great for the elementary classroom. These address topics like social-emotional learning, literacy, and math!
Dream in Color: 30 Posters of Power, 30 Black Creatives
This book features the incredible work of 30 talented Black artists. These removable posters are beautiful and thought provoking, a welcome addition to an inclusive classroom environment.
Hope you enjoyed! Comment and let me know what you’ll be getting for your little this holiday season!
