This 50 kid gifts under $25 guide will help you check off everyone on your Christmas list without breaking the bank.
There is a huge range of gift ideas here from games to art supplies to accessories with something for everyone. You’ll have no trouble finding presents for a wide variety of ages. The vast majority of present ideas here are simply great gift ideas and work well for teenagers and grown-ups, too. You’ll find yourself referring back to this list when you’re shopping for friends, co-workers, neighbors, and more. Keep this gift guide saved for Christmas, birthdays, and beyond.
1. Books
Most parents would rather have their kids get a new book than a new toy any day of the week. You can never have too many books, right? You can find book recommendation lists for every age group from babies through teenagers.
2. Bath toys
Bath toys make a good gift because many of them get moldy after a while. It’s also nice to have a small selection, so you can rotate in new toys periodically. Our favorite bath toys include a water wheel, submarine monkey, wind-up penguin, wind-up turtles, and Green Toys boats.
3. Cars
Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars are awesome for gift giving because they are inexpensive and there are so many styles. There are also lots of smaller tracks and other play sets to go with them for under $25.
4. Hair bows/headbands
Hair bows and headbands are available in every color and style imaginable. It’s always nice to have a few new ones for an upcoming holiday or occasion. My favorite Etsy shop for headbands is GoldenDotLane.
5. Winter hats/gloves
It never hurts to have extra hats, gloves, and mittens on hand when they get lost, wet, and worn out. A few of my favorites include the KPWIN toddler winter hat, ORVINNER wool-lined gloves, and N’ice Caps Sherpa-lined fleece mittens.
6. Bubbles
Bubbles are such an easy, fun activity for kids of all ages. For younger kids, I love the Fubbles bucket, which is still no-spill but comes with bigger wands than the regular Fubbles. For older kids, a bubble wand set to make really big bubbles is a nice pick.
7. Travel cups/water bottles
It’s good to have multiple water bottles and travel cups on hand for car trips, sports, school, etc. My favorite sports top bottle is the Polar Bottle, which is large and insulated and has a handle. Lately, my other top pick for kids’ water bottles is the THERMOS FUNTAINER. It doesn’t leak and comes in a lot of fun designs.
8. Dinosaurs
Plastic dinosaur toys are affordable and provide hours of imaginative play. Bigger sets are great for splitting up among multiple kids or grandkids or for giving as party favors.
9. Painting kit
Art supplies make great gifts, even for kids with lots of toys, because you use them up and need new ones periodically. There are lots of fun themed painting kits, such as rocks, stepping stones, magnets, and unicorns.
10. Another art kit
If you’re looking for some other art kit options besides painting, think about rainbow scratch paper, jewelry making, and air-dry clay. I love all of these art kits because they’re not messy.
11. Other art supplies
Basic art supplies, such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, and paints, are solid gift choices for kids of a wide variety of ages.
12. T-shirts
Once kids get past about age two, people stop getting them nearly as many clothes for gifts. Clothes remain a good gift item. For t-shirts, think about their interests and hobbies.
13. Small LEGO and Playmobil sets
For kids who love LEGOs or Playmobil, giving a small set is a fun way to add to their collection without breaking the bank or overwhelming everyone with tons of pieces. Search “small LEGO sets” or “small Playmobil sets” to see lots of options under $25.
14. Stuffed animals
I know that not everyone loves stuffed animals. But I’m in the “you can never have too many stuffed animals” camp. My favorite brands are Gund, Wild Republic, and Jellycat.
15. Puzzles
Puzzles provide a fun solo or group activity for kids of all ages. Most puzzle listings include a suggested age range, which will help you choose appropriate puzzles for your recipients.
16. Blocks
Blocks are such a versatile toy for hours of imaginative play. You can’t go wrong with a good set of wooden blocks. The Melissa and Doug set that I’m linking will keep you under the $25 price point.
17. Nerf guns
I know that guns are always a controversial item, even Nerf guns. But we’ve been going strong with a set of Nerf guns in my house for several years now. My son comes up with so many different games for Nerf gun play, and it makes for a fun group activity.
18. Activity books
Activity books are nice to keep on hand for restaurants, church, waiting rooms, road trips, airplane rides, etc. Search by age range to find activity books with coloring pages, hidden pictures, mazes, dot to dots, and much more.
19. Rainbow scratch paper
Rainbow scratch paper is another great non-prep, quiet activity to keep on hand when you need something different to keep kids engaged. Scratch paper sets come with wooden scratchers and assorted stencils.
20. Wimmelbooks/Where’s Waldo books
You can’t go wrong with classic Where’s Waldo books. I’m also a big fan of the Wimmelbooks. There are more than a dozen Wimmelbooks, each with a different theme, and they keep adding more.
21. LCD writing tablet
LCD writing tablets are one of the neatest inventions ever. The screen is waterproof and holds up so well, even under a lot of wear and tear from little kids.
22. Fridge magnets
My kids love rearranging the magnets, photos, and art on my office filing cabinet. I love these rainbow magnets, marble magnets, and faux succulents magnets.
23. Toy airplanes
When you give toy airplanes at Christmas, I guarantee that you’ll get all of the guys playing with them. I love basic glider planes for larger groups and foam planes for smaller groups.
24. Dress-up clothes
Dress-up clothes are another great imaginative play item and shouldn’t be limited to princess dresses. I love these community helper vests and superhero capes and masks set.
25. Board games/card games
Board games and card games are such good social activities for kids of all ages. It never hurts to have a few new games on hand for family game nights and gatherings with friends and extended family. A few extremely well-rated family games right now include What Do You Meme?, SKYJO, Quirkle, and Ticket to Ride.
26. Stomp rocket
The stomp rocket is such a simple idea but so much fun. I’ve watched kids play together with the stomp rocket for half an hour at a time. It’s also a fun activity for little kids to play with adults.
27. Wallet
It’s important for kids to have a wallet to keep their money and other personal items safe and organized. For boys, I love the Levi’s leather wallet and RFID trifold canvas sports wallet, which comes in so many fun colors and prints. For girls, I love the GEEAD bifold slim coin purse holder and Travelambo large capacity luxury waxed genuine leather clutch, both of which come in lots of colors.
28. Bean bag toss
While a genuine wood or even full-size collapsible bean bag toss will put you over the $25 price point, for kids, you can find a nice smaller double-sided toss game right at $25. You can also buy a set with cones, rings, and bean bags, or just the bean bags.
29. Jewelry-making kit
A jewelry-making kit is a fun way to give young jewelry-making enthusiasts a few new supplies for their craft collections. I love the Choose Friendship friendship bracelet maker, charm bracelet making kit, clay beads kit, and glass beads and letter beads kit. The Paxcoo jewelry-making supplies kit is also a great deal.
30. Science experiment kit
Who doesn’t love a good science experiment? A few fun under $25 kits include the Giggleway Electric Robotic Science Kits, Elenco Snap Circuts Jr., and UNGLINGA Science Kit. You’ll find even more options by searching by age range.
31. Bug catcher kit
A simple bug catcher kit will keep kids of all ages entertained outdoors for hours on end.
32. Moon lamp
Moon lamps are so beautiful and thanks to LED technology, so affordable. I love the classic moon lamp, which comes with a wooden stand and features 16 colors. The galaxy moon lamp is also beautiful and such a fun piece for kids.
33. Star projector
Similarly, star projectors are such a fun option for kids who have outgrown a nightlight but still want a fun low-light option for their room. Most of the low-end star projectors are slightly above the $25 price point. But the Fortally Nebula star projector is well below this price point and is still very well-rated with lots of fun color options.
34. Toy dart game
Sticky dart games are a great way to introduce kids to the game of darts. If you prefer a magnetic dart board, the Win SPORTS magnetic dart board comes in just under the $25 price point. It’s a double-sided board with traditional darts on one side and a target darts game on the other side.
35. Pogo jumper
A foam pogo jumper is a safe way to let kids experience pogoing while still having a lot of fun. The Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper is extremely well-rated and comes in almost a dozen different colors.
36. Magic tricks
While many magic tricks sets are pricier, you’ll find quite a few single magic tricks at lower prices including a folding coin, magic scarf, rope trick, trick pen, and haunted key as well as this Basic Card Magic: 25 Easy Card Magic Tricks for Beginners book.
37. LED magnifying glass
An LED magnifying glass magnifies up to 30X and has three different modes for cold, warm, and mixed color lighting. Kids will have the best time exploring with an LED magnifying glass in hand.
38. Lite Brite
Relive your own childhood with a classic Lite-Brite toy. Kids will spend hours working through the included templates and creating their own images.
39. Fidget toys
Fidget toys are lifesavers for kids and adults of all ages. Keep a few handy at school, in the car, around the house, etc., so you’ll never be without one. You’ll find fidget toys in all shapes and colors with lots of fun themed items.
40. Magnet tiles
I know that magnet tile sets aren’t the cheapest but with good reason as they come with lots of pieces and are very durable. Search “magnet tiles” and turn on the under $25 filter to see a few good sets at this price point. I also love this cars set, which is a great add-on item for kids who already own a lot of magnet tiles.
41. Bubble lawnmower
Bubble lawnmowers are such a hit from early toddler days all the way through early elementary school. Whenever you gift a bubble item, include an extra bottle of bubble solution.
42. Helicopter ball
I’ve never seen anything quite like a helicopter ball before. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a mini drone at a lower price point and that’s so colorful.
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43. Piano mat
No one will be able to resist a go at the piano mat. As it’s so easy to play, even very young kids will get so much satisfaction out of it.
44. Solar robot
The solar robot is one of the coolest STEM kits that I’ve ever seen. The kit includes 12 different robots to build, and with solar technology, you never have to worry about batteries.
45. Karaoke microphone
Karaoke microphones use Bluetooth technology for instant pairing and automatic reconnection. Bring the microphone with you for all sorts of singing fun with family and friends.
46. Watch
Having their own watches is one of the best motivations for kids to practice their time-telling skills and to be on time for their own engagements. Basic sports watches are always a good option, as they’re waterproof and very durable. You’ll also find kid watches for endless popular TV and movie characters.
47. Pens/pencils
Who doesn’t look forward to using new pens and pencils? Paper Mate makes some of the best fun pens, with sets including ballpoint pens, gel pens, and felt tip pens. For pencils, TICONDEROGA My First Pencils and Paper Mate Triangular Mechanical Pencil Set are extremely well-rated.
48. Play-Doh/modeling clay
Add to your favorite sculptor’s collection with a few new cans of Play-Doh or modeling clay or a selection of sculpting tools.
49. Pretty notebook
Even with the convenience of digital note-taking, there’s nothing quite like writing with pen and paper. The PAPERAGE lined journal notebook is so classic and comes in such beautiful colors. I’m always a sucker for a good floral design as well, such as Steel Mill & Co’s floral notebooks.
50. Letter board
I know that the letter board trend is a little overplayed at this point. But I still love it because it’s so versatile. Go for a letter board that includes a letter sorting tray.
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