Top Gifts for Kids 5 to 8

Buying Christmas gifts for kids aged 5 to 8 can be an extremely daunting task. After all, they are too old for the preschool toys and just a little too young for the toys the big kids love. The good news is that there are many great new and old toys on the market this holiday season that will both entertain and educate your young children.

Leapster. Although the newer Leapster L-Max has recently hit the market, the original Leapster is still available and still a great gift idea for kids aged 5 - 8. The biggest reason to purchase the original Leapster is it’s reduced price. With an interactive stylus and screen and an assortment of available games, the Leapster is sure to provide hours and hours of educating entertainment. And, when you are ready to upgrade to the newer Leapster L-Max, your original Leapster game cartridges will be completely compatible.

Children’s Playmate magazine. Purchasing a subscription to a magazine is a great gift idea for young children. Children’s Playmate is full of great stories that are easy to read, fun activities that will stimulate your child, and puzzles that will help your kids learn while they play. Since the magazine is published eight times per year, that means your gift keeps coming as a regular special surprise in the mail.

Activity Kits.  Activity kits are always a great gift idea and kids love them. Some of the better ones include the Groovy Ceramic Lamp, the Butterfly Bedroom, and Two Glasses For You to Paint. With the Groovy Ceramic Lamp activity kit, your children hand paint and decorate a ceramic lamp. The kit comes with everything you need to complete the project, as well as suggestions for designs. The Butterfly Bedroom kit, as the name implies, focuses on butterflies. Glitter paint and rhinestones are used for decoration and the butterflies can be placed throughout the house to show off your kids’ artistic abilities. Finally, the Two Glass Plates For You kit allows kids to decorate the backs of plates to create their own unique designs. The plates can then be put on display or used to eat off of.