100 Thrifty Christmas Gifts for Kids

What could be more fun than a catapult? This cool toy comes with everything you need to launch things across the room, including six soft, spiky balls. Not only is this gift a lot of fun, but children can also learn a lot about levers and pulleys by playing with this toy.

Love Jenga, but want to take your balancing skills to a whole new level? This cool game uses different shapes and sizes of wires that must be stacked on top of each other without toppling the whole structure. It’s fun to play with family, but it’s also fun to create structures alone.

Night time can be scary for young children because it gets so dark. Instead of plugging in a boring old nightlight, fill the room with a rainbow! This amazing projector can splash the walls and ceiling in a literal rainbow of colors, which will make it easier for your little one to settle into bed.

Looking for a fun way for your child to create kooky faces without having to spend money on a Mr. Potato Head doll? Make your own funny face magnets! With a plain sheet of magnetic material, a little paper, and markers, you can create a set for every child in your family.

Finding ways to keep kids occupied indoors when the weather gets cold can be a real challenge, but that’s definitely not the case with these cool Sumo Bumper Boppers! After Christmas dinner is over, set up a ring on the basement floor and let your kids burn their extra energy!

Staying indoors during the holiday season doesn’t mean your young ones have to spend time watching TV or playing video games. Get them involved in science instead! This cool kit includes everything you need to complete 15 cool science experiments in your very own home.

Some children’s crafts can be over so quickly. If you have a daughter, niece, or granddaughter who has the patience to see a more complex project through to its end, she’ll love this needlepoint kit. It includes all the bright yarn and instructions she needs to start a lifelong hobby.

Fireworks aren’t just for outside! Bring a little summertime fun indoors for the holidays with these cool LED fireworks. The kit comes with a special control box that allows you to control exactly when each cone fires off its rainbow show.

Everyone’s got at least one empty tin can lying around, so why not turn that can into a robot? This fun kit includes everything your child needs to transform a plain old soda can into a robotic monster. Plus, this kit teaches recycling and harnesses creativity.

Most kids get in trouble when they draw all over the walls and windows, but that won’t be the case if you gift these window markers. They are specially formulated for glass to create a crystallized effect. When you’re all done, a wet paper towel will take care of the mess.

Looking for a quick toy or two to place in a Christmas stocking? Buy these bounce balls for just $3.35! Instead of being made of hard plastic, like most bouncy balls you buy out of the coin machines at the store, these fun balls are stretchy!

Both girls and boys love getting creative with K’NEX! There’s no need to spend a fortune on custom K’NEX sets when you can get the same excitement with this fun package. It allows you to build your very own roller-coaster, complete with motorized parts, for just $19.79.

Ever watch kids using the helium in a balloon to change their voices? Give them the same wacky pleasure without the lightheaded feeling when you gift this voice changer. Your child can literally create hundreds of different sounds, all with their own voice!

The growing season is traditionally reserved for the spring and summer, but who said you can’t bring a little green inside for the holidays? This cool terrarium includes design elements that make it fun for a child to decorate, including glow-in-the-dark stickers!

Who knew farts could be so funny? If you have any little boys in your life, they definitely need to own this game. Not only does it incorporate a card game, but it also comes with a fart soundtrack that will keep them giggling the entire time they’re playing the game.

Even ugly pets need love too! If you have a son, nephew, or grandson who is tired of being surrounded by his sisters cute little plastic pets, gift this hilarious dirty dog wash van. Each kit comes with an Uggly dog and sickly sounds that every little boy is sure to love.

Being creative is all about imagining things in new and different ways. This cool craft gift is perfect for any girl who looks at an object and thinks she can make it more beautiful. This kit allows you to apply custom, colorful skins to nearly any 3-dimensional item, including cell phone cases!

Turn Christmas evening into a magic show! This cool kit is perfect for both boys and girls who are interested in learning how to mystify an audience. It includes 100 amazing tricks that are so easy to learn that children as young as 7 can impress the whole family with their new skills.

Bath time can seem like such a waste of time to a toddler. Make sure the little one in your life looks forward to bath time with these cool water pipes. They can be configured in a variety of ways, ensuring that splashing around in the bathtub never gets boring.

Snowball fights are a lot of fun, but they require you to put on all your winter clothing, then take it all back off when you come inside. Skip all the work and start having fun right away instead with these messless indoor snowballs!

Whether your kid has a science fair coming up, or you’re looking for an authentic way to teach your child about bacteria, this science kit is a great gift for the holiday season. It is the number one best-selling kit on Amazon, and it has helped countless children win science fair competitions.

Anyone can be transformed into a superhero with these grip fists! Although they look strong and sturdy, they are actually extremely soft, so you don’t have to worry about anyone getting hurt. The fists also have grab and grip action, which means they function almost like real hands!

Magnets aren’t just for the refrigerator, they can be a lot of fun too! These toys use magnets to move a little bean guy around the board in order to find the treasure. This set comes with 12 unique boards so the fun never ends!

Ever get one of those plastic maze toys as a party favor? This toy takes that simple concept to a whole new level. The Perplexus is a true labyrinth full of twists and turns. It contains an amazing 22 feet of track and 100 barriers, which will keep your kid occupied for hours.

Whether your child has a fascination with the night sky, or you’re simply looking for a unique way to light up their room at night, this is the perfect Christmas gift. With a touch of a button, you can even go through all the phases of the moon!

Play carpets are a lot of fun, but this toy takes the concept to a whole other level. This is actually a game board where children have to race around town, solving mysteries by spotting hard-to-find details. Playing the game will never get boring because the board is six feet long!

If you’ve never played Phase 10 before, you’re missing out on one of the best family card games around! It is a rummy-type card game that requires you to pass one phase before moving onto the next. To win, you have to complete all 10 phases before the other players.

Every little girl needs a music box! This music box is a bit different than most because it includes fun drawers on the bottom and the sides of the box. Because it plays Swan Lake every time it opens, she’s sure open the box time and time again.

Hot Wheels tracks are a lot of fun for both boys and girls, but they can be so expensive. This fun track includes everything your child needs to create curvy tracks, but without the expensive price tag. The track can even be turned into a spiral!

You’re never too old or too young to get excited about a flying toy! This RC helicopter is extremely easy to fly, making it perfect for beginners. But, it also offers stable flight characteristics, which makes this copter higher quality than its measly $15.88 price tag.

Whether it’s raining or snowing, there’s no better way to pass the time inside than by creating one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork. If you know a young boy or girl who loves to draw, color, and paint, they are sure to love this art set. It includes a whopping 250 colored pencils, markers, and more!

Making friendship bracelets can keep kids occupied for hours. If you’re ready to try something a bit different, leave the embroidery floss behind and give this loom a try. Using simple bands, the young girl in your life can create unique pieces of jewelry for all her friends.

Most children grow up listening to the stories that their parents, grandparents, and older brothers and sisters read before bed. This cool story book allows them to tell their own stories instead, perfect for snuggling into bed long after Christmas is over.

Have a kid in your life who loves to tinker around with things? Make sipping a glass of juice more fun with the Architect’s Sipping Straw. With 17 unique pieces, there are countless ways to watch liquid travel from your glass to your lips.

Playing in the sand used to be just for the outdoors, but not anymore! This cool sand is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Instead of falling between your fingers, this sand can be molded and shaped, making it fun to play with and easy to clean up.

Children love pretending to be people and things that they’re not, which is why this game is so much fun! A card is placed on the forehead, so everyone but you knows what you are. Be the first to guess correctly and you win!

Some kids have more energy to burn than others. Help your child settle down with this set of three fidget toys. Because they can be twisted and turned, they are recommended by therapists and teachers for children with ADHD and autism, but they’re a lot of fun for other kids too!

Because of games like Minecraft, blocky, pixelated images have become popular with young boys and girls. But, there’s no need to spend a lot of money on the game or its accessories when you can encourage a young one to create their own characters with this Quixels Design Creator!

Charades is a game that is enjoyed by young and old alike, but it can be an especially challenging game for little ones. Make things a little easier with this charades game that is specially made just for kids. Not only is it fun, but it develops critical thinking skills and develops imagination too!

Apples to Apples is a popular game because it’s extremely easy to play, but it’s also a lot of fun. Although the traditional game can be a bit tricky for youngsters, this version includes easy-to-understand cards that’ll have the whole family rolling on the floor laughing.

Writing and drawing don’t always have to involve pencils and crayons. This fun write and learn center is a magnetic drawing board that can be written on and erased time and time again. It’s an especially good gift idea for a child that spends a lot of time traveling in the car.

Whether your little one has an American Girl doll, or she just loves dressing up her dolls in different outfits, this is a unique gift that she won’t expect. You can save even more if you use scraps of leftover wood and paint laying around the house.

Nearly every kid loves playdough, but the cost of all those tubs can add up fast. Instead, give this homemade playdough recipe a try. You can make a wide variety of crazy colors, and because you didn’t spend a lot, you don’t have to worry about all the colors getting mixed up.

If you want a candy bar, you probably think a trip to the gas station is in your future. That’s not the case with this fun chocolate bar maker! Using treats around the house, you and your child can make one-of-a-kind creations. It’s perfect for leftover Christmas candy!

I spy games can be a lot of fun, especially if you know a young one who’s stuck sitting in the car, traveling between family celebrations. This fun I Spy bag is an affordable way to keep a child occupied. You’ll save so much money that you’ll be able to make more than one!

Making rock candy can be a lot of fun, and it’s something that you can easily do at home. Take things one step further by turning those amazing crystal creations into a wearable piece of jewelry! When you’re ready for something new, just eat the candy and start over again!

Although most children’s Christmas gifts are a lot of fun, it’s worth gifting something useful too. If you know a little boy or girl who is drowning in stuffed animals and dolls, give them this toy hammock. It’s an easy way to keep all those toys up off the floor.

If you’re looking for a way to keep your kiddo occupied when everyone is stuck indoors, make this secret decoder wheel and stuff it in their Christmas stocking. Then, create a few fun messages that they have to decode before the night’s over.

There’s just something about getting messy that gets kids all excited. That’s why this game is so popular with children of all ages! Plus, you’re likely to have a lot of whipped cream around the house for the holidays. Grab the whole family and see who gets pied!

The Spirograph has been around for a very long time, and for good reason. If you have a son, daughter, or grandchild that loves drawing and doodling, gift this deluxe design set. They’ll spend hours creating mesmerizing designs using the 19 wheels included in the kit.

Who said baseball is just for boys? If the little girl in your life loves to head outside and toss around a baseball, she’s going to love this glove and ball set. The glove and included baseball are specially designed with her favorite characters from Frozen!

The perfect toy does double duty. It’s a lot of fun, but it also provides your little one with a chance to learn something new. This cool toy includes 48 gears that can be configured in new and fun ways. Challenge your child to engage all of the gears at the same time!

Science isn’t just something that happens in a lab with hard-to-find materials. Science is everywhere, and this kit proves it. Using regular items from around the house, and the items included in the kit, you can build a spinning motor, a real radio, and more!

Give the youngest member of your family a head start this Christmas season. This cool cookie jar is full of cookies, but looks can be deceiving! Each cookie has a number on the back and chocolate chips on the front, making learning how to count extremely visual.

Some of the very best children’s games are also the most ridiculous. This hilarious game is all about avoiding drawing the exploding kitten card, or at least making sure that you have a laser pointer or weaponized back hair to keep you in the game.

You can’t always get out on the court to practice your basketball skills, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find other ways to practice! Encourage a young boy or girl to harness their shooting abilities with this basketball hoop that fits snugly over the back of any door.

Marble runs are fun, but why not add a twist to this popular game? This gravity maze comes with 60 challenges that encourage you to find the perfect configuration of pieces to get a marble from start to finish. You may just find that your child is better at it than you are!

Bubbles are mesmerizing at any age, but creating the perfect bubble can be a real challenge. Instead of trying to get the right ratio of water and dish soap, gift this bottle of bubbles. Its super solution has been specially formulated to create the biggest, brightest, most colorful bubbles on earth.

Writing in a journal can be a great way for a young girl to get things off her chest, but the risk of having a sibling find her journal may cause her to give up before she even gets started. This special journal is password protected, so she can write to her heart’s content.

Chances are, you grew up playing games like Simon Says when you were young. Bring a little nostalgia to your child’s gift by getting them involved in a game that already has many happy memories. This is the basic Simon game that started it all.

Shooting your friends has never been more fun! The traditional burp gun was popularized in the 1950s, but it continues to be popular with children today. Not only can you shoot accurately up to 20 feet, each ball makes a fun burp sound when shot. It even glows in the dark!

Take aim and fire at these floating targets! Using a small plastic pistol, the object of the game is to shoot the floating balls out of the air. It’s the perfect desk accessory for a child. Each ball is controlled by its own air stream, ensuring they all float at different heights.

Busy families don’t always have time to sit down and play games together, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to have fun with your children every day! This Words with Friends magnetic game can be played as you pass by, turning this board into a weeklong game with your whole family.

Just because your little one is too young to use the oven, doesn’t mean you can’t encourage them to make you lunch! This fun play set includes everything a young boy or girl needs to make complete meals including pizza, vegetables, waffles, and more.

Bath time doesn’t have to be all work and no play! Make the tub a magical place with these fun bath drops. Because they are formulated by Crayola, you can trust that each drop will provide the water in the tub with vibrant color.

With just a few plastic tiles, you can create a multitude of images, as long as you can figure out the right way to arrange them! This fun game is the modern version of a classic Chinese puzzle that will challenge your creativity and problem solving skills.

There’s just something about listening to your own voice that gets kids all excited, especially if they can sing along to their favorite tunes! This fun and affordable boombox includes songs and sound effects from the show Doc McStuffins. It even includes a pretend reflex hammer and syringe!

Giving a pet as a gift can be risky. You might end up taking care of the animal instead! This cute little mouse is almost as cute as the real thing. It can even run on its wheel and explore obstacles when let out of its cage!

No gift is complete without at least one Nerf gun! This kit includes the gun and 10 darts, but that’s not what makes this set so cool. It also includes a target, and the darts have suction cups on them. Challenge the whole family to get the most points by shooting the target!

Few toys bring back more memories than Mr. Potato Head, which is why kids still love him today! This set includes everything you need to make your own wild and wacky Mr. Potato Head, including the head, 15 unique pieces, and a tub to keep it all organized.

Another game that’s been around for decades is Ker Plunk. It remains a lot of fun today because losing the game means making a mess, and what child doesn’t love to make a mess! Everyone in the family will love sitting down for a quick game, even after Christmas is over.

Putting together a puzzle is a great way to practice attention to detail, problem solving skills, and strategic planning, but traditional 2-dimension puzzles can be so boring. Instead, make this cool 3D puzzle that doesn’t require scissors or glue. Your child can even play with it once it’s been put together.

Crayons make a great gift, but they are a dime a dozen. If you’re looking for something a little different, or if you have a young toddler at home who’s practicing his motor skills, gift these egg crayons. They are the perfect addition to any Christmas stocking!

Remote control radio cars aren’t just for older kids. Make sure your little one gets in on all the fun with his very own race car! It makes honking sounds, plays music, and has flashing headlights. The driver can even be removed and played with!

Most games are all about competition and winning. Instead, this game is all about cooperation! It is a color-coded matching game that can only be completed with the help of other players. There are two different levels, so the game will grow with your child.

Sending things flying into the air is a lot of fun for all ages! Whether your child likes things that fly, or they have dreams of becoming an astronaut, this fun stomp rocket is a good excuse to head outside for just a few minutes to watch it soar 100 feet in the air.

Dinosaurs have the ability to capture the imagination of young children. If you know a little boy who loves dinosaurs, stuff his stocking with these mini figurines. With a whopping 72 figures for just $8.94, you can afford to buy more than one!

There is no better way to help a child learn basic facts that with flash cards. This massive pack includes 6 sets of 54 flash cards that include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, and time and money. Make it a game and math can be fun!

There are few toys that harness creativity and imagination the same way playdough does. Although molding and sculpting playdough with your fingers can be a lot of fun, nothing compares to the one-of-a-kind creations your little one can make with these fun tools!

Mousetrap is making a comeback! Get in on the action by giving this game as a gift this holiday season. With 25 mousetrap building accessories, your children will have just as much fun setting up the game as they will playing it.

Encouraging very young children to walk is fun with this corn popper! Instead of boring walkers, this fun toy allows children to take their first steps, but with the interactive popping of plastic balls. Even after your child learns how to walk, they’ll come back to this corn popper again and again.

Memory games are always a lot of fun, and they can be helpful for children and adults of all ages. This game is especially good for very young children because the cards are designed with images of the cute and popular Minions!

Building motor skills can be a challenge, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard. Instead of coloring or drawing, this activity pad is all about enhancing motor skills by using a pair of scissors. The kit includes 20 activity pages full of mazes, puzzles, animal art, and more.

All-in-one gifts are always a great idea because your child can start playing as soon as the gift is opened. Not only does this kit contain a variety of molds, cutters, and shapes, but it also includes five colors of playdough. Plus, it all comes in a tub to keep it all organized.

Butterflies are fascinating creatures, but the way they grow and transform is especially interesting to young children. This fun butterfly garden brings these fluttery critters indoors where your child can watch the caterpillars grow, build cocoons, and transform into beautiful butterflies.

Every little girl wants to live in her very own fairy tale! This fun play house is covered in ponies, castles, and rainbows, making it the perfect toy to enhance your child’s imagination. The best part is, it is completely collapsible, making it extremely easy to store.

Does your child, niece, nephew, or grandchild have an interest in healing and medicine? Encourage their interests with this fun pretend doctor set. It includes everything they need in order to make sure everyone in the family is feeling their best, including a battery operated cell phone!

Little girls the world over have loved to stage tea parties with all of their friends, dolls, and stuffed animals. This tea set is a fun way to encourage your little girl’s imagination, but it’s also a great way to teach social niceties and manners.

Most little girls love making beautiful jewelry for themselves, friends, and family members. Give the little girl in your life a reason to continue providing you with friendship bracelets with this set of wooden beads shaped like hearts, butterflies, and more.

Food playsets are a lot of fun, but most of them don’t allow your child to mix and match ingredients in order to make a one-of-a-kind concoction. This fun sandwich-making set includes slices of cheese, hamburger patties, lettuce, and more that can be arranged in any combination between two plastic buns.

Chess is a classic game of strategy. Unfortunately, chess can be a bit too challenging for young children. If you have a little one that you’d like to teach chess, give the No Stress Chess set a try. It includes hints and cards that make playing the game a bit easier.

Most little girls, and even little boys, love to play house! The one thing they need if they want to start their own little family is the right set of pots and pans. This fun set includes pots and pans, but it also includes an organizer and wooden utensils.

You don’t need a pond to go fishing! This fun game includes 10 fun aquatic creatures that can all be caught with the magnet at the end of the included fishing pole. This game is a great way to encourage your child to develop hand-eye coordination, visual perception, and fine motor skills.

Want to have a little fun after Christmas dinner? Give this set as a gift and you can help your children, nieces, and nephews put on a puppet show for everyone while their stomachs settle. The set includes four puppets, perfect for bonding with the little ones in your family.

Why walk around the house if you can jump around the house instead! This fun pogo jumper is stretchy, soft, and a blast to bounce on. It includes a squeaker that makes jumping around even more fun, and it’s constructed so that it can be used by kids and adults alike.

Every little girl needs at least one baby doll, but nothing is more exciting than a set of twins! Each baby has a soft body and lifelike vinyl head, hands, and feet that make playtime more fun for children. The babies are also easy to clean, which makes this the perfect gift for parents too.

If you’re looking for a unique and unexpected present this holiday season, consider the Remote Control Flying Clownfish. He measures a whopping 57 by 36 inches and can be filled with helium again and again. Because the flying fish is soft, it is perfect for flying indoors.

Know a kid who is obsessed with zombies? Give them the opportunity to protect the whole family from infection with this fun Zombie Strike Crossfire Bow Blaster. It utilizes a real cross bow action, which means you have to pull back the string before you can pull the trigger.

Does everyone in your family look forward to game night? Give them more reasons to love sitting down with the family with these fun answer buzzers. Encourage young ones to hit the buzzer before answering a question for a little extra game time fun.

Kids won’t stop bothering you about getting a cat or a dog? Encourage them to build their own critters instead with this fun pet creation pack! Bunchems are easy to stick together and pull apart, which makes the playtime possibilities endless.

When building artistic skills, it can sometimes be helpful to start by tracing. This fun kit is a great gift for little girls who are interested in fashion because it includes unlimited outfit combinations, and tracing is even easier because the pad lights up.

Not all girls want to play with dolls! If your little one has an interest in toys that were once traditionally for little boys, she’ll be delighted when she opens her Christmas gift and finds this pink dump truck. It’s an especially great gift because it is made from 100% post-consumer recycled milk jugs.

Looking for a portable way for your little one to draw and doodle to their heart’s content? This fun Aquadoodle pad just needs a little water! Boys and girls can create different colored doodles that never leave a mess behind.

Why go to the store and spend money on a classic board game when you can make one for less? Using a few wooden rounds, a little paint, and checkered fabric, you can customize a rustic checkers game for every child on your list.

With the winter season comes gloves. Turn those colorful gloves into a fun Christmas gift by creating glovosaurs! With just a few basic sewing skills, a little stuffing, and gloves you have lying around the house, you can create one-of-a-kind gifts that they’ll love.

There’s no need to spend a fortune on specialty sock puppets when you can make your very own! Using craft items you probably already have laying around the house, try and create a sock puppet that looks just like everyone on your list!

Every kid would love to have a tent in their room, but they can be quite expensive. Not to mention, they can be difficult to store. This fun playroom tent just needs a few bits of wood, some fabric, and a little elbow grease. It’s even easy to fold and hide away inside a closet.

You can’t go wrong when giving a stuffed animal as a gift, but that stuffed animal will have even more meaning if you make it yourself. This fun pattern makes a cute amigurumi monkey. You can even customize the color just for the recipient.