This year there are more fun and creative toys for kids than ever. We’re fans of getting kids Christmas gifts that aren’t toys, but if you’re in the market for some toy gifts too this year, here are some unique ideas to get you started.
1. Stop Motion Animation Kit
The best gifts for little ones are the ones that bring out their imagination and creativity, and challenges their brains. There are various stop-motion animation kits that can provide hours of fun for you and your child to get creative together. A few of these include:
– The HUE Animation Studio has everything you need, including a mini-stage complete with a green screen, a stop motion animation software kit that teachers specifically designed for students, the HUE Book of Animation, and a HUE HD camera. This kit works for both PC and Mac, and received a “big thumbs up” from LEGO Education.
– The Minecraft Stop-Motion Animation Studio is another variety that would be great for kids who love the game Minecraft. It doesn’t have a camera but you can just use the camera on your phone or tablet. The Minecraft accessories are what make this kit special, including the movie stage and background, and especially the special mini figures.
– For aspiring claymation producers and directors, Claytoon Clay Project Studio has brightly colored clays that don’t harden, as well as sculpting tools and tips for how to make Claytoon characters. It can be used as a great supplement to other stop motion kits.
2. Rory’s Story Cubes
An easy, portable, pocket-sized game/creative story generator, Rory’s Story Cubes are a wonderfully unique and innovative game for creativity. There are nine dice/cubes that each have a number of different images, you roll all the dice, then create a unique story using all nine images that come up. The manufacturer suggests ages 8+ but parents have reported success with entertaining young players as young as the ages of 3 or 4 (with help and supervision). For older kids (or adults), it can be done with as few as one “player”, and a session can be as short as 10-15 minutes (or less, it’s up to you, really), or can entertain groups for hours. It makes for a great party game or ice breaker, helps develop literacy and speaking skills, listening skills, problem solving, and creativity.
3. Deco Mandala-Designer
Designed for ages 6+, the Deco Mandala-Designer is a great way to introduce kids (especially energetic ones!) to calm, soothing, activities to help channel that kind of energetic release and awareness as well. Making mandalas is an ancient way of bringing the mind to a meditative state and it’s alway good to introduce that concept to kids early and show them how it can be fun. The kit comes with a drawing machine, 2 large Mandala stencils (1 with letters), 2 small Mandala stencils, a pre-inked stamp, a 3D butterfly punch, a felt-tip pen, and 10 sheets of paper
Happy holidays, and enjoy creating together!
