Tag: gifts for kids

What Fun ‘Coupons’ Would Your Kids Love? | Cup of Jo

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A couple years ago, we wrote about coupons for kids — think: “Dad works out with you (push ups, sprints, etc.),” and “Mom takes you out for hot chocolate” — and since then, along with readers, we’ve come up with a few more ideas…

* Choose the dinner menu one night
* Stay up late to play Codenames with mom
* Dad helps you build a fort in your bed, then you sleep in it
* Go to the store and pick out the sugary-est cereal for breakfast tomorrow (Heads up from CoJ reader Sarah: “When we got home with our Trix, Cocoa Puffs, and Reeses, the two-year-old realized they had to wait until the morning to try it and then wept on the lawn in the dark for 20 minutes, refusing all comfort. In everything they do, they never stop being themselves!”)
* Drink Dr. Pepper at dinner
* Walk a friend’s dog around the neighborhood
* Be dad’s personal trainer for 20 minutes
* Mom takes videos of you playing ping pong
* Create a playlist for Saturday morning
* Take a relaxing hot bath with a candle
* A day of NOT having to take out the trash
* Choose dad’s outfit for the day
* Mom watches you play Block Blast for 15 minutes
* Come home to find warm cookies waiting for you after school
* Drive around the neighborhood in pajamas to count the Christmas trees in windows
* Play a big game of hide-and-seek (Pro tip: Anton turned on a “paper rustling” YouTube video on my phone, then buried it in the hamper, so I 100% thought he was hiding in there — BRILLIANT)
* Open one Christmas present early
* A whole can of whipped cream, to be eaten anytime you want

Adds a reader named Sondra: “I have five kids, and my middle son, Sam, gave me a coupon that says, ‘Sam is right.’ He said I could use it to settle any sibling dispute that he is involved in to cause me minimal frustration and stress. It was the best!”

Thoughts? What would you add? More coupon ideas here and here!

P.S. The #1 trick to enjoying family travel, and going on dates with your child.

(Photo by Dream Lover/Stocksy.)

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Joanna Goddard

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December 15, 2025
2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Kids | Cup of Jo

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For toddlers: A warming goose (and corresponding heart explosion!!!), which doubles as a heat pack or cold back, $72.

All kinds of fun play food, from $10.

For older kids:

A magic mind-reading book, $17, that looks legitimately clever.

A frozen bubble kit for rosy-cheeked afternoons, $30.

Pajamas, like skis, gingerbread, bears, or flowers. From $15.

Jill Krementz’s books about young girls doing cool things (I LOVED these when I was little), used from $10.

Giant floor puzzle of a tiger or koala, from $28; or a shark to build on your wall, $17.

Press-on nails, $34, or sticker earrings (these are cute, too), from $11, for an at-home spa day.

A visit — or an annual membership — to a museum or aquarium you know they’ll love. Priceless?

A marbling kit for meditative mornings, $30.

Truly delicious Swedish sour candy, from $20.

What would you add? What gifts have been hits in the past? My kids also love electronic piggy banks and indoor balls; and I’d wear these star tights myself!

P.S. The 2024 kids gift guide, the 2023 kids gift guide, and the 2022 kids gift guide.

Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission or have a sponsored relationship with the brand, at no cost to you. We recommend only products we genuinely like. Thank you so much.

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Joanna Goddard

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November 10, 2025
20 Last-Minute Gifts From Old Navy for Everyone on Your List

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As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.

Sometimes, no matter how organized you are or how detailed your shopping plan is, you need a last-minute gift. You might have spaced on that one person. Or maybe you’ve been invited to a soiree or Secret Santa gift exchange on short notice. You may feel like those stockings need to be just a liiittle more stuffed. (There’s always room for one more thing!) Whatever the reason, there’s a quick and easy solution: gifts from Old Navy.

With presents at every price point, the reliable retailer is still chock-full of amazing finds, no matter if you’re shopping for kids, grandparents, aunts and uncles, or friends. Think plush crew socks they’ll love wearing with their festive jammies, classic cold-weather accessories in Fair Isle and plaid, and the coziest sherpa pieces, from cozy slippers to holiday PJs.

Trust, no one will be the wiser that these 20 gifts were last-minute buys. Grab ’em all, or just a few, and breathe a little easier knowing you’re still an A+ gift giver.

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Marisa Petrarca

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November 2, 2023
How to Find Safe Holiday Toys for Kids
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Holiday gift-giving can be magical, especially when you’re giving a beloved child that perfect present. But it can also be hazardous.

In 2021, emergency rooms in the U.S. treated more than 152,000 children younger than 15 for toy-related injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). To help protect the children in your life, be aware of these common toy-related hazards and ways to choose safe toys.

Be Aware of Button Batteries

Button batteries are flat, round batteries about the size of a dime that power all kinds of electronics found in the home, including many toys.

It’s a rising risk. Every 75 minutes in the U.S., a child under 18 visits an ER for a battery-related injury, according to a new study of data from 2010 to 2019 published by Safe Kids and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. That’s more than twice the frequency reported in a previous study based on data from 1990 to 2009. Most of these injuries — 85% — involved button batteries. And most happened in children 5 years old and younger, the age range at which kids are likely to put everything in their mouths.

“These batteries are small, flat, shiny, smooth, easy to ingest, and they literally burn through the tissue in the throat and stomach. They can be deadly,” says Amy Watkins, MPH, the director of Safe Kids Connecticut, a program of Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center. “If you’re buying a battery-powered toy, make sure the compartment is secure and can only be opened using a tool like a screwdriver.”

Watch Out for Wheels

Scooters that aren’t motorized account for the largest share of toy-related injuries, according to the CPSC.

“These scooters are often given to young children and they’re not treated with the same caution as bikes or skateboards might be, perhaps because people think they can’t go that fast, so kids aren’t necessarily wearing helmets,” says Stacey Pecenka, MPH, manager of the pediatric trauma injury prevention program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee. “More than two-thirds of toy-related injuries are from non-motorized scooters.”

Motorized scooters and electronic bikes can also be risky, particularly if ridden by kids that are too young. “Although they are usually labeled as being for ages 16 or 18 and up, electronic bikes are often being used by much younger kids,” Pecenka says. The number of children hospitalized for electronic scooter injuries rose from 4.2% in 2011 to 12.9% in 2020, with 27% involving arm fractures and one in ten cases involving head injuries such as concussions.

Almost any wheeled or other riding toy that can pick up some speed can be hazardous, Watkins says. “Everybody thinks they’re not going to fall, but we see so many kids in the ER with injuries from falling off bicycles or skateboards or hoverboards. If you’re gifting a child a bike, skateboard, scooter, snowboard or skates, you should be giving them a helmet as well. And make sure that whatever it is, it’s appropriate for the child’s age.”

Magnet Mayhem

Many toys contain high-powered magnets, sometimes called rare earth magnets, which can be extremely hazardous if swallowed. Several of these brands, including Zen Magnets and Neoballs, have had their products recalled recently due to the dangers associated with ingesting them.

Tiny magnets are also commonly found in fidget toys, and teens often use these magnets to mimic body piercings by placing one on either side of the tongue, lips or cheeks, where they can be accidentally swallowed.

The risks go beyond choking. “If swallowed, these magnets can connect through the tissue in the intestines and bowel and create blockages,” Watkins says. “Those bonds are really strong and often require emergency surgery to remove them.”

The CPSC found these magnet toys so dangerous that they ordered them all recalled from the market in 2012, but a court ruling overturned that decision in 2016 and they are still on store shelves. Although they’re intended for use in ages 14 and up, a recent study found that the average age of the children injured was 7.6, with more than half needing hospitalization.
Toy Buyer’s Guide

Follow these simple principles for choosing toys, shared by the CPSC and other toy safety experts:

Read the label. What age is the product intended for? Follow age guidance and other safety information on toy packaging and choose toys that match each child’s interests and abilities. “If a toy says it’s for ages 4 and up, don’t say, ‘My 2-year-old nephew is really advanced and he’ll be playing with this in no time,’” Pecenka says. “Toys are geared for a certain age range for a reason.”

Get safety gear, including helmets, for scooters and other riding toys. Children need to use them every time. “And make sure you have the right helmet,” Pecenka says. Helmets for bicycle riding are different than those designed for skiing or snowboarding or riding an ATV. Be aware of the safety equipment that should be standard with those gifts.

Keep small balls and toys with small parts away from children younger than age 3. “A good rule of thumb is that if something would fit into the tube of a toilet paper roll, a child under 3-5 shouldn’t have it,” Watkins says.

Check the toy with a critical eye. “Does it have parts that can easily break off and that a child could place in their mouth or could create a sharp point that could poke or cut a child?” Watkins asks. “If it’s an electronic toy, is the battery compartment secure?”

Search for recalls online before buying a toy, especially if you’re buying secondhand. “Just put the toy name and the word ‘recall’ into a search engine or use the CPSC’s recall search tool at cpsc.gov/Recall,” Watkins says.
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December 15, 2022
The Best STEM Gifts For School-Age Kids, According To Education Experts

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If you’re out to raise the next generation of great thinkers, problem solvers and innovators, so-called “STEM” toys — a genre of toys and games that has risen in popularity over the past several years — might just provide the foundation to do so.

STEM is an academic discipline that groups together science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to Andrew B. Raupp, executive director for STEM.org, a privately held educational research organization, it’s most beneficial to introduce some of these elements to kids as early as possible.

“Implementing STEM approaches in early education not only can help students perform better on standardized tests and in careers, but an early start in STEM can also have additional benefits that may help reduce inequities in the workforce later on,” Raupp told HuffPost.

It’s not just children who should be involved STEM-based play, Raupp said. He’s a proponent of lifelong learning as a way to reduce cognitive decline and indulge in curiosity, all while having fun doing it.

“STEM toys are available to all ages,” he said.

A large part of Raupp’s and STEM.org’s work revolves around evaluating and credentialing STEM toys and educational resources using a non-biased framework and voted-upon STEM standards.

“We are unique in that we avoid financial conflicts of interest by turning down commissions, affiliate partnerships, sponsorships and advertising revenue,” Raupp said, noting that the organization differentiates themselves from other toy award programs by offering a recognition-based program that brands don’t pay to be a part of.

Using a list that Raupp provided to HuffPost, along with STEM.org’s gift guide, we rounded up top-rated and very gift-able STEM toys for kids that can help nurture future tinkerers and foster imagination and cognitive abilities.

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Target

A bridge-building set

This building set teaches the basic engineering elements and helps to encourage creativity, logical reasoning and fine motor skills. Kids eight years and up can assemble a number of different replica bridge models using the 620 uniquely shaped beams and bricks.

Amazon

An arcade coder console

The Arcade Coder is an educational console that connects to an iPad to use game play to teach video game block coding. There’s also a design function that teaches users how to create visuals for video games. It features three levels of difficulty, making this a suitable toy for ages 6-10.

Walmart

An interactive STEM lab

The Stem Jr. Wonderlab from Little Tykes is meant to simulate a laboratory experience for toddlers using 20 hands-on experiments that only require basic household materials to conduct.

Amazon

A computer building kit

Kids eight and up can learn the basic elements of computer building with this kit by Piper. They’ll use wooden pieces and a full slate of electronics to create and dismantle a fully functioning computer that, once built, contains 11 progressively challenging coding projects.

Amazon

A modular robotics set

The Modular Robotics’ Discover Set features a set of eight independently functioning blocks that perform differently according to how they are paired with other Bluetooth-connective cubes within the set. This can help teach kids tactile cause and effect coding as well as software manipulation.

Amazon

An innovative 3-D strategy game

This three-dimensional tabletop game, perfect for the whole family, requires strategy as well as elements of engineering and geometry to play. Players aim to build, modify and expand the grid set while eliminating opponents in order to be the last player standing.

Amazon

A circuit board building block set

This battery-powered circuit board uses colorful building blocks containing electronic components, such as switches and generators, to build inventions that gradually get more complex.

Amazon

An educational LED projector unit

The Helio base unit is a nightlight that projects various scenes on the ceiling depending on the various interchangeable and educational discs. Kids can learn everything from the habits of animals to the planets in our solar system to mathematical facts.

Amazon

A buildable pulley system

This building set allows players to erect replicas of real-world machines like cranes, pulley systems and drawbridges in order to teach a concrete understanding of how they work as well as basic engineering principles. The 77 transparent plastic pieces can be configured into a virtually endless array of operating contraptions.

Amazon

A cardboard construction system

Highly rated by STEM.org, the Makedo cardboard construction system contains kid-safe tools and 360 pieces of up-cycled cardboard to create large interactive structures and 3-D creations. In addition to exercising creativity and problem solving, this set can also help with collaboration and communication skills.

Amazon

A smart digital rendition of the Rubik’s Cube

The Rubik’s Cube, possibly one of the best known STEM toys, is given an updated twist that allows cubers to digitally connect to an app that can track their progress and strengthen problem solving.

Sammy+Nat

A light-up crystal growing kit

Perfect for the curious chemist, this light-up crystal growing kit includes all the ingredients needed to create three different colored clusters that they can observe forming over time. Once the crystal formations have finished growing, they can be displayed on the LED light-up stand.

Amazon

An educational ant farm

This ant farm can help teach kids about habitat and ecosystems as well as organized societal structures by observing ant habits. The farm is filled with a transparent and plant-based gel, suitable for ants, which makes watching them easier. Note, that ants are not included.

Amazon

An interactive and augmented reality science game

The Merge cube is an innovative toy that, whenever it’s pointed at a tablet or phone, uses augmented reality in order to let kids explore objects like dinosaur bones and plant cells using their hands. The app, which requires a monthly subscription, contains over 100 different interactive science simulations for tactile learning experience.

Amazon

A stomp-powered rocket launcher

A classic outdoor toy, this launcher uses pressure and air to send foam rockets up to 100 feet in the sky whenever the pedal is stomped on. This is a great and straightforward way to teach kids about cause and effect.

Amazon

Pixel building and puzzle bricks

These colorful and interlocking bricks can be used to create both 2D and 3D structures that seamlessly blend art and engineering skills.

Amazon

A simulated dissection kit

This kit, which is available in a number of different animals, creates a realistic dissection experience without the use of a real animal. The re-fillable mold uses a safe gelatin-like material and contains a complete skeletal structure, a full set of organs, plus veins and arteries in order to teach anatomy.

Amazon

A complete water ecosystem kit

This year-round and self-watering garden teaches kids about aquaponic and hydroponic ecosystems as well as the concept of symbiosis in nature. The kit becomes a self-cleaning fish tank. Waste from the fish fertilizes the microgreens while the plants naturally clean the water. (The kit includes a coupon to purchase a betta fish from an approved company.)

Amazon

Creative and constructive building sticks

Spagheteez is a sensory toy ideal for nurturing creativity and basic building principles, suitable for children four years and up. The kit is made up of colorful, bendy and soft sticks that can be clicked together to create artistic formations.

Amazon

A smart-connected dice game

This set of six smart connective dice allows users to play some of their favorite math-centric dice games with a tech-y twist. By connecting to the free app, kids can turn their tablet or smart device into an interactive game board while using the physical dice to play.

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December 6, 2022
Continent Race, the Fun Family Board Game, Originally Created by Six-Year-Old in Hospital, is Available Now on Amazon

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Continent Race from Byron’s Games is a fun and educational game for children that the whole family will love

Press Release
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updated: Dec 20, 2018

CHICAGO, December 20, 2018 (Newswire.com)
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Little Byron had a month-long stay at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Illinois when he was just six years old. As a way to pass the time, Byron channeled his passion for geography and created a fun game to share with other children. Continent Race is an exciting and interactive board game that helps children learn the continents, countries, and flags of the world and keeps players of all ages engaged.

Continent Race also fosters social interaction skills and boosts self-confidence. The object of the game is to be the player who collects the most country flag cards from each continent first. Specialty cards and color-coded maps add to the excitement.

First launched on a Kickstarter campaign, which raised 212 percent of its goal, Continent Race is now available on Amazon. The company which was formed, Byron’s Games, also has a focus on giving back. Along with the help from Kickstarter backers, Byron’s Games is donating 150 games to 130 U.S. Children’s Hospitals. The company is also donating a portion of proceeds to children’s charities. This year, they are donating to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, where Byron was treated.

“We are grateful that so many have helped support this effort and are thrilled that we can share games nationwide and give back to the hospital that helped Byron during his unexpected illness,” says mom and business partner, Julie. “Byron was inspired to help kids like him learn and have fun through their hospital stay — and beyond.”

Upcoming in 2019, the company will release Continent Race World Puzzle app and a new video series, called Learn and Explore, that will be donated to U.S. Children’s Hospitals. The videos feature interviews with an astronomer, scientist, artist, chef, musician, Bollywood dancer, Rubik’s cube champion, speed stacker, and more.

To learn more and purchase Continent Race, visit https://www.byronsgames.com/bgrace.html.

About Byron’s Games

Byron’s Games is committed to revolutionizing educational entertainment and fun learning for children. The company’s goal is to create products and experiences that give children a chance to learn something new and explore their passions just like Byron did with Continent Race. For more information, visit ByronsGames.com.

Byron’s Games:
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Media Contact:
Stephanie Krol
Byron’s Games
stephanie@skprmedia.com
773-580-9726

Source: Byron’s Games

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December 20, 2018