Even the fussiest of kids will love these unique and fun Christmas gifts

Father Christmas will have nothing on you

gifts for kids
(Image credit: Future)

As a new mum, I had no clue how hard it would be to navigate the world of gifts for kids. Even for a toddler, there are so many options out there that it's hard to know what they will genuinely love, versus what will be discarded after a couple of days.

I'm trying to be mindful with my shopping (if you are too, shop our ethical gifts here), and avoid cheap plastic toys where possible - which I know is hard, as much as you've sworn you'll only ever buy wooden toys.

If that's not possible, I look for gifts that I know will get plenty of wear/love, beyond this festive season, and can last long enough to be re-gifted to younger siblings or friends.

If you're as confused as I have been, you'll be pleased to hear I've done all the hard work for you, hunting for the best gifts to get you to the top of the nice list with the kids in your life this Christmas. (We're not promising to make you their new favourite, but...)

Whether you're an aunt, vying for the title of the 'cool' one, or a parent excited to see the look on their little face in the bleary early hours of Christmas morning, I hope my edit will help add a touch of magic to the big day.

There's a little something for kids of all age groups, from toddlers to teenagers, that should keep them entertained for (hopefully) a very long time. I've included a mix of gifts for all budgets, from clothes to toys.

If you need inspiration for the rest of the family, be sure to check out our other gift guides: Christmas gifts for her and Christmas gifts for him.

Christmas gifts for kids

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.