Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get our top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
Christmas is a magical time for everyone, especially for kids, as they prepare their Christmas stockings and put cookies for Santa on stand-by. For all parents, aunts, uncles, and anyone who needs to buy presents for kids, we have a list of the hottest and most magical Christmas gift ideas to keep your kids entertained and happier than ever!
For the young scientific minds out there, give them a head start with technology by teaching them coding at an early age! A fun and educational Christmas present, the Harry Potter Coding Kit (US$49.99) by Kano helps you build a wand that responds to your movements. Learn to code with over 70 step-by-step creative challenges that will make feathers fly, goblets multiply, fire flow, pumpkins grow on screen, and more! Disney’s Frozen 2 Coding Kit (US$49.99), also by Kano, is a similar concept that helps you build a sensor to detect hand movements to create rainbow snowflakes, conjure an ice palace, and make your own stories on screen. The kits are compatible with iPads, Macs, Windows 10 computers, Amazon Fire 10 tablets, and more.
For the kids with an extra-caring heart for animals and things that grow, hatchable eggs have to be the best thing to get for them. Check out Spinmaster’s Hatchimals Wow (HK$999.90), the first-ever re-hatchable egg that features a unicorn-llama hybrid called Llalacorn. If you and your young ones are already familiar with Hatchimals, you’ll be pleased to know that this is the first Hatchimal to express its emotions through movement with a neck that can magically grow up to 81 centimetres tall!
Otherwise, Dreamworks Dragons’ Interactive Toothless Baby Dragon with Sounds (HK$578) is also a great choice. With light-up eyes that you can see through his eggshell, rock it to make him growl, tap to hear him tap back, clap and he’ll respond. You can teach Toothless to fly and plasma-blast as you guide him by moving his wings and ears!
Could the kiddo’s bath routine use a little more fun? This educational-yet-fun Magic Bath Fizzies (HK$234.96) from Uncommon Goods will do the trick. First, have your little ones guess what’s inside of their fizzy (aside from pure, safe, and natural ingredients, of course). Then, as tub time continues, their surprise toy will be revealed, along with a fun fact for some good ol’ self-enrichment!
Bath time could get a little lonely, so how about some Glowing Bath Time Pals (HK$156.64)—also from Uncommon Goods—to keep your kids company? These little pads have different faces and personality types that will glow in a multitude of colours when placed in liquid. When it’s time to get out, simply drain the water and the lights will turn off automatically—woohoo!
This is a personalised search-and-find extravaganza where you’re looking for… yourself! As the first collection in the Where Are You (US$$24.99) book series by Wonderbly, you can personalise the book cover with your child’s own name and choose one of six avatars that most resembles the kid you’re shopping for. Children will love exploring six alternative universes throughout the book, spotting different versions of themselves as they go, along with oodles of other fun challenges. With so much to see, kids will get lost in the illustrations for hours so the adults can have some free time!
As the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time, the return of Frozen has swept across global cinemas like a blizzard (get it?) and the craze is not going to die down anytime soon. Might as well give the kids what they want! With a choice of either Elsa or Anna, Disney’s Frozen 2 Singing Doll (HK$$299.90) by Hasbro has been voted the Must Buy Christmas Doll by Toys “R” Us this year. We are certain that there will be plenty of little girls scaling toy shelves for one this Christmas!
Possibly the cutest Bluetooth speaker on the planet, My Audio Pet’s Power Pup the Pug Puppy (US$39.99) is the perfect gift for your kids to start exploring their sense of music with a pet to share the joy! The Bluetooth speaker has its own hide-and-speak app, a built-in mic, selfie remote function, and more to keep the fun going! Check out their website to see the rest of the collection; there are loads more adorable animal designs for you to choose from!
Slime and putty are all the rage at the moment, with kids building up vast putty collections at home to stick their fingers in and experiment with different shapes. Crazy Aaron’s North Star Putty (US$15) would make a fitting Christmas-themed gift since its design represents a clear winter night filled with stars, displayed in deep metallic swirls of indigo and golden sparkles. Shine the glow charger (included) on the mesmerising putty and watch it come alive in the dark, twinkling just like a sky full of brilliant stars!
Get a monthly subscription of My Geek Box, like the Heroes Past Mystery Box (US$26.99), to experience the joys of Christmas all year long! Every month, a box of superhero-themed characters and merchandise will be sent to your kids, packed with surprises and collectables. Your child’s favourite hero will definitely turn up in one of the boxes, so there’s always something to look forward to!
Unearth dinosaur bones and make your own authentic replica of a nimble Velociraptor, designed by an expert palaeontologist! Dr Steve Hunters Dino Excavation Kit ($99.90) by Basic Fun will encourage your kid to learn patience and delicacy required for fine archaeological work. Equipped with a tiny hammer and spade to carefully unearth the dinosaur fossil, this is the perfect way to become more familiar with these beasts of the past. A bonus mini dino is also included to make the fun last even longer!
For all the scribblers and doodlers out there, Melissa & Doug’s Scratch Art & Rainbow Holographic Pack (HK$59) is a simple and perfect Christmas gift that will help unleash the inner artistic potential of your kids. Use the wooden stylus to trace the 30 stencil shapes provided or etch your own designs onto these black-coated scratchboards. Each line will come to life in amazing multicolour holographic effects, making the 2D pattern looks like 3D glitter!
Share a bit of your own childhood with the kids this year. Nerf blasters are celebrating 50 years of adrenaline-pumping action with their Icon series, which sees the classic Nerf N-Strike Magstrike Blaster (HK$349.80) by toy giant Hasbro decked out in special decoration for the product line’s 50th birthday. It comes with 10 official Nerf Elite darts with a limited-edition design to celebrate the Nerf brand’s golden anniversary. The fun thing is that it’s air-powered by you, so there are no batteries required and your kids can entertain themselves all day. Let’s start a Nerf gun fight!
Since Hong Kong never gets cold enough for snow, how about a DIY snow cone machine to make your own? The Snow Cone Maker (US$53.09) from Cuisinart allows you and your kid make real shaved ice to be used in snow cones, slushies, frozen lemonades, or even a cheeky adult drink! All you need to do is add some flavoured syrup, flip a switch, and you’re all set!
“Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy.” The classic opening line for The Giving Tree (HK$190), Shel Silverstein’s must-read children’s book, is a warm reminder of perception and of love. Filled with illustrated by the author himself, it is a tender story that prompts readers of all ages to interpret the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another’s capacity to love in return. Particularly poignant during Christmas season, it is a great reminder to share love and joy. Why not read it with your kids this holiday season?
Having lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, and London sure is a fun fact whenever people try to guess Ching’s accent. She loves switching between all these language channels and her “mother tongue” is just determined by how many drinks she’s had for the night! She loves movies, travelling, and exploring cities, from hidden alleys to gourmet dining, so feel free to hit her up if you need any suggestions for dinner!
Top