I'm A Fun Uncle -- Here Are My Foolproof Gifts For Kids
As I consider what to buy them for all gift-giving occasions this year, I also had to take stock of what I have already given them. With that in mind, I took some of those items along with some new offerings to compile this list for any other uncles, aunts, grandparents or parents who may need a little advice. Take it from the fun uncle, these are the presents the kids in your life will still be playing with for years to come.
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An interactive Stitch to add to your ohana
It has been impossible to miss the return of Stitch. Not only did the live-action Disney remake break box office records, but this adorable blue face has been everywhere. There have been countless merch tie-ins, but this plush toy which as over 100 sounds and movements takes the cake. Tap various parts of his body to see his sweet-but-sassy reactions.
$70 at Amazon
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A dump truck for beach days or trips to the sandbox
Tonka has been in operation since 1946, keeping kids entertained with toy trucks for generations. We may be living a screen-filled existence now but the simple delight of filling the back of a Tonka dump truck still never fails to deliver joy.
$30 at Target
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A storytelling projector
Does it count as screen time if there's no screen? The Luna Storytime Book Projector includes over 30 minutes of narrated tales accompanied by projected images that will show up clearly on most flat surfaces. There's also a bedtime feature which turns the projector into a nightlight playing calming music to help your little one drift off into dreamland.
$60 at Amazon
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A board game featuring Sanrio characters
They may be too young to hold a job, but they'll have a blast pretending to work a shift at Hello Kitty's Snack Shop. This game tasks players to perform activities as they make their way around the board as one of the popular Sanrio characters and taking turns drawing cards. The game ends once players have served up 12 treats before the shop closes.
$15 at Walmart
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A plushie blob blind box
Like so many kids, my niece and nephew can't get enough of blind boxes. These soft little blobs have 8 varieties, so children will have a field day unboxing each one until they find their favorite.
$13 at Walmart
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A dragon to train on their own
The "How To Train Your Dragon" film series has been big with kids for years, but it's seeing a huge boost again this year from the live-action adaptation that hit theaters earlier in 2025. This interactive toy lets your child get as close to having Toothless as their own pet outside of it being an actual living creature.
$53 at Amazon
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A kids vs adults game that will keep everyone active
There's a lot of fun and laughter packed into this little cube. In Beat The Parents: Let's Roll!, teams take turns rolling the cube and taking on challenges like a dance competition, scavenger hunt, rhyming and more. It's guaranteed to become a new favorite for game night.
$21 at Amazon
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An NFL game that looks like the real thing
I'm not a very big sports fan, but I definitely prefer playing over watching. My nephew is obsessed with football right now and only wants to play the Madden series. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it but less surprised that he wiped the floor with me. Madden '26 continues the long-running franchise that sells like hotcakes every year.
$70 at Target
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An interactive Bluey
Hide & Seek is already fun, but getting this beloved TV character involved takes it to a whole new level. Players take turns hiding Bluey around the house and the toy sporadically makes noises to help guide seekers to his secret location. There's even a little dance party once he's found.
$15 at Walmart
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...or a Bluey plush playset
This is like multiple gifts in one. Four sensory plush toys featuring Bluey characters are packed into a carrying case shaped like the family car making it easy for kids to reenact their favorite moments from the hit TV show. The convenient carrying case also make this a fantastic travel toy.
$35 at Amazon
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A Kinetic Sand portable sandbox
You can't always bring the kids to the playground sandbox, but this toy lets you bring the sandbox to them and wherever they go. Kinetic Sand is one of the most popular kids toys among HuffPost readers and this Sandyland set comes with two pounds of sand and molds to create candy-themed shapes.
$25 at Target
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A T. Rex egg that hatches a new pet to play with
There's no need to run away from this dino. The Primal Hatch toy starts out as an egg that breaks open to reveal a baby T. Rex for your child to feed and train using the meat and clicker accessories.
$66 at Amazon
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An educational story-telling speaker
Like so many iconic toys from our childhood, the Toniebox has become one of those items kids today will look back on and remember fondly. Place a figurine on top of the box and the speaker starts playing a story that goes along with the character that was placed on it. They have figures from Disney, "Paw Patrol" and so many other shows and movies kids love. This box comes with Stitch, Tigger, and Woody from "Toy Story".
$130 at Target
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A colorful party playhouse
I only recently learned about the hype around the show "Gabby's Dollhouse" and my niece seems to have graduated from her "Paw Patrol" obsession to this. The Celebration Dollhouse playset has an elevator that can take Gabby to six rooms in her house to have a different part in each one. It comes with one figurine along with a bunch of accessories and stickers.
$48 at Target
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A gross ice cream card game
The object of the game is to build the grossest ice cream cone by guessing which card will be flipped next. The Best Worst Ice Cream has a basic premise that's easy to learn for younger kids and providing plenty of laughs in the process.
$10 at Target
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A Mario Kart racetrack
As an uncle, introducing my niece and nephew to the world of Nintendo, specifically Mario, has been a complete and total joy even though their parents don't love their new video game obsession. When it's time to take a break from the screens, we bust out their Mario Kart Hot Wheels racers and have them compete on this Rainbow Road playset.
$150 at Target
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An interactive baby monkey
In case you're wondering, yes, Peanut the Playful Monkey is as adorable in person as it is in the picture. Peanut has over 100 reactions and can even stand up on its own. Kids will instantly fall in love with their new baby doll and take it everywhere they go.
$60 at Target
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A pet dragon that doubles as a fidget toy
They'll love cracking open their very own dragon egg to welcome the arrival of a new colorful pet. There are 12 CrystaLynx Dragons to collect, including two sets of twins, and each dragon has flexible joints to help kids (and adults) de-stress while they play.
$15 at Walmart
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A toy that gives them the power of a demigod
The success of "Moana 2" at the box office around Thanksgiving set it up for the movie merch to be huge for the holiday season. This toy replica of Maui's magical fishhook lights up and makes sound to give kids the feeling that they're as powerful as the big man.
$20 at Target
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A dance party in a box
Sometimes babysitting is as simple as throwing on some tunes and dancing around the living room. The Just Dance series teaches players the choreography to huge pop hits and awards points for timing and accuracy. Just Dance 2025 includes tracks by Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez and a lot more.
$30 at Target
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A kit to make charm bracelets
Charm bracelets are trendy again and the Halo Charms set comes with everything your little loved one needs to create three pieces to show off on their wrists. Make It Real is known for creating craft kits that are fun for the whole family and over 200 reviewers agree that this jewelry set is no exception.
$9 at Target
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A Polly Pocket playset
Polly Pocket has been keeping kids entertained since the '80s and with a movie reportedly in the works, she'll be here for a while longer. The Unicorn Partyland set comes with 30 pieces, including two dolls. There are also a few surprises we won't spoil here.
$16 at Target
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A Hatchimal mystery plush
The ever-growing collection of plushies is about to get bigger (and smarter). Kids will be on the edge of their seats waiting to see which colorful animal hatches from the plastic egg. Once born, the interactive stuffed toy will talk, eat, play games and more. Each Hatchimal has over 100 sounds and reactions.
$50 at Target
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A dino-themed board game
Players hunt for food around the game board while trying to avoid the tongue of the T. Rex. The first person to collect two pairs of snacks wins the game, but Snack-O-Saurus Rex won't make it easy.
$10 at Target
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A remote control monster
Forget RC cars! What kids really want is to take control of Godzilla, King of Monsters. This action figure roars and releases heat-ray breath as kids control his movement. Grab the Mega Punching Kong toy as well to set up the most epic battle to go down in the play room.
Godzilla: $45 at Target
Kong: $35 at Target
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A sparkly take on paint-by-numbers
This activity managed to keep my niece and nephew busy for hours creating colorful little stickers and suncatchers. The Big Gem Diamond Painting set is a mess-free craft kit that comes with 14 designs for kids to color in using shimmery jewels.
$14 at Target
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A new twist on a classic game
The whole letter and number combo in traditional Bingo can be boring for kids. Zingo! is a race to fill up your card with tiles that help young ones with memory, vocabulary and spelling. No game collection is complete without it.
$20 at Target
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A dot art set
Put away the crayons and markers and pick up the stampers that reveal adorable animals once the project is complete. The Stamp To Reveal set comes with three posters and everything a child needs to uncover the colorful portraits hidden within.
$30 at Target
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A car wash for Hot Wheels
Kids who go wild for anything with wheels will love moving their toy cars through this shark-themed playset. The set comes with a special color-revealing vehicle which changes once it gets wet going through the shark's mouth. Additional color-reveal cars can be purchased separately.
$49 at Target
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An at-home ice cream parlor
They'll be having their dessert all hours of the day with Melissa & Doug's popular Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter. The set comes with eight wooden scoops of ice cream and all of the additional fix-ins that one would expect to find at their neighborhood parlor. The best part? It doesn't melt.
$45 at Target
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...or a mess-free chocolate playset
Once they're done serving up scoops, they can keep the dessert train rolling on with Melissa & Doug's Wooden Chocolate Factory. Just like the aforementioned ice cream parlor, this set comes with all of the pieces to concoct pretend sweet treats for the whole family.
$65 at Target
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A silly game to keep them moving
Players are expected to accomplish various challenges before passing the chicken to the next person in this Hot Potato-inspired game. Be warned, this game can be a little physically demanding but its always riotous fun for the whole family.
$20 at Target
Target/Canva
A mystery toy based on a confusing viral sensation
Us grown-ups may never understand the point of Skibidi Toilet, but when a viral YouTube series becomes popular enough to inspire a line of toys its time to pay attention. With over 44.4 million subscribers, the creators of this bizarre series have a stronghold on middle school kids all over. Each toilet has a head that pops out and a few surprises that are different in each package. You don't have to understand it to gift it.
$38 at Target
Target/Canva
A virtual adventure starring Barbie and friends
It's not often kids get the opportunity to transport themselves into Barbie's world in Malibu, but that's exactly what happens in the Barbie Project Friendship game. Playing as Barbie, you're tasked with playing mini games at various locations all in an effort to save the Malibu Waves Community Center. The controls are simple enough for younger kids who are just getting started as gamers.
$25 at Target
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