Canadian Gift Guide

This year my family and I are shifting the focus of the holidays for the first time ever. I never really thought much about it as a kid, but now that I’m a mom I’m like, yes, this totally makes sense – let’s focus that holiday magic on the little ones!

What that means is I’ve spent a lot of time looking into gift ideas for the littles. Whether I’m shopping for my niece and nephew, my friends’ kids, or my own daughter – Miss Sally, pictured below – it’s been a blast looking at all these toys and books and clothing with a fresh new eye. 

One thing in particular that’s caught my eye is the collection of awesome gift ideas Fisher-Price has this year. All of their toys come with multiple benefits, including:

• Grow-with-you capabilities that level up the toy’s function as your kids grow more mobile or intelligent. Start by ‘learning’ and move up to ‘imagination’. 
• A hugeeee range of sound effects and music so you aren’t banging your head against the wall hearing the same three sound effects over and over again.
• Toys that challenge different parts of the brain. Many Fisher-Price toys take a simple concept – like a walker to help your kids move and groove – and enhance it by adding educational components, or fun music they’ll like to bop to. 

From a parenting ROI standpoint, what’s not to love? Not only that, but these toys are super durable – you can pass ’em down between siblings or cousins, or even resell them. Now here are a few of my TOP gift ideas to add some merry under your tree this season.

Laugh & Learn 3-in-1 Smart Car – $69.99 @ Indigo, Walmart, and Babies “R” Us

As you can see from my photo above, this fun walking / riding toy is a hit in my household. Kids can sit and bounce, scoot around, or learn to walk with this versatile toy (pro tip: when they’re sitting that green handle in the back can be used by parents to push the kiddos around, saving your back a bit). Designed with three different sets of interactive instructions, songs, games, and encouragement that’ll take your kids all the way up to 18+ months, this is a fun, active toy to wear those littles out and get ’em napping good. Oh, and did I mention it actually syncs up with my next pick?

Laugh & Learn Smart Learning Home – $239.99 @ Amazon.ca or Walmart

I like to think of this adorable (and ah-mazing) gift idea as Alexa (or Siri or Cortana) for juniors. Loaded with over 200 phrases, songs, and more, this cute playhome is ideal for teaching tots about numbers, shapes, the weather and more. They can ‘work’ just like mom and dad in the office, or get busy in the kitchen to whip up something special (air sandwich anyone?) Plus it interacts with other toys like the Smart Car above, sending you friendly greetings as you pull up after a busy day on the highway. So cute – and an epic Santa Claus gift idea.

Think & Learn Rocktopus – $49.95 @ Amazon.ca

STEM toys are another hot trend in the kids space and Fisher-Price has got you covered with a few different options. This toy, the Rocktopus, is geared for preschoolers aged 3-6 and mixes music and math perfectly. Serving up three different styles of play, your kids and mix and match 15 different musical instruments to create their own beats. Plus you can download the free affiliated app and let your mini-Spielberg craft their own accompanying music videos.

Dance & Groove RockIt – $49.95 @ Walmart

In a similar vein but for a younger age group, we have the Dance & Groove RockIt. This nifty toy sparks curiosity and wonder, teaching kids aged 6-36 months the alphabet, counting, and much more. Let RockIt and his buddy Glow interact with bright lights and motions. For extra fun, record your baby’s voice and it can be played back to them in three different ways. 

Learn with Me Zebra Walker – $29.97 @ Amazon.ca

Circling back to the start of this post – my girl is interested in getting a move on (she thinks crawling is for babies). Walking toys are a godsend for parents with agile-minded kids that need a break from the backbreaking work of helping your tot toddle around. Enter this fun guy that again, offers multiple ways to play. Plunk the kid down on one side and they can press buttons and interact with the panels on the front to learn. Bring them to the other side and they can stroll around while they work on their wobbly balance skills. A must-have for parents with kids around the walking age, and well-priced to boot!

So there you have it! Five great finds from Fisher-Price, but that’s just scratching the surface. Looking for more inspo? Here’s a few other festive gift ideas for the kids that will put a smile on mom and dad’s face too!

Best for Little Littles: Deluxe Kick & Play Piano – $48 @ Babies “R” Us (When my squish was very squishy, I had a similar toy that was a godsend for putting her down somewhere to give this tired mama a break!)

Best for Imaginative Play: Little People Share & Care Safari – $59.99 @ Amazon.ca or Walmart

Yipes this toy is cool (and cute). Standing over two feet tall it invites your kids to learn about the animal kingdom and conservation, with hours of endless imaginative play – no bells, whistles, or batteries required.

Best Budget-Conscious Idea: Rock-a-Stack – $6.99 @ Walmart and Babies “R” Us

Why mess with a good thing? Fisher-Price has re-released a few of its classic toys with more kid-safe finishes, including this stacking fan favorite that’ll keep little minds (and hands) occupied while enhancing fine motor skills.