Big Kid Gift Guide
Gifts for Ages 6–8

Pen+Gear Modeling Clay Kit

A hands-on art gift for kids who would rather sculpt than draw. The kit comes with 18 colors, sculpting tools, and wiggly eyes for making little creatures.

Artist’s Loft Hardcover Sketchbook

We’ve bought this sketchbook over and over. The quality for the price is hard to beat, and it feels like a real big-kid sketchbook. It’s sturdy enough to tuck into a memory box once every page is full.

Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils, 50 Count

A big set of colors for drawing and tiny details, with twist-up tips that don’t need sharpening.

ARTISTRO 50-Color Travel Watercolor Set

This is the watercolor set we have and love. Pair it with watercolor paper so they can start painting as soon as they open it.

All the Things: How to Draw

Step-by-step drawings of everything from unicorns and dragons to cars and cupcakes. Pair it with a sketchbook for an easy art gift.

Klutz Friendship Bracelets

A bracelet-making book for kids who want to learn to knot colorful friendship bracelets with embroidery floss.

BaubleBar Ultimate Custom Bead Kit

A personalized gift idea for a big kid who loves bracelets, color, and accessories that feel like their own. Choose the customization that suits your child.

National Geographic Science Magic Kit

For kids who love trying experiments that feel like magic. The linked kit is labeled ages 8 and up.

Carson MicroBrite Plus Pocket Microscope

We love using a handheld microscope to look closer at things we find. The Carson is a suggested model.

Garden of Elves and Fairies Potion Kit

Little Hands and Nature is a small business, and their potion kits are so cute and memorable. This one is for the kid who loves mixing up a little pretend magic.

PicassoTiles Magnetic Tiles

Both of my older kids reach for these.

PicassoTiles are still one of my daughter’s favorites at six. Build houses, towers, and little worlds, then start over with a completely different idea.

Already have tiles? Add roads, marble-run pieces, or castle pieces. Check compatibility.

National Geographic Glow Marble Run

Both of my older kids love this marble run. Build a track, send a marble down, then change one piece and see what happens.

LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box

Follow their current interests, from animals and vehicles to imaginative worlds. Choose by building experience as well as age.

Brain Flakes

Both of my older kids reach for these.

Interlocking discs offer a different way to build colorful shapes and structures. A compact option for a child who likes creating without step-by-step instructions.

GEMEM Wooden Tangram Pattern Blocks

This is the set we have. Follow the picture cards or use the pieces to make your own designs.

TOMYOU Interlocking Building Blocks

My oldest loves these for making up her own shapes and structures.

PicassoTiles Magnetic Cubes

Both of my older kids love magnetic blocks like these. This is the cube set pictured.

Clixo Super Rainbow Pack

Flexible magnetic pieces for building all sorts of shapes. A family favorite for creating, taking apart, and trying something new.

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

For the kid who loves silly adventures and comic-style storytelling. This is one of my daughter’s favorites, and a boxed set makes a fun gift for an enthusiastic reader.

Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

A favorite at our house for kids who think bathroom humor is the height of comedy. Try the first book before committing to the whole series.

Catwad by Jim Benton

Short, silly comic adventures with Catwad and Blurmp. Another series my daughter loves reaching for, especially when she wants funny illustrated stories.

The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

An outlandish treehouse and plenty of illustrations for kids who love ridiculous stories. Start with the first book and follow their interest from there.

Costzon Inflatable Dome Rocker

My kids love this giant inflatable rocker. It’s a bigger gift for kids who always want to move. Check the setup instructions and age and weight limits before buying.

Huffy 16-inch Disney Princess Bike

This is the pink princess bike we have. The listed fit is 3′5″ to 4′0″. In my experience, Huffy is good quality at a reasonable price for a kids’ bike.

Micro Maxi LED Three-Wheel Scooter

A three-wheel, lean-to-steer scooter with an adjustable handlebar. The linked Maxi LED is labeled for ages 5–12.

Selieve Kids’ Walkie-Talkies

These are the walkie-talkies we actually have and use often, whether the kids are on a backyard mission or talking from opposite ends of the house.

Donner Kids Electric Guitar Kit

My daughter loves her kids’ electric guitar, and this is the Donner kit we have. Pair it with time to explore or beginner lessons; check the listing for sizing and included accessories.

Camp Snap Camera + HP Sprocket Photo Printer

My daughter loves the screen-free, ’90s point-and-shoot vibe of her Camp Snap. Later, we view the photos on my phone and she chooses favorites to print with her HP Sprocket. She adds them to her bulletin board, and I love seeing which little moments she keeps.