Shopping for large families can be stressful and expensive. You could buy a gift for each person or something for everyone to enjoy together. The trick is finding something everyone will enjoy without relying on screens.
Buying gifts for families with multiple children of various ages is challenging, especially if you want to avoid video games, movies, and screen subscriptions. Thankfully, you can find lots of options, including educational mail subscriptions, craft kits, cooking sets, and games.
Each child has unique interests and skills, but a little forethought and budgeting ensure everyone gets something they like in a thoughtful family gift. Whether you're shopping for a young family or a family with teenagers and preteens, this guide has gift ideas for you!
Games and Activities for Multiple Ages
The trick to buying an activity or game for kids of multiple ages is thinking of the oldest child's interests and skills but the youngest's safety. In my experience with group foster care and nursery work, the middle children will participate if the oldest is excited about the activity or is interested in teaching it.
Of course, there is no guarantee that all the kids will enjoy one house gift, but having the option for when friends and other family members visit makes them more appealing over time.
The following list includes a range of family gifts that large families with multiple kids have vouched for as fun, helpful, and regularly enjoyed.
In This Article
1. Yard Games
Getting kids outside can be frustratingly challenging for some parents, so helping them out by gifting a set of fun yard games is a thoughtful idea! The younger the kids, the more particular you will need to be with the games you choose.
Here is a list of fantastic yard games and toys for kids under 6:
Corn Hole
Little Tikes Basketball Set
Trampoline with Sides
Yard Bowling Set
Playground Set
Sandbox Set
Water Table
Saucer Tree Swing
Kid groups under the age of 14 or so enjoy these:
Kubb
Croquet
Ladder Golf
Badminton
Spikeball
Throw Throw Burrito
Laser Tag Set
Bocce Ball
2. Craft Kits
Some families may view working on crafts together as partying like it's 1869, but it can be a lot of fun to work on something as a family for the house or for others. Crafts are an excellent choice for a family in that they can engage people of all ages.
Depending on the family's size, interests, free time, and age range, you could buy individual sets of the same craft idea or one larger set meant to be one piece.
For example, embroidery kits are small and cute individual crafts that are easy to individualize based on personal interests. Even better, the finished products can be turned into a pillow for each person or a family quilt. However, embroidery is not the best option for little ones.
Cross stitch with blunt or plastic needles and a thick net are an option for younger kids who may like to learn the basics of needlework, but babies and young toddlers should probably not have these around.
Little ones can help with weaving crafts (potholders, rugs, placemats, table runners), making button garland strings, arranging crayons for melting, making jewelry, and more with close supervision. Again, these crafts are easy to scale in difficulty for older kids without having to buy tons of extra supplies.
3. Art Sets
Similar to craft sets, art sets engage multiple ages and can be done individually or together as a family. You could invest in a large set of paints or pastels for everyone to share with individual books or canvases. You could even add an online art course for kids.
Young kids love finger painting, cut-outs, glue projects, and glitter, while older kids enjoy sketching, model-building kits, and paint-by-numbers.
One craft everyone can get into is oven-bake clay. Each kid can make something and bake it to keep forever. We make our own Christmas ornaments with this every year--it's a lot of fun!
4. Geocaching Gear
Families who enjoy hiking outdoors and treasure hunting may enjoy geocaching gear. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game that requires GPS to find hidden containers of surprises. Organizations, businesses, and individuals stock these containers and hide them for folks to find.
Geocaching is a fun activity for outdoorsy families with multiple kids because everyone can participate, time is spent on the trail together, and no one knows what they will find in the geocache.
Geocaching gear for kids can be anything from hiking equipment (compass, canteens, boots, hats, glasses, and such) to collector's equipment (magnifying glasses, containers, bags, backpacks, dusting brushes, cameras, sketchbooks).
5. Board Games
Whether they are for indoor entertainment on a rainy day or a quiet activity for older kids while the baby sleeps, board games are a solid gift to a family with multiple kids. Consult with the parents to ensure you don't double up on a game they already have.
You could go with the classics, like Battleship, Sorry!, Monopoly, UNO, and the like, or you could buy lesser-known board games that are still enjoyable for kids. Extra points for finding games with a high replay value!
Here are some of our favorite games to play with toddlers and kids under 5:
memory games
Trouble
Who Is It?
UNO!
Reel Them In Fishing Game
Tic Tac Toe
Headbanz Game
Twister
Bluey Scavenger Hunt Game
Jenga
big puzzles
For ages 6 and up, these have been a blast:
Quelf Jr.
Apples to Apples Junior
Mouse Trap
Would You Rather? Family Card Game
Family Feud for Kids
For Sale
Tsuro
Clue Junior Board
Incan Gold
Castle Panic
Chinese Checkers
T.A.P.E.S!
Banana Grams
Ticket to Ride
Carcassonne
Splendor
Stories of the Three Coins
Stacking games are a lot of fun for toddlers and young kids. If this is the age you are shopping for, check out this list: 10 Montessori Stacking Toys for Toddlers.
6. Collection Shelves
Is there a little collector in the family you are shopping for? Buying a setup to display the items a family collects over time is a fun way to encourage family time.
You could make a gift basket with a guidebook on collecting items, magnifying glasses, containers to collect and study items, and a shelf or display box to show off the collection.
Growing up, my family collected coins. Old coins, coins from every state, and eventually coins from places we or people we knew had traveled abroad. The problem was that we simply tossed them into a jar on a shelf. We would pull them out to show friends but couldn't appreciate them daily.
One year, my grandmother gifted us coin collector books to organize the coins and a few little display cases to show off our favorites. That collection got a lot more attention and enjoyment after that!
7. Science Kits
Science kits are a fun activity for weekends or long afternoons with one or multiple kids. Some of these will not work for toddlers or babies, but the older kids will enjoy the process, and the little ones can watch the final product.
These days, there are many science kits to choose from. Some favorites are:
crystal-growing kits
bottle rocket kits
soapbox car kits
chemistry kit
microscope kit
star-gazing kit
critter-catching kit
volcano kit
Many places online now offer kits with dozens of science experiments inside. Those could give more bang for your buck!
8. Indoor Garden Kits
Learning how to grow one's own food is a nifty skill to have, but it is beneficial to kids learning how plants grow in school. Having an indoor garden kit can make lessons in school more tangible and tasty!
Indoor garden kits can be as sophisticated as a hydroponics system, as low-tech as a window box, or as simple as a row of Mason jars with water. Find a kit that explains what to do and provides seeds, or fill in the gaps yourself. Either way, my kiddos have enjoyed eating from their indoor garden kits!
9. Cooking or Baking Sets
One-time cooking or baking kits are okay, but kids get excited about having their own cooking stuff. You can easily make a basket for each kid with an apron, a unique cookbook, and a tool they will need for their theme.
For instance, among my nephews is a boy who loves baking, a boy who enjoys Asian food, one who likes experimenting with historical foods, and another who prefers meat. So, I got each of them a cookbook loaded with recipes they would probably like, a personalized apron, a tool for each (that their parents didn't already have), and a spice.
That was apparently the gift that kept giving because their parents have thanked us for those gifts multiple times over the last two years!
10. Magnet Tiles
Families with multiple kids under five years old often struggle with finding something all the little ones will enjoy safely. Our family found that magnet tile sets are excellent for these ages!
Magnet tiles are plastic and will break or crack when they hit a concrete floor just right, but they are otherwise quite durable. Though magnet tiles are rated for kids three years old and up, they also keep adults, teenagers, kids, toddlers, and babies thoroughly entertained! Supervise the little ones with these.
If you have a young family with multiple kids in mind, you can find a more age-appropriate gift idea list here: 20 Gift Ideas for Parents with a Baby and Toddler at Home.
11. Marble or Car Tracks
Marble or car tracks are fun for kids and adults alike, but they are not the best for babies and toddlers who might swallow little pieces. Families with kids aged 4 years and up will get hours of use out of these!
The classic wooden sets are the most durable and long-lasting if you buy marble tracks. However, the slightly flexible plastic tracks work better with the wheels for cars.
12. Brain Teaser Puzzle Cubes
Brain teaser mini-puzzles are ridiculously entertaining for kids. Babies and toddlers will mostly shake them around for the sound or stack them, but young children, kids, and teenagers will spend hours trying to master them.
The best part is that you can buy dozens of these on Amazon, so everyone has plenty to work through!
13. Scrapbook Kits
Is the family you have in mind in love with pictures, art, or preserving history? A scrapbook kit may be a thoughtful gift! Scrapbook kits come in all sizes and themes, but I have found that putting one together myself is the best way to ensure each individual's personality is represented.
You could give a small set to each individual or a big set to the whole family. Either way, it's a fun activity that everyone can show off!
Subscription Gift Ideas for Multiple Ages
Subscriptions are an easy way to give a gift to the whole family from afar. You should probably ask the parents which option would work best for their family so that the subscription fits the kids well.
These are the subscriptions I've heard or experienced excellent things about!
1. Finders Seekers Junior Explorers
Families who like solving puzzles together would love this family-friendly mystery game subscription. It is centered on a different global location each month!
Each month of Finders Seekers Junior Explorers comes loaded with facts about the location, toys, art supplies, and a game. The creators seek to engage STEAM skills, and they do so superbly!
2. KiwiCo STEM Subscription Box
KiwiCo's STEM subscription boxes cover multiple age ranges. You can shop by age (0-16) or subject, which makes this subscription quite flexible.
Of all the options on this list, however, KiwiCo is on the expensive side. But the boxes are excellent in quality!
3. Little Passports Subscription
Know a family who loves to travel? Consider giving their kids a Little Passports subscription! The creators of Little Passports offer age-appropriate introductions to various regions of the world.
Each box includes activities, facts about the location, and ways to learn more. It's a fantastic gift!
4. edZOOcation Subscription Box
The edZOOcation subscription box is perfect for the little animal lovers out there! Each box is themed with a particular animal and comes with a high-quality plushy, stickers, a mini-magazine, and lots of neat information about the animal.
Moreover, 50% of profits are donated to wildlife conservation, making this subscription a no-brainer!
5. Letters from Afar Subscription
Does anyone else wish we could go back to sending and receiving letters from our best friends? There is something authentic and charming about letters, which is precisely why Letters from Afar began.
Each month, subscribers receive a beautifully illustrated letter, field notes, and a map from an explorer traveling the world. Kids will learn about cultures, favorite foods, animals, traditions, and famous places worldwide through this letter series!
6. TalkBox.Mom Subscription
Families adventurous enough to travel to foreign countries may enjoy a challenging subscription designed to help them learn the language of their next destination. TalkBox.Mom does this by equipping your family to practice while life happens.
Each box has a level-up in charts, resources, audio, and more. It's fun, relevant, and challenging!
7. Mysteries in Time Subscription
I simply cannot leave out the history buffs! The Mysteries in Time Subscription is a kid-friendly story-driven walk through world history, geography, and cultures throughout time.
Though it is designed for ages 6-11, my younger kids have enjoyed hearing the stories and looking through the pictures. Each box comes with a time-traveler adventure story, stickers, a bookmark, and a kids' history magazine with puzzles, recipes, and facts.
Gift Ideas for Families with a Baby and a Toddler at Home
Finding the perfect gift for a young family with a toddler and a baby at home can be challenging. Whatever the toddler is ready for could be unsafe for the baby, and the baby's toys don't always excite the toddler. What are some better options?
Fantastic gifts for young families with a baby and toddler at home include age-appropriate toy sets, simple home activities, and away-from-home experiences that both little ones can enjoy. Parents will also appreciate educational field trip passes and quality toys that tucker their children out.
If you are on a tight budget, consider buying one larger gift together with other friends or family members. The following list of winning gift ideas for little ones comes from the experience of several parents and me.
Toy and Activity Gift Ideas for Young Families
Once the youngest is able to sit up, crawl, and explore, the toddler is bound to be more interested in playing with the baby. However, the toys a toddler can play with are not always safe for a baby; hence, finding toys and activities for both to do together is challenging.
Sure, you could buy each one an age-appropriate toy, but watching young siblings play together is fun. By gifting them a toy or activity that engages both children, you will provide parents with a superb way to strengthen that bond.
Here are some of the best toy sets and activities for a baby and toddler to play with together at home.
1. On-the-Go Gift Set
Can we admit that long car rides with a baby and toddler are generally awful? Not only do you have to stop often for potty breaks, diaper changes, feedings, and snacks, but you also have to keep everyone entertained enough so they don't scream-cry.
Well, Moonkie's On-the-Go Gift Set addresses this very problem with a range of cute, mesmerizing toys for your baby and toddler. Oh, and it comes with a nifty snack bowl, convenient utensil holder, spill-proof training cup, and pacifier holder, making this set both entertaining and practical!
My kids LOVED the popper toy, racer, and spinner. The spinner can stick to the glass window for your toddler to spin or be nommed on by your baby. And, as far as racers go, Moonkie's race car is weighted beautifully and rolls long distances. So, it is fun to spin the wheels in the car or around your destination!
There are three different sets to choose from, and each one has a different popper toy shape. They are bigger than I thought they would be (much to my kids' excitement).
2. Playtime Gift Set
Looking for a super baby-friendly toy set that won't bore a toddler? Check out Moonkie's Playtime Gift Set! It comes with a koala baby teether and a creatively designed teething ring set just for babies, as well as a UFO pulling toy, a popper toy, and a stacking cup set that babies and toddlers enjoy.
Each item in this set features a variety of textures, weights, shapes, and sounds to delight little ones' senses. Though a baby will mostly chew on these toys and smash them together, toddlers will figure out how to stack the rings, use the cups as tools, and make the UFO toy a part of their imaginative play.
One of my favorite things about this set is how easy it is to clean. Since everything except the pacifier clip and UFO toy is made of 100% food-grade silicone, I can run them through the dishwasher overnight or boil them for a few minutes.
Moreover, I don't have to worry about my toddler's destructive antics--this high-quality silicone is incredibly durable, and these toys are designed with sturdiness and safety in mind!
3. Camping Gear
Something about a little tent and nightlight makes toddlers and babies excited and giggly! When my littles were 2 years and 10 months old, respectively, they received a tent, two sleeping bags, and two nightlights. They loved them!
We set everything up in the living room that night, and they played and napped in it for days. We would read books in there, tell stories, and get every stuffed animal tucked in for naps. As soon as the weather became nice, we camped in the backyard, which was an exciting educational experience for sure!
Three years and another baby later, we still use that tent weekly, inside and outside, whenever the kids want to stargaze. This was a fantastic gift for our young family!
4. Reading Nook Setup
Getting little ones into books for learning, imagination, and exploration is one of the most important gifts we can give young minds. Though babies are not exactly sitting through entire books yet, gifting a "place" to read is a way to promote sticking around for storytime.
Reading nooks can be anything from a tent to a couple of comfy seats to two low bookcases that box in a corner of the room. You could even gift a string of lights, a small rug to decorate the area, and a few books for the book collection.
Learn more about making reading a pillar of childhood experiences in Turning Books into Adventures Your Little One Will Never Forget.
5. Water Table
Looking for a gift that will get little kids outside? Get a water table! Parents can fill the table with water or sand to keep their little explorers busy for hours. They are typically made with plastic, so find a sturdy one that can withstand a sneaky toddler trying to climb in!
Some water tables come with scoops and buckets, but you can easily add toys like rubber ducks, sand stamps, and cups for more play options.
6. Crawl Tunnel
Crawling babies are on a mission to explore everything they can reach, so why not make their journey more fun with an expandable crawl tunnel? Big enough for babies and toddlers to crawl through and easy to pack away, crawl tunnels have been sources of entertainment for many young families.
Our little ones have used their tunnel for goofing off, relay races, toy cars, rolling balls, and a "no-parents allowed" fort entrance. Someone gifted this to us years ago, and it's still a frequent playtime toy!
7. Climbing Blocks
On the pricier end of the spectrum are climbing blocks for indoor play areas. You can find far cheaper variations of these easily; just ensure they are sturdy enough for jumping toddlers.
These nursery and daycare favorites last for years through several kids and are simple to clean and sterilize. Long, rainy days are not a problem when you have an indoor playground to use up all that energy!
WARNING: Having a thick rug, foam puzzle mats, or thick pads under and around these is crucial for safety.
8. Books Sets
Age-appropriate books for babies and toddlers are always a wonderful gift idea! Babies love texture books, and toddlers enjoy books with lots of pictures to see and questions to answer.
Books with songs or animal sounds keep both kids busy, but only get such books if the batteries are covered with a lid and screw.
9. Drawing Pads
While in the throes of toddlerhood and babyhood, I gifted all the littles I knew with an LCD Drawing Pad. I intended them to keep toddlers busy during baby feedings or naps, but the drawing pads entertained adults and babies, too!
LCD drawing pads are not designed for babies, so hold it for your baby and remove it if he tries to put the pen in his mouth. Nonetheless, toddlers love this toy when traveling or playing at home.
10. Road Rug with Big Cars
A road rug with cars is a classic gift idea for babies and toddlers alike. It taps into your toddler's imagination while stretching her ability to follow lines with cars. For the baby, road rugs are a sensory experience with colors, texture, and various shapes to see.
Adding a few safe cars for the baby and toddler to play with completes the set! Later, these two engineers can build blockhouses and tunnels along the roads. My littles have spent many afternoons with a set like this!
11. Assorted Ball Set with Hoop
Basketball is fun, especially when you have an assortment of ball sizes and weights to play with! The Little Tikes Basketball Set adjusts between 2 and 4 feet tall, so it will work for two different ages and grow with little players.
While the toddler is busy scoring baskets, the baby can crawl after the balls and practice rolling them to a parent or sibling, building hand-eye coordination.
12. Wooden Musical Instruments
Yet another classic toy set for babies and toddlers is a wooden musical instrument set. As loud as they can be, these sets are wonderful for sensory exploration and generating giggles!
These should always be used under adult supervision because a toddler can smash an instrument, or a baby could try biting one. Despite this set not being a parent-free activity, it is still fun and educational!
13. Outdoor Games
Games and activities for babies and toddlers to play outside make excellent gifts for young families. These range from outdoor bowling sets to beach balls with a low net to a sandbox.
Outdoor building blocks or a little fort also bring little ones joy. Outdoor games and activities encourage young families to get outside and practice gross motor skills.
You can get more outdoor gift ideas for babies and toddlers by reading Making Memories with Your Baby or Toddler: Outdoor Playtime Ideas.
Young Family Experiences and Education Gift Ideas
Young families often have a tight budget, so other thoughtful gift ideas include passes to family-friendly experiences and subscriptions to educational services. When choosing one of these, consider the family's schedule.
Families with both parents working and the little ones in daycare may not have much time to take their kids to places open only on weekdays. Likewise, if they live more than an hour away from an experience, they probably won't use an annual pass much.
1. Annual Zoo Pass
Annual zoo passes are awesome gift ideas for young families living close to a zoo. Toddlers and babies often like animals but may not have the patience or attention span to spend a whole afternoon at the zoo.
So, getting an annual zoo pass would make taking several short trips to the zoo affordable and doable for a young family.
2. Annual Museum Pass
Many American cities have engaging interactive museums for young children, but they typically charge a pretty penny for one ticket. Thus, annual museum passes are often welcome gifts that treat the whole family!
Some museums are in a network that shares an annual museum pass, like the Association of Science and Technology Centers' Passport Program. When you purchase a yearly museum pass at a participating museum, the family you gift it to can go to any in-network museum for free or at a discount.
My family has loved using this program!
3. Playplace Pass
Some towns and cities have playplace clubs for toddlers and babies. These clubs usually feature an indoor playground, imaginative activities (grocery store, restaurant, forest, etc.), and a scheduled craft time.
Many of these play places also have an attached coffee shop for parents to hang out while they watch their little ones play. As fun as these play places are, they tend to be expensive. So, gifting a month-long pass is a great idea!
4. Airbnb Near a National Park
Another more expensive gift is an Airbnb gift card. Young families often choose to stay close to home due to work and the demands of parenting little ones.
However, many would likely choose to have a fun weekend away if they had a gift card to help them do so. You can even give some ideas for neat places near a national park or city with tons of free, family-friendly events.
Airbnb now has an "Experiences" tab in its app and on its website, where families can find unique, family-friendly experiences in a location before settling on a place to stay. It makes a convenient vacation planner!
5. Aquarium Pass
Aquariums amaze little ones, even babies! However, aquariums are expensive to maintain and, therefore, costly to visit. If you know a family with a young fish-lover, an aquarium pass would make an excellent gift!
Aquariums are not always nearby, but some offer gift cards that don't expire. Check the impossibly fine print before you buy one!
6. ABC Mouse Subscription
Generally speaking, babies and toddlers under the age of 18 months should not spend much time on screens, especially without an adult actively talking with them about it (source). After that, a few minutes of educational screen time is acceptable.
If the young family you have in mind has an iPad or Kindle, gifting an ABC Mouse subscription may be welcome. ABC Mouse is a gamified step-by-step learning path for little ones. It's entertaining, interactive, and does not have long videos. Many families love this program!
7. Audible Book Subscription
Young families that travel a lot together may appreciate an Audible subscription. Audible has a wide selection of toddler and preschool books recorded in entertaining voices.
Though having the book in front of a child is better for visual recognition, learning to listen to stories and answer specific questions about them is also a crucial skill for school.
In a Nutshell
The gifts that have stood out the most to my family have been the experiences and activities my kids could share together over and over again for years. I included most of those in this list, so I hope it helps you.
With so many brilliant gift ideas to choose from, the family you hope to surprise will be well entertained for hours!
