A Detailed Age-Based Guide to Gender-Neutral Gift Ideas for Children

Soft, perfectly sized for infants, and adorned with adorable ears, the Jellycat Bashful Grey Bunny Baby Stuffed Animal Security Blanket elevates the classic security blanket by incorporating a cuddly companion (Amazon, $22.50). Another excellent choice is the squeaky Sophie the Giraffe ($26.98), designed with a neck that’s easy for little hands to grasp and a soft nose ideal for teething. Similarly, the Wubbanub Infant Pacifier features a small attached animal that adds comfort and helps keep the pacifier in place.

Enhance a new parent’s collection with the versatile Aden + Anais Tea Collection Swaddle Blankets, perfect for tummy time or as a nursing cover, or the Burpy Bibs, which are shaped to double as effective burp cloths (available in 24 patterns, $11.99 for a two-pack). Both are crafted from muslin and soften with each wash.

For a toy that’s as entertaining for parents as it is for babies, consider the Talking Cactus (Amazon, $28.99). It plays songs, dances, and even records and mimics your baby’s sounds, creating an adorable interaction. Alternatively, the Taggies Crinkle Me Toy ($10.94, Amazon) combines two baby favorites: crinkle books and pullable tags.

Introduce music into your baby’s world with the Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes ($8.88), which allows babies to easily play classical melodies, or the Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube ($19.95), featuring sounds from instruments like the harp, flute, and piano. For extended musical play, the Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick ‘n Play Piano Gym (Amazon, $39.98) provides hours of entertainment activated by your baby’s kicks.

As toddlers grow more mobile and vocal, their curiosity and passion for imaginative play soar. My kids spent endless hours in our Kidcraft Modern White Play Kitchen ($169.99), pretending to take phone orders and inventing countless “ice cream and sausage” dishes with the Melissa & Doug Wooden Frozen Treats Ice Cream Play Set ($14.99). Add to the fun with the Scoop & Stack Magnetic Ice Cream Cone Set ($23.99) and the Grill & Serve 20 Piece BBQ Set ($18.88). From my experience, toddlers never seem to tire of slicing Cutting Fruit ($16.76) or presenting you with a Wooden Birthday Cake topped with Velcro gumdrops ($29.99). Every aspiring chef also needs a Retro Cash Register to manage payments (Fisher-Price, $21.92) and a shopping cart to haul groceries, like this one from Little Tikes ($24.99).

The B. Toys Interactive Cat Piano ($26.99) allows young musicians to sing, play, record their voice, or jam to banjo and techno beats. Meanwhile, the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Tablet ($18.52) keeps toddlers engaged during long trips while introducing them to the alphabet.

Toddlers adore pushing colorful bubbles and hearing them pop. The Dimpl from Fat Brain Toys ($12.95) lets them pop endlessly. Elevate playtime with the Step 2 Ride-on Roller Coaster ($139) or the motorized Kid Trax Toddler Recycling Truck ($199.99). They’ll also enjoy the Melissa & Doug Farm Animals Sound Puzzle ($14.99) and the Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles Set ($23.79 for 8 puzzles), which are perfect for building confidence with a bit of parental help.

Preschoolers have longer attention spans and can engage in more independent play, though they might still insist on repeating the same puzzle endlessly. For curious minds, the Kid O A to Z Magnatab ($29.95) helps them trace letters with a magnetic stylus. Building sets like Lego Duplo bricks ($24), Mega Bloks ($14.92), or the budget-friendly Picasso Tiles ($30.99) offer endless creative possibilities.

Keep siblings entertained with Make a Face Sticker Books ($14.95), perfect for restaurants or quiet time. The Mr. Potato Head Tub Set provides endless silly combinations, while Zingo ($21.99) introduces pre-readers to the world of board games. For active fun, the Flybar My First Foam Pogo Jumper ($16.99) supports up to 250 pounds, so parents can join in too.

For sensory play, the Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory Set ($17.99) lets kids scoop, squish, and mold shapes, while Play Foam ($17.99 for 10 colors) offers a mess-free tactile experience. Older preschoolers will enjoy Perler’s Biggie Beads ($12.99) and their pegboard ($10), which encourage focus and creativity.

Five-year-olds enjoy being helpful, making it the perfect age to introduce cooperative board games. These games focus on teamwork rather than competition, encouraging players to achieve a shared objective. The Peaceable Kingdom Race to the Treasure! game ($15.99) challenges kids to strategize and build a path to outsmart an ogre. In Gnomes at Night ($23.27), players must collaborate to guide a magnetic gnome through a maze. For non-cooperative fun, Sleeping Queens ($9.99) and the eeBoo United States Geography Bingo Game ($19.99) are excellent for teaching basic math and geography in an engaging way.

While parents may not appreciate messy, glittery substances, kids adore them. The Elmer’s Galaxy Slime Starter Pack ($9.83) provides hours of sensory play, while the Aqua Beads Deluxe Studio ($24.99) offers a cleaner alternative for creating shapes and animals. The Crayola Ultimate Light Board ($27.99) allows endless drawing on a glowing, reusable surface, and Kiwi Crates inspire creativity through art, science, and engineering projects (parental involvement is recommended for this age group).

While fidget toys, particularly Pop Its, appeal to various age groups, I’ve observed countless eight-year-olds engaging in intricate fidget toy trades. Sensory Fidget Toys—small, tactile items you can squish, pull, twist, or pop—come in countless varieties and price points. This 38-piece set is $12.99. Similarly, Pop Its, a popular fidget toy variant, offers a wide range of shapes and colors, appealing to both boys and girls.

Kids love the thrill of Jenga ($19.99), where the goal is to avoid being the one who topples the tower. Square Up ($24.95) provides a fast-paced visual challenge for one or two players, who must match patterns by rearranging colored tiles. Guess Who is a fantastic game for siblings of different ages, as kids enjoy deducing and eliminating characters based on traits like red hair or glasses.

The Flybar Maverick Pogo Stick ($48.99) combines the classic pogo stick experience with modern upgrades like rubber grips and a foam-covered frame for added comfort. For outdoor fun, the Mini Cruiser Retro Skateboard ($44), available in nine colors, is perfect for cruising around the neighborhood.

Encourage young readers with the Magic Treehouse series ($11.95 for books 1-4), where siblings Jack and Annie embark on thrilling time-traveling adventures. And for the ultimate gaming gift, the Nintendo Switch ($299.99) is a surefire hit, though its game cards, averaging $60 each, can add up.

For pre-teens, the Fujifilm Instax Mini Camera ($150) offers nostalgic Polaroid-style photography fun (don’t forget to buy extra film). The One-Step 18-color Tie-Dye-Kit ($19) makes it easy to create vibrant, multi-colored shirts, while the Refasy Piggy Bank ATM ($34.99) helps them save their Tooth Fairy earnings. Improve hand-eye coordination with a 12-piece Magnetic Dart Board ($35.99) or let them zip to a friend’s house on a Hoverboard Self-Balancing Scooter ($150). For young musicians, the Ashthorpe Beginner Acoustic Guitar ($49) is designed specifically for smaller hands learning to play.

As tweens grow, they often take pride in personalizing their bedrooms. Help them upgrade their space with a Big Joe Dorm Bean Bag Chair ($57-$61), a Big Joe Milano Gray Plush Chair ($55), or Globe String Lights ($18) to create a cozy ambiance. Tweens are also drawn to “merch”—products tied to their favorite online games or YouTubers. Fans of Among Us will adore themed gear, especially if they enjoy solving mysteries and identifying imposters. If unsure, ask about their favorite YouTuber; most tweens with internet access follow popular YouTubers, whose online stores are packed with T-shirts, hoodies, and caps for devoted fans.