Doing a gift guide wasn’t on the top of my list this season, but I did a LOT of travel and research this year, and it wouldn’t really be fair not to share it with you. In case you have a little person to buy gifts for, check out these way cool toys and treasures. These gifts definitely aren’t clutter!

In case you are wondering who vetted this list, I submit The Letter to Santa from my 7 year old daughter. If my 5 year old could write as well, hers would look pretty much the same.

Gifts for Kids

Goldie Blox is a line of engineering toys/games/stories geared towards girls. They’ve expanded with new sets, and we’ll be adding to our original boxed set. Shhh, don’t tell my girls this is a S.T.E.M. game.

I’m actually pretty excited to play with the new gadgets, gears, and other things in the Goldie Blox and The Builder’s Survival Kit.

Little Passports is a subscription service that I ordered last year for my own kids and talked about here. They receive a monthly package in the postal mail with a litter from two cute kiddos named Sam and Sophia, who have recently traveled someplace either around the world or in the US (depending on the edition you opt in for). They also send stickers for the passport, map  and suitcase that your child gets in their first package. There monthly kit always includes a souvenir, like a sushi pencil eraser, or a dinosaur “fossil” that had to be dug out of the rock it came in. I am surprised how much my little ones enjoy getting the package and reading about new places. It’s become a family ritual to open the package each month.

LEGO Friends are HOT with the little girls. The classic LEGO building toy is now in sweet colors that little girls are drawn to, and come with little people and pet figurines that my girls use to tell their stories.

If you are looking into a tablet, check out the Kurio Kids Tablet with Android . It is kid-friendly, preloaded with apps, including their killer app that has your kiddo doing the physical motions for games like soccer and swimming, and the Kurio puts them in the action. I tried it, and it’s pretty fun, especially when you win and the crowd roars for you. I’m thinking it’ll keep them active on snow days.

Likewise, the LeapFrog LeapTV Educational Active Video Game System is a totally new take on video games, where the little ones have to be up out of their seat to play, sometimes just using their body as the controller.

I’m slightly more excited about their new LeapFrog LeapBand (which comes in either pink or blue). It’s an activity tracker that looks like a wrist watch. Kids have to move and play games to keep their virtual pet happy and in good shape. My girls will totally be into this, as long as no one tells them it’s good for them.

Silly string. ‘Cause, really! Take note: white pants, no stains. I kind of love this Wacky-tivities Spattter Blaster. I may not be a silly string aficionado, but I was impressed at the non-stain, easy clean up, roll it into a ball and play with it non-mess. And yes, that’s three “t’s,” not a typo.

I already have a keyboard (one of the requested items on the list) squirreled away from the Just Between Friends sale earlier this year, my secret source for an affordable Christmas. Anyone have a teen who wants to come give my kiddo her first “piano lessons”?

This just in: If you like American Girl dolls, then you might flip for the Our Generation dolls available at Target. They look great, have poseable and non-poseable dolls, and come with all the same type of accessories. Some of them even come with books, which is where my little ones get hooked. But you’ll still have money left over for other gifts after you bring one of these doll babies home.

Here’s the organizing factor. I know way too many families who stockpile the AG dolls and gear of their grown up children just because of all the money they “invested.”  But with a more reasonable price tag, you won’t feel compelled to store those babies any longer than your kids actually play with them. You’re welcome.

Save up to 50% on Our Generation Dolls & Accessories, only at Target, valid 11/30/14-12/6/14

Any thoughts on this gift guide for kids?

Feel free to shout out in the comments if there are some other must-have toys that rank high on your list.

Be sure to check out my other gift guides to help you avoid clutter:

Gift Guide: Made in USA

Gifts Inspired by #GivingTuesday

Gifts Anyone Can Make (And Be Proud Of)

And see if inspiration hits you from our previous list of 50+ Gifts that Aren’t Clutter.

The FTC wants me to keep this all above board and let you know there are affiliate links in this post, but that just means I’ve made it easier for you to click and buy those items that catch your fancy. None of these companies have approached me to hawk their goods. I only take the time to write about awesome stuff that I genuinely love so that you can love it, too.