If, like me, you have children in the juniors you have probably realised that they seem to be getting harder to buy for. The items they ask for are so much smaller than when they were pre schoolers and cost twice as much at least. They tend to play with toys less and online games more and unless they have a specific interest it can be hard to find inspiration. Here are my Christmas gift ideas for the juniors in your life.
Christmas gift ideas for the juniors
Harry Potter Trivia Quiz
Our ten year old is Harry Potter mad. He must have watched all the films at least 10 times each, probably more. Not only does he watch the films but he also watches Harry Potter videos on you tube like behind the scenes, conspiracy theories, interviews, you name it he will watch it as long as it is Harry Potter related. So when I saw this Harry Potter Trivia Quiz with 1000 true or false questions I just knew we had to get it for him. I can not wait to put his knowledge to the test on Christmas day and have a laugh competing against each other to see who really is the number one Harry Potter fan in our house.
Wireless Charging Mouse Pad
Most children in the juniors are starting to show an interest in gaming, or are at least using the computer to complete homework tasks. I know both my boys have asked for gaming related paraphernalia this year and I think this charging mouse mat by Kikkerland looks great if they use a computer and have a mobile. All you have to do is simply pop your phone next to your mouse as you work/play and it will keep it charged for you. Anything that removes some of the wires that always seem to be lying around is a winner in my eyes.
Beat The Parents
Another great gift idea for junior aged children are board games and Beat The Parents is a brilliant choice. It is aimed at children aged 6 and over so ca also be played with siblings in the infants making it a fab family game. The idea is that the children compete with the parents in a head-to-head battle where kids have to answer adults trivia and adults have to answer kids trivia with both teams having to complete challenges along the way. It is bound to have the whole family giggling from start to finish.
3D Puzzles
If your little one is more into building things than gaming then these 3D wooden puzzles by Kikkerland should keep them quiet for a while. There are a few different designs to choose from including tigers and seahorses but for me I love this T-Rex one the most and they only cost around £11.
The Silly Sounds Game
Another great family game for those in the juniors is Silly Sounds. This game is aimed at children aged 8 and over and for two plus players. The aim of the game is very simple. You have to make the silly sound written on the headband whilst the other play has to guess the sound. This is an easy to play, ridiculously daft game that will have everyone laughing in no time.
Books
I am a huge fan of gifting books to children. I love reading myself and I love reading to the boys and Layla too so it makes perfect sense to me to include a book or two in this particular gift guide. The book featured below, Mika y Lolo, is written by Virginia Mendez from the Feminist shop and it invites kids and their parents to question gender stereotypes and how they affect children and their development. It is a brilliant book for those those that want to start important family conversations and only costs £10.
Football Book
If you have a football mad junior then you have you got to check out these unique picture books. There are currently three books available telling the stories of: Man Utd’s treble winning season; Arsenal’s Invincibles campaign; and Liverpool’s CL Final comeback in 2005. These books are perfect for living nostalgically so make great gifts for children to share with their football mad parents and grandparents too.
A Power Bank
Once your child has persuaded you to get them a phone, whether it’s a new one or one of your old ones you will most likely find they become permanently attached to it. If you go anywhere further than an hour from home you will probably find that they try and bring their charges with them or moan that their battery will run out on route so a power bank is the perfect gift for them. They are particularly good if you go camping, to festivals or travel a lot. The one pictured below is a Goal Zero Flip 24, it can re charge two phones and even give a tablet a little boost. It is easy to use so perfect for children and is small and light weight for them to carry too.
Haribo
What kid doesn’t love sweets? I think regardless of what else you choose to get the kids this year a box of Haribo will definitely put a smile on their faces.
Socks
Everyone loves a new pair of socks at Christmas, even kids, so why not treat them to some of these super soft eco friendly bamboo socks from Welligogs. There are lots of lovely colourful designs to choose from including the ones pictured below and the reinforced heel and toes mean they are created to last.
Quick Link
As a family we love board games but as a mum I love the ones with hidden educational values more. If you are the same then check out this game for your junior aged kids. Quick Link is for those aged 7 and over and the aim is match words to those written on a card as quickly as you can. It is a fast paced fun game that will help with vocabulary and word association.
Cave Paintings
If you have children that like drawing then this Cave Paintings game will be the one for them. The idea is that each player draws 6 objects in 60 seconds in a “caveman style”, using the drawing slab and gripping your pen in your fist as you race against the timer. Unlike other drawing games in this one you get a point if people can tell what you have drawn and a point for any correct answers you make of other peoples drawings.
I hope this article has given you lots of Christmas gift ideas for the juniors in your life and if you have any extra ideas please do let me know as I still haven’t finished shopping for my two yet!