The 40 Best Christmas Gifts for Kids That Your Little Ones Are Dreaming About This Year

Help your kiddos make shaved ice, snow cones, snowballs, slushies — and margaritas for the parents — with this Hawaiian Shaved Ice machine! It's easy to clean, small enough to fit under your kitchen cabinet and makes the most delicious cold desserts.

More: Kids Want Their Stockings Stuffed With the Coolest Toys

Artie 3000 is a friendly little robot that allows your kids to draw program-specific design patterns using intuitive drag-and-drop software. This Christmas gift for kids doesn’t even require Wi-Fi to create super cool designs.

You’ll be interested to know that I tripped over this toy just this morning as my kid was inexplicably playing with it before 7 a.m. — that’s how popular it is in my house. It’s a race car that’s operated through an app that combines reality and virtual reality play.

I get that it’s on the higher end for toys, but given the fact that my kids have been playing with this nonstop for 6 months, I can assure you that it’s worth every penny.

Far and away, one of the best-received gifts I've given in the past year, this rocket ship play tunnel is a blast for the kids and a boon for the parents who need a little bit of time to chill out on their own.

It has survived not only the toddlers who play with it but also their two gigantic Leonberger dog companions (and, TBH, it's hard to tell if the kids or the dogs have more fun on this pop-up tunnel and tent).

Imagine the Big Wheels of your childhood, but make it a lot more durable and give it the ability to drift. Great for kids aged 5 and up, this is one of the most-fun ride-on toys you've ever seen. It gives kids so much control over their ride but still gives that element of surprise — just don't forget to grab a helmet to go with it!

Barbie and all her friends are huge this year with the blockbuster movie's release — but there's more Barbie merch than anyone could handle picking through.

These fashion plates are one of my favorites and one of the best Christmas gifts for kids. They’re just like the fashion plates of the ’90s, but updated for Barbie of the twenty-first century. Plus, the pencils are more pigmented, the paper is better, and the outfits are updated.

Some days, you just really need a warm hug, but you're all touched out. This happens to kids as well as parents. Bumpas are weighted toys wherein the arms have the weight, and they can cradle you gently and comfortably, giving kids physical, tangible comfort.

I got to play this game just last week, and I can tell you that it is really fun. Imagine if you could make cornhole less like a chore and into an actual game you and your kids will want to play — that's this game. Similar properties, 100% more volcanic eruptions of laughter.

Believe it or not, kids as young as 5 have LED light strips at the top of their Christmas lists. Having tested several of them, I can tell you Cync by GE is the best by a mile. They're easy to hang with self-stick strips, they're app-controlled, and they have the most light options of any of the LED strips.

My daughter, my son, and four of their friends ranging in age from 10 to 16, requested these shoes. Admittedly, I also asked for these shoes. They’re trendy, super comfortable, and their classic style helps them never go out of style — proving they’re as popular as they are for good reason.

How do you take something pretty practical that most kids need and make it utterly giftable? It’s simple — just add LED lights. Trust me; you’ll have never seen kids as excited about a new desk as you will if you get them this really cool version. It’s inexpensive, but it isn’t cheap. It has a monitor lift, plenty of space for a keyboard, a headphone hook, and it’s adjustable.

Axolotl amphibians are really having a moment right now — kids are super clued into their cuteness and darling personalities. However, not everyone has the space or patience to take care of one. The solution? Axolotl accessories for the win, like this adorable 28-inch long axolotl body pillow. All the cuteness of the animal, none of the risk of it dying.

Into the Spiderverse featuring Miles Morales was one of the biggest hits of the summer. My kids went to see it twice! This hoodie is just about as cute as it comes, mirroring Miles’ costume. It's warm and cozy and should be a huge hit for any kid who loves the films.

Even if your littles are too little to see the movie, they’re not going to miss the hype! Frankly, I’m a grown woman and it’s appealing to me. This bedding by Franco is affordable, soft, and leans into the Barbiecore vibes with the comforter and sham set.

With the new show coming out, we once again find ourselves in a world awash in all things Transformer. And while the series is woefully Shia LaBeouf-free, it is predicted to be a gigantic hit for kids. This two-toy set is one of the most entertaining gifts I've played with lately!

Turtle Power! If there’s one thing that’s true about every iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is that the turtles love pizza. The pizza van is a constant in the world, and this version is new for this year, and the kids at toy fairs have been clamoring over it.

When I first saw this before it came out, I was smitten. It's one of the highest-quality toys I've seen in a very long time. There are a ton of pieces to this ice cream pretend play toy, and each one more detailed than the last. This is an heirloom-quality toy.

Make your artwork magical with this light board from Crayola. Your kids will use the markers on this large board to trace and draw, and with the lights, bring their drawings to life.

It comes with six gel markers, and it’s wipe-clean. It does require three AA batteries, which are thankfully included in the box, just in case you forget.

This Christmas gift lets kids their creativity shine with this paint-by-numbers kit. Each area is marked and numbered to match the paint with the coordinating number.

I've had my teen test tons of backpacks. Recently, he started testing this bag, and I will tell you why it should be on the top of your gift list for your teens — it saved his computer when it fell all the way down his high school steps.

He’s in the coding track at his school, so that computer is his lifeline, and thanks to the super-cushioned “foam fortress” that surrounds the tech pocket, his 17-inch laptop survived the rough fall. Sure, his lunch was a bit squished, but who the heck cares if the turkey is flat as long as the expensive stuff is OK?

This backpack is designed to be cool-looking, rugged, and is built for tech. I can’t say enough good things about this backpack — and it’s by far one of the best Christmas gifts for kids that money can buy.