It’s that time of year when you’re on the hunt for that elusive toy to make your child the happiest kid in Canada. Even if your kids haven’t started their lists yet, we’ve rounded up some of the top toys for 2017 so you can get a head start and make Santa look like a rookie this Christmas.
Fingerlings
Fingerlings are predicted to be the Hatchimal of 2017. They’re similar to Furbies in that they respond to sound and touch, except they’re smaller, and there’s nothing kids love than teeny tiny toys. 
Lego
Doesn’t matter how old the kids are, Lego is a perennial fave. With the new Star Wars movie coming out means new Star Wars Lego! YEAY! You know you’re excited about the new lego sets and when I say you’re excited, I totally mean your kids (as you hover over them waiting for your turn).
If Lego sets aren’t your thing, old-fashioned Lego are ALWAYS a good choice. Grabbing a giant box of Lego and then let the kids’ creativity go banana’s.
Laser Tag Sets
I hadn’t heard of these before until a friend mentioned them, and now I want. It’s laser tag, but in your own home, a perfect game for sending the kids down to the basement. The game comes with vests so you can see where you’ve been hit.
Books
Chapters put together the top books for 2017 for kids online, but as a mom and an aunt, I have my own giant list of books to get for my kids, nieces, and nephews. No surprise that Harry Potter books are in the top list for book sets (yaasssss!!!) but there are some great ones on there like Wonder (now a movie), Malala’s Magic Pencil, The Dork Diaries and the classic, I’ll Love You Forever.
Experiences
Alternatively to toys, many parents are turning to purchasing experiences for their kids. Experience are an amazing way to give kids something they’ll remember long after the wrapping paper is in the recycling, especially if you have older kids who aren’t really interested in toys. Here are some of our favourites
- Activities: buying a ski pass to a local hill or to your child’s favourite museum or water park.
- Tickets: Tickets to a hockey game, musical or concert, especially exciting if it will be their first experience at one of these events.
- Subscriptions: There are loads of subscription boxes like Little Passport which means that the recipient will get a gift in the mail once a month which is gold. Each month you receive a parcel with new activities and crafts to do. We received a subscription when the kids were little to Owl Kids Chickadee magazine which we loved receiving, and gave us something else to read at night … bonus points because it’s educational!
Add ons
Adding on to toys the kids already have is a great way to reduce the introduction of more toys. Buying something to add onto a toy they love such as, a headset for their gaming system (genius really, you can’t the game), or something special that you wouldn’t normally purchase for their hobbies. Alternatively, if that hockey helmet is looking a little rough, buy a new one and put it under the tree! You had to buy a new one anyway, might as well be a Christmas gift!!
Classic Gifts
When asking around for the gifts that parents were getting their kids this Christmas, everyone had a classic gift on the list, especially board games. In an age where everyone assumes kids are on iPads all day, kids still LOVE to be kids and play games (even if you don’t). Board games such as Clue, Candy Land and Monopoly were on many parents lists of presents.
What have your kids asked for this Christmas? Have they started hinting at gifts?
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