30 Creative, Cool Gifts for Kids They're Sure to Love

For the Kids With a Competitive Streak: Lustigt Tag Game

$20, ikea.com

Think paintball at home, but without the mess. The combatants don velcro vests and toss fuzzy balls at each other—and the first competitor to get all their balls on their competitor's vest wins. (At this price, you might even be able to grab a few more to make it a whole-family activity.)

For the Temporary Tattoo Devotee: Tattly Butterfly Frenzy Tattoos

$10, urbanoutfitters.com

Skip the barely-there basic temporary tats for these artsy (and elegant) picks—the brightly colored butterflies will be the perfect addition to their summer or back-to-school looks.

For the Rube Goldberg Machine Maker: Trestle Tracks

From $15, fatbraintoys.com

Get them started on DIY-ing their own fanciful marble run with this clever construction set, which comes with instructions for building a few clever runs before they let loose and build their own.

For the Fairy-Tale Fan: Forgotten Fairy Tales of Brave and Brilliant Girls

$20, maisonette.com

Move beyond the Disney princesses yearning for the day their prince will come with these long-forgotten tales of bold heroines who saved the day.

For the Bath Aficionado: Jackson the Whale Bath Sponge Box

$10, target.com

Who says a bath toy can't be cuddly? This super-cute sponge whale is perfect for snuggling in the bath or shower. Put liquid or bar soap in the mouth to start the sudsing fun, and after bath time is done, you can run it through the washing machine and dryer to keep mold and mildew away.

For the World Explorer: Orboot Earth Interactive Globe

$55, bestbuy.com

An interactive globe lets your kid explore more about the world from home. The globe's companion app lets your child scan the planet and learn fun facts about the cultures and ecosystems on the planet, and play games and go on scavenger hunts around the globe.

For the Budding Sculptor: Hey Clay Animal Sculpting Set

$20, fatbraintoys.com

Help your favorite artist-in-training learn the basics of clay work with a Hey Clay set, which includes 3D, simple step-by-step video directions via app to help them make adorable creatures—and then launch out on their own to get creative. The kit includes 18 cans of nontoxic, wheat- and nut-free clay in a rainbow of hues, along with access to the apps for guidance.

(If animals aren't their thing, there are kits for bugs, birds, dinosaurs, monsters, and aliens, too!)

For the Paleontologist in Training: T-Rex Play Cape

$35, maisonette.com

Help a T-Rex fan channel their inner dinosaur with this adorable cozy cape they can pop on to get the fearsome face and teeth. (They also have triceratops, dragons, and dilophosaurus capes, if they favor a different dino.)

For Your Favorite Acrobats: Foamnasium Tumblers

$235, westelm.com

These soft, vinyl-shelled cushions can be repositioned in a number of ways for play—pushed together as a cozy stool for reading, turned with curves up for a climbing surface, or with the curves down to be a rocking chair. There are other pieces and shapes in the collection, so kids can get creative and build forts, obstacle courses, and more.

For the Kid Who's Moved Beyond Cranes: Origami: Inspired by Japanese Prints from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

$20, store.metmuseum.org

This clever book contains 45 colorful origami papers folded into the cover—and instructions for 36 origami pieces, with information and gorgeous photos of the artworks that inspire them.

For the Future Pop Star: Hip-Hop Robot Vidiyo Beat Box

$20, lego.com

LEGO's Vidiyo mini-figures let kids create and star in music videos—with their favorite mini-figs in action by their side. The included BeatBits create cool augmented reality effects on their videos, which they can save and share in the safe, kid-friendly app.

You can add more characters—and elaborate stages—with additional sets, whether they like "K-Pawp" or Punk Pirates.

For the Kid Who's Wild About Animals: Elephant Plushie

$45, theelephantproject.com

These sweet elephant plushies are not only fun for kids to play —the proceeds from their purchase go toward supporting elephant sanctuaries in Thailand.

For the Kid Who Wants to Have a Ball: DiPP!T Inflatable Ball Pit

$199, Minnidip.com

This soft velvet inflatable ball pit is perfect for two to three kids (or one or two adults) to have a ball (500 of them, in fact). It inflates quickly with a blow dryer set to cool, so you can easily inflate (and then deflate) as the mood strikes.

For the Budding Sculptor: Sculpd Pottery Kit

$65, sculpd.com

Get all the tools you need (including the clay) to create an array of pottery creations—including a sealant to make the air-dried clay waterproof.

For the Cutest Little Dumpling: Little Dumpling Booties

$28, uncommongoods.com

For your teeny-tiniest gift recipient, these adorable dumpling-shaped booties will help keep their toes warm and cozy—and the cute red felt steamer box can be a part of their future play kitchen.

For the Kids Who Always Ask "Are We There Yet?": Chalkboard Laptop

$35, crateandkids.com

This slim-packing wooden chalkboard laptop is the perfect road trip companion. It comes with an indent to hold chalk—and could also be used as a tray to hold snacks or other toys.

For the Kid With a Lot of Different Interests: KiwiCrate

From $19/month, kiwico.com

Kiwi Crate's monthly subscription boxes work for every age range—from babies to teens—and offer fun ways to work on STEAM skills via crafts, experiments, and other activities. The subscriptions are easily shifted from one interest to another—so they can start out with a Yummy Crate, focused on the science of cooking, and move over to the Atlas Crate, which explores different cultures with crafts.

For the Kid Who Dreads Baths: Lush Rainbow

$15, lushusa.com

This soft, sculptable soap in a rainbow of colors is meant to be played with—and can make bath time a lot more fun for a reluctant bather.

For the Pre Pre-Med Student: Little Patient

$55, uncommongoods.com

This cuddly little doll zips open to show the liver, heart and other key organs in their places—along with a model of the skeletal system beneath. It's a great way to show what's inside in a more warm and fuzzy way.

For a Kid Who Literally Climbs the Walls: Climbing Monkey Rock Climbing Set

$45, amazon.com

Yep, this will take a lot of assembly on the part of Santa, but as long as you have the wall space, setting up a climbing wall at home may just be the most epic kids' gift ever.

For the Kid Who Wants a Wow-Worthy Place to Make Fake Food: PB Kids Farmhouse Kitchen

$499, pbkids.com

This vintage-inspired play kitchen, crafted of sustainably sourced wood, is built to last, so it'll stand up to whatever your budding chef can dish out.

For the Kid Who Always Leaves the Play-Doh Out to Dry: Mad Mattr Super-Soft Modelling Dough Compound

From $10, walmart.com

Finding a fun molding compound that doesn't dry out or leave a giant mess (we're looking at you, Moon Sand) has been a big challenge. But Mad Mattr might be the perfect compromise—it can be left out without drying, and doesn't crumble or leave a big mess behind.

For the Future Chef: Melissa + Doug's Cutting Fruit Set

$21, amazon.com

Upgrade their play kitchen skills with this cool set, featuring an array of fruits and a dull wooden knife they can use to slice and dice between the velcroed pieces.

For a Lovey Lover: Kind Culture Co. Shine Doll

$70, kindcultureco.com

This soft, 18-inch doll has a good message for kids: Be kind. Each Kind Culture Co. doll comes with a kindness kit, packed with tokens for kids to pass around reminding themselves and others to be kind, show gratitude, share love, and more. The doll itself is cute and cuddly, sure, but it's also a sweet reminder to be fair to others.

For the Kid With a Lot of Questions: Britannica All New Kids' Encyclopedia by Britannica Group

$20, amazon.com

This 424-page tome is the perfect gift for any curious kids. Teeming with specially commissioned illustrations and gorgeous photography, the encyclopedia will allow them to explore science, history, and more all from the comfort of home.

For the Tea Party Host: Birdie Afternoon Tea Stand Set

$50, store.moma.org

With this adorable playset, kids will be enjoying high tea with the best of them. Encourage them to plan and host tea parties, serve their guests, and sample new treats (perhaps with a little culinary support from their parents), all with a beautiful toy that's more decor than eyesore.

For the Pint-Sized Gardener: Gardenuity My First Garden

$98, thetot.com

Filled with everything little ones need to develop little green thumbs, this kit lets kids nurture vegetables and herbs, even if they don't have a yard to work in. The growbag lets them work on a patio or balcony (or a larger space), and the fully rooted starter plants sets them up for success.

For the Kid That's Growing Fast: The Play Kit

From $36, lovevery.com

Give a gift that grows with them. Each box of educational books and playthings is tailored to a baby's or toddler's cognitive growth stage.

For the Future Architect: Areaware Blockitecture Big Apple Building Blocks

$150, gretelhome.com

Made from pine wood, this bright building block kit has 74 painted pieces that can be nested and stacked to build towers, homes, parks, and more inspired by the New York City skyline.