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

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.) 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.  

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!)

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.)

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. 

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. 

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. 

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

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. 

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 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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

A whimsical writing instrument for your artistic kid and their creative pals to take to the streets. This trio includes two rainbow horns and one wrapped in gold (but writes white).