Toys to encourage open-ended play
Lego Heartlake City Cafe, $54.99.
Building with Lego provides a mindful, sensory experience for kids. Child psychologist Dr Emma Woodward notes focusing on textures, shapes and colours during play can help children enhance concentration and emotional awareness. This gift encourages creativity while supporting fine motor skill development.
Connetix Tiles 102-Piece Rainbow Creative Pack, $189.
Suitable for children aged 3 and up, these magnetic tiles spark endless construction possibilities. This set includes a range of shapes, allowing kids to explore geometry, balance and engineering while developing both fine and gross motor skills.
A Toy Library subscription.
For families short on space or seeking more sustainable options, toy library memberships are an excellent choice. With 165 locations across New Zealand, families can borrow toys and exchange them regularly. This reduces clutter, saves money and is eco-friendly.
Interactive toys
Woolworths Mini Supermarket Basket with 24 Accessories, $13.
Pretend play with toys like this shopping basket helps children practice social interactions like sharing and turn-taking. It also boosts language skills by encouraging them to name items and describe their actions.
Nature Baby Kid Toolbox, $69.95.
This beautifully crafted wooden tool set inspires kids to mimic real-life activities, improving co-ordination and teaching responsibility. Helping out with “household repairs” introduces them to teamwork and problem-solving.
Silly Qs Game, $36.
This New Zealand-made card game is a family-friendly alternative to screen time. It encourages laughter, connection and confidence-building in kids aged 5 to 10 through fun challenges and creative questions.
Nature-based toys
Children’s Fork and Trowel, $65, and Ladybird Seeds Edible Flower Blend, $8.50.
Gardening gifts inspire kids to spend time outdoors while teaching responsibility and patience. Gardening enhances motor skills and provides stress-relief, connecting children to nature and its rhythms.
Easy Peasy Gardening with Kids by Kirsten Bradley, $40.
This book is ideal for families new to gardening. It includes projects like making pots and bird feeders, combining education and fun while fostering environmental stewardship.
The gift of quality time
Gifts don’t always need to come in the form of something tangible – sometimes, the most meaningful present is spending quality time together. Whether it’s a simple ice cream date with grandparents or a fun outing with family, experiences can create cherished memories children will carry with them for years to come.
For parents and caregivers seeking ideas, the Roam With Kids app is an invaluable resource. At just $2.99 a month (with the flexibility to cancel anytime), the app lists hundreds of free or affordable activities, including parks, playgrounds, museums, and child-friendly cafes and restaurants. Over the school holidays, the app becomes even more exciting, with every spot you visit and log earning you entries into weekly prize draws worth over $1000.
Another wonderful way to provide year-round joy is with annual memberships to popular attractions like zoos or Motat. These passes ensure families always have a go-to activity that’s enjoyable for all ages, making them perfect for weekends or school holidays.
If your child or grandchild is passionate about extracurricular activities such as gymnastics, swimming, Playball, or music lessons, gifting a term’s fees can be both thoughtful and practical. It shows your support for their interests while alleviating some of the financial burden for parents.
By choosing experiences and time spent together over material items, you’re giving children something far more lasting – the joy of connection, exploration and shared moments that will stay with them long after the holiday season.
Lucy Slight is a beauty and lifestyle columnist for the Herald. She has worked in print and digital publishing for the past 17 years in New Zealand and Australia, across several well-known fashion, beauty, entertainment, food and home titles. She regularly shares advice for parents, including the best child-friendly sunscreens, why all kids should be using gentle bath products and parenting lessons learned first-hand.
