Holiday Gifting, Made Easy: A 2025 holiday gift guide

The holiday season can sneak up fast on a busy parent. That’s why each year we put together a concise, helpful guide to holiday gift giving. Based on the Toy Association’s 2025 Toy & Play Trends, our guide offers gift recommendations for children of every age and skill level so you can easily find something for the young humans in your life.

By far, the Toy Association’s recommendations point to skill building toys as 2025’s main trend. TA reports that 58% of parents in the United States want to give their children toys that help build skill sets, with special interest in toys that encourage outdoor or active play (56%) and toys that help build STEM skills (60%). Many also look for toys that help equip children with mental, emotional, and social skills.

In addition to building skill sets, many parents are finding that their children ask for toys that reflect the popular media (i.e. movies, television shows) that they are fans of. Gifting toys that reflect your child’s particular interests can provide opportunity for connection and help them feel that their interests are seen.

Here are our top recommendations for gifts that offer valuable learning opportunities along with hours of fun.

Screen-Free Active or Outdoor Play

Outdoor play is one of the most exciting things for most children, but exploring the great big outdoors can also be daunting. For young children, a structured activity like a scavenger hunt can make those first steps outside feel less scary and helps focus their outdoor time into an exciting, productive activity.

For a game that will get a kid moving whether indoors or outdoors, try What’s Next – A Life Size Game, a game where YOU are the game pieces! What’s Next offers easy-to-follow prompts for creative movement and imaginative thinking. Alternative versions of the game offer adaptive and focused options for children who need them: try What’s Next Special Needs Set or What’s Next Social Skills Add On if those are options your child would benefit from.

But hey, we get it – not every kid is an active kid. For children who like to imagine the outdoors without actually leaving their house, the LEGO Friendship Outdoor Bundle lets them take their imagination on the road. 

STEM Toys

Toys that focus on STEM (which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) skills can be hugely beneficial supplements for what children are learning in school. Don’t worry – just because “Tech” is one of the main focus areas, these toys don’t rely on screens to teach. 

For younger learners, skills like pattern recognition or basic arithmetic as well as practical maths skills like telling time or counting money can be introduced in a fun way with easy-to-learn games. Playing with other people turns these skills into social experiences and lets children learn with a little help from their friends and family, too.

Older children may be ready to take their STEM skills into the 3D world with model building and construction toys. Sets like the Geomag Construction System can help teens practice concepts they’re learning in geometry and physics, whereas kits like UGear kinesthetic models offer first-hand application of mechanics and simple tools.

Social-Emotional Boosters

Because play promotes feelings of euphoria and freedom, it can also be the perfect vehicle to help your child work through areas of development that they are struggling with. This is particularly true for developing social, emotional, and mental skills, which can leave a kid feeling particularly frustrated or vulnerable when they don’t go right.

For kids who struggle with social situations, practicing through play can help them think through appropriate responses or process events throughout their day. Kids who struggle to express themselves emotionally or with recognizing other people’s emotional state, on the other hand, might benefit from toys that help them pair facial expressions to inner feelings. These toys can also be conversation starters for parents or guardians who want to work with their child to identify where they’re struggling and how they can navigate social situations better.

For socio-emotional growth, the trick might be to not overthink it: studies show that something as simple as a soft stuffed toy can help children overcome social anxieties, develop their sense of security, and grow their awareness of their own needs and sense of self.

Connecting with Special Interests

It sounds like a small thing, but giving your child a toy or game that features their favorite media can go a long way in making them feel like their particular interests are valued. Whether it’s a Harry Potter-themed LEGO set or a coloring book featuring their favorite Disney princesses, tapping into what your child loves is a great guide for finding holiday gifts that will bring them joy year-round.