Are you ready for the holidays, or looking for some ideas? And here are some of the some of the pieces that were new to our family, or that the kids were particularly drawn to this year
6 Years: Gift Ideas
At age 6, kids have a steadier hand and more developed interests. All of the building toys recommended so far would also be good at age 6, but here some of the more complex building options and with some other age-6-specific ideas. Because Grimms and Grapat are Geofenced, these items are not directly linked on this page, but instead have buttons below.
The Grimms Color Chart Rally is amazing. 5 years in it remains a most-used set. Used for domino runs, in daily builds, beds and tables in small world play, edges in marble runs: Alone or with other sets, this one is worth every penny.
Grimms Large Stepped Counting blocks are great for building, but also fun for math. With a range of heights (1-10cm) the blocks are great for modulating between brands cut to different scales, but also for illustrating basic arithmatic.
The Bauspiel Translucent cubes are a true showstopper. They are a beautiful stand alone gift-they can stack, they light up in the window, and are excellent in loose parts play.
The Bauspiel X-blocks complement the translucent cubes. Fun on their own, with the translucent cubes you can make amazing stained glass window walls. They look simple on their own, but in reality have SO many options!
Clicques are SO much fun– you can change the the pieces between them, making a wide variety of characters, or set up one person with a splendorous wardrobe. They do have magnets and are choking size, so keep away from mouthy little siblings
Just Blocks would be a great multi-age multi-kid gift, or a great gift ages 3+, but really age 6 is amazing for it–because the large blocks are 4x4x5cm, so they make the perfect bridge between grimms and bauspiel blocks, and play beautifully alone
If there are no peg people on the scene yet, may I recommend the Grapat Rainbow Tomten? They frequently accompany us on walks and adventures, and always feature big in small world play.
The Grapat Wizards (Magos) are charming with their hats, but fun because they also can double as a stacking game or building blocks. The classic design has a colored body and hat, the limited edition is still available some places and only has color on the hat.
6 year olds LOVE to make things, and having tools the right size is key. These are real tools with a nice feel, but they’re small so they’re easier to handle. Don’t forget safety goggles.
Remember Uno? SO much fun–easy to learn, you can control the complexity by removing some of the cards to keep it easier at first (if you want). And fast-paced, and good for travel.
The Plasma car is a blast–whether using it to race down a not-too-steep incline, or using per the intended function–when you wiggle the handle, it goes forward all on its own–kids can’t resist these.
As kids become aware of money and have a bit of their own, a locking cash box helps them feel in charge of their change and also keep it all in one place. Both my kids have this one and we’re really happy with how sturdy it is.
The Mr. Putter and Tabby series is delightful fun in an early-reader format. We all chuckle at the stories–Bake the Cake is one of our favorites!
The Lily Huckleberry Series is a fun Read-aloud about a girl who adventures around the world, exploring different cultures and local folk tales along the way. Lily Huckleberry in Scandinavia is the first in the series
Duns Sweden is some of our favorite kid clothes. Responsibly made, beautiful colorful patterns, and soft fabrics. It’s hard to go wrong with Scandi style!
The Tea Collection clothing company is known for drawing inspiration from different regions of the world. Each season they visit a new local. A fun way to incorporate art and culture into your kid’s wardrobe
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At first glance, the Bauspiel Giant Rainbow looks familiar and perhaps similar to other sets, but on closer inspection, the size and proportions reveal that really it plays more like a remarkable set of blocks than the typical rainbow stacker.
Each year as earth day rolls around the kids and I talk about changes we can make to live more responsibly. Sometimes it means using less of things, sometimes using different things, sometimes it means looking for ways to use things longer, and other times it means making new choices next time you shop. Here are a few of our favorites.