Local Holiday Gifts for the Little Ones in Your Life
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Seattle kids opt outside early.
Image: REI
There's nothing like seeing a kid get super jazzed about your gift in particular. But with some in the balance bike phase and others cooking up a James Beard award, ’tis also easier said than done. Here are some local gifts for little ones of all ages to get you started.
Sarah's Silks Dress-Up Wings, Bootyland Kids Local
Kids put on a pair of dress-up wings and immediately shape-shift into fairies, dragons, crows, and pegasuses (please don't fight us on the plural form—it's all pretend, anyway). This pair's versatile shape and wide range of color options help them look the part for all of the above.
Ravensburger Disney Villainous Game, Amazon Local
Image: Amazon
Designed in Capitol Hill by board game giant Ravensburger, immersive tabletop game Disney Villainous won the Toy Foundation’s Game of the Year award in 2019. It's best for kids 10 and up—but you already knew that. Moody tweens and misunderstood Disney villains just click.
Jellycat Campfire Critter Bear, Terra Bella Local
The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl, Elliott Bay Book Company Local
Image: Elliott Bay Book Company
Even little ones notice the ways Seattle's changed in their lifetime. Bellingham illustrator and children's book author Phoebe Wahl explores a father and son duo's anguish after being forced to leave their beloved blue house—and their path toward realizing that what they loved about it lives on through them.
Plan Toys DJ Mixer Board, Clover Toys Local
Parents will thank you for getting a gift that’s so much quieter than a drum set (even if it means attending their future teen's DJ gigs). But this adorable wooden mixer board isn’t just musical make-believe: Sliding “volume” controls and rotating discs also help younger kids practice their fine motor skills.
Strider 12 Sport Kids’ Balance Bike, REI Local
Image: REI
In case you haven’t heard, balance bikes are the new training wheels because, per REI, “children learn the most important component to riding a bike safely: balance.” Go figure. This model is suitable for kids as young as 18 months.
20-Inch Space Needle Building Block Set, Simply Seattle Local
Chevron Short Silver Puffer, Flora and Henri Local
Grown-ups want to keep clothing gifts cute and quality, while little ones tend to prefer brightly colored, character-adorned monstrosities (sorry, Elsa, but it’s true). This flashy, futuristic puffer provides a rare opportunity for synergy, and was practically made to be handed down or tucked away for posterity.
A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food by Michelle Li, Book Larder Local
Image: Book Larder
It's hard to think of a better role model for kids than Michelle Li, the former King 5 news anchor who answered a racist voicemail with an entire foundation dedicated to celebrating and advocating for the Asian community. Her heavily illustrated new kids book—available at Seattle's cookbook capital, Book Larder—offers lessons about both Korean food and culture.
Ice Cream Run Mega Set, Super Smalls
Image: Super Smalls
This is the stuff dress-up dreams are made of. Super Smalls' costume accessories somehow manage to be gaudy enough for the most dramatic young fashion icon and cute enough for the most minimalist parent to smile when said icon insists on throwing them on for an ice cream run (or a movie, or a lunch date).
