Want, Need, Read, and Wear

An increasingly popular way to shop for kids at Christmas time is by following the ‘Want, Need, Read, and Wear’ guidelines. This helps keep the number of gifts you’re buying to a minimum and creates a nice balance between essentials and treats! Whether buying for your own children or someone else’s, give it a try this Christmas!

Want

The ‘want’ gift can be something that reflects their passions and interests or simply the latest toy on top of their wishlist. You can get them involved in the choosing of this gift to avoid any Christmas morning disappointment, or check out our ideas below for some inspiration!

For the younger kids:

With big glittery eyes, colourful hair, changeable shoes and an adorable head that bobbles with every movement, once they open a Kini Kids doll, they won’t want to let her go! You’ll also find the perfect new and super soft snuggle buddy in our range from Jellycat! For the construction enthusiast, the Hape Pound and Tap Bench, a Tonka Truck, or our range of Lego Duplo will make for the perfect gift! The TotSports – T-Ball Set is the perfect outdoors activity this Summer!

For the older kids:

Get the kids outside this Summer with a Nerf Gun or the super fun Bunch o Balloons! A Levitating Nimbus 2001 Broomstick Pen or Hedwig Lego set will send any Harry Potter lover over the moon and the LOL Surprise!: O.M.G Remix Dolls are perfect for the little collector in your life. Charades for Kids is an awesome way to involve the whole family in a bit of Christmas Day fun. The Moodwings Baby Dragon and the Transformers: Studio Series – Devastator are two of the hottest toys this Christmas!

Need

The ‘need’ gift is something practical to assist with learning, sports, daily life, etc. There’s no reason you can’t make it a ‘want’ gift, as well, by getting a particular brand or product decorated with their favourite characters!

Crafting Gear:

Crafting is the perfect way to engage imagination and limit screen time. From learning to recycle with the 4M recycled paper beads kit to a huge range of pens and kits from Crayola, there’s something to suit every little artist.

Science Kits and Educational Tools:

For the older kid, a science kit is the perfect way to engage their creativity and interest! You can also make learning about geography fun with the Leapfrog Magic Adventures Globe! Our learning and activity toys are a great way to encourage fine motor skills and fun for pre-schoolers.

Backpacks:

Let them start the new school or daycare year with a brand new backpack to show off their unique sense of style or interests!

Wear

The ‘wear’ gift can be practical, fun or both! You can tailor this gift to the child’s unique sense of style and personality!

Beachwear:

Our new Beachwear range, Sandy Feet, has all the clothing items kids need for a day of fun and sun! From Hats to swimwear, kids will be proud to sport the fun range of prints and designs!

Footwear:

From the tiniest pre-walkers to all sizes of kids footwear, we’ve got something to keep their feet covered! Our Skeanie range of gumboots are durable and perfect for adventuring through all terrain and our Crocs range provides a comfortable and easy to wear option for the hotter months!

Clothing:

The stylish, bright, and funky prints on our Band of Boys, Toby Tiger and Raspberry Republic clothing makes the perfect addition to any kids’ wardrobe!

Accessories:

If you’re a parent you’ll know that kids can never have too many socks, as they’re always disappearing! A watch or a special piece of jewelry just for them can make for an extra special gift this Christmas!

Read

The ‘read’ gift can reflect their interests, hobbies, reading level or even introduce them to something new! You can get really creative with this one and go with something like a comic book, cookbook, or lego-building guide in case a traditional story-book isn’t quite their thing.

For the littlest future readers, the Leapfrog Learning Friends Book is a fun and interactive way to introduce 100 first words! For the kid who likes a challenge, The Brickman’s Family Challenge book includes 30 Amazing Lego Brick Challenges for All Ages and Abilities. Are you buying for someone who loves to learn new things? The Edmonds first cookbook is the perfect intro to cooking for the little chef-to-be and Māori Made Fun is a great intro to Te Reo! For the fiction-lover you can’t go wrong with the latest, hilarious book from David Walliams, Code Name Bananas!