Disclaimer: Some of the following products were sent for the purpose of testing them out for review. These products are highlighted by the use of an asterisk (*) beside them. This post also contains affiliate links which are indicated by the use of a dagger (†). All review words and opinions are my own. All photos are copyright property of Me Becoming Mum.

Here are a few top 2021 Christmas gift ideas for children; to keep your wee ones - all the way up to pre-teens - occupied on Christmas day.

Squidgy is standing behind Pickle, hugging her from behind. They are standing in a park with a pond behind them and autumn colours in the background. They are wearing Christmas outfits.

The rule of 7

For everyone

Something to wear

This year we decided to go for less fast fashion and more sustainable options. There are two ways to do this:

1) We did some clothes shopping for our older girls in charity shops. It's amazing what you can find - and there is nothing wrong with shopping this way. Not only is it great for the planet, by stopping more ‘stuff’ ending up in landfill, but it's also fantastic for your wallet.

Squidgy is standing next to Pickle, and they are holding hands. They are standing in a park with a pond behind them and autumn colours in the background. They are wearing Christmas outfits.

2) Investing in clothes from an eco-friendly business such as Frugi*. I adore Frugi clothes. They are well made, sustainable and look fantastic- they even have Christmas themed patterns, so what's not to love?

Something to share

Wooden mud kitchen

The TP Splash and Play Happy Chef Wooden Mud Kitchen* is a spectacular gift that will provide endless amounts of fun to all the family- young and old alike. It is on sale at the moment, so if you’re quick you can bag a bargain! The kitchen is really well made from sturdy, solid wood pieces. Plus there is a working tap and sink to complete the kitchen. I’m not sure the girls are even going to get a look in to be honest, Munchkin is in love.

N.B. The mud kitchen takes a fair amount of assembly to put it together. You will need time, patience and an electric screwdriver or multi-purpose drill with cross head screwdriver drill bit. I recommend building it before Christmas and wrapping it built, which is exactly what I plan to do!

A pile of wood, screws and more with screwdrivers and the instruction booklet all laid out ready to build the TP Toys Mud Kitchen

Something to do

As you know we have a new house to renovate, including a huge overhaul needed in the garden. A gift that is suitable for our children has to include gloves, seeds, watering cans and all things gardening related. Even if you’ve not got a house to sort, gardening accessories make a great gift for children. Gardening is a fabulous activity for children, helping develop their motor skills and engaging their senses too.

A Christmas flat lay with glittery holly hessian, star anise, pine cones and cinnamon sticks surrounding Pink unicorn garden gloves from B&M

For younger children

Pickle is standing in a park with a pond behind them and autumn colours in the background. She is wearing a Christmas outfit.

Something they want

Something with their favourite animal

This year there was only a couple of things that Pickle said she really wanted - a little purse and something unicorn, penguin or flamingo. What a stroke of luck when I found the TY Gear flamingo coin purse! It is so super cute and the perfect addition to Pickle's gifts this year. I’m 100% sure she is going to love it. There are plenty of other options available too, from bags to purses and more in pretty much every animal you could imagine including unicorns, dogs, giraffes, cats, bird and more.

A Christmas flat lay with glittery holly hessian, star anise, pine cones and cinnamon sticks surrounding A pink flamingo coin purse from TY Gear

Something they need

A new lunch bag and bottle*

Whether your child is in preschool or has just started school and takes packed lunches with them, the gorgeous Smash Butterfly bag and bottle* is the perfect addition to your home. It is a bright, beautiful way to prep for the return to school in the new year. Plus, earn Nectar points when you buy this fully lined, wipe clean lunch bag from Sainsbury's.

A Christmas flat lay with glittery holly hessian, star anise, pine cones and cinnamon sticks surrounding a pink, shiny Smash butterfly lunch bag with pink bottle in the bottle holder on the side.

Something to do

Blopens

Who remembers Blopens? For real though, I loved these things when I was younger. They are a bit more advanced than I remember them being these days (and yes, I do realise how old that makes me sound). The Blopens from John Adams* sets come in a variety of designs from glitter to sequins and so much more. They are suitable for children aged 4 and above, making them a great choice for children like Pickle who love getting their hands dirty and doing ~~a bit~~ a lot of arts and crafts type activities. Plus, you can order the BLOPENS Sequins Activity Set on Amazon† and get it delivered directly to you (or the recipient if you've picked it out for a grandchild, niece, nephew or even a family friend!)

For older children

Squidgy is standing in a park with a pond behind them and autumn colours in the background. She is wearing a Christmas outfit.

Something they want

Wooden role play toys

This year as we renovate and prepare the house we bought to move in, Squidgy asked us for some new additions to her role play kitchen. We have a selection of the Aldi Specialbuys wooden toys from us (and from family and friends too) to go with the role play kitchen in the toy room, and my parents have got some awesome accessories to go with the wooden mud kitchen too. You can't go wrong with wooden toys in my opinion, and I can't wait to see the look on Squidgy's face when she opens these.

There are two boxes of LittleTOWN wooden toys from the Aldi Specialbuys collection standing in front of a Christmas garland. Once is a wooden kettle and mug tree set, the other is a wooden toaster and toast set.

Something they need

A new lunch bag and bottle*

Whilst key stage one are entitled to free school meals, most children Squidgy's age and beyond are not. For many parents like us, you have to make the decision to pay for their lunches or pack one… and with the Smash Navy and Rose Gold Paddington Bag* (complete with its antibacterial lining, and wipe clean material!) the decision can be made a whole lot easier. Complete their lunch set with the gorgeous Smash Rose Gold Diamond Stainless Steel Bottle* and they'll be all set to head off to school after the Christmas holidays in style. The best part is, these Smash products are available from Sainsbury's, which means you can get Nectar points too.

Something to read

Inclusive bedtime stories

The world can sadly be very exclusive. We’re lucky that our children have grown up surrounded by a very diverse set of friends and family, but I'm all for gifts that can provide more diversity and representation on their bookshelf, the programmes they watch and more. With Rebel Girls’ new title, 100 Real Life Tales of Black Girl Magic* you can do the same. Squidgy is now super proficient with her reading and I can't wait for her to be able to enjoy these stories. Pick it up on Amazom† or at local bookstores like Waterstones.

A Christmas flat lay with glittery holly hessian, star anise, pine cones and cinnamon sticks surrounding Rebel Girls’ new title, 100 Real Life Tales of Black Girl Magic

Something to do

STEM kits and activities

I am a huge fan of any gifts which can encourage children in their development and STEM kits and activities are always going to be a winner in my book. The Hot Wires from John Adams* is perfect for your older children. Aimed at children age 8+, this set has so many different options to create - in fact it has over 100 different experiments! It has instructions to help your children become electronics geniuses in no time. You can even pick up the Hot Wires Electronics Kit on Amazon†, Argos, Smyths Toys and more so it's nice and easy to shop for.

The Hotwires Plug & Play Electronics box is standing behind a Christmas garland

So, with that I conclude my second Christmas gift guide for 2021. We are truly on the countdown to Christmas now with just a month to go. I hope you have some fab ideas for your children from this guide.

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas from my family and me this year!

John and Naomi and their four children are standing on the lakeshore at Bassenthwaite in Christmas jumpers, all facing and smiling at the camera

For more posts about Christmas, visit the Christmas category page. If you have any questions about any of the products included within my gift guide, feel free to ask in the comments section below.