Drive imagination with these children’s holiday gift ideas

To fill the holiday season with magic and joy for little ones, consider these five gift ideas that will spark the imagination and create endless opportunities for fun.

1. Great books: Listening to a book read aloud is a chance to imagine oneself in the setting and circumstances of the characters. This is especially true when the literature is personalized. Build out a child’s library this holiday season with a book that allows you to customize the story with the child’s name and an illustrated character that resembles them.

2. Construction fun: The Go! Go! Smart Wheels Spiral Construction Tower from VTech is not just a regular track set. It features five play pieces, 11 movable parts, and seven interactive SmartPoint areas so children can imagine they are in a real construction zone. From spinning down the spiral tower to hauling the boulder in the talking dump truck to transferring the steel with the cargo hook, there is no shortage of playful ways to cruise through the construction site while building first words and motor skills. A companion to other Go! Go Smart Wheels sets such as the 4-1 Zig-Zag Raceway, the Fast-and-Friendly Garage and the Rescue Tower Firehouse, young vehicle enthusiasts can race, repair and rescue during pretend play.

3. Costumes: Playing dress up doesn’t need to be an annual occasion reserved for Halloween. Whether it’s a superhero, a princess, an animal, or a character from a book or show, a costume makes playing pretend more thrilling all year round and is an excellent and unexpected gift for the holiday season.

4. Puppets: Role-playing games are always more fun and creative when puppets are involved. For very young children, consider machine-washable, all-plush puppets to make playtime more cozy and hygienic.

5. Occupation playset: From doctor’s kits, complete with toy stethoscopes and thermometers, to tool sets with toy hammers and saws, occupation playsets build confidence and offer up chances for children to pretend to be grown-ups hard at work.

Thoughtfully selected holiday gifts can brighten the season for little ones and help them have more creative and imaginative playtime adventures in the year ahead.