When my kids are going to an event that requires a child’s gift, I always want to give something unique and fun.  Active toys are my favorite, along with products that are educational and creative.    It is also nice when the toy is easy on the budget and easily accessible (like, buying it online).  Kind of a tall order, wouldn’t you say?  I was sent some toys to review that fit the bill.

Have a football fan in the house?   My son LOVES these football guys from Kaskey Kids.  There is a great assortment of teams available, so you’re highly likely to find your quarterback’s favorite.  We are in UT Volunteer country and my little guy really enjoys setting up his football guys to make some major tackles.  Rules for the game are included, but also they encourage kids to come up with their own games using the toys.  Love it!  I also appreciated that the guys come with their own little carrying case and green felt mat.  This makes it easy (well, easier) to keep the toys in one location.

Retails for $28.99; find a store near you or purchase online.  Use code SMILE for 20% off your online purchase.

Rooster Fin has new games available that are great for kids around ages 8-10, but also fun for adults.  I love board games for my kids because they encourage fun quality time with all the players.  They teach kids the values of being a good sport, patience, and cooperation.  Plus they’re just FUN!   Shufflin’ Feet has unexpected quirks that require the players to make quick decisions, such as when the cards change in the opponent’s favor.  It helps to build your kids’ strategic skill in a fun way.   Rooster Fin has other games available as well.  You can purchase the games online or at many national retailers.

Yes, I let my kids watch TV.   I think TV can be a great way to provide downtime for my kids.  We don’t watch a lot of visual junk, though.  I try to pick videos that are engaging and fun.   We received this Rock N Learn Letter Sounds DVD and my son (3 years old) just loves it!  It’s really colorful and catchy, and he sings along to it.   I was impressed by the many titles that are available on the Rock N Learn website and that you can search by age or feature.  I’d be interested to explore some more of their videos.    If you decide to buy these online, use code JQ7711 to get 25% off.

Another video we watched was this Snapatoonies DVD on colors.   It’s called Magic Color Caller and involves the viewer by asking the kids to name the colors or objects as they are shown.    While the graphics and music were a bit much for me, my son absolutely loved watching this movie.  I found several educational pluses about it.  First of all, the video doesn’t focus just on colors.  Shapes, numbers, and other concepts are developed throughout the video.  Secondly, I like that the child is encouraged to interact with the characters.  I also like the preview feature on their website, which enables you to watch a bit of the video before you purchase to make sure it’s perfect for your child.   Snapatoonies are available on Amazon.

We also received several DVDs from Organa to review.  The first one my kids chose was Happy Valley.  My daughter and I both thought that the main character looked like Dirt Girl, a character from a tv show my kids like to watch.  They settled down to watch this video after a long day of swimming and really enjoyed it.   The video was quiet and soothing, which I didn’t expect, and had several interesting stories to follow.  This will be a favorite!  I received a few other Organa videos to watch and can’t wait to share the rest of them with you.

If you’ve never heard of Organakids videos, I encourage you to check them out.  They are extremely diverse.  I love the ethnic stories that they offer, such as the Croatian Tales of Long Ago.  I’ve never heard of many of these stories, but will really enjoy  learning about them.  My kids are very interested in stories and characters from other cultures and this is a great way to share them.

This cool piggy bank from Money Savvy Generation is the ultimate multi-tasker!  He is divided into four sections so that your kids can really prioritize their funds.  One thing I love about this pig is the “donate” section.   My daughter is a saver and has been known to fill her piggy bank until it was chock full—not one penny could squeeze in.  However, I never really talked with her about donating any of her money or how to allocate part of it for her church giving.  Likewise, we’ve never encouraged her to invest her money and I’m not quite sure why we haven’t.  The MSGen piggy bank makes it really easy to have that discussion and put it into action.  I think it would even be good for me to use!

(Watch for a giveaway of the MSGen piggy bank coming soon!)

If you’re serious about saving, you’ve likely heard of Dave Ramsey.   Nearly all of my friends have gone through the Financial Peace program.  Did you know that there is a Financial Peace Junior available?  This is geared toward kids ages 3-12.  My children are in that exact age range (3 and 8) so I am really excited to help them understand money at an age-appropriate level.  My son is only 3 years old and already gets excited when he receives a dollar to spend at the Farmer’s Market.  Turning this into a life lesson might just start at age 3.  I’m going to find out!   My parents never taught me about budgeting or the importance of saving; it’s something I figured out along the way (the hard way, might I add.)  I would love to help my children navigate these waters before it becomes too deep for them.  Financial Peace Junior is just $19.99 with free shipping on any order!

Watch for a giveaway of Financial Peace Junior coming in July!

I hope these give you some ideas about gifts for your kids or their friends.  We enjoyed the items we sampled and look forward to sharing more with you soon!

(Disclosure: I received samples of these products for review.  This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.  The opinions are 100% mine.)