10 Gifts My Kids Got for Christmas That They’re *Still* Playing With Years Later

Both my kids are obsessed with this MP3 player they got last year, so much so that my recommendation comes with a word of caution: set usage limits from the get-go! That said, my tween loves being able to listen to her own spotify playlists and my 8-year-old definitely enjoys playing games on it (hence the word of caution). I like that there are good parental controls and it is easy to banish any app that you don’t want them to have access to.

Truth be told, there are very few things that my kids can agree to play together. Fortunately, Foros is one of them. This clever twist on the beloved classic, Connect 4, adds a third dimension to the equation, making it far more challenging and a great exercise for visual reasoning skills. There are multiple ways to play and this brain-teasing game can even be adapted to accommodate four players (in team mode), so it’s fun for family game night, too.

Before you even consider buying a Barbie Dream House, I strongly suggest that you closely observe the way your Barbie enthusiast actually plays with the dolls themselves. (We had a Barbie Dream House that I pretty quickly got rid of after realizing how much square footage it takes up and how little actual Barbie play took place inside of it.) Instead, I suggest adding to your kid’s existing collection with new Barbie and Ken dolls so they can grow the family/friend circle and have more narrative options available for their pretend play.

My daughter’s American Girl doll is an older style, but these collector’s items have stood the test of time for a reason. I do not recommend purchasing this for your child if you want them to keep it in pristine collectible condition; the one we have might be a giant amongst her Barbie friends but she still gets as much action over a year later, and it shows. Bottom line: If you’re not planning on posting it on Ebay in ten years, I can tell you that American Girl dolls are very much a hit with kids who still like to do pretend play even in the middle school years.

I have never gone wrong with this one—namely because my daughter loves to make art. I have purchased countless art supplies over the years for Christmas and every single one of them gets used. If you are shopping for a budding artist, particularly a slightly older one, I highly recommend a sketching kit like the one pictured above. My daughter is still using hers and the variety of tools inside have really improved her skills. She particularly loved learning how to do shading, and continues to experiment with it all the time.

My son was OBSESSED with trains for a solid three years and we have gotten so much mileage out of our tracks (pun intended). He’s slightly older now, but is still completely attached to them—less for Thomas the Train pretend play and more for the engineering side of it. They sometimes even play a role in his older sister’s elaborate Barbie games. The big sets and expansion packs are really quite pricey, but from my experience, it’s worth the investment.

I got these for my kids when they were toddler and preschool age and, I kid you not, they are still very much in use. They’re good for babies, but they’re also good for building forts and can be used as props in a wide variety of games. Heck, the big square one has even served as a snack table during TV time in my house. The only drawback is that they are quite bulky, but you can stack them in a configuration that minimizes that issue when they aren’t in use.

This gift is a little niche, but my son went through a phase of being really into pirate stuff, so we got him a treasure chest (and some “gold” coins to go with it). We opted to get a good quality wooden one like the one pictured above, and I’m so glad we did. Now that he’s in second grade, he’s not quite so into playing pirates, but he still loves the thing and uses it frequently to store his treasures. (I.e., things that aren’t special to me and might end up in the trash if they weren’t out of sight and kept under lock and key in a decidedly attractive storage unit.)

If your child takes an interest, I suggest investing in a high quality keepsake set. If your child hasn’t learned the game yet, a starter game like No Stress Chess is a great way to learn and maybe find a new hobby. I’m biased here, because both my husband and I are avid chess players, but my kids have also taken an interest in learning and improving, so this gift has never gathered dust in our home.

Editor-in-Chief Jillian Quint and I both agree that Magnatiles are one of the few toys with real staying power. It’s a STEAM gift that kids won’t age out of because, frankly, they’re even cool for adults. The building and design possibilities are endless, and they provide a sensory experience to boot. If you’re looking for a toy that stimulates creativity, encourages open-ended play, builds critical thinking skills and never gets old, this one fits the bill.