Every so often, I’m struck by the continued love and loyalty my sons feel toward a certain book or toy (or theme) and I thought I’d share some of their favourite books (with a couple toys) within certain themes because this may give you gift ideas for a little one in your life.
As always, Amazon.co.uk links are affiliate links. I made £26 in 2019 from this and I used that money to buy books for my sons for Christmas. The items listed here are ones we have given or received in the past and loved -or- things under our tree for Christmas this year. If the exact item wasn’t online, I chose the closest equivalent (that only happened for two things though).
Robots
My seven-year-old has loved robots since he was two. Ever robot, he’d point and grin. Now, he points and tells us about robotics, but the passion is still there. Here are some of the things we’ve collected over the years to fuel his interest without overwhelming him with something he’s not ready for. You can see these are different levels. I actually have a robot building kit in my closet for this summer.
The Robot Book of Sudoku for Kids
STEM
The love of robots carries over to engineering, math, and science as well, so I try to have books that show him what can be done in these fields in a youthful way, but also the books about mistakes show him that it’s ok because it’s part of learning.
Feel The Force: Pop-up Physics Fun
Codes, Ciphers, Secret Writing
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes
Usbourne First Sticker Book: Space
The Great Irish Science Book by Luke O’Neill
101 Great Science Experiments by Neil Ardley
Wooden Gears and Cogs Board Set
MagFormers Magnetic Building Set
Dinosaurs
My older son is seriously interested in dinosaurs, something most parents experience at some point. There are many wonderful books, but his ultimate favourite would be anything by Dr. Ben Garrod. I’ve also included dinosaur books that are less scientific.
Any dinosaur or evolutionary biology book by Dr. Ben Garrod
I Dreamt I Was A Dinosaur (Board Book)
Help! My Dinosaurs are Lost in the City!
Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs BOOK
Lift-the-flap Questions and Answers about Dinosaurs
Ten Little Dinosaurs Board Book
Bedtime Stories
Now, for general favourites and bedtime stories that are always in rotation, these are the ones we love. Some were special gifts from Godparents, while others are childhood favourites we’ve tracked down second-hand. And a couple were souvenirs from business trips.
Transformers Rescue Bots: Meet Blades the Copter Bot
Transformers Rescue Bots: Bots’ Best Friend
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The World of Peter Rabbit (The Original Peter Rabbit books 1-23) by Beatrix Potter
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
There Was a Wee Lassie Who Swallowed a Midgie
Dora Storybook Collection (hands-down my three-year-old’s fave book this year)
On The Go
Now, this isn’t a specific thing so much as an approach. I always keep this or something like it in my purse so if we’re waiting someplace or dining out, the boys can be occupied. Boredom is the enemy! I hate to call the activity books ‘distractions’ because it really is more like ‘engagers’ helping them channel their brain energy into something.
My First Crossword Puzzle Book
What are some of your favourite books for kids? Do you have a ‘go bag’ to occupy the kids when you dine out?