These 12 picks come from the current Smart Kids Gift Ideas collection and cover creative play, STEM, learning, screen-free activities and imaginative fun.
Art & creativity
Crayola Inspiration Art Case
A large creative art set for drawing, coloring and imaginative projects.
- Ages: 4+
- Developmental Benefit: Creativity, fine-motor skills & self-expression
- Why Kids Like It: Draw, color and create with a wide variety of art supplies in one portable case.
- Parent Verdict: A substantial screen-free art set for kids who enjoy drawing and creative projects.
- Set: 140 pieces in a portable art case.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
STEM & coding
Learning Resources Coding Critters Ranger & Zip
An early coding and problem-solving activity designed for screen-free STEM learning.
- Ages: 4+
- Developmental Benefit: Early coding, problem-solving & sequencing
- Why Kids Like It: Follow storybook coding adventures and play with Ranger and Zip while solving hands-on challenges.
- Parent Verdict: A screen-free introduction to coding concepts through stories and interactive play.
- Set: 22 pieces with storybook coding adventures.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Educational math
Learning Resources MathLink Cubes — 100-Piece Set
A hands-on math-learning set for building, counting, patterns and creative problem-solving.
- Ages: 5+
- Developmental Benefit: Math skills, problem-solving & creative thinking
- Why Kids Like It: Connect colorful cubes to build patterns, numbers, animals and other creative designs.
- Parent Verdict: A versatile screen-free learning set that turns early math practice into hands-on building and exploration.
- Set: 100 interlocking cubes in assorted colors and shapes.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Preschool learning
LeapFrog Disney and Pixar Toy Story 5 Explore & Learn Lilypad
An interactive learning toy that combines early letters, numbers, music and play with favorite Toy Story characters.
- Ages: 3–6
- Developmental Benefit: Early literacy, numbers, problem-solving & independent learning
- Why Kids Like It: Explore letters, numbers, music and interactive activities with familiar Toy Story characters.
- Parent Verdict: A hands-on preschool learning toy that combines familiar characters with early learning practice.
- Features: ABC and number activities, music and interactive learning play.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Art & creativity
Play-Doh Modeling Compound 10-Pack
A colorful modeling compound set for creative, hands-on play and imaginative projects.
- Ages: 2+
- Developmental Benefit: Creativity, fine-motor skills & imaginative thinking
- Why Kids Like It: Shape, squeeze and create colorful animals, food, vehicles and other imaginative designs.
- Parent Verdict: A classic screen-free creative activity that gives kids an easy way to explore open-ended play.
- Set: 10 cans of Play-Doh modeling compound in assorted colors.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Creative & screen-free
LCD Writing Tablet for Kids 4-Pack
A reusable writing and drawing set for creative, screen-free activities at home, in the car or on the go.
- Ages: 3–8
- Set: 4 LCD writing tablets with matching styluses.
- Developmental Benefit: Drawing, writing & creative expression
- Why Kids Like It: Draw, doodle and practice writing with colorful reusable tablets that can be cleared and used again.
- Parent Verdict: A convenient screen-free activity with no paper mess, useful for travel, quiet time and everyday creative play.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Arts & crafts
Wikki Stix for Doodlers
Colorful, reusable self-stick craft sticks for drawing, shaping and hands-on screen-free creativity.
- Ages: 3+
- Developmental Benefit: Creativity, fine-motor skills & hands-on learning
- Why Kids Like It: Bend, twist and press colorful Wikki Stix onto smooth surfaces to make pictures, shapes and 3D creations.
- Parent Verdict: A mess-free creative activity with no glue or paste, and designs can be peeled up and repositioned.
- Set: 24 Wikki Stix in assorted colors.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Classic family game
Pressman Let’s Go Fishin’
A fast-action fishing game that encourages hand-eye coordination, turn-taking and playful family competition.
- Ages: 4+
- Developmental Benefit: Hand-eye coordination, concentration & turn-taking
- Why Kids Like It: Catch colorful fish with the fishing poles as they open and close their mouths.
- Parent Verdict: A simple screen-free family game that gets kids practicing coordination while having fun.
- Set: 21 fish and 4 fishing poles.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Vehicles & creative play
Toyk Dinosaur World Road Race Playset
A dinosaur-themed flexible track set for building race courses and imaginative play.
- Ages: 3+
- Developmental Benefit: Creativity, spatial reasoning & problem-solving
- Why Kids Like It: Build winding dinosaur race tracks, drive the vehicles and create different play scenes.
- Parent Verdict: An engaging screen-free set that combines construction, vehicles and dinosaur-themed imaginative play.
- Set: Flexible track pieces, dinosaur figures, vehicles and track accessories.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Building & sensory
Jelly Blox Creative Kit
Colorful soft building blocks that combine construction, tactile exploration and creative play.
- Ages: 2+
- Developmental Benefit: Creativity, fine-motor skills, spatial reasoning & sensory exploration
- Why Kids Like It: Stack, squeeze, stretch and twist colorful Jelly Blox to build playful creations.
- Parent Verdict: A hands-on building activity with a tactile twist that encourages open-ended experimentation.
- Set: Creative Kit with 20 Jelly Blox pieces, including textured and sensory blocks.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
Building & STEM
Magnetic Tiles Road Set
A 38-piece magnetic road set for building colorful city traffic scenes and creative structures.
- Ages: 3+
- Developmental Benefit: Spatial reasoning, problem-solving & creative construction
- Why Kids Like It: Build roads, ramps and city scenes with colorful magnetic tiles and road pieces.
- Parent Verdict: A hands-on building activity that combines open-ended construction with a fun road theme.
- Set: 38 pieces: 18 solid magnetic tiles and 20 road tiles.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.
STEM & problem solving
Learning Resources STEM Explorers Brainometry
A colorful STEM puzzle set that challenges kids to solve shape-building problems and explore spatial reasoning.
- Ages: 5+
- Developmental Benefit: Critical thinking, spatial reasoning & early STEM skills
- Why Kids Like It: Build colorful shape combinations and solve hands-on STEM challenges.
- Parent Verdict: A screen-free puzzle activity that encourages independent thinking and problem-solving.
- Set: 34 pieces with 10 STEM challenges.
Check Price & Availability on AmazonCheck current price, availability & shipping on Amazon.