Affiliate disclosure:

Heads up: this board has affiliate links (mostly through LTK). If you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These are gift ideas I'd love to give, not things I've tried myself unless I say so.

my picks for

Big Kids + Tweens

unplugged afternoons together

Unplugged afternoons together for big kids and tweens: things to build, make, and explore side by side, plus a screen-free camera for seeing the trip through their eyes.

2026 Gift Guide

$50–100

Camp Snap 2 Screen-Free Digital Camera in White

A screen-free camera for capturing the family trip from their point of view. The best photo album!

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$250+

Kindle Colorsoft Kids (16 GB) with cover - Starlight Reading

Their own library for the backseat and read-under-the-covers bedtimes. Color screen!

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$50–100

LEGO Animal Crossing Timmy & Tommy's Fun Day Out 77059

A weekend build to tackle side by side, with Timmy & Tommy for the win!

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Under $25

Rainbow Loom BFF Bracelet Maker

Friendship bracelets to make with a bestie (or a cousin) at the next sleepover!

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$25–50

Flower Embroidery Suitcase Kit

A take-along craft for quiet afternoons, so pretty you'll want to stitch alongside them.

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Under $25

Punch Needle Lion Kit by Creatology, 5"

A five-dollar punch-needle project for a cozy craft night at the kitchen table. So fun!

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Under $25

The Handbook of Forgotten Skills

Knot-tying, campfires, and old-school skills to learn together on weekends outside.

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Under $25

Owala 16oz Kids' FreeSip Water Bottle - Sleek

A sip-while-you-explore bottle for hikes, field trips, and long park days.

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Prices change all the time, so check the price before you buy. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full affiliate disclosure.

Product photos are retailer photos shared through LTK, or come from Wikimedia Commons and are credited under each photo with their license (CC0 or CC BY-SA 4.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). Edited CC BY-SA photos are shared under the same license.