From Andy Warhol wooden blocks, to real brick and mortar building sets, and forward thinking stationary – our 2018 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE for Kids is the official “It” list.
Left to right:
Copernicus Crystal Growing Golden Aspen
Your mini will delight as the golden foliage grows and blooms. A new classic crystal growing kit of this iconic tree. Our kit includes a paper Aspen form, tray, terraforming solution, instructions and Aspen facts! All in a cool 3.5x2x7.5″ box. Maisonette, $8
Ladders Game
This game is limited only by the imagination. Stack the ladders to create arrangements that are surprising for their beauty and gravity-defying balance. Ages 8 and up. 16 ladders. MoMA Design Store, $38
Cubebot
With a fun design inspired by Japanese Kumi-ki puzzles, Cubebot is a toy robot made of a durable hardwood frame and limbs with elastic-band muscles to hold poses. A challenging puzzle, it also folds into a cube. The work of designer David Weeks has been featured in galleries and museums throughout the United States. Made of sustainably harvested cherry wood and elastic bands. Ages 3 and up. MoMA Design Store, $15
Little Feminist Magnet Set
Mudpuppy’s Little Feminist Box of Magnets feature colorfully illustrated portraits of real women who have made historical impact on the world. Illustrations by Lydia Ortiz introduce children to these important people in history with images that are fun for youngsters and also realistic. Mudpuppy, $11.99
Two Tower Brick & Mortar Building Construction Set
Have a mini architect or builder in your home? Make their playtime dreams come true with this Two Tower construction set that represents materials used for actual buildings. Display your complete model for all to enjoy or soak it in water overnight, letting the glue dissolve so you can create and build more structures of your own design. Maisonette, $20
Andy Warhol Brillo Wooden Blocks
Andy Warhol Brillo Wooden Blocks set from Mudpuppy includes 8 wooden blocks inspired by Warhol’s iconic red, white, and blue Brillo Box sculptures. This collectible boxed block set also contains a surprise yellow Brillo block inside, an authentic detail that Warhol incorporated into his Brillo installations. Arrange these mini works of art over and over to create your own Brillo installation on your desk or bookcase! As Andy said, “Art is what you can get away with.” Mudpuppy, $19.99
Jackson Pollock Artist Box
For Jackson Pollock, making art meant expressing his feelings and inner “states of being” through an improvisational approach that required total concentration and physical engagement with his materials. Though at times controversial, his innovative paintings influenced the course of modern art. They now hang in museums around the world, and his work continues to inspire people in all walks of life.
The Jackson Pollock Box: Energy and Imagination provides a unique opportunity to get in touch with your own creative process by using some of the techniques Pollock mastered-and at the same time gain an intimate understanding of his work.
Inside, you’ll find an authoritative book about the artist and his art-every page lavishly illustrated with color plates of his most famous works and rarely seen photos.
Using the enclosed materials-including liquid paints, paper, and canvases, and more-you’ll also be guided step by step through the creation of five imaginative projects. Express yourself by experimenting with Pollock’s approach and methods to invent your own original works of art. Guggenheim Store, $29.95
Smartphone Projector 2.0, Black and Gold
Whether you want to project images from the roaring 20’s onto the wall during a fancy dress party, or watch YouTube fail videos in your bedroom with friends, Smartphone Projector 2.0 magnifies your phone screen by up to 8 times, providing you with a mini home cinema experience wherever you are!
This nifty little gadget is an ideal gift for both the gadget obsessed and the gadget challenged because it comes ready assembled with an adjustable focus. Easy! Made from cardboard, it’s also light, compact and totally portable.
Please note that this product is intended as a fun gift and is not suitable for commercial or professional projections. It functions by reflecting the image on your phone through a glass lens which will mean any text will appear in reverse.
Suitable for use with iOS and Android compatible smart phones. Phone brightness must be turned up to 100% and for maximum effectiveness use in a dark room and project onto a smooth white surface. Guggenheim Store, $39.95
Puzzlehead
Designed by Richard McGuire, a multidisciplinary artist who has produced an enormously diverse body of work, including award-winning children’s books, animated shorts, innovative toys and games, Puzzlehead is both a brainteaser and construction toy. Guggenheim Store, $24.95
Walking Talking Dino Kit
If movies have it right, building your own dinosaur is a lot of work. You need a mosquito trapped in amber, a way to extract DNA, and a high-tech laboratory on a remote island. Fortunately, sometimes things are easier in real life than in the movies. This sound-activated Tyrannosaurus is made of wooden pieces that pop together like a puzzle—no tools, glue, or ancient DNA required— so you can build your prehistoric beast right at home. Once your wooden dino is complete, clap your hands (or let out your own fierce T. rex cry) and watch it walk and roar. Uncommon Goods, $30
Magna-Tiles ICE 32 Piece Set
Magna-Tiles® were invented in 1992 to teach children about shapes through play! Each tile has magnets along it’s edges. The secret is the unique ability to attract even when the tiles are flipped.
They always connect!
Sized just right and easy to use, Magna-Tects develop fine motor skills as they start by stacking, making flat patterns, and 3-D Shapes, and with time, create complex Magna-Tiles® Creations.
Valtech LLC offers innovative magnetic building tiles designed to hold a child’s interest and attention, build critical developmental skills and promote imaginative play and creativity. LilTulips, $49.99
Kid’s White House Letter Writing Kit
Comes with all your little patriot needs: Stationery, eye-catching envelopes, writing tips, and stickers.
Your little has big plans—save the world, build the first trampoline sidewalk—and they’re going straight to the top for help. This kit comes with everything they’ll need to write a letter to The White House: Very impressive stationery, eye-catching, pre-addressed envelopes, and a booklet of tips on what to write and how to write it. It’s also packed with ways to show their patriotic pride: American flag pin and, of course, stickers (our favorite is an illustration of Nixon’s poodle, Vicky). Made in New York City, where Teddy Roosevelt was born and became the first President born in the Big Apple. Uncommon Goods, $26
