So you’ve got to pick out a cool present for one of your sibling’s kids. But you don’t have the slightest idea what’s popular with the young ‘uns these days. Never worry. Here’s the childfree woman’s guide to buying gifts for nieces and nephews.
How to Get Your Nibling a Great Gift
One of the earliest posts I ever wrote for this blog is “How to Be the Cool Aunt.” In it, I talk briefly about buying gifts for your nieces and nephews. I mentioned that you should focus on gifts that:
- Aren’t too expensive
- Are based on their interests
- Encourage them to think creatively
Today I’m going to explain this in a bit more detail.
Your Role as the Gift-Giving Cool Aunt
My cool aunt always got us nice gifts. Not ridiculously expensive, but not cheap either. But what made them especially nice was how well they seemed to suit me. For a woman who only saw me for a few minutes once a week, she really seemed to understand what I liked.
The fact that she didn’t have children probably made it easier for her to pay attention to what my cousins and I really wanted.
3 Tips for Buying Gifts for Your Nieces and Nephews
The best gift you can give to anyone is a gift that makes them feel seen and understood. The price tag and cultural relevance (i.e., the season’s hottest toy trends) are less important. So when it comes to buying gifts for your nieces and nephews, choose something that:
1. Isn’t too expensive
The goal here is to focus on the quality of the gift as it applies to the kid. That will probably mean spending a little money, but your job isn’t to get the expensive new gaming system. Leave that to parents and grandparents.
2. Relates to their interests
This is where you can really stand out. As I mentioned in the earlier blog post, parents are used to their kids. They tend to see them through the ideas they developed years ago. Even if the kid’s interests have changed or their personalities have continued to develop, parents can be slow to see it.
The trick to buying gifts for your nieces and nephews is to get something that wasn’t on their list, but does meet their interests. Pay attention to them. What do they love to talk about? See what kinds of toys or activity books you can find on the topic, even if it’s weird. If you have a niece who really loves looking at Pottery Barn catalogs, get her an Interior Design Sketch Portfolio
{Pst! That’s an affiliate link. There are going to be a few more throughout this post. You can see my affiliate disclaimer here.}
3. Encourages creativity
When buying gifts for your nieces and nephews, make sure you look for an “active” gift. The design sketch portfolio above is a good example, because it gets them to think and design. Building sets, crafts supplies, and nature journals are other good choices. Passive entertainment is fine, but if you want to be the cool aunt, go for the gift that helps them discover new things about themselves.
So you’re looking for a reasonably priced gift that sparks their interests and encourages them to think, design, and create. It’s a tall order, but it’s worth the effort. Below are a few of my best sources for finding a gift that meets those criteria.
Gift-Buying Resources
If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few tried and true Cool Aunt gifts:
Science kits
Generally I find most “science kits” to be a little too heavy-handed for my taste. You want something that will help them learn, but you don’t want it to seem like an educational gift. However, if you spend a little time you can find some really fun gifts, such as this Grow ‘n Glow Terrarium
Building kits
Once your nibling has developed their fine motor skills, they’ll love building sets. There are so many types to choose from, but one of my favorites is this Marble Run building set
If you want something a little more advanced, try the Glow in The Dark Roller Coaster Building Set
Simpler Toys
My cousins and I had lots of Colorforms to play with when we were kids. And while that company is still around, Melissa & Doug seem to have some of the best “reusable sticker” playsets at the moment. Like this cute little Chipmunk House
These are quiet toys that don’t require a lot of physical energy. They need zero setup; just open the book and start placing your stickers. They’re basically like paper dolls, but more durable and colorful. Because there’s no script or rules to follow, they still encourage plenty of creativity. A puffy sticker playset is perfect for more reserved kids.
Ready to Cement Your Status as The Cool Aunt?
Based on my experience, if you follow these guidelines when buying gifts for your nieces and nephews (or cousins, little sibs, etc), you’ll quickly get a reputation for giving the best gifts. And that’s important because kids need to know that there’s someone paying close attention to them. Parents get overwhelmed, especially when they have multiple kids. Holidays and birthdays are your chance to tell your nibling, “I get you, kid.”
Was this a helpful list? Were there any good tips I left out? Let me know in the comments below.
