Gift Ideas For Kids Of All Ages

A Shopping List That Keeps You Prepared During Party Season

(CBS) 

Ages 3 to 5:
From three to five years of age, a child will begin to enjoy more imaginative and creative play. Building recognizable structures and using smaller and more complex pieces will be preferred. Group play will become more important, too. As interactive and communication skills develop, children begin to show more interest in toys that can be shared with friends.

Some specific suggestions:

Mats from Emily Green, $25 for two. These mats are great for meals or art projects — flip them over and they also become dry-erase boards. www.emily-green.com

Cape from Arington, $26. This dress-up staple in silvery cotton will delight all future superheroes. www.sparkability.com

Maze game, educo $20. The Might Motors Magnetic Maze will keep players tilting and rolling for hours. And for adults: You can't lose the parts! www.dotstoys.com

"Leonardo the Terrible Monster" by Mo Willems, $17. This is a great book about a monster who keeps trying but is incapable of being scary. www.booksofwonder.com

Ages 5 to 7:
During the early elementary school days, children are developing stronger muscles with improved coordination and dexterity. Social interaction becomes more complex and children develop some degree of competitiveness. Look for activities involving sports, music, art and outside play. Home activities such as reading, writing, and collecting are also of interest and school-aged children can safely enjoy arts and crafts at home. Watercolors are safe to use, as are blunt scissors and non-toxic white glue or paste.

Some specific suggestions:

View Master from Fisher-Price, $6. A few clicks on this retro slide show — with a great retro price tag — will keep children entertained. The disks are sold separately, $5.50 for three. www.zippergifts.com

Nesting dolls by giggle, $36. This is a fun version of the classic Russian dolls. Using 15 nontoxic crayons, young artists can have fun recreating their families on the blank birch forms. www.egiggle.com

Strobe light from Discovery Channel store, $25. By age six, your kids might not be enthralled by dad's ability to turn his hand into a wolf shadow. This shadow magic strobe light lets them project their profiles onto a phosphorescent screen and draw grisly details with a light pen. www.discoverystore.com

"Toot and Puddle: A Present for Toot" by Hollie Hobbie, $16. Beautiful watercolor drawings with a wonderful story. www.booksofwonder.com