Christmas is a time when kindergartens, schools, and companies give Christmas gift packages to children. Every parent has likely faced the difficulty of choosing the contents of Christmas gift packages for kindergartens and schools. Likewise, some years you are satisfied with your child’s employee Christmas gift package, and some years you are not. To ensure joy for the recipient and at the same time for the parent, it is important to consider the specifics of the target group. Here are some suggestions for selecting Christmas gifts for kindergartens, schools, and companies.

Christmas packages for kindergartens

Children in kindergartens are between the ages of 3 and 6, so the gift should be playful but also safe.
Candy packages are often a cheap solution and are liked by many, but it is often desired to include something practical in the packages as well. Sometimes parents agree on a price limit, and each buys a gift for their child. At my son’s kindergarten, it was resolved by allowing the child to open the Christmas package only at home. Although this solution might help to some extent, it didn’t seem quite right to me. Firstly, every child wants to open the gift as soon as they receive it. Children’s curiosity is much greater than that of adults. Secondly, I am quite sure that the next day, the children still discussed among themselves what each of them received. Practical gifts are often more liked by parents, but how much joy they bring to the child is another matter. For example, one year we ordered personalized T-shirts for the children to use during gym class.My child didn’t like the design of the shirt and never wore it. Honestly, I didn’t foresee this when we planned this gift together with other parents. In general, when choosing a Christmas package for a kindergarten, I prefer something affordable that can be used more than once. Which gifts have satisfied me and what would I recommend adding to the packages:

• Reflective animal (plush toy): like a cute stuffed toy that can be attached to the child’s backpack.
• Personalized wooden Christmas ornament: ideal for hanging on the tree or window and is a more personal gift. Even if you have several personalized tree ornaments (for example, we received them both from the kindergarten and relatives), they complement each other hanging on the tree.
• Card games: there’s a wide selection of different card games, and they tend to be cheaper than board games. I would recommend games like Bandido, Set, Bohnanza, and Saboteur.
  The magic of Christmas lies in taking time off and playing with your child.
• Wooden blocks: you would be amazed at how creatively a child can use blocks. They don’t have to be the most expensive, colorful, or in special shapes. My nephew received a set of wooden blocks that were all the same size and thickness, and he played with them longer and more than any of the other Christmas gifts.
• Sticker books or name stickers: a good choice especially for children in kindergarten. My son often used stickers more creatively (not sticking them in the intended spots) and guarded them closely (not wanting to share). Alternatively, name stickers are quite a convenient way to label your child’s belongings.
• Modeling clay or plasticine: your child probably already has different plasticine molds.
• Bath toys: a suitable gift for nursery groups, but I must say that even a first or second grader still enjoys sitting in the bath and playing. Once, we received a cool sea creature toy that you could pull with a string to make it move. This product also had an affordable price.
• Gingerbread cookie cutters: you might need to put in some effort to find unique shapes, but I would recommend animal-shaped ones.
• Pull push tab books: a sure bet for younger children. We read the same goodnight flap book every evening with my child until it was worn to shreds.
• Fine motor skills toys: one of my child’s favorites was a fishing game with a magnetic rod. You could fish out the pieces from the puzzle base and try to put them back. There are also compact travel sets available, which are more affordable. In addition, various stringing, rubber bands, hammering, etc., kits are on the market.
• Origami kits: a simple and fun way to fold different shapes. My son really wanted me to buy an airplane origami kit. For a long time, I refused, thinking that I could easily find various models in internet. But when I finally bought it, it was indeed convenient to fold different airplane models from the paper instructions and test which one would fly farther.
• DIY kits: raising a young child is a constant push towards doing things yourself.
  From our online store, I recommend “DIY cookie kits“ . The stamp-molded cookies come out very beautiful, and the molds can also be used for playing with plasticine. Another great option is the DIY yogurt ice cream kit , which is simple, and you can later use the mold to freeze juice or lemonade.

Christmas Packages for Schools

Schoolchildren are aged 7–15, and their gifts should match their interests more closely. In some schools and classes, a gift exchange system might be used, either by drawing names or by randomly picking a gift from a bag. This can be a creative task for kids, with both pros and cons. I remember from my school days an instance where one child received another child’s old and broken toy as a gift. It can also happen that a child gives what they think is a really cool item, but since the recipient’s interests don’t match, both end up disappointed. One loses the joy of giving, and the other the joy of receiving. For younger classes, giving similar gifts is likely a better idea, while older students might benefit from more personalized presents. Here are some gifts I have been happy with or would recommend for a package:

• Books or comics: The main goal for first grade is learning to read fluently. A fun or exciting comic could definitely help with this.
• Erasable ink pen: A practical gift for the transition from a regular pencil to an ink pen.
• Bouncy ball or stress ball: Balls are always a good choice because you can never have too many (they tend to get lost or break) and they provide simple and engaging fun, whether alone or with a friend.
• Science kits: There are kits where you can make your own bouncy ball, and a favorite among kids is slime-making. Older children might be interested in electronics-related kits. However, these are often one-time-use fun.
• Diving toys or a pool noodle: A great gift for when swimming lessons end (after all the kids have learned to swim) or before lessons start, adding playfulness to the learning process. Also, a fun item to take along when visiting a spa.
• Rubik’s Cube or Soma Cube: There are various forms available (pyramid, cube, circle, apple-shaped, etc.). Why not learn how to solve a Rubik’s Cube at school and later time each other? It’s a good alternative to a smartphone when a child is waiting for the bus or riding in it. An alternative could be the Soma Cube.
• Puzzle gadgets: You can also look for different puzzle gadgets, allowing children to trade and experiment with them. One of my favorites is the Happy Cube 3D puzzles, which are lightweight and soft. They are simpler than some of the more complex puzzle gadgets, giving children a sense of success.
• Logic cards or books: While not suitable for every child, they make great travel companions for long car rides, like when you’re heading to Grandma’s for Christmas.
• Card games: For older classes, it might make sense to go for more personalized gifts, and parents can choose a suitable card game for their child. Card games are a fun way to spend winter breaks. My recommendations are Exploding Kittens, Monopoly Deal, 6 Nimmt!, Rat-a-Tat Cat, and The Mind.
• Personalized water bottle or lunch box: Your child likely already uses a bottle, but from my experience, they need replacing every couple of years. I received a personalized glass food container with a wooden lid for my birthday at work. It’s a practical and personal gift, perfect for packing a snack when your child has a break between school and sports.
• Event gift voucher: The goal of class activities is to bring the class together through shared, memorable experiences. In discussions with other parents, ideas like cinema tickets have come up. I think a great option would be a gift voucher for a trampoline park or another fun center where the whole class could go together.
• Craft kits: From our e-shop, you’ll find two fun Christmas ornament kits: “Make your own disco balls!” and “Make your own Christmas ornament!” . In both cases, you can choose between a larger or smaller kit.
• Gummy candy-making kit: This is a kit that both boys and girls will enjoy. You can also find a blog post, on our website on how to reuse the molds later. The kit comes with a recipe for making homemade gummy candies.

Christmas Packages for Companies

Company Christmas gifts should be thoughtful and of good quality. Compared to gifts for kindergartens or schools, the gift should suit a wide age range and ideally be gender-neutral. I must say, it’s quite a difficult task. In my opinion, the best gifts from companies are DIY kits. If the child is younger, the parent can help with the crafting, or handle the more complex steps themselves. Older children can challenge themselves independently. It’s the time spent together and the activity that creates a memorable experience for everyone. I’ve received many different types of gifts for my child, some of which have been great, while others have been disappointing. I’ll mention a few that didn’t impress me. For example, we received an ice cream powder with very complicated instructions (requiring repeated whipping and freezing), and in the end, I didn’t like the taste. In our online store, we offer an alternative: the ‘Make Your Own Yogurt Ice Cream’ kit, which is simple and has a mild, delicious flavor.

One year, we received a DIY birdhouse kit as a gift. The quality of the product wasn’t great, both in terms of the material and how well it stayed together. I also wondered where city kids are supposed to put this birdhouse. Additionally, there were no instructions included on how to safely install the birdhouse (both for the safety of the house and the tree).

Assembling a Christmas tree from pre-baked gingerbread was enjoyable only as an activity. Neither the icing nor the gingerbread itself was tasty to me, and the quantity was quite large—I ended up throwing most of it away. In our online store, you’ll find ‘Make Your Own Cookies!’ kits, which include a cookie mix and stamp molds. Younger kids can use the molds for playing with modeling clay, while older ones can bake cookies that can even be used as Christmas tree decorations.

One time, my child received a drawing pad and colored pencils as a gift, but it felt quite ordinary, and the quality of the pencils wasn’t great. Another year, we got a beeswax candle-making kit, but it was just rolling a sheet into a candle, which didn’t offer enough excitement for my child. He didn’t even finish making all the candles.

Gifts I’ve been satisfied with or would recommend:

• Gingerbread baking kit: For example, a mix, mold, and spoon. One of my favorites is the gingerbread house kit, which came with pre-baked gingerbread and icing. My recommendation is to test the kit beforehand, as I’ve had one kit that was fantastic, but another (a Christmas tree assembly kit) was so bad I threw it away because I didn’t like the taste.
• Design your own fabric pencil case: One year, my son received a fabric pencil case that he could decorate with iron-on patches. It ended up being our at-home holder for markers.
• Draw-your-own tote bag: A white cloth bag with a black-and-white design printed on it, which the child can color using the included special markers.
• Santa’s cookie mix in a glass jar: A fun activity that resulted in delicious cocoa cookies. To be honest, Santa didn’t get to eat any.
• DIY felt elf stocking: A more complex project that I personally liked. My child received a pre-made white stocking to hang, which he could color using the included markers.
• Glow-in-the-dark wall stars: A friend’s child received these from a company and was very happy with them. The glowing stars fit perfectly with the Christmas season and have been in use for years.
• Higher-quality reflector: For a corporate gift, the reflector should have a nice design and be of good quality, something you wouldn’t necessarily buy yourself for fear that it would get lost.
• Herb growing kits: Kits for growing herbs from seeds are definitely a hit. We’ve tried growing various things, and it’s always exciting for children to observe the process.
• Neck warmer: It should be of good quality and suitable for winter. My child loses and destroys scarves every season. You could pair this with some YumEarth candy on the side.
• Hoodies: If you can get the children’s sizes, a well-made, warm hoodie is always useful in the winter. I’d also suggest adding a cocoa bomb on a stick to the package. Something both practical and fun.
• Bubble tea starter kit: Half-jokingly, I have to admit that this phenomenon makes me feel old. I’ve bought my child this trendy drink a couple of times (it’s a hit with the younger generation), but I personally don’t like it (too sweet and sugary). However, a starter kit might allow you to adjust the sweetness at home, and I believe many children would enjoy it.
• Christmas ornament-making kits: the perfect gift for the holiday season. In our online store, you’ll find two fitting kits: ‘Make Your Own Mini Disco Balls!’ and ‘Make Your Own Christmas Ornaments!’ Again, these are great opportunities to create together with younger children or let older kids work on their own. The kits are also suitable for adults. I’m a fan of the final result of both types of ornaments.
• Kinkekomplektid: kui saad kingitusena kaasa mitmekesiseid esemeid, siis tundub kingitus luksuslikum. Näiteks midagi praktilist ja midagi mängulist või magusat. Meie e-poest on tellitud näiteks „Tee ise pastat!“ komplekt, kuhu oleme juurde pannud Kalevi kommid. Teine klient valis jõulupakki õuna-piparkoogi jahusegu ning meie kuusehete meisterdamise komplekti, tagasiside oli järgmine: „ Meisterdamine oli tore, jõuluehteid kleepisid ka kolmeaastased juba. Õuna taigen oli nii maitsev olnud, et osa läks kohe ilma küpsetamata loosi.“
• Lollipop-making kit: In our online store, you’ll find the chocolate lollipop-making kit. One of its advantages is that younger kids can make simple lollipops easily, while older children can challenge themselves with patterned lollipops. The mold can be reused at home for creating various sweets. A company that included over 100 lollipop kits in their Christmas packages gave us this feedback: ‘The activity kits were a real hit – we received so many compliments for offering an out-of-the-box solution that brings lots of joy, excitement, and multiple uses.’
• Gummy bear-making kit: a favorite among kids, and it suits a wide age range. We’ve received feedback from a mother making gummies with her 1.5-year-old, and even 13-year-olds love it. Over the weekend, a 23-year-old relative visited and mentioned they had just bought our kit from the Ahhaa science store, made the gummies, and were pleased with the taste and result. Honestly, I wouldn’t have guessed that the target group could include adults. A company that ordered 50 gummy kits for their Christmas packages wrote: ‘They were very well received. I got a lot of thanks and praise from both Estonian and foreign colleagues. After all, kids and gummy bears are made for each other. :)’
• Ice cream-making kit: I have to say, neither I nor my friend have liked the taste of regular ice cream powder. But I have to admit, it probably wouldn’t appeal to children either. To me, the mix has a chemical taste. In our online store, you’ll find the ‘Make Your Own Yogurt Ice Cream!’ kit, where the powder is simply mixed with yogurt (easy) and then frozen. Although it might initially seem a bit tangy, after freezing, the ice cream becomes smooth and mild. It’s not overly sweet and doesn’t have an artificial aftertaste. Plus, with the ice cream mold, kids can continue practicing their creativity later. Our blog features various ice cream recipes we’ve tested.
• Gifts from the same product series (like puzzle games or crafting kits): While children in kindergartens and schools may compare their gifts, a company’s Christmas package can be personalized if desired. This, of course, depends on how many employees and children are in your company. In a larger company, this type of customization can be more difficult. One of our clients chose Christmas gifts for children in this way, where each mother selected a kit from our range (a total of 37 gifts). The feedback from this company was: “Our parents were very pleased with the gifts available again this year. The feedback from the children via the parents has been positive, and the opportunity to spend time together and share the emotions was highly appreciated by the parents. Thank you very much!”

What to Avoid?

Here are some tips on what to avoid when preparing Christmas gift packages:

• Cheap products: Low-quality items that break easily can lead to disappointment for both children and parents.
• Impractical gifts: Avoid items (inlcuding boring toys) that a child might not even want to use. Every parent has experienced receiving a gift for their child that just sits on the shelf collecting dust. In such cases, it would be better not to give a gift at all to avoid creating unnecessary waste.
• Tech-based gifts: While giving something like headphones might seem like a practical and thoughtful gift, it encourages children to spend time in their own bubble rather than engaging with friends or family.
• Gender-specific gifts: Pink dolls for girls and blue cars for boys are an outdated approach. Gifts should be gender-neutral and universal.
• Cheap candy: If you choose the simpler route and plan to give kids candy, don’t compromise on quality. The ingredients and taste should be something you would buy for your own child. I’ve often heard my friends complaining about the poor-quality candy packs their children receive.
• Single event tickets: This might just be my personal opinion, but I don’t like it when only one movie ticket, for example, is gifted. If you’re going to give a gift card (like one from a ticketing service), its value should cover entry for two people. That way, the child can invite a friend or a parent, and the joy will be greater when they can share the experience. As a parent, I might not have even planned to spend money on a movie outing that month.
• The same gift for children aged 0 and 15: I understand that it can be difficult for large companies to choose gifts based on age, but when my child was younger, all the gifts ended up in the back of the closet waiting for him to grow into them. The solution isn’t that complicated—just have Santa call the kids up based on their age group, and that way, each child at the Christmas party can get the most appropriate gift.

Summary

When selecting gifts for daycare, school, or corporate Christmas parties, it’s important to consider the age, interests, and needs of the target group. Children appreciate gifts that are playful and educational, while parents value practicality and safety. Thoughtful gifts bring joy to everyone and create a positive Christmas atmosphere. My recommendation is to give children experiences and joy!