Christmas gifts for kids and tweens that are fun, educational and super-duper cute.
It doesn’t get much cuter. This magical necklace suspends a translucent pink unicorn with a hot-pink tassel tail from a delicate gold chain — proving wishes really do come true. $10 at Stuhlbergs (Queen Anne) and shopmerimeri.com
Peaceable Kingdom Mole Rats in Space
Kids must work together to get a team of mole rats and all their equipment to their space station’s escape pod before the snakes get them or time runs out. The fun, fast-paced game is exciting enough to get the whole family involved. Ages 7 and up. $20 at Uncle’s Games, Magic Mouse Toys (Pioneer Square) and amazon.com
They can let their building fantasies run wild in this Minecraft-esque game that lets them play master builder and earn cool pieces by collecting objects and completing quests. And you get to fly in spaceships to get to different worlds. Cool. Rated E; for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and PC. $30–$40 at major retailers
Watch their dreams take flight at the only indoor skydiving facility in the Pacific Northwest. The company’s vertical wind tunnel creates free-fall conditions, like skydiving without jumping out of an airplane. A First-Time Flyer package includes a training session, use of flight gear, your flight time in the tunnel, hands-on assistance from an instructor and a personalized flight certificate. Ages 3 and up. From $70 per person at seattle.iflyworld.com (Tukwila)
This is the smartwatch they seek. Kids will love this Stormtrooper or BB-8-themed watch that takes pictures and video, makes lightsaber and spaceship sounds, and has games and voice effects. Oh yeah, it also tells time. Ages 5 and up. $60 at Target
Fisher Price Think & Learn Movi Robot
With 360 degrees of mobility and an array of games, Movi gets little kids up and moving, leading them in games and exercises to help practice listening skills, critical thinking and large motor skills. Ages 3–6. $50 at major retailers
Think of these boxes as the Blue Apron of craft and STEM toys. The kits come with everything kids need to make things like rainbow crafts, pinball machines, catapults, wall hangings, relief prints and more. Boxes are available for four different age groups and can be bought individually or as a subscription. Starting at $20 at kiwico.com
“Drawn to Color: A Pacific Northwest Coloring Book”
Kids will love coloring familiar, and slightly twisted, Pacific Northwest scenes and cultural icons, such as farmers markets, coffee, otters and UFOs. Edited by Tacoma artist Ben Clanton, the book features 50 pages of original art from more than 20 children’s book illustrators. $16 at Elliot Bay Books (Capitol Hill) and amazon.com
Keep their screen time safe and educational with this new 7-inch tablet that includes offline video clips, songs and music videos featuring PBS KIDS characters, as well as educational games and apps. Expanded content is available when connected to the internet. $65 at Best Buy
“Harry Potter: A Journey Through A History of Magic”
You don’t need to travel to London to see the Harry Potter exhibit at the British Library — this handsome new paperback brings the magic to you. Discover the history behind Hogwarts classes, peruse Rowling’s handwritten manuscript pages, learn what makes a mandrake scream and more. Ages 8–12. $15 at booksellers
Tree Hopper Toys First Draft Drafting Set
Encourage your mini-maker with a drafting set made just for kids. The classic, eco-friendly toy gets kids inventing with a protractor, folding ruler, triangle, circles, pencils and a pencil sharpener, tucked into a drawstring bag. $20 at Nube (Capitol Hill) and treehoppertoys.com
This cute twist on Jenga features a yeti balanced on a bowl of noodles. As the noodles are removed, one by one, there’s a greater chance that the yeti will fall in the bowl and someone will lose. Ages 4 and up. $10 at major retailers
They can take their Lego creations vertical, over tables, along the sides of their beds — anywhere their imagination leads with this new flexible rubber tape that supports Lego bricks with its two-stud-wide pattern. It comes in a range of colors for building new worlds, and can stick to almost any smooth surface. $16 for a 6.5-foot roll at thefowndry.com
She can let her imagination run wild with this 58-piece play set for the popular line of look-like-her dolls. It includes a two-sided vet clinic, plus tons of accessories, including an exam table, pet food, bandages, X-rays and more. Dolls and pets not included. Ages 3 and up. $80 at Target
Yamaha PSR-EW300 76 Key Portable Keyboard
Encourage home practice with this new keyboard that is portable but powerful. It connects to a computer for access to creative and educational apps, and to mobile devices so kids can play along to their favorite songs. $250 at amazon.com
Magna-Tiles Glow in the Dark Set
Add some glow-in-the-dark fun to their Magna-Tiles pile with this new 32-piece set. The magnetic pieces are compatible will all other Magna-Tiles sets. Ages 3 and up. $55 at magnatiles.com
Introduce them to Madeleine L’Engle’s fantastical coming-of-age tale full mysterious evil forces, space travel and the power of family in advance of next year’s film adaptation. $7 at amazon.com
Ultimate Slime and 1 Gallon Elmer’s Glue
Give your slime addict new ideas with this step-by-step book by Allyson Jagan that includes more than 100 creative recipes. And, of course, you’ll want to provide a whole lotta glue to get the squishy projects going. $16 for the book; $11 for the glue at amazon.com
The latest FurReal pet roars, moves, responds to touch and his toy chicken, and is soft and huggable. Ages 4 and up. $95 at amazon.com
Burton After School Special Snowboard with Bindings
A cool set for kids looking to move up from rental equipment, it includes an easy-to-ride board that enhances balance and control, along with bindings that have oversized, smooth-glide buckles for smaller hands. $270 at Evo (Wallingford) and evo.com
Little Bits Droid Inventor Kit
Robotics has never been this fun. With this kit, kids build an R2-D2 droid that they can customize and program to move, spin its head, deliver a secret message, navigate obstacles and more. Ages 8 and up. $100 at littlebits.cc
Sure, this set is a lot of ramming, crashing fun. But it also involves strategy as kids try to launch their cars at just the right time to stay in the game and knock others out. Ages 5 and up. $48 at major retailers
Think INSIDE the box and give the gift of imagination. These made-in-Oregon boxes are full of wood coins that provide ideas for creative, open-ended activities centered around themes like neighborhoods, science, the senses and more. Ages 3–10. $11–$20 at Alair (West Seattle) and theideaboxkids.com
“Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls Gift Set”
This new two-volume gift set includes 200 tales of extraordinary women from the past and present, illustrated by female artists from all over the world. Inspire your child with profiles of Hillary Clinton, Amelia Earhart, Jane Goodall, Frida Kahlo, Serena Williams and more. $65 at rebelgirls.co
Less than two hours away in Oak Harbor, this drive-in delivers old-fashioned family entertainment with a year-round outdoor movie theater, an arcade with Skee-Ball and other games, and go-karts in the spring and summer. You can even bring the dog. $6.50 and up at bluefoxdrivein.com
Lego Friends Snow Resort Ski Lift
Get in the winter spirit with this set that features a working ski lift, mountaintop restaurant, rock climbing wall and more, plus 2 mini-doll figures and a bear cub. $60 at major retailers
This sweet pack features the company’s pink frosted donut logo, three storage compartments, a laptop sleeve and a zippered front pouch pocket, plus padded shoulder straps for comfort. $55 at Zumiez
Xenotees Kids Taco Tuesday T-Shirt
Every day can be Taco Tuesday in this soft tee featuring an original illustration celebrating the perennial kid favorite. Hand-printed with eco-friendly, water-based ink, in sizes 2T to 12. $25 at Alair and xenotees.com
Surprise your budding marine biologist with a baleen whale plush that measures a whopping 72 inches long. The eco-friendly friend is made in Los Angeles with sustainable fabrics and stuffed with 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. $110 at Nube and indyplush.com
Keep hostile spawn away with this collectible that looks just like a torch you craft in the game. Wield it for fun or mount it to the wall — IRL. $25 at thinkgeek.com