A Gift For Every Age: A Hoilday Guide from Kinoko Kids
BY EMMA GEARY - NOVEMBER 25, 2024
The holiday season is in full swing, which means it’s time to spread the love and shop local! Whether you’ve got kiddos of your own or are the auntie who never arrives empty-handed, shopping for kids can feel overwhelming, especially as they grow. Luckily, our friends and Collective Members Erika Olson Gross and Tammy Tanaka Jansen, owners of South Minneapolis’ Kinoko Kids, are here to help.
Here are a few of their favorite things to gift this season for kids at every age and stage.
For Babies and New Families
Keep your sweet babe in the sunshine all winter long with this adorable musical pull toy from Jellycat. Gently pull on the cheery cream cloud and a lullaby will play from the cheerfully soft sun. Fasten onto a crib or pram with the Velcro attachment to keep baby engaged and entertained.
The days may fly, but this Birthday Ring is the perfect way to celebrate your baby’s biggest milestone as an adorable (and play-friendly!) table centerpiece. Decorated with woodland creatures and flowers, there’s a spot for candles to honor each three-month milestone in the first year of life, creating a tradition that your family can enjoy for years to come.
For Young Toddlers
Especially for toddlers, little moments stack up to big ideas. This life-size set is perfect for building and making messes alike. Comprised of six colorful stones and a bright confetti board, this set provides a perfect environment for endless fun and learning opportunities. Stack, balance, hop, toss, and organize with these beautifully versatile discs.
If they’re going to bring their stuffed friend everywhere they go, it might as well be adorable.
Created by Spanish brand Gommu, each baby is sewn using beautiful and durable natural linen, and is perfectly stuffed with both soft filling and weighted beads. Many clothing and accessory options are also available to continue gifting for every occasion!
This colorful, rhyming board book celebrates and accepts each and every child, just as they are. Messages of love, acceptance, empathy, inclusion and diversity are paired with fun, unique hand-cut paper illustrations. This book will appeal to children and adults alike and sends the message we all need to hear -- be true to yourself!
For Preschoolers & Kindergarten-Age Kids:
Help them save the world in style with these soft and colorful silk capes. Made from soft yet durable silk, these capes are perfect for dress-up days and every kind of play.
They’ll have their license before you know it, but until then, keep them rolling with this ruby-red rocket. Coming in three bright and vibrant hues and solid rubber tires, the car is lightweight and easy to hold, while being extremely durable in nature for playtime in every season.
Channel their inner artist with these pencil-crayons created with little hands in mind. The larger triangular shape makes them easier to hold for younger kids, and their quality pigments mean every coloring page will shine with intense, long-lasting color.
For Big Kids
Mouse Mansion Cardboard Room, Furniture Kit and Little Mouse Doll Sam
There’s a mouse in the house! Combine building and design with this cardboard room created with Mouse Mansion’s classic tiled floors and wallpaper, and add a Kitchen Furniture Kit to round out the space. The stories of the Mouse Mansion will truly come to life when you bring in Sam, the cutest mouse doll who is practically indestructible and cuddly soft.
Sushi is served! This adorable Woobles kit includes all the materials you need, plus step-by-step video tutorials that expertly guide you through each stitch and technique that matches the kit in your hands. These tutorials take the stress out of starting a new project, to dive straight into the fun! In addition to the video tutorials, the kit includes everything you need to get started on your crochet journey.
For Grown-Ups
Innovative and beautifully designed, the Acorn Vase allows you to witness a simple acorn you have picked grow into a magnificent oak tree.
Perfect for urban dwellers, tree lovers, inquisitive children and design enthusiasts to bring the magic of nature into their home and hopefully oak trees for future generations.
Tik tok, the cat is on the clock! This iconic wall clock features the famous rolling eyes, wagging tail, and contagious smile, perfect to add to any kitchen, gallery wall, or kiddo’s room.
To shop Kinoko Kids’ full selection of curated toys, activities, and gifts, visit their store in the heart of the Kingfield neighborhood of South Minneapolis on the corner of 38th and Grand.
Emma Geary
Emma is the one writing it all down. She's been with LAB since 2021 and is finishing her MFA in Creative Writing in her spare time. Her favorite color right now is cobalt blue.
