Things We (Would) Love: Mary’s Gift Guide 2026

Is anyone else just kinda meh about the new gift options lately?

So much online Gift Guide content seems like the same old stuff repeated across 50 influencers. Usually we’re like “will my (insert loved one) even like this?”.

I’m sure everyone loves receiving new and improved socks or yet another body wash set. And no shade if you really do want the AI sticker box or kids table saw. But for Child(ish) Advice, we haven’t really seen anything new that hits that sweet spot of 1) fun, 2) OT-driven, and 3) won’t end up forgotten two weeks later.

So to give ourselves a break and maybe push our past Guides a little bit (2025, 2024, 2023), we’re doing our usual Things We (Would) Love posts and giving you something a little different leading up to Thanksgiving and the holidays.

Enjoy!

With spooky season in the rearview, holiday wish-list season is officially underway. While the kids are busy circling their favorite finds while flipping through toy catalogs and making their cases to Santa, I’ve been thinking back on all the things that caught my eye throughout the year. From fun discoveries to items I’ve quietly added to my mental wish list, here’s a roundup of what I think is genuinely cool and what I’d be thrilled to find with my name on it this holiday season.

The Hulken Bag. This was never supposed to make it onto my wish list, but then a friend rolled into a swim meet with one and I immediately understood the hype. At first glance, it’s just a large tote, but the magic is the capacity. It can hold everything needed to survive a four-hour swim meet (or any youth event for that matter). The best part? It has wheels. Honestly, it might be just as useful for hauling treasures home from Rhea Lana.

Sportneer Balance Board. I’m a sucker for unique fitness equipment, so this immediately caught my eye. It looks like a skateboard, which will somehow make balance and core workouts feel a lot more fun than traditional exercise equipment.

WeaponUp Sword. Speaking of unique fitness finds, Patti and I attended a WeaponUp pop-up sword yoga class and absolutely loved it. The practice combines yoga-inspired movement with a lightweight training sword to build strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination. We felt like total badasses wielding the sword and honestly, I’m still riding the high from that class. WeaponUp does offer a membership to access their classes and practice sword skills at home.

Books on Books on Books

I have a bit of a book-buying problem, if that wasn’t immediately noticeable from 7 years of blog writing. If I manage to resist purchasing a book the moment I see it, it ends up on my holiday wish list instead. This year’s additions have a slight twist based on all our travels this year:

2027 Season Tickets. I love going to concerts and with so many of my favorite bands playing at one of my favorite venues next year, season tickets are starting to sound actually worth it. The $1,000 deposit makes it a bit of a stretch gift, but it feels like the kind a group of friends could go in on together. Then again, maybe I’ve earned enough good karma this year to justify the whole thing.

FYI you can also gift season tickets or a block of tickets for sports teams, theatres, museums, theme parks if you wanna go big.

Stocking Stuffers

Chilitos Sweet, Sour & Spicy Chamoy Candy – as always
Nora Seaweed Snacks
Pickle Fork Grabber
OPI Nail Polish Corrector Pen

For the Kids

CrunchLabs by Mark Rober. Mark Rober’s engineering kits combine building, problem-solving, and just the right amount of “how does that work?” energy. Anything that can sneak STEM learning into playtime is a win in my book. MindWare Start-Up Circuits is another favorite. This clever STEM toy introduces young children to the basics of electricity through lights, sounds, and movement. By snapping together chunky circuit pieces and different switches, kids learn cause and effect as well as early engineering and problem-solving skills.

Run The Runway Fashion Designer Kit. This kit includes fabrics, trims, and accessories for creating one-of-a-kind designs. What I love most are the mini mannequins, so young designers can drape, style, and showcase their creations without the frustration of adult-sized sewing machines or hand sewing.

Cardboard Construction Tool Kit. For kids who think the box is better than the toy inside, this kit takes cardboard creativity to the next level. Complete with kid-safe tools, screws, and connectors that allow children to cut, assemble, and engineer their cardboard creations into something far more elaborate.

Science Explorers book series. Perfect for emerging readers, these choose-your-own-adventure science books put kids in the driver’s seat as they make decisions, uncover clues, and learn fascinating science facts throughout the story.

My top 3 Kids Board games are:

MindWare Curling Set. For ages 3 and up, this indoor curling set combines strategy, skill, and family-friendly competition as players slide stones toward the target just like in the Olympics.
Tetris Tumble 3D. This clever twist on the classic video game brings Tetris into the real world, challenging players to stack oversized pieces on a balancing tower without sending the whole thing tumbling down.
MindWare Leaps and Ledges. Part puzzle and part strategy game, players race to build paths across the board while outsmarting their opponents, making it a fun way to develop critical thinking, planning, and problem-solving skills.

Hopefully this will give you some gift ideas outside of a million squishies…

Most of the linked items can also be found on our Child(ish) Advice Holiday Amazon Storefront.
Also check out our past gift guides (2025, 2024, 2023) for more giving ideas.

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