The holidays are fast approaching; Chanukah begins at sundown on Dec. 18, and of course, St. Nick will make his appearance the following weekend. There’s still time to find those perfect gifts, though — right here in Burlington. We’re aiming to take some of the running around out of the gift-giving equation for you, by giving you our list of top picks, available locally. Today, we’re showing off our kids’ picks, from Chickadee Kids Company (2178 Mountain Grove Ave.), The Handmade House (460 Pearl St.), and Christy’s Gourmet Gifts (3530 Mainway Dr.). Adult gift ideas will follow!
We’re doubling down on ‘shop local’ with our first suggestion: local shop Chickadee Kids Company carries Malarkey Kids’ chew cubes ($16.99), a perfect-for-babies rattle-teething toy hybrid that was created by a Burlington mother. Available in four colours (our favourite is the mint), the ribbed edges and geometric shapes make it easy for baby’s hands to grab.
For slightly older babies, Wee Baby Stella by Manhattan Toy ($32.99) is a great choice offered by Chickadee. She’s soft and has a magnetic pacifier, the perfect first baby doll for baby.
For any toddlers on your list, there’s Tony the Peg Stacker dump truck ($27.99), a shape-sorter for building those fine motor skills from Learning Resources, or the Timber Tots tree house ($69.99), an adorable tree-shaped portable playset that pops up to reveal the home and back down to carry it around. Critters and accessories are included.
A great choice for adventure-loving kids aged 3 years and up are Geosafari Jr.’s Kidnoculars ($24.99), the only binoculars designed for kids. When it’s time to come inside, there’s the Busy Busy Bake Shop ($29.99) game, a cooperative colour, pattern-matching, and counting game. Save four donuts in a row from the hungry mouse to win the game! Both of these are available at Chickadee Kids Company.
Another unique game that you can find at Chickadee is Forklift Frenzy ($54.99), a must-have for vehicle-loving kids who want to play against family and friends in a barrel-stacking race. Match what’s shown on your challenge card using just the toy forklift to stack the barrels; as Chickadee says, “No forklift license required!” When the excitement of competition slows, there’s Janod’s magnetic world map puzzle ($89.99), which doubles as a piece of decor that is perfect for playing over and over!
For crafty kids, Burlington’s the Handmade House offers adorable doodle pillows that can be washed and then coloured again! Available in holiday themes, monsters, unicorns, and more, each are $22.95.
Stuffed animals are a perennial kid (and adult!) favourite, and unique options can be found at the Handmade House. Our favourites are the long-legged frogs (in pink or green; $25) and the kawaii-inspired pierogi/gyoza/dumplings ($15 for the keychain dumpling; larger sizes available).
Still looking for smaller gifts or stocking stuffers? Try Chunkies paint sticks, available at Chickadee Kids Company, which are easy to use for little hands and quick-drying. A thick casing and caps means less chance for mess, and the variety of colours (classic, pastel or neon in sets of six for $12.99) means lots of fun creative time! There’s also a classic maraca, great for exploring music-making but not too loud for parents. Chickadee has painted wooden maracas at $8.99 each. Or go for a Green Toys sports boat ($9.99 each), made with recycled materials and ready for bath-time adventures.
Don’t forget the treats! Christy’s Gourmet offers adorable and delicious chocolate Christmas cards ($5) and reindeer lollies ($3.75), perfect for stuffing stockings. We’d also be very happy to find Christy’s gingerbread men ($3.75) and chocolate-covered marshmallows ($5) in our stocking. Even better: gingerbread and chocolate together in Christy’s chocolate-covered gingerbread man ($10).
