Perfect Christmas gift ideas for children

Perfect Christmas gift ideas for children

Do you know something? In all of my editorial career, I've never before written a top ten of Christmas gifts, that all came from the same place, where quite literally each one on the list is as good as the others. Until now. So here it is... Let me introduce you to the fabulous products of Laurence King publishing house (or ten of them anyway)... and to my mind, perfect Christmas gift ideas for children.

Number one on the list and perfect for the puppy obsessed is Dog Bingo. This classic game of numbers and chance is brought stylishly up to date with canine illustrations. Don't under estimate how dog species differ, and how much fun it is learning about them by playing this game. Eyes down and away you go! Priced £19.95

Sitting pretty at number two (and on your fridge to play with), are 40 fun polar fridge magnets. It's about time we saw something a little different decorating the kitchen white goods, and these Fridgescapes are sure to encourage kids to imagine and create frozen kingdoms as they learn about the North and South Poles. Priced £12.95

Number three is all about the stylist within. Fashion conscious boys and girls, (recommended for ages 7 and up) can let their creative flair fly when it comes to designing a weird and wonderful wardrobe with the new book Fashion Stylist Autumn/Winter Collection. Priced £7.95

Number four on the list, Hide and Seek: An Around-the-World Animal Search by Charlene Man is a bright and colourful seek and find book. Aimed at children aged 3+, the beautifully illustrated animals in this book live all over the world - but some are in the wrong habitat. Can you spot the panda hiding in Antarctica or the red deer hanging out with the Grey Seals? A wonderful first introduction to wildlife. Priced £7.95

If you are thinking of a gift for a smaller child, this colourful counting book will bring a smile into your home - as well as maths. Number five on the list, Little Houses by talented paper artist Helen Musselwhite is all about the detail, and quite simply, it's illustrations are captivating. Visit a variety of little houses, from one Scottish crofter's cottage to ten town houses beside a canal in Amsterdam, each beautiful scene has lots of detail to spot and count together. Priced £9.95

Great for wildlife fans, bird lovers in particular; number six: Match A Pair Of Birds illustrated by Christine Berry, is a colourful take on the traditional pairing game. Reunite lost love birds from the barn owl to the blue tit and the ostrich to the macaw - this fun and educational game for children (and their parents) is priced £12.95

Number seven on my list is the inspirational My Crazy Inventions Sketchbook. A must if you have a child with an engineering head on his shoulders - that loves drawing. Seriously, this is a brilliantly clever book that stimulates a child's imagination right down to the nitty gritty detail, from scheming to planning to inventing. Priced £9.95

Based on the tropics, this reusable panoramic pull out sticker book Stickyscapes Tropical includes 100 beautifully illustrated stickers to play with. One side represents the dense tropical jungle, while the other features the bottom of the deep blue tropical sea. Priced £9.95 (Also available as Stickyscape Polar).

Out literally in time for Christmas, this brand new Story Box product, number nine on my list, will easily be THE imagination station of 2016. Highly original and with a contemporary twist, it contains 20 puzzle pieces printed on both sides, which can be interchanged to allow for all kinds of plots. With three alternative endings, there’s plenty of scope for spinning a different story each time. Children will stimulate their imagination and develop narrative skills in this 8-foot-long fantastical fairytale puzzle. Priced £9.95

Finally number ten - and as already pointed out, absolutely no reflection on its perfect Christmas gift list status. I've never seen anything quite like it to be honest. Jason Ford's fun step-by-step activity book, with tips on how to draw heroes and villains, how to tell the story and make characters think and talk, enabling children to create brilliant comics from scratch, which they can then pull out and share with friends. The Superhero Comic Kit is comic genius. Priced £12.95

Emma Oliver and LIFE AS IT IS were gifted some of the above for the nursery PTA raffle, in exchange for a review on the parenting/lifestyle blog LIFE AS IT IS.

For DISCLOSURE & DISCLAIMER, please view my page on LEGAL STUFF