Waldorf Family Holiday Gift Ideas by Age

I have enjoyed this Waldorf walk for many years and I have collected many fun trinkets along the way. I thought I’d share my EPIC list with you - just remember that I didn’t have it all with one child, I collected a bit over the years. You can tuck this list away for birthdays, other holidays, etc., don’t feel like you have to HAVE all. the. things. Just what speaks to you. This is a sampling of what has spoken to me over the years. Some VERY Waldorf, some… very Melisa. I have broken this list up into segments for children and parents.

While I love sellers like Bella Luna Toys, Nova Natural and Meadowsweet Naturals, I also source some things from Amazon and smaller sellers on Etsy. Some links provided here are affiliate links, any monetary gain from those links goes to support the ongoing staffing of our team.

Children - Infants & Toddlers

These children really don’t need much, truth be told, most of them would be happy with a plastic hanger  but we’d prefer those tiny growing teeth to chomp on something better! 

Wooden teethers and rattles we’ve loved:

Wooden Rattle by Haba and this one, I love the bright colors. The HABA brand has a lot of these great toys and sometimes they can be found at local natural toy shops so if you can find them local, buy local! They can also be found on Amazon.

Fish Rattle by Grimms I do love all things Grimm. They are a wonderful company.

Once they start moving, toys like this Rainbow Rolling Wheel are fun.

I purchased this Squish toy with child #3 and child #5 just gave it up a few years ago!

Wooden blocks are easy to come by and once your child is out of the stage of mouthing everything then you can stress less about where they come from, they can be found in many places from Target to IKEA. 

 Rainbow Wooden Stacker - we’ve had this one for probably 15 years and it is still amazing, once you leave the baby stage then it follows them into pretend play. 

Little wooden books are fun. HABA makes this one. 

If you know someone that does woodworking and is willing to make you a few toys then by all means, start there and remember you don’t need much for these little ones. You have plenty of years to pick up their toys, you don’t have to go overboard now. If you do make your own, coat them with non toxic paints and food grade beeswax polish.

Silks- this is a perfect age to bring them in. You can use them to snuggle with in the years before dress up. The beauty here is that you can make your own easily with silks you dye yourself or you can purchase them, like these by Sara’s Silks.

Don’t forget the lovely things you can have around for meal time. Are they needed? Probably not, but they are fun for sure, just remember that these should be hand washed. 

Wooden utensils and bowls

When wood wasn’t in my budget, I didn’t stress! I used what I had. I promise it will be okay. There are other fun sustainable options. Try these bamboo bowls and utensils. 

For snacks on the go, I have loved the U-Konserve company for years. Their stainless steel bowls are perfect for little hands.  

Of course I love all the organic cotton blankies too, those are easy to find. The one item I wish I had purchased with my older children that I didn’t discover until my last two is woolens. If you live in a colder or damp climate then woolen under clothes are the best. I purchased second hand where possible, joined online co-ops when I could find them (Facebook is good for somethings!) When I couldn’t find them this way, I loved sourcing them from Nova Natural. You don’t need many. I had two wool soakers one short and one long. I hand washed them as needed. Sariah lived in this nearly all winter. I made her plenty of little wool hats. This one has been my favorite patternand it is way easier than it looks and it’s free!

Children - Preschoolers & Beyond

All my notes about eating, wool and clothing apply here too. Dress them the way you want as long as they will let you! Hanna Andersson is a good resource for this and they often have sales. You can also find them often at second hand stores and on Ebay. This is also the stage where I like to start making some of their toys where I can. Once they aren’t mouthing everything then the world opens up to you. These are some links for things you can make as well as things you can buy. 

Toy Kitchens - now I know this is a pricey item BUT they will use it for years to come.  Ours was purchased for my second son when he turned four and it was used all the way through the last child. It saw nearly twenty years of play in our home and then went on to bless someone else.  We’ve had a kitchen, shopping cart, cash register, high chair, wooden food, felt food, and more.  The fun thing about this kind of toy is that you can add to their collection gradually. 

Fairies and their homes - these are great because you can source much of it on your own. If you have any woodworking skills then you can easily make some of the things I have listed here. This book and this book have brought so much fun to our home, in fact I have created gifts for my children and others from them time and again. I really love the author’s style. You’ll want some good felt to go along with it and I have always purchased mine either here or on Etsy. Wool felt lasts a long time - just keep it away from the cats.  For peg dolls and other doll making, I absolutely love this company, they have been my go to for Waldorf handwork for many years. We also have a fun free pattern here. 

This age also really tends to love all things moving… cars, trains, etc. Of course there are the Hot Wheels little metal cars that often come into their play, but there are also some others to consider. We have liked ones like these. We also had a wonderful love affair with Thomas the Tank and Friends for many years. There were books long before there were shows. These are other toys that lasted for years and years full of amazing open ended building and play. The nice thing about these sets is that even though they can be costly, they do generally work with other sets as well, like the train set you can get from IKEA. You do have to really pay attention to what you are purchasing though as they aren’t all wooden like they were when our journey started. Of course Brio is another good brand that has trains if you are looking for a non character option. I also had a child in love with Bruder brand trucks so we purchased some of those along the path too.  When purchasing any of these toys, I am always looking at sustainability for the long run - can it be resold when they are done with it? Can it be kept for the long term for their children or other children? 

Sustainability is definitely a question I have kept in mind when it comes to small wooden figures. There are many beautiful Etsy sellers that make some amazing little figures, they tend to resell later well, but my true favorites are Ostheimer. You might think I’m bonkers, but out of all the toys my children have asked for over the last 20+ years, these are the ones that I am excited to watch them play with. They have beautiful lines and are hand painted. They last for years and years.  When they are done playing with them, allow them to adorn your nature table, enjoy them in your spaces, or sell them and get a nice part of your investment back! Let them bring a smile to your face. Another brand I have enjoyed is Holztiger. They can sometimes be found on Amazon and are easier on your budget!

I would be a liar if I didn’t admit to how many Legos we had over the years. My children began in the younger grades with the very open ended sets and then as they grew into older childhood and into adolescence they also picked up some branded sets. 

Looking for handwork for the younger ones? I love the knitting fork and the knitting mushroom. Both are great for the child that is 5ish and up. And if you are looking for handwork for the 3-4yo child then weaving cards are always fun. We loved ones like this one from HABA. 

Children - Beyond the Younger Years

As they have grown, I tried my best to keep gifts sustainable and it really wasn’t too hard since these are our family values as a whole. If you have a reader - or a book eater as my dear friend terms them, do your homework. As they grow it is much harder to keep up with all the books these children want to connect with so I rely on book lists from people I trust and then I still research the heck out of them. There are topics that I want to bring at age appropriate times so a book, while it might be fine in the later years, it might not be something I want to expose them to where they are right now. I keep a list of these books and bring them when it is time. We’ve got a great book list on our website in the resources that might help as you are walking this path. 

I love art supplies for gifts! Of course there are these pencils, this paint palette (this one is perfect for the younger children as well!) beeswax and crayons but don’t forget kite paper and a book with some fun window stars in it! 

As your child rounds ten or older, I love kits like these to keep them busy.

Soapstone Carving Kit there are other fun soapstone kits here!

Sunprint Kit - this brought hours of fun!

Potholder Loom Kit - this is the gift that keeps on giving! They will love making gifts for Grandma!

Lap Loom Kit - this is another fun one that will keep them going!

Once they are older, like teens, then needle felting can be a fun project to take up. There are great kits like this oneor you can just buy the roving and make your own creations.

If they love sewing and knitting then this could be fun, either buy the kit put together or make your own! I did this plenty of times over the years.

Geodes - these are always fun and tend to find their way into stockings and Easter baskets in our house.  Since we are talking about rocks, rock tumblers are also a favorite here. It is fun to collect rocks while you are out on nature walks and then unlock some hidden beauty in the rock tumbler. 

Since we are out in nature, your older child might really enjoy a telescope. I don’t pretend to know which ones are best but I would recommend getting one that is something that can grow with your child. 

Wood carving and whittling is sure to come up during your lessons as you explore the world of natural toys. They may want to try their hand at making their own. Use great care when purchasing anything like this and do these projects together.

Favorite Family Games 

Games, these are our favorites, we have plenty more, but these are the ones that have been played over and over. 

HABA has some of my favorite games! The smaller ones for younger audiences are loads of fun.

The Yoga Garden Game was our inside movement for many years when we lived in really cold climates! This game is fun and cooperative.

Wingspan this one is complex but crazy fun if you like nature. This would be perfect if you are studying birds. There is also a video game version for the Switch if you are into gaming. I prefer this version myself because I can plan ALONE.

Trekking the National Parks this is a super fun game if you are addicted to National Parks like I am. 

Wild Craft - this one I love because it is cooperative and like Wingspan and Trekking, you learn something new. 

Uno is a classic game. I love it because you can teach a child to play it as soon as they know their numbers by site, I also keep score and we keep it going. Each person tallies their own.

Video games

Ok so I know this is a Waldorf list but I know a lot of Waldorf families allow some gaming so I wanted to give some ideas if you feel like you need options. Once they reach teenland I relax a bit on content. It’s important to note that some kids won’t even want to play video games (yay) and some will need you to help them know when to be done. Have good rules. In our house it counts as media time so if the rule is 30 min. then there is no TV time after. Be firm and teach healthy boundaries.  

The ones I chose here are all cooperative but also have a single player mode. I find that cooperative play on the screen can be very different than on a board game, at least in the beginning so you may need to help facilitate it at first. They can be played by younger children for the most part, but I really try to keep this away from them until after age 8. 

Yoshi Crafted World - up to 2 players, this one is cute and fun to play with them. I try to play with them when I can so it doesn't feel like this separate thing that they do without me.

Super Mario 3D World - up to 4 players, I don’t know this one but Super Sam is a fan.

Mario Party Super Stars - up to 4 players, plays like a board game, wicked fun and you can choose how long you want to play.

Super Mario Odyssey - up to 2 players, I don’t play this one but Super Sam and Dad have played it.

Mario Kart 8 - up to 4 players, I am really bad at this game. Like how am I supposed to stay on a track that has no rails??

Captain Toad - up to 2 players, this is probably my favorite of all the Nintendo world of games. I can play alone and it is puzzle based. It is also fun to play with kids.

Animal Crossing - up to 4 players, I’ll be honest, I am not a fan of this game. I have enough experience in real life buying and selling and making a mortgage payment that I don’t care to play it on a game, but the kids love it. I also think it can teach some budgeting skills and concepts.

Lego Video Games - up to 2 players I linked them all here as there are several. If you have a younger child that wants to play a Star Wars game or a Marvel game and there just isn’t anything that is age appropriate then these will often suffice. While there is violence in them (think lightsaber battle) what I like about them is that when someone is taken out there are no blood and guts, the Legos just fall apart.

Mom

Now we are all different so take my list with a grain of salt because this is what Melisa likes! 

Books! I love books. Keep in mind that I’ve been studying for a while and I have many books so if you are new then THIS list might be better for you. 

I’m also in love with watercolor painting and while I find many resources are great, these two are some of my favorites. Let’s Make Art is great for learning the basics and they have some great kits. Art Philosophy also has great kits. You can buy their paints (student grade but great) through their website, but you can also get them on Amazon. 

Dad

Dad can be tough to buy for. Truly lean into what lights him up. These are a few things that have been on lists here. Maybe it will spark some joy for your home too.

My husband and I are children of the 80s so Pac-Man and Strawberry Shortcake were part of our childhood. While I have left Strawberry in my past, Pac-Man is a pretty big icon for Erik. I love that I found some fun game art on Etsy and even at Hobby Lobby.  

Hygiene for dudes… my husband loves Dr. Squatch. I love that without my prompting he is using something that isn’t horrible for his body. They have all kinds of manly scents that you might find your children like as well as themed sets for comics and Star Wars.  

If your man (or anyone!)  likes to build models of Japanese robots, well USA Gundam has you covered 

Family

When it comes to my favorite gifts, really most of them have been experience gifts. Zoo passes, theme park passes, museums and trampoline parks. These are great for everyone and they allow us to experience things as a family. 

I hope this list has been helpful. Remember that not every gift has to be purchased, learning some handwork or woodwork skills will save you oodles of money and really connect you with the person you are gifting. It’s a balance. Blessings to you and your family. ~ Melisa

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