The holiday season is upon us, and here at Nerdy With Children we’ve compiled a list of the best products we could find after scouring the internet. We argued, yelled and lobbied each other until it was narrowed down to eighteen items. The whole process played out pretty much like Catan or Diplomacy (and occasionally like Risk): I’ll vote for product A, if you’ll back me on product B…. now I’ve stabbed you in the back and taken Asia. Overall, we love this list, and think it’s a good smattering of the best gifts for your nerdlings this holiday season. The recommended age groups and a link to our full description is included for each product. This list is not in any particular order because that would be an entirely different, and much bloodier, office battle. Make sure you enter our Holiday Giveaway Contest for your chance to win lots of these products for free.

 

Name: Matilda, Your Tudor Girl

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: Very rarely a doll comes along that is both high quality, educational, and fun to play with. Matilda, from the company A Girl For All Time, does a superb job blending these attributes. If you (knowing what sits on the toy shelves at every major retailer) cringed when your offspring begged for a doll, Matilda is the one for your family. It’s a must-have for parents who want to encourage a love of history in their kids.
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Name: Anatomy Apron from Artec

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: Kids love guts, and gross, slimy things; there’s something in our collective DNA that draws us to bodily functions at a young age. We chose this apron for the list because of its originality, educational value and, let’s face it, the ability to remove and replace felt organs on your body is just awesome.
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Name: LittleBits Starter Kit

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: DIY transistors are making a comeback. This is the best one we’ve found so far, mostly because of its unique use of magnets as connectors. With all the electronic devices in our lives, it’s cool for kids to have a “toy” that actually introduces them to how these gadgets work.
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Name: Attacknids Battle Bots

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: Crab-like R/C robots, reminiscent of something out of Robocop, that fight each other. Enough said.
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Name: Chumbuddy Sleeping Bag

Recommended Ages: Preschooler, Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: What kid doesn’t want to be eaten alive by a shark just like Quint? No matter what age you are, it is hard to look at this and not want one. It’s a giant, comfy shark which devours your entire body as you lay down for some sweet Jaws-filled dreams. Seriously, what’s not to like?
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Name: Cubelets Robot Kit

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: This easy yet sophisticated snap-together robot kit is a unique gift that will have your kids building the T-1000 by the time they are 30. Who doesn’t want a mini cube robot rampaging through the house?
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Name: Jedi Fleece Robe

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: Kids, and everyone for that matter, love three things: costumes, Star Wars and staying warm. We want to go back to being 10 and battling Darth Vader in this sweet robe… oh wait, we did that last weekend.
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Name: Epic Mickey 2: The Power Of Two

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: The best co-op game for youngins that’s coming out this year; it combines awesome art with challenging puzzles, and continues the great story steeped in forgotten Disney history. Long live Oswald the Lucky Rabbit! We’re really looking forward to this game.
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Name: Kepi For Kids – Kepi Ghoulie

Recommended Ages: Infant, Toddler, Preschooler, Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: Seriously the best kid’s album we’ve had the pleasure to listen to all year. It blends the right amount of positive energy, weirdness, and Kepi’s punk roots. You’ll be passing this one around to all your friends; no lame carpool music ever again!
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Name: The Rocking Sheep

Recommended Ages: Toddler, Preschooler

Why We Picked It: It’s a hip (not to mention snuggly soft) spin on a traditional toy — the rocking horse. We fell in love with it as soon as we laid eyes on it, and so will you. It’s a pink fluffy sheep!
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Name: Fohawx!

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: What kid wants to wear a helmet when they go outside to ride their bike? Safety versus coolness is something everyone struggles with at some point. We expect kids will not only sport this while riding, but will even want to wear this helmet accessory when you take them to the grocery store.
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Name: Water Dragon Wall Print

Recommended Ages: Toddler, Preschooler, Early Elementary

Why We Picked It: We feature lots of awesome wall art, but this one is by far the most unique. A pleasant, beautiful way to give your child’s bedroom a tranquil feel while staying whimsical and unique.
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Name: Siouxsie Sioux Onesie & T-Shirt

Recommended Ages: Infant, Toddler

Why We Picked It: We love all things post-punk and goth, which means that Siouxsie Sioux is our queen. This left us with little choice but to include this onesie shrine to her on the list.
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Name: Hooded Skeleton Sweater

Recommended Ages: Infant, Toddler, Preschooler, Early Elementary

Why We Picked It: A sweater which dresses your little monster as a skeleton is good enough on its own. Combine that with the fact that this garment is ethically made from organic cotton in Kenya, and we need say no more as to why we fell in love with it.
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Name: Minecraft LEGOS

Recommended Ages: Preschooler, Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: Minecraft and LEGOs are a match made in gamer heaven. We love the co-op aspects to these LEGOs: your child can assemble them while you play the game, then you can both sit back and admire your newly-created cube world. That’s win-win in our book.
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Name: Super Mario Avengers Onesie/T-Shirt

Recommended Ages: Infant, Toddler

Why We Picked It: This garment combines two of our favorite things, video games and comics, on a onesie or t-shirt. Pair the never ending love of the Super Mario gang with the current Avengers fever, and you’ve got a winner. Plus, your neighbors will think you are the coolest parents on the block; if not, you definitely need new neighbors.
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Name: Chalktrail

Recommended Ages: Preschooler, Early Elementary, Tween

Why We Picked It: This inspired us to begin building a time machine and sell these in the 80’s. It’s one of the best things we’ve seen this year… or any year, really. Ride your bike and draw all over the pavement, brilliant!
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Name: Swimmable Mermaid Tails

Recommended Ages: Tween

Why We Picked It: These custom-made tails take pool playtime to the next level. It’s the closest your kid can get to being a real-life mermaid/man, and good practice for a future career at Weeki Wachee. That makes them the perfect gift for your aquatically inclined kids.
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