Kid Friendly: 2017 Summer Gift Guide

I’ve rounded up 17 of our favorite toys and products for summertime in this Summer Gift Guide for Kids. Whether you are looking for the perfect birthday gift or a toy to keep your own kids occupied, this gift guide has something for everyone. Keep on scrolling to the bottom for a chance to win several of the products featured in the guide! This post contains affiliate links. 

1. RAINBOW LOOM

The Rainbow Loom Kit comes with a loom, hook and plenty of rubber bands to make bracelets, necklaces and so much more! The kit comes with enough rubber bands to make up to 24 bracelets and you can always buy band refills if needed. This is such a fabulous fine motor skill activity, perfect for those early writers! The Rainbow Loom is recommended for 8+, but my almost 7 year old quickly got the hang of it with minimal assistance. We’ll definitely be taking this with us on our next road trip, it’s a great quiet. independent activity! Follow Rainbow Loom on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

2. TUTTI FRUTTI SCENTED DOUGH

Our Tutti Frutti scented modeling dough gets played with daily. The party bucket is great for multiple children and comes with 5 cans of dough, 1 press, 12 cookie cutters, 3 dough extruders, 1 rolling pin and so much more. The best part of Tutti Frutti dough is that it’s scented. Unlike most clays, Tutti Frutti is rehydratable, non-sticky and made with natural ingredients. This is another great fine motor skill activity for young children. Tutti Frutti has always been one of my go to gifts for kids of all ages. Follow Tutti Frutti on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

3. LEGO CREATOR TREEHOUSE ADVENTURES

This LEGO Creator set features a colorful red-themed treehouse with ladder, hoist, telescope, flag, 2 lamps, secret compartment and a detailed interior with a treasure map, squirt gun, hammer, paint bucket, paint roller, unpainted plank of wood, chair and a cookie. Our favorite thing about this set, which is recommended for ages 7 – 12, is that it includes 3 creations in 1: treehouse, tree fort and clubhouse. Kids can build, tear down and build a different creation with the included instructions. Fun for the entire summer! Follow LEGO on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

4. LAKESHORE SQUEEZE, SCOOP & COUNT ICE CREAM SHOP

The Squeeze, Scoop & Count Ice Cream Shop from Lakeshore makes counting fun! Kids count from 1 to 10 while adding scoops of “ice cream” to a banana-split counting tray—building fine motor skills as they squeeze, scoop and play. Includes a ball storage container, 2 counting trays, 2 easy-grip scoops, 30 foam ice cream balls and an activity guide. My preschooler regularly asks to play this game and has invented creative, new ways to play. This would make a great gift for toddlers or preschoolers, who are learning how to count or might need some extra fine motor skill practice. Follow Lakeshore Learning on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. 

5. SUPER WUBBLE BUBBLE BALL

Super Wubble Bubble Ball is made with the super strong, tear-resistant material. It comes with a battery-operated pump that inflates the Super Wubble Bubble Ball in minutes. You can kick it, whack it, throw it, bounce it and even sit on it without worrying about deflating it. This bubble ball floats, wobbles, dribbles, spins, smashes and even makes really wacky sounds. When you’re finished playing, you can even deflate Wubble bubble ball and put it away for next time. This has been a huge hit for outdoor play this summer, it’d make a great gift! Follow Super Wubble on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

6. CRAYOLA 64CT WASHABLE CHALK

With 64 different colors, this Crayola Washable Chalk box is any little artist’s dream come true! These chalk sticks come in bright, bold colors and leave clear, vibrant marks on concrete or asphalt. When kids are done for the day, the chalk washes away with water. Crayola chalk is a summer staple around here, there’s so much creative fun that you can do with it. From sidewalk art to homemade chalk sand, there are so many ideas to try. This is one of my favorite gifts to give to just about any age. Follow Crayola on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

7. WATER WUBBLE

The Water Wubble, from the creators of the Super Wubble, can be filled easily and continuously reused. They are self sealing, so no more struggling to fill and tie water balloons, which makes it easy for the little ones to do on their own. The Water Wubble splashes, but doesn’t pop. My kids loved that they didn’t have to pick up scraps of broken balloons after they played! My kids had a lot of fun playing toss with these water balloon balls and playtime lasted longer than it would with regular water balloons. Such a fun summer gift idea! Follow Super Wubble on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

8. LAKESHORE MOLD & PLAY SENSORY SAND SET

The Mold & Play Sensory Set from Lakeshore Learning comes with 10 rugged plastic tools, a tray and 2.2 lb. of sensory sand. The sand sticks together as if it’s wet, but it’s completely dry. Kids can mold, build and sculpt with this fun set. My kids play with their sensory sand daily. Lakeshore Learning is our go to shop for creative learning products. My kids always get so excited when a package arrives from Lakeshore! Follow Lakeshore Learning on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. 

9. LAKESHORE THE ULTIMATE FORT BUILDER

The Ultimate Fort Builder from Lakeshore Learning comes with 45 poles and 25 connectors to build the fort of your dreams! The kit comes with an instruction book or kids can invent their own creations. The materials are very sturdy and durable, plus easy to use. My kids love building forts out of furniture, but this set adds to the creativity and is a great STEM learning activity. We’ve already ordered a second set so we can creative bigger forts and so my kids can both create at the same time. Follow Lakeshore Learning on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. 

10. KIDBOX

I posted about our Kidbox experience last summer, it’s a clothing style box for kids. Each season, if you give the go ahead, Kidbox will send you a box full of clothes that are tailored to your child’s preferences. Once you receive the box, you can try on the clothing at home and decide which outfits to keep. If you opt to keep the entire box (6-8 items) , you pay $98 (less for the baby box) or you can pay per piece. We’ve never been unhappy with a Kidbox and have received some great brands in our boxes like 7 For All Mankind, Diesel and Lucky Denim. My miniature fashionista loves that the Kidbox is addressed to her and always comes with a special surprise inside. This is a great gift to tell the grandparents about! Follow Kidbox on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. 

11. LEGO FRIENDS HEARTLAKE SUMMER POOL

The LEGO Friends Heartlake Summer Pool, recommended for ages 6-12, is hours of summer fun! It includes a swimming pool that features a wavy slide, diving board, rubber ring, air mattress, aquarium, shower, TV screen, two speakers, fountain, a swim-up bar and steps down to the hot tub area. Accessory elements include a ball, glasses, cherries, pineapple, bill, newspaper, basket and an ice cream. It also comes with 2 mini-doll figures. I don’t know who had more fun building this set, myself or my daughter. LEGO was a huge part of my childhood, especially in the summertime, and I’m happy to see my children also enjoying it. Follow LEGO on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

12. UNICORN COZYPHONES

I have yet to find a pair of headphones that my 3 year old daughter will happily wear for an extended period of time, until she tried CozyPhones. They are perfect for air travel, when headphones are required, or on long road trips. Like the name suggests, these headphones are cozy and comfortable. Not only is the design cute, the band doesn’t slip off the ears and they are lightweight. CozyPhones comes in a variety of different styles – unicorn, fox, panda, bunny, cat, etc. Definitely a great gift for any child going on a summer trip! Follow CozyPhones on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. 

13. SAFETYTAT 

I will never travel or visit an amusement park again without SafetyTat! SafetyTat is a temporary tattoo that prominently displays your mobile phone number so that if in the event you and your child are separated he/she can be returned to you quickly. Once you write your phone number on tattoo with provided tattoo marking pen (or you can order them with your phone number printed on), SafetyTat provides a highly visible form of identification that stays in place – even when wet – and lasts for weeks, until you are ready to remove it. I quiz my kids regularly on my phone number, but SafetyTat gives me that extra bit of reassurance and my kids love wearing it. Follow SafetyTat on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

14. RUBBER BANDIT

From the creators of Rainbow Loom, the Rubber Bandit comes with 1 band blaster, 1 pair of goggles, 1 target, 1 stand, 1 band claw, 600 rainbow loom bands and 1 target sheet with instructions. Load the band blaster with up to 8 bands at a time and rapid fire shoot at the included target. The unique spikes on the target catch the bands so you can easily pick them up with the included band claw to recoup your ammo. This toy makes for fun group play or solo play. I love that the bands give little hands a little extra fine motor skill practice. Such a fun gift idea! Follow Rainbow Loom on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

15. FUNNY PAPER CARDBOARD PLAYHOUSE

Build, decorate and play inside the Funny Paper Playhouse! The igloo-inspired design is the perfect size for my preschooler and kindergartener. The playhouse is very sturdy due to the double-wall, recycled non-toxic corrugated cardboard. My daughter enjoyed decorating her little house with Dab and Dot Markers. There’s just something about a cardboard box that sparks imagination. My kids have had so much fun allowing their imaginations to run wild inside this playhouse. Get the Funny Paper Mushroom Stool for a creative spot to sit. Follow Doodle Hog on Facebook and Pinterest. 

16. SUN TAILS SHARK FIN

Who wouldn’t love a shark fin from Sun Tails this summer?! Just strap on a fin and swim around like a shark. It provides buoyancy and functions as a floating device for kids just learning to swim, keeping them in a proper horizontal swimming position. It’s also just plain fun for stronger swimmers who just want to play shark in the pool. SwimFin is also a flotation device that complies with international safety standards. This would make the perfect gift for any shark lover! Follow Sun Tails on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

17. STEP2 DINO DIG SAND & WATER TABLE

Calling all mini paleontologists! The Step 2 Dino Dig Sand & Water Table is a two-sided table with an area for sand and an area for water underneath the removable volcano lid. The table comes with 4 plastic dinosaurs, a two sided rake/shovel and cup for scooping. We filled our table with magic moon sand for indoor play and will eventually take it outside to use as a water table. A water table has always been my go to gift for toddlers and this is the cutest one yet that Step2 has come out with! Follow Step2 on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. 

Purchase products here: Rainbow Loom | Tutti Frutti Scented Dough | LEGO Creator Treehouse Adventures | Lakeshore Ice Cream Shop | Wubble Bubble | Crayola 64ct Washable Chalk | Water Wubble | Lakeshore Mold & Play Sensory Sand Set | Lakeshore The Ultimate Fort Builder | Kidbox | LEGO Friends Heartlake Summer Pool | CozyPhones Unicorn Headphones | SafetyTat | Rubber Bandit | Funny Paper Cardboard Playhouse |  Sun Tails Shark Fin | Step2 Dino Dig Sand & Water Table

SUMMER FUN GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will have the opportunity to WIN the following:

SafetyTat Quick Stick Write-On! Multi 6-Pack

Lakeshore Mold & Play Sensory Sand Set

Lakeshore Squeeze, Scoop & Count Ice Cream Shop

Lakeshore The Ultimate Fort Builder

Water Wubble

Kidbox

Rainbow Loom

Step2 Dino Dig Sand & Water Table

Sun Tails Shark Fin

One lucky reader will WIN the SUMMER FUN PRIZE PACK, ARV $340! 

Open to the continental US only. Ends 7/10/17 at 11:59 PM MST.

Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below. Good luck!