Corrine StokoeDid you know the north pole is really just Nordstrom's Toy Shop? 😉 Seriously though, for all the gifts I have found here over the years, you could say this is the Stokoe's north pole for sure, ha! I wanted to write a quick gift guide just in time for you to get your last minute gifts before Christmas – so whether you are buying for your own littles, your grandkids, your nieces and nephews, etc. I'm confident this post will help you find the perfect present with just a few scrolls and clicks!
Millie's Leggings
Unicorn Toy sold out, similar
BABY (ages 0-2)
My number one gift suggestion for a baby like our little Harry would be any stuffed animal from cuddle+kind. When you invest in a super cute, really really good quality stuffie like this one, it will be something your baby loves their whole entire childhood – which will make it a keepsake for life! And it will literally last that long with how well it is made. It is also the perfect size for a baby or toddler to play with or tote around, and I love that about this brand specifically. These dolls were totally made for this age group in mind!
I remember giving Anabelle a stuffed animal from Nordstrom when she was first born and it was her favorite thing even as she got older. From past experience, it's just a really sweet sentiment that you can't go wrong with because it will be something special that they'll hold on to even as they grow. (Man, wish they didn't have to, though!!)
Stuffed Animal
Giving x2
There are so many things to love about cuddle+kind. They have tons of different, fun options to choose from – every single doll is made to be an heirloom, crafted with intricate knitting, and finished off with the cutest detailing. Plus, they really are super plush and cuddly. But most of all, I LOVE that with every purchase they give ten meals to children in need. That's the type of gift I'll stand behind over and over again!
Thinking-ahead gifts
We also bought Harry some gifts that he's not quite ready for just yet, but I know he is going to LOVE them as he gets a little older. If you are shopping for a baby in the 12-24 month range, this emergency vehicles set is my favorite of the “thinking-ahead” gifts we got him. I know he is going to have so much fun with these in just a few more months! (Side note: I cannot BELIEVE he'll be one in less than half a year… cue the mama tears…) But one last HUGE plus – if you are just looking for something affordable, this gift is under $20! Score!
Baby gift roundup
Here are more of my top favorite baby gifts from the Toy Shop!
TODDLER (ages 2-4)
Millie is the little toddler in our family right now and it is such a fun stage. If you follow my Instagram stories you know she's the biggest sweetheart. And I love seeing her get more involved in play as she gets older!
One of my favorite gifts we have gotten her is this ride-on unicorn. It's been so awesome because it grows with your toddler! They can start out using it as a walker, then progress to sitting-and-scooting, and eventually they can use it as an actual stand and push scooter. It is SO fun for her and it has gotten tons and tons of use. I think the unicorn version is so, so cute, and I'm SO sad that it's sold out right now, but their dog design is the same idea and maybe even better since it's more gender neutral!
Five stars for FAO Schwarz
Millie is super into baby dolls right now, so that was another MUST for her gifts this year. And it was a no-brainer to choose this darling doll from FAO Schwarz because they only make the most highly-rated toys ever. (Anyone else love the pure-magic-feel of their huge store in NYC? One of my favorite places to visit!)
When you buy FAO Schwarz, you know you are purchasing pure quality and that you are not going to be disappointed (just look at all their reviews!). On top of that, Nordstrom exclusively does this partnership during Christmas time, and they ONLY sell Schwarz's best and most popular toys. So, today's big TIP: if you find an FAO Schwarz toy in the Nordstrom Toy Shop, it is pure. present. gold!!!
The big SCOOP on one of my fave toddler gifts this year
Another toy that I discovered recently and promptly added to the top of my faves list is this ice cream scoop-and-stack set! It's such a fun idea – the ice cream is magnetic, so your toddler can create the perfect ice cream cone by stacking each spoonful on top of each other – and the scoop is magnetic as well, so it really feels like they are actually serving up some yummy mint chip. Millie loved, loved, loved playing with this, and when my older girls got home from school, they played with it for hours, too! It's something different and imaginative which makes it a great toy for those little attention spans. Melissa & Doug has tons of really great toys like this that are fun and also really helpful in developing fine motor skills. I highly recommend this gift, especially because it's under $30!
Toddler gift roundup
Here are more of my top favorite toddler gifts from the Nordstrom Toy Shop!
KID (ages 5-7)
Now THIS is the primetime of childhood, and I am here for it with Lyla. The top item on her gift list this year has been Barbie, all the way. This mermaid Barbie is so cute and colorful, and her hair is amazing, ha. I always think it's so fun that you can really personalize a Barbie gift with what would fit that specific child's personality!
Risk-free shopping
Another gift I got for Lyla this year was this cute purple ombre backpack, because she has just been using one of Ani's hand-me-downs for a while now. I didn't realize this until after I purchased this in-store, but this backpack doesn't have the best reviews – but what I LOVE about Nordstrom is that if I get something I don't end up loving, their returns are SO easy. And if you purchased it online, the returns are always free to send back in the mail! Oh, and just a reminder: you can shop in-store, online, or you can schedule curbside pick up this holiday season and I am HERE for it. Shopping with them has seriously never been easier!
If I do end up switching the backpack, I am probably going to go for this popular one with rave reviews. Sometimes I let my girls watch the Bucket List Family, and they always see their kids wearing these and they constantly tell me they want one just like it! I love that it comes in so many bright and fun colors, and that it's water resistant, too.
Kid gift roundup
Here are more of my top favorite kid gifts from the Nordstrom Toy Shop!
TWEEN (ages 8-12)
It feels SO strange to say that I have a TWEEN, but here we are! Anabelle is definitely getting older and I can tell her toy preferences are changing. This year, she hasn't stopped talking about wanting a robot pet, and this kit is going to make her dreams come true – I'm so excited about it! She absolutely loves science and math, so STEM activities like this are right up her alley and keep her busy for hours. For UNDER $30, they can make EIGHT different pets with this set – totally worth every penny!
More STEM toys
Like I said, Ani really loves STEM toys (science, technology, engineering, and math) so I was stoked to find this chemistry set for her (with perfect reviews, nonetheless!). I think it's so cool that she's super into learning about these things, and it's also something that is going to be time-consuming and fun at the same time. My favorite combination for any toy set! There's so much more than just the chemistry set though – they have a physics set, gummy candy lab, colorful crystal lab, aircraft engineering kit, robot safari set, and so much more!
A gift that's a GEM
Bracelet making will forever be one of the best activities, no matter how old you get! My girls will spend hours making jewelry, but especially Anabelle. At this age creativity really starts shining through, and I love seeing what she makes. Plus, it's a gift that never gets old because she can change it up every time. This particular set is so awesome because it's actually pretty enough that I really would wear a bracelet made from these beads, ha! I know Ani's going to love this gift when she finds it under the tree this year.
Tween gift roundup
Here are more of my top favorite tween gifts from the Nordstrom Toy Shop!
ALL AGES
Some of my favorite Christmas memories growing up were when we'd get something under the tree that everyone could enjoy together – and I have always wanted to carry that on with my own family. I found quite a few gifts this year at Nordstrom's Toy Shop that are going to be so much fun for all my kids!
One of the gifts I'm most excited about is this FAO Schwarz musical dance mat. ALL my girls are going to looooove this. The fact I found a gift that will be so fun for all of them, with such a big age range (2-8) is a HUGE mom-win in my book. And of course with it being an FAO Schwarz toy, it has RAVE reviews so you can feel extra confident purchasing this one.
The name of the game
In my opinion, one of the best Christmas gifts you can get your kids is a game! I love seeing Lyla and Ani play games so well together now, and when they start playing one they love, they will keep at it for hours and hours on end. And how fun is it to wake up on Christmas morning and play a new game with your siblings all day? That's another one of my favorite memories growing up, and Nordstrom's Toy Shop has SO many fun game options – it was hard for me to choose, really!
One of the games I purchased was UNO Showdown which is such a fun, interactive game, but unfortunately it has sold out. But I think another game they would absolutely love and play for hours would be Connect 4! Such a classic, even I have fun playing that one.
Another fun game idea – Anabelle is super into chess right now, so I thought checkers would be a good way to introduce Lyla to the game. Unfortunately the magnetic checkers set I got them has also sold out, such a bummer. But here's a two-in-one chess and checkers set you could get instead!
The Sunnylife brand also has some other super fun and pretty games in the same wheelhouse including dominos, their own version of Connect 4, and jumbling tower. I'm serious about these games being pretty – you absolutely could leave them out on display because they're so dang cute!
Puzzles for days
Another gift idea that is super fun for lots of ages is a puzzle. Both your big kids and little kids can join in, and of course we all love how that can literally mean days of entertainment and memories made! Nordstrom has so many great puzzle options right now from preschool age, to 100 pieces, to even 500 pieces. I also think this scratch-n-sniff one is SO fun!
All ages gift roundup
Here are more of my top favorite gifts for all ages from the Toy Shop!
Stress-free shopping
Nordstrom is one of my favorite high-end, one-stop shopping destinations year-round, but I especially love it during the hectic holiday season! They have everything you need for the holiday season from the perfect gifts for everyone on your list (like your man!!), to the perfect pieces to put together holiday looks for Christmas, or New Year's! Plus if you're a cardholder or a Nordy Club member, you can earn points for any purchases made at Nordstrom.
Nordstrom truly has the very best customer service on earth, plus FREE shipping and FREE returns and exchanges!
And do you know about BOPUS? BOPUS is Buy Online, Pick Up in Store. If you're ready to just pull the trigger and you want it now, you will love this option. Especially since Nordstrom has a curbside pickup. You can click, drive up, pick up and get on with your day. Literally a holiday season dream!
Let's wrap this up – or, Nordstrom can do that
I hope our Nordstrom Toy Shop gift guide gave you some great ideas for the littles in your life this year! If you've been shopping Nordstrom all year and racking up your Nordstrom Notes, this is when I use them ALL to cover most of our Christmas, it's bananas! Such a huge perk to being a loyal Nordstrom shopper.
And if you didn't know this already, I wanted to let you know that Nordstrom will GIFT WRAP for FREE. How cool is that? You can select the store nearest you and have ALL of the gifts wrapped FOR FREE before you pick them up. OR if you have friends and family who live far away, you can even have them shipped to the store closest to your loved ones and have them wrapped, and put their name down for in-store pickup and they'll bring the gifts out to their car, ALL wrapped up!
If you're a busy mom like me, I can heeeear you jumping for joy right now, ha! Nordstrom just really knows how to do Christmas right, so that's why I am here to tell you the north pole really is just Nordstrom's Toy Shop, and I will forever be grateful for that. I'm so excited to hear how much your kids love their gifts this year, and I hope there are so many fun memories made. Happy holidays!
