Black Friday Gift Ideas: 12 Buys for Kids and Families

The 6 Pack Original Card Games for Kids puts Crazy 8, Go Fish, Old Maid, War, Slap Jack and Memory Match in one set, each with its own cast of animal characters. The games are for ages 4 to 8 and two to six players. Each one comes in its own small box, about the size of a deck of cards, so you can keep two for family game night, tuck two into stockings and leave two in the car.

No. 016 Pack Original Card Games for Kids6 gamesAges 4–82–6 playersSee the set →

One puzzle lasts a weekend. The Ultimate Puzzle Night Bundle has six different 1000-piece puzzles, which is enough for months of puzzle nights. Each puzzle comes with extra challenges for after the last piece is in. The bundle also includes two conversation games, Rethink! and Rapid Fire, and a year of access to the QUOKKA puzzle app. The puzzles are recommended for ages 15 and up.

For a smaller start, the Cozy Puzzle Nights Bundle has three puzzles and the Rethink! game.

No. 02Ultimate Puzzle Night Bundle6 × 1000 pieces2 conversation gamesAges 15+See the bundle →

A smaller startCozy Puzzle Nights Bundle

3 × 1000 piecesRethink! gameSee it →

The Four Kingdoms set is four 1000-piece puzzles that tell one story across four worlds: a forest realm, a floating garden, a harbor city and a mountain kingdom. Each puzzle hides 223 secrets and visual clues and comes with a two-hour audio story. A free app adds bonus riddles and hints.

For movie fans, the Movie Collection has three 1000-piece puzzles inspired by two silent-film classics, Nosferatu (1922) and Metropolis (1927), and by the Roman Colosseum. There are two secret envelopes with every puzzle. If you’re new to this kind of puzzle, here’s what observational puzzles teach that regular puzzles don’t.

No. 03Four Kingdoms4 × 1000 pieces223 secrets each2-hour audio storySee the set →

For movie fansMovie Collection

3 × 1000 pieces2 envelopes eachSee it →

The Trivia Card Game for Kids – World, Space, History & Human Body has four decks: geography and culture, space, history, and the human body. Each deck mixes regular questions with quick true-or-false rounds, so the game moves fast and everyone gets plenty of turns. It’s for two or more players, and the grown-ups are welcome to try to keep up.

No. 04Trivia Card Game for Kids – World, Space, History & Human Body4 decksTrue or false2+ playersSee the game →

The 3 Set Conversation Cards Game for Kids & Family has three decks, Family, Deep Talk and Kids, with more than 1,500 questions in 15 categories. Bring it out at dinner, on a long drive or on a quiet night in, and pick the deck that fits whoever’s at the table.

No. 053 Set Conversation Cards Game for Kids & Family3 decks1,500+ questions15 categoriesSee the cards →

In What’s The Sound?, you draw a card, roll the Mode Die and perform a sound while your team races the sand timer to guess it. The 180 cards hold 330 challenges, from animal noises and city sounds to awkward situations and character impressions. They’re split into six categories, each with easy and hard levels. It’s loud, silly and easy to explain, which is just what a New Year’s Eve party needs.

No. 06What’s The Sound?180 cardsMode DieSand timerSee the game →

Winter break means a lot of days indoors. The 4 Set Scavenger Hunt Game for Kids packs four games into one box: a scavenger hunt, charades, observation challenges and animal moves, where kids hop, balance, crawl and stretch like animals. That’s 450 tasks for ages 4 and up, and they work indoors or out.

No. 074 Set Scavenger Hunt Game for Kids4 games450 tasksAges 4+See the kit →

The 4-Pack Beginner Sewing Kits for Kids has 48 felt toys to sew in four themes: wild animals, bugs and insects, sea life, and safari animals. Each kit has 12 projects with pre-cut felt and pre-punched holes, plus plastic needles, thread, stuffing, googly eyes, kid-safe scissors and step-by-step instructions. Kids stitch one toy at a time, and with 48 of them, there’s always another one to start. Here’s more on sewing kits for kids.

No. 084-Pack Beginner Sewing Kits for Kids4 kits48 felt toysTools includedSee the kits →

Holiday travel comes with a lot of waiting: in the car, at the airport and at the restaurant table. The 4 Set Travel Magnetic Book has four themes, farm, Africa, forest and sea, with more than 80 animal magnets and extra-long fold-out scenes. The magnets are strong, so the pieces stay put on the go.

For kids who like puzzles, the 3 Set Magnetic Puzzles has nine puzzles and 288 pieces with animals, dinosaurs, vehicles, maps and space. For more ideas, see our road trip games for kids.

No. 094 Set Travel Magnetic Book4 books80+ magnetsFold-out scenesSee the books →

For puzzle fans3 Set Magnetic Puzzles

9 puzzles288 piecesSee it →

The Step Up Puzzles 4 Set is made for ages 2 to 4. It has 40 animal puzzles in four boxes: forest animals, pets, farm animals, and bugs and insects. The puzzles start at three pieces and go up to five, so a toddler can move on to the harder ones as their confidence grows.

No. 10Step Up Puzzles 4 Set40 puzzles3 to 5 piecesAges 2–4See the puzzles →

A play mat is one of the few baby gifts that gets used every single day. The Baby Play Mat for Floor: Ocean ABC has a soft plush surface, a non-slip backing and an ocean alphabet design, with room for tummy time, crawling and first steps. It measures 60 by 41 inches and won Product of the Year in Baby Playmats at the 2024 Baby Maternity Magazine Awards. For a bigger playroom, there’s a large version at 79 by 60 inches.

No. 11Baby Play Mat for Floor: Ocean ABC60 × 41 inNon-slip backingSoft plushSee the mat →

For a bigger playroomLarge Baby Play Mat: Ocean ABC

79 × 60 inSee it →

Gift cards were among the most popular gifts over last year’s Thanksgiving weekend, bought by about a quarter of shoppers. The QUOKKA Gift Card comes in three amounts and arrives by email right away, with no extra fees. That makes it a good last-minute gift on Cyber Monday, too.

No. 12QUOKKA Gift Card3 amountsSent by emailNo extra feesGet a gift card →