This post was in partnership with woom bikes but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
"Can you believe there are only 65 days left until Christmas Day? Me either! Like many people, I usually start my holiday shopping right around Thanksgiving with Black Friday deals. But this year, I decided to get going a little earlier. If you’ve done any online shopping over the last seven months, then you’ve likely experienced some delays with items you’ve ordered. For me, I’ve had orders delayed, come early, or be canceled altogether—I’ve learned the “order completed” email notification isn’t always accurate.
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I know it’s October, but the holidays will be here before any of us know it. If you have special or sentimental gifts you plan to buy this year, you may want to order early and hide them away to avoid shipping delays or early sellouts. The gifts I’m starting to shop for now are the precious and unique ones that really matter. In my family, we always call those the “WOW gifts” because we hope that’s what the person will say when they open it.
To help with some “WOW” gift ideas for your family, we’ve rounded up five really special gifts to order now for the holidays—check them out below.
1. A woom bike
I can almost hear the squeals of excitement from my son, imagining him getting this bike with a big bow on top of it!
He is 18 months old, and like most toddlers, his energy is through the roof. Sometimes, playing with blocks, push toys, or puzzles just doesn’t cut it for him. He wants to go-go-go all the time. Right now, his favorite thing to do is to be outside as much as possible, which is why we’re so excited to get him a bike, specifically a woom bike.
A woom brand bike isn’t just any old kids’ bike; these bikes were made with children as the core focus, paying particular attention to the anatomies of kids. The woom 1, the one we’re eyeing, is a balance bike, meaning it doesn’t come with pedals like your typical training wheels bike. Kids between the ages of 1.5 and 3.5 years can push themselves along with their feet, learn balance, and figure out how to control the bike at a young age.
The woom 1 balance bike is smaller, lightweight (it only weighs 6lbs!) and, most importantly, safe. And for bigger kids, woom has bikes in various sizes with pedals and other add-on features—so it’s a brand you can return to for future big-ticket gifts as your little one grows. The best part? All woom bikes are easy to put together for parents, which is essential if you’re assembling on, say, December 24.
As you can probably imagine, due to the pandemic keeping more families at home, a lot of people are buying bikes for their kids, grandkids, etc. If you’re considering one as a gift for the holidays, you can pre-order now to help ensure it arrives on time. Thankfully, woom makes the pre-order process super simple by providing estimated ship dates through their website. If a model or color you want is currently out of stock, you can sign up to be notified as soon as it restocks.
2. A playhouse
Imaginative play is one of my favorite things to watch as my son grows. Playhouses help encourage imagination, role-playing, and more as mini-versions of the home. They’re also versatile because you could set them up as an indoor playspace or in the backyard to encourage more outside play.
And there are also so many varieties to choose from; I’m eyeing this Ocean Front Playhouse because it’s not only visually appealing but it also has so many different activities to keep my son entertained. And for the craftier parents, the playhouse DIY potential is also endless.
3. A Pikler climbing arch
My high energy toddler only stops moving when he’s sleeping. While I’d love to have that much energy throughout the day, sometimes I need a break or time to tackle a few things on my to-do list. That’s why I’m considering this climber as one of his holiday gifts this year.
Like most toddlers, my son loves to climb on any and every thing he can. While that can be fine from time-to-time, it would be good to have a dedicated item specifically made for climbing. This would also be a great piece that can be used outdoors but transitioned to an indoor space once the colder months set in.
This climber continues to sell out, with almost 3,000 sales on Etsy and over 700 five-star reviews, so buy this one early if it’s on your list.
4. A play kitchen
One of my favorite holiday gifts as a kid was my Easy-Bake Oven. I would jump at the chance to make anyone a cake who was willing to play along. Play kitchens feel like a step up from the play items we had as kids. Sure, you can’t literally bake a cake in a play kitchen, but they offer tons of opportunities for imaginative play.
And like playhouses, there are so many options to choose from. This new Farmhouse play kitchen release at Target is adorable; it comes with pretend food, makes running water sounds, and has burners that light up.
5. A personalized chair
On Saturday mornings, my son loves to grab his sippy cup and sit in his own rocking chair. It’s one of the cutest things to watch from afar. As kids grow up, they like to have things they can call their own.
Not only can you monogram the chair with your child’s name, but it is also perfectly kid-sized so they can climb in and out of it themselves. It’s lightweight, so it’s easy to move from room-to-room. Plus, the slipcover is machine washable, so you don’t have to worry about crumbs or spills. This chair is an editor favorite and comes in several colors and styles.
This post was in partnership with woom bikes but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.