Gift Ideas
The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive is entirely supported by the people, groups and businesses of Nanaimo. You can help by purchasing toys and gifts for children 0 – 17 years of age. Each child receives 1-2 toys or gifts, stocking stuffers, a stuffed animal, and a book.
Each family receives a game or puzzle. We get a lot more requests for games than puzzles but often don’t have enough.
Popular games include: Monopoly, Operation, Guess Who, Connect 4, Battleship, Blokus, Mouse Trap, Trouble, The Game of Life, Snakes & Ladders, The Floor is Lava, and Labyrinth
0 – 2 Years Old
Toys: Learning toys (shapes, numbers, letters, animals, sensory, etc.), Fisher-Price interactive learning toys, tummy time mats, activity gyms, learn-to-walk/push toys, pretend play (e.g. food set, tool kit, medical kit, etc.), dolls, vehicles, music (drum, piano/keyboard, noise makers, etc.), blocks, LEGO (Duplo)
Books: Board books about animals and families. Books by Todd Parr, Peter Reynolds, Robert Munsch, Sandra Boynton. The Children’s Treehouse has a large selection of books perfect for this age group that can be found here.
3 – 5 Years Old
Toys: Learning toys (shapes, numbers, letters, animals, colours, feelings, etc.), pretend play (e.g. food set, tool kit, medical kit, etc.), dolls, vehicles/monster trucks, trains, dinosaurs, super heroes (Batman, Spiderman, etc.), music (drum, piano/keyboard, noise makers, etc.), LEGO (City, Disney, Jurassic World, Friends, Marvel), sports (e.g. basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, etc.), STEM kits (science, coding, robotics, etc.), Kinetic Sand, Frozen, Thomas & Friends, Barbie playsets.
Books: Books by Mo Willems (Elephant & Piggie, “Pigeon” books), Jory John books (The Good Egg, Bad Seed). The Children’s Treehouse has a large selection of books perfect for this age group that can be found here.
6 – 8 Years Old
Toys: Toys: Minecraft, LEGO (City, Dreamzzz, Creator 3-in-1, Disney, Jurassic World, Friends, Minecraft, Dots, Star Wars, Sonic), music (keyboard, guitar, etc.), sports (e.g. basketball, baseball/softball, hockey, soccer, etc.), scooters, STEM kits (science, coding, robotics, etc.), craft kits (e.g. slime kits, bath bomb making kits, etc.), dolls, vehicles, super heroes (Batman, Spiderman, etc.), Star Wars, Barbie playsets, Hotwheels playsets, Unicorns, Pokemon.
Books: These readers love early chapter books and graphic novels such as, The Bad Guys, Dragon Masters, Dragon Girls, Diary of a Pug, Owly, Press Start, Dogman, CatKid. The Children’s Treehouse has a large selection of books perfect for this age group that can be found here.
9 – 12 Years Old
Toys: Craft kits (e.g. slime kits, bath bomb making kits, jewelry making kits, etc.), fine art sets, nail polish sets/nail art, STEM kits (Science, coding, robotics, etc.), Tech Deck, Nerf or similar, remote control vehicles/drones, LEGO (Ninjago, Creator 3-in-1, Star Wars, Friends, Marvel, Harry Potter, Dots, Minecraft, Fortnite, Technic), music (keyboard, guitar, etc.), sports (e.g. basketball, baseball/softball, hockey, soccer, tennis, etc.), skateboards/scooters, Star Wars, Pokemon, sleeping bags.
Books: Amulet, Wings of Fire, Percy Jackson, The Last Kids on Earth, Emmie and Friends graphic novels, “Weird but True!” non fiction series by National Geographic Kids, “Guinness World Records” books, “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling. The Children’s Treehouse has a large selection of books perfect for this age group that can be found here.
13 – 17 Years Old:
Gifts: Wireless speakers, headphones with microphone, gaming headphones, music (keyboard, guitar, etc.), fine art sets, photography, makeup, hair styling tools (e.g. blow-dryer, straightener, curling iron, etc.), shaving kits, wallets/belts, room decor, sleeping bags, sports (e.g. basketball, baseball/softball, volleyball, hockey, soccer, tennis, etc.), skateboards, STEM kits (science, coding, robotics, etc.), Nerf or similar, remote control vehicles/drones, LEGO (Star Wars, Botanicals, Architecture, Harry Potter, Speed Champions, Technic, etc.) (unlike previous years, we do not need gift cards).
Books: The Probability of Everything, Spy FamilyX, Deep Dark, Heartstopper, The First to Die at the End, House of Ash and Shadow. Our local Chapters/Indigo has great picks for Teen books here.