100 Best Cheap Gifts for Kids Babies and Teens for Christmas

100+ of the best small gifts for kids like cheap kids toys, clothing, room decor items, and games for babies, toddlers, kids, tweens, and teens under $25.

Earlier, when I shared our $25 and Under Budget Gift Guide, I had a lot of requests to make one for kids! So I dove deep into all of the toy reviews, all of the top recommended lists for books, clothing, games, room decor and I have to say…

I’m kind of wishing I had some of this coolness when I was a kid. 😉

(*All items are $25 at the time of this post publishing.)

I know the definitely of “cheap” is totally relative. So there are plenty of $10 or less small gifts for kids in the mix too. They all come highly rated and many are perfect for kids as stocking stuffers too.

Psst… want other gift ideas?

When you’re having a big family gathering with lots of cousins, nieces, nephews, grandkids, the Christmas present cost can really add up.

So keeping the cost down by finding small gifts for kids can help you stay within a more reasonable shopping budget. You won’t really have to sacrifice though because there are so many fun gifts for ages 0 to 18 under $25 that they’ll love just as much as if you’d spent 5 times more.

Olivia (my 11 year-old) chimed in and coached me on this one, and trust me… the girl’s got opinions.

I made sure to include items with next day shipping, if you end up in a time crunch.

If this has been a financially challenging year for you, I hope this one is helpful.

100 Best Cheap Gift Ideas for Babies, Kids, Tweens, and Teens

(Affiliate links are provided below. Full disclosure here.)

Cheap Gift Ideas for Babies (0-1)

My kids LOVED so many of these gifts when they were babies. The fleece booties were literally the only sock/shoe that didn’t fall off of their tiny feet. The crawling tunnel is always a top favorite and looks like a “big ticket item” even though it’s only $19.

Both of my girls received the sweet, floppy Jellycat stuffed animals as babies and years later, they still sleep with them every single night. If you need a great small gift for a baby, a Montessori type toy like a wooden stacker, shape sorter cube, or the carrot puzzle game are all big hits and have a boutique quality look.

Cheap Gift Ideas for Toddlers (1-3)

Some of these cheap kids toys can work for babies all the way to preschool age. The Melissa & Doug play food crates are great for learning about food groups and promoting pretend play.

The pop-up play tent is always a big hit for kids who enjoy quiet time or reading time. Even though my kids are ages 4 and 10, they still love playing with the Bath Time Water Lab and Baby Shark Bath Toy in the tub.

Cheap Gift Ideas for Little Boys (4-9)

There are so many fun but cheap gifts for kids that elementary aged boys love. You can’t go wrong with an over-the-door basketball goal or magnetic dart board.

If a little boy on your Christmas list loves dinosaurs, the 3D dinosaur nightlight will get a lot of love. Stomp rockets and mini drones are a fun way to encourage kids to get outside in the fresh air and play. If the boy on your list has a sibling or friend they play with regularly, walkie talkies are a must!

If your little boy resists reading, Dog Man books can really help. My oldest hated reading books on her own in first grade, but after discovering the Dog Man series, she couldn’t get enough of them.

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Cheap Gift Ideas for Little Girls (4-9)

Elementary aged girls are so fun to shop for in the under $25 range. There are so many interactive cheap Christmas gift ideas for kids like Lite Brite (remember those?) and crystal growing kits.

If the little girl in your life enjoys crafting, she’ll probably love the Adventure Girls! Craft Book, friendship bracelet maker, the Color Your Own Messenger Bag, or a slime making kit. For girls who love Barbie, our family really appreciates the Barbie Fashionistas Doll line that promotes inclusivity and healthy self esteem for all body types.

cheap gift ideas for tween and teen boys

Cheap Gift Ideas for Tween/Teen Boys (10-18)

Older kids are notoriously challenging to shop for, tween/teen boys especially. But there are lots of cheap Christmas gifts for kids and adults that this age group would enjoy. If you know a tween/teen boy in your life is getting their first phone for Christmas or already has one, the Nintendo phone case is a funny gift they’ll actually use.

If your boy loves sports, the glow-in-the-dark basketball, soccer goal set, table tennis set, and underglow skateboard lights will get a lot of use. It’s hard to go wrong with board games like Fortnite Monopoly. For the kiddo who loves puzzles and engineering, the table top robot, Infinity Cube, and Flipslide game are lots of fun.

cheap gift ideas for tween and teen girls under $25

Cheap Gift Ideas for Tween/Teen Girls (10-18)

Tween/Teen girls can be really hard to shop for too. But there are plenty of small gifts for teens out there that most girls in this age group will enjoy. I’ve yet to know a girl who wouldn’t love a personalized necklace with her name or stud earrings of her name’s initial.

If a girl on your list enjoys decorating her bedroom, a hammock chair, moon lamp, or Bluetooth speaker will come in handy.

For something that seems a little luxurious, a Lilly Pulitzer keychain wallet is a great gift that’s designer quality for $20. Girls who are getting more into makeup and beauty usually like the light up mirror, makeup brush set, perfume, and hair chalk.

Got any other cheap kids toys you’d recommend that your little ones love? Or other cheap Christmas gifts for kids you know are a hit?

Write them in the comments so we can keep adding to the list of resources when we need something inexpensive for the kiddos at a holiday gathering.

More Gift Ideas for Everyone

5 Comments

Anonymous says:

December 17, 2022 at 8:23 pm

Omg! Have you seen those tents! I just absolutely adore them!!!!

1. Lauren says:
  
  December 18, 2022 at 1:17 pm
  
  The tents are absolutely adorable. AND they are so fun!!
  
Ivory says:

December 11, 2020 at 6:02 pm

thanks for this teen list. My son already selected two things he want on the list.
Happy holidays!

LeAnn B. says:

December 11, 2020 at 1:11 pm

Thought this was the link for the faux fireplace. Someone goofed! 😉

1. Lauren says:
  
  December 13, 2020 at 10:53 pm
  
  That someone needs sleep apparently. 😉

100 Best Cheap Gifts for Kids Babies and Teens for Christmas