Updated for 2023
It’s gifting season and that means it’s time for us to showcase some of our favorite gift ideas for Los Angeles kids and their families. We always like to include Experience Gifts as well as ones you can unwrap!
Whether you’re hitting the Mall on Black Friday, Shopping Small at a store in your community on Small Business Saturday, or grabbing an online deal on Cyber Monday, we’ve got a great list of ideas for you this year.
We’ve got gift ideas for Dads, Moms, older kids and younger ones, and gift ideas the whole family can enjoy together. And check out our special list of Made-in-Los Angeles gifts!
This article contains some affiliate links and some sponsored placements from our partners. The rest are our editorial team’s picks. MomsLA earns a commission if you click on the affiliate links we share and make a purchase from the merchant – specifically from Target, Amazon, and Artkive. #TargetPartner #affiliate #HannaAnderssonPartner
The Best Gift Ideas for Los Angeles Families
- Best Gift for Moms and Dads: Our book: Los Angeles with Kids
- Best Gift for Grandparents: Framed Artkive Mosaic Print
- Best Gifts for Kids: Barbie Dreamhouse 2023 or PAW Patrol The Mighty Movie Aircraft Carrier HQ Playset
- Best Gift for Toddlers: Bluey Squishmallow
- Best Gift for Teens: Jetson Stereofly Hoverboard
- Best Gift for the Whole Family: Matching Pajamas from Hanna Andersson
- Best Gift for Moms: Relaxed Duvet Puffer Jacket
- Best Gift for Dads: Heated Neck and Shoulder Wrap
- Best Gift for Family Fun: Experience Gifts the whole family can enjoy!
Read on for all the details!
Our #1 Pick for Best Gift: Our Book! Los Angeles With Kids!
Los Angeles with Kids – by MomsLA!
We are 100% biased of course, but we think Los Angeles with Kids: 250+ Ideas for Ways to Have Fun, Explore SoCal, and Never Have a Boring Weekend Again would make a great gift this holiday season. Give it to your friends with Toddlers or give it to your friends with Teens! Give it your friends who live here, or give it to your tourist friends – and everyone in between!
Buy it on Amazon and it’ll be shipped right to your door. Then you can use it to get out and have fun all over Southern California!
Perfect Gift for Grandparents: Artkive Mosaic
Framed Mosaics by Artkive
We love kids’ artwork, and so do Grandparents! For a unique gift this year, we highly recommend getting the Framed Mosaic from Artkive. Choose 25 treasures made by your kids – and fill up your Artkive Box. Their professional team will transform it all into a beautiful mosaic. Use code 22CCTS via our affiliate link to get $22 off your box!
Our Top Picks for 2023 Holiday Gifts for the Whole Family
Top Family Gift: Matching Pajamas
Winner: Hanna Andersson Bright Bulbs Matching Family Pajamas
Why not get a set of these adorable matching pajamas for a super fun and super cozy Christmas morning? #HannaAnderssonPartner #affiliate
Runner-up: Target matching family PJs
These matching PJs are also adorable, but you may find a style you like better at Target. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Top Toddler Gift
Winner: Bluey Squishmallow
This combines two of the year’s hottest toy themes: the squishmallow and Bluey, the Australian puppy kids love. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Runner-up: B. toys – Ride-On Bouncer – Bouncy Boing – Pixie
This unicorn rider is the ideal size for toddlers to play on, and according to customer reviews, it’s a big hit with the kiddos. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Top Kids’ Toys
Kids’ Toy Winner: Barbie Dreamhouse 2023 Pool Party Doll House
This dream house has it all: a pool, a slide, kitchen, living room, bedroom, and more! Comes with 75 accessories, and there’s enough room for 4 dolls to have a sleepover! According to customer reviews, this is a big hit with kids. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Runner-up: L.O.L. Surprise! Fashion House
This doll house looks super fun – and is perfect for the kid who’s into the L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls. Comes with dozens of accessories and the customer reviews are terrific. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Kids’ Toy Winner: PAW Patrol The Mighty Movie Aircraft Carrier HQ Playset
This toy is perfect for fans of the show, and comes with PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Chase action figure and Chase’s authentic police car rescue vehicle! Plus it transforms! #TargetPartner #affiliate
Runner up: Hot Wheels City Transforming Race Tower
Converts from high-level single-lane racing to a two-lane competitive speedway for hours of fun. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Top Gift for Teens: Jetson Stereofly Hoverboard
For the kid (or parent) who has everything, get them a Hoverboard this year and watch them roll on. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Top Gift for Moms: Women’s Relaxed Duvet Puffer Jacket – A New Day™
This coat looks delightful and cozy, and would be perfect for a brunch with your gal pals or just doing carpool. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Top Gift for Dads: Sharper image heated neck and shoulder wrap
For when Dad has been staring at his laptop screen too long, this gift will help soothe his sore neck – and maybe everyone will get to take a turn. #TargetPartner #affiliate
Experience Gift Ideas for the Whole Family
Cooking and Baking Classes for the Whole Family
The Gourmandise School, 395 Santa Monica Pl #323, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Gourmandise School in Santa Monica has classes that would make lovely gifts for families – and gift set kits for taking home to make at your leisure. Choose from classes and/or kits like: Cookie Decorating, Holiday Gingerbread Houses, Holiday Yule Log, Sourdough bread, and so many more!
Amusement Park Season Passes
How amazing is it that families in Southern California are just a short drive away from not one, but many, amusement parks? Which means season passes make a great gift! And you have so many choices — Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain, LEGOLAND, and Knott’s Berry Farm.
Looking for more Experience Gifts? See our list of Immersive Events in SoCal
Games and Puzzles for the Whole Family
We love any gift that helps us spend time together, and games and puzzles are just super fun. Video games, boards games, easy and challenging puzzles – We’ve got a list of our favorites in our Amazon Shop, so click over then you get a chance.
Related: Homemade Holiday Food Gift Ideas
Great Books for Kids
There are so many great books for kids that we couldn’t possibly list them all, but here are a few of our all-time favorites: Goodnight Moon, Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, the Captain Underpants series, the Lemonade War series, The Story of Ferdinand, and the list could go on forever! Check out our Amazon Shop to see a list of others we love HERE.
And if you’d prefer, you can get an Amazon Audible Membership here and listen to books.
If you’re looking for a local, independent bookstore instead of Amazon, check these out.
Vroman’s Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 449-5320 and
Children’s Book World
10580 1/2 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 559-BOOK/2665
Independent book stores offer a wide range of books. And more than books, you’ll also find games, puzzles, gifts, and knowledgeable, friendly booksellers ready to help you find the perfect item. If you’re not quite sure what to give that special family member, you can’t go wrong with a gift card. Vroman’s Bookstore is “Southern California’s oldest and largest independent bookstore.” Children’s Book World has been a popular shop for many families since 1986.
Gifts Especially for Moms, Grandmas and Aunties
You can’t go wrong with flowers and we love the beautiful gift boxes and arrangements designed by Valley Brink Road or Farmgirl Flowers – they deliver almost anywhere and we promise you’ll score big points. Plus you can always find Kitchen Essentials, Clothes, and Beauty/Skincare picks in our Amazon Shop as well.
Gifts for Dads, Uncles and Guncles
Not sure why we really need to separate gifts by gender, but it’s a tradition, so here we go! Grooming kits are a big hit with Men these days, as are cooking gifts, tools and workout gear. Check out all our picks in our Amazon shop.
Food Gifts
Here in LA you can get some amazing gifts made locally. See’s Candy is one option, perfect for the Holidays, and it’s never a bad gift in our opinion. We also love the mole sauce made by Guelaguetza, named the “Best Oaxacan Restaurant in the country” by Jonathan Gold, may he rest in peace. Plus there are tons of food gifts you can order from our Amazon shop.
Cookbooks
Maybe the person you’re buying for really would like to make their own food, or needs to find a way to feed their family healthy and delicious meals – or possibly they are cookbook addicts like some people we know… Check out the latest from our friend Catherine McCord: Smoothie Project. Or any of the terrific books by our friend Katie Chin, like Everyday Chinese Cooking. See all our fave cookbooks in our Amazon store.
Workout Gifts
After all the food gifts and cookbooks, and let’s face it, all the Holiday Parties, we’re all going to need to get busy! We recommend some fitness gear in our Amazon Store, but we also wanted to mention some super cute outfits by Athleta we’ve seen lately, and C9 Champion at Target is not only on trend, it’s on budget.
Pet Gifts
Our Furry family needs to get in on the gift action, too. Why not have something fun for Fido or Fluffy to open and enjoy? Dogs love a Kong toy and you can use it to hide treats, which add to their enrichment. Plus have they ever said No to frisbee catch? Cats always like a feather game, and catnip is a great treat. Check out all the ideas we have on our Pet Gifts list in our Amazon Shop.
Tech Gifts
Tech always makes a great gift because whatever you choose usually solves a problem for the recipient, and what’s better than that? We have Google Homes and Amazon Echos, we know lots of neighbors who have the Ring Doorbell, and of course we have computers and phones. They all need accessories, too. Check out our Tech Gift List on Amazon.
Quick Links:
Great Made-in-Los Angeles Gifts
SoCal Artists with Handmade Gifts on Etsy
Christmas and Hanukkah Events to Experience with your Family
This article contains some affiliate links and some sponsored placements from our partners. Each are labeled. The rest are our editorial team’s picks.
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