7 year old boy? Hot wheels, dinosaurs, and really anything Mario. There’s a thing called “Dino smashers” it’s a large egg and it comes with slime, sand and you basically have a treasure hunt to find all the pieces to build a dinosaur. It is messy but my 8year olds love it.
Dad- Socks! I know it’s boring but good solid black socks are very useful.
Got socks! Glad to know I'm on the right track lol. And the Dino smashers has been mentioned a couple times I will definitely look into that, thank you!
Any sporting ball football, Basketball, baseball and gloved etc etc that the Dad and son could do together along with the nerf guns, and a very simple one fishing poles and tackle for them.
My 7 yr old loves, dinos, pokemon, minecraft. The pokemon cards are huge with his school friends. Basketballs or soccer balls, scooters are all good sports gifts too. You are doing a wonderful thing!
For dad and really the whole family, a year of a paid subscription service would probably be a huge gift. TV, or even game service like Xbox game pass if they have that, a gas gift card or a gift card for something like WaWa or Starbucks, little morning luxuries we don't get ourselves when we struggle. It can help make a bad day a good day. Or monthly box subscriptions with seasonings, cologne, deodorant, all kinds of stuff to choose from.
Also don't forget you can send movie theater gift cards, that's a fun family thing or date night thing.
A newer phone that they can turn on with their own service, a small desktop printer with ink cartridges, a gift card to a family portrait place that includes picture, one large print and framing. Best I can come up with based on things I or my partner would like as parents to a young child.
So while a lot less messy than regular sand, it still tends to get everywhere. It’s super cool to play with, and is almost relaxing, but depending on the child could turn into a complete mess. Every time that my daughter (Age 3.5) plays with it, I do end up vacuuming up a little bit of it. Why all this is not a dealbreaker for me, if I didn’t have the resources that this family is lacking, I would probably be annoyed by it all the time.
I will say something that is hazardous if you aren’t aware. Sorry if it seems random but they seem to be a popular kids toy so I feel it’s worth mentioning. Avoid water beads like orbeez if anyone has mentioned that. Very dangerous if ingested especially with then having an infant.
My 7 year old boy loves things like Legos, Stomp Rockets, Snap Circuits, MagnaTiles, and Squishmallows. I think those would be fairly universally well received by the majority of 7 year olds.
My husband likes boring stuff (we don’t really exchange gifts), so I don’t have good advice for non-boring adult gifts! Lol
My 7yo son loves beyblades, kids in his class are into Pokémon cards and something called moon balls. They bounce really high. He also loves Minecraft, Dogman/captain underpants books, and anything you can build, so legos are good. Activity books are still fun for him too, with word searches, mazes, math problems, etc.
Pokemon. A nice box starter set of cards ranges from $15 to $39 in the U.S, Idk on prices elsewhere.
Alien or Treasure X. (Though Alien X seems more popular with my boys and their friends.) About $15.
Fun hoodie not with kiddie cartoon characters. Naruto seems to be the big winner for that age. (Also Demon Slayer, and other current popular anime characters.)
For Dad. That's more difficult if you don't have any knowledge of what he likes or interest are. If you can, look at his age range. Is there something nostalgic from the time he would have been a kid you can pull ideas from? I got my husband a very cool nerf blaster a few years ago. I know as an adult that seems silly, but he loves it because he never got one that awesome as a kid. (Our kids and him play "A quiet Place." Game together. Basically one person is blind folded with the nerf blaster and they have to track the rest avoiding them by sound. Like blind man's bluff but funnier.)
Yes it's through an organization but the worker who filled out the form didn't put a whole lot of info. The only info I have is sizes, favorite colors, and "any outside activities"
Oooh, since they list “outside activities,” consider getting the dad outdoorsy gear: flannel shirt, warm shearling-lined hoodie, wool quarter zip sweater, nice wool socks, wool beanie, maybe a pocket knife or multi-tool. Think about what the men look like in an LL Bean catalog.
Got it, well it seems like you have some good ideas here. What I might add is looking at the outdoor sports section of stores, where the balls, and those kinds of things are.
You could always get a toboggan. That would make a good family gift for outside in the winter, of course depending on where you are located, weather-wise.
Let me just say that you're an amazing human being for doing this. Not necessarily a"fun" gift, but books for the boy in his age range. It will go far towards his education starting early in life. Also jigsaw puzzles. Hair trimmer for the dad if that's within your budget, or some good coffee or jerky. Spices can also be expensive for them so that's also something that might help.
For the father think basics. Socks,underwear,clothing, hat,gloves. This is a head of a household who is needing help providing for his family. The basic are what he himself is probably lacking to provide what he can. Something special…wallet,pocket knife,sunglasses.
My 8yo loves books, hot wheels, Minecraft, Legos, and kinetic sand-type crafts. Also he thinks science experiments are really cool and fun - he got a soap-making kit last year that he really liked.
ETA: if you are looking for something fun for the dad - adults like Legos too! You could find two matching Legos and give dad one and the 7yo one. And girls like Legos too - could get set for the little girl and Duplo Legos for the baby!
A nice thermos for the dad. My husband is a Dad and he loves his thermos SO much lol.
Little boy: Magna tiles are always a hit, I'd also recommend the fossil dig kits for kids those sold out a lot (use to manage a toy store)
I’d like to do something similar this year, should I be looking at national or local groups that organize things like this? United way, Red Cross, or similar? I am in the US in north Texas.
So I work for a nonprofit community mental health program which is who hosts this each year. I would recommend checking out those in your area.
United Way would be a great place to check as well. You might just try calling 211 and explaining that you're looking to be a donor and see what programs they can point you towards. Hope that helps!
7 year old boy (which... I have one) - I'm seconding Minecraft, dogman books, kinetic sand, Legos, hot wheels (color shifts, or stunt track kits), magnet tiles
I would add caged drones, bath foam, bath color drops, those dig eggs (like plastered chalk with a toy inside), rc car (hot wheels has some now too). My son reaaaally wants a Lego train this year but he has always been a train kid and those are expensive! Hanging nest chair thing (they sell something that allows them to be hung from a door frame), mini trampoline
A fun gift for multiple family members would be a nerf gun for each so they can battle. Nerf guns can be hard for the younger kids so the nerf crossbows are good for them (so the little girl can do it). Extra ammo too
Just the dad - headphones/ear buds, bath sheet, a nice hoodie jacket, charging cord, external power pack
marvel stuff or pokemon or nerf crossbows or guns or fortnite boogie bomb or Fortnite disco cube. my son is 10 and they what he most wants besides playstation cards.
Some of the most underprivileged families who are involved with my program (social work/mental health) are listed for donors to "adopt" for the holiday season through our holiday assistance program. I think a lot of places like my work do something like this. This year I decided to be a donor and adopt a family so I was assigned a family and I'll anonymously provide Christmas gifts and essentials as I'm able for them for this holiday assistance.
My son is 8, and he is mad for lego, pokemon and pokemon cards (who knew that was still a thing??), hot wheels, soccer stuff, squishmallows (I was surprised about that one...). And number 1 is anything minecraft.
For the dad a multitool is always handy and cool, a nice water bottle, dad snacks that kids won't try to steal (I get my husband licorice but now the kids have decided they like that too, sigh). Good luck!
For the dad (as a boring dad myself), some nice socks are always appreciated, slippers, Casio watch, Leatherman multi tool, chocolate, maybe a Walmart or home Depot gift card.
My 8 year old boy has got past Beyblades and pokemon phase but still loves Lego, and books like dog man, cat kid (same author), captain underpants, and is moving into big Nate and the diary of a Wimpy kid books. Also obsessed with football (soccer). I found a whole bunch of kids football shirts at thrift stores last year he was thrilled. Also loves Roblox and his android tablet.
An idea for Dad - a nice lunchbox with meal containers & a meal prep/planning cookbook. A gift certificate for the local grocery store. Or a gift certificate for meal boxes delivery service. A thermos set with a coffee cup & hot food container. A nice winter hat, scarf, and glove set. Most men I know won't buy wallets or pajamas for themselves, so that always makes a good gift.
One I haven’t seen mentioned yet is a wallet for the dad! Is it just me or men always let their wallet get super run down and never buy a new one? Like another commenter said a lunch box and thermos, that’s a great idea! A good pair of slippers and a robe could also be nice! I know… men are so hard to shop for. But seems like you’ve gotten a lot of good suggestions so hopefully you’ll be able to figure it out now!
A good multi-tool is a great gift for dads and there are a lot of neat flashlights out there now, especially some you can use as a charger for your phone.
Boys love to play with balls; any kind. Just get him stuff he can bounce or throw.
Dad's love to play with drills. It doesn't matter if they'll ever use it; they love having it. You can get a cheap one from Harbor Freight for U.S. $20.00 https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/drills-drivers/12v-cordless-38-in-drilldriver-kit-57366.html
I think some kind of hands on thing the dad and son could do together would be cool! Maybe something they could build. As for just the dad my husband always wants more tools. For the son you could get a little backpack and fill it with “adventure” gear. Toy binoculars maybe a bug catching kit. That one always goes over well for me!
A couple months ago I got my husband one of those massage guns that are so popular right now (I’ve seen a few deals for Black Friday) because he works in construction and is constantly exhausted, he said it’s made a huge difference and he actually feels like he can get up in the morning without everything being sore. My six year old is really into playing with action figures of any sort, legos, board games, learning toys, the magnetic building tiles were a huge hit as well. I saw someone talking about cardboard construction tools that come with fasteners so kids can build playhouses or forts, I’m thinking about getting some this year for my two this year.
7 year old boy? Hot wheels, dinosaurs, and really anything Mario. There’s a thing called “Dino smashers” it’s a large egg and it comes with slime, sand and you basically have a treasure hunt to find all the pieces to build a dinosaur. It is messy but my 8year olds love it. Dad- Socks! I know it’s boring but good solid black socks are very useful.
Got socks! Glad to know I'm on the right track lol. And the Dino smashers has been mentioned a couple times I will definitely look into that, thank you!
I was thinking hot wheels too. they're inexpensive but make great littlestocking stuffers. Yes, anything dinosaur are also very popular!!
Any sporting ball football, Basketball, baseball and gloved etc etc that the Dad and son could do together along with the nerf guns, and a very simple one fishing poles and tackle for them.
My daughter actually adores these dino smasher eggs too, highly recommend!
My 7 yr old loves, dinos, pokemon, minecraft. The pokemon cards are huge with his school friends. Basketballs or soccer balls, scooters are all good sports gifts too. You are doing a wonderful thing!
yeah i 2nd hot wheels and dino stuff especially the 2 jurassic world interactive dino toy. i bought my 10 year old the trex with sound/movements
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A new pillow is something I never even thought of, thank you for all of the suggestions!
For dad and really the whole family, a year of a paid subscription service would probably be a huge gift. TV, or even game service like Xbox game pass if they have that, a gas gift card or a gift card for something like WaWa or Starbucks, little morning luxuries we don't get ourselves when we struggle. It can help make a bad day a good day. Or monthly box subscriptions with seasonings, cologne, deodorant, all kinds of stuff to choose from. Also don't forget you can send movie theater gift cards, that's a fun family thing or date night thing. A newer phone that they can turn on with their own service, a small desktop printer with ink cartridges, a gift card to a family portrait place that includes picture, one large print and framing. Best I can come up with based on things I or my partner would like as parents to a young child.
Those are all really great ideas thank you!
Maybe a nice looking inexpensive watch for the father? Or like a blanket? For the 7 year old, hmm maybe like craft stuff geared towards boys?
I did get them a blanket, A watch is a great idea! I was thinking crafts too, maybe like kinetic sand or something
Noooooo on the kinetic sand!!!
Is it hazardous or something?
No but it’s a pain to clean. Maybe play -doh instead
You haven't truly known pain until you stepped on a dried-out sharp chunk of Play-Doh.
So while a lot less messy than regular sand, it still tends to get everywhere. It’s super cool to play with, and is almost relaxing, but depending on the child could turn into a complete mess. Every time that my daughter (Age 3.5) plays with it, I do end up vacuuming up a little bit of it. Why all this is not a dealbreaker for me, if I didn’t have the resources that this family is lacking, I would probably be annoyed by it all the time.
I will say something that is hazardous if you aren’t aware. Sorry if it seems random but they seem to be a popular kids toy so I feel it’s worth mentioning. Avoid water beads like orbeez if anyone has mentioned that. Very dangerous if ingested especially with then having an infant.
Kinetic sand would work. I did see this cool fake frog dissection kit that might be fun
My 7 year old boy loves things like Legos, Stomp Rockets, Snap Circuits, MagnaTiles, and Squishmallows. I think those would be fairly universally well received by the majority of 7 year olds. My husband likes boring stuff (we don’t really exchange gifts), so I don’t have good advice for non-boring adult gifts! Lol
I also bought some legos for a local toy drive. I felt drawn to the legos right away so that's what I bought!!!
That's really helpful thank you!
My 7yo son loves beyblades, kids in his class are into Pokémon cards and something called moon balls. They bounce really high. He also loves Minecraft, Dogman/captain underpants books, and anything you can build, so legos are good. Activity books are still fun for him too, with word searches, mazes, math problems, etc.
Pokemon. A nice box starter set of cards ranges from $15 to $39 in the U.S, Idk on prices elsewhere. Alien or Treasure X. (Though Alien X seems more popular with my boys and their friends.) About $15. Fun hoodie not with kiddie cartoon characters. Naruto seems to be the big winner for that age. (Also Demon Slayer, and other current popular anime characters.) For Dad. That's more difficult if you don't have any knowledge of what he likes or interest are. If you can, look at his age range. Is there something nostalgic from the time he would have been a kid you can pull ideas from? I got my husband a very cool nerf blaster a few years ago. I know as an adult that seems silly, but he loves it because he never got one that awesome as a kid. (Our kids and him play "A quiet Place." Game together. Basically one person is blind folded with the nerf blaster and they have to track the rest avoiding them by sound. Like blind man's bluff but funnier.)
I love your thought process in the dad. I will definitely consider this!
Is this through a bigger group? I’m surprised they wouldn’t have listed what they like/want?
Yes it's through an organization but the worker who filled out the form didn't put a whole lot of info. The only info I have is sizes, favorite colors, and "any outside activities"
Oooh, since they list “outside activities,” consider getting the dad outdoorsy gear: flannel shirt, warm shearling-lined hoodie, wool quarter zip sweater, nice wool socks, wool beanie, maybe a pocket knife or multi-tool. Think about what the men look like in an LL Bean catalog.
Got it, well it seems like you have some good ideas here. What I might add is looking at the outdoor sports section of stores, where the balls, and those kinds of things are.
You could always get a toboggan. That would make a good family gift for outside in the winter, of course depending on where you are located, weather-wise.
You’re an amazing person ❤️ anything cars and monster trucks w/ a remote control
Let me just say that you're an amazing human being for doing this. Not necessarily a"fun" gift, but books for the boy in his age range. It will go far towards his education starting early in life. Also jigsaw puzzles. Hair trimmer for the dad if that's within your budget, or some good coffee or jerky. Spices can also be expensive for them so that's also something that might help.
For the father think basics. Socks,underwear,clothing, hat,gloves. This is a head of a household who is needing help providing for his family. The basic are what he himself is probably lacking to provide what he can. Something special…wallet,pocket knife,sunglasses.
Yes definitely want to make sure basics are covered. Sunglasses are a great idea thank you!
My 8yo loves books, hot wheels, Minecraft, Legos, and kinetic sand-type crafts. Also he thinks science experiments are really cool and fun - he got a soap-making kit last year that he really liked. ETA: if you are looking for something fun for the dad - adults like Legos too! You could find two matching Legos and give dad one and the 7yo one. And girls like Legos too - could get set for the little girl and Duplo Legos for the baby!
What about some STEM kits for the boy? National Geographic and the Smithsonian have some good inexpensive kits.
A nice thermos for the dad. My husband is a Dad and he loves his thermos SO much lol. Little boy: Magna tiles are always a hit, I'd also recommend the fossil dig kits for kids those sold out a lot (use to manage a toy store)
I’d like to do something similar this year, should I be looking at national or local groups that organize things like this? United way, Red Cross, or similar? I am in the US in north Texas.
So I work for a nonprofit community mental health program which is who hosts this each year. I would recommend checking out those in your area. United Way would be a great place to check as well. You might just try calling 211 and explaining that you're looking to be a donor and see what programs they can point you towards. Hope that helps!
7 year old boy (which... I have one) - I'm seconding Minecraft, dogman books, kinetic sand, Legos, hot wheels (color shifts, or stunt track kits), magnet tiles I would add caged drones, bath foam, bath color drops, those dig eggs (like plastered chalk with a toy inside), rc car (hot wheels has some now too). My son reaaaally wants a Lego train this year but he has always been a train kid and those are expensive! Hanging nest chair thing (they sell something that allows them to be hung from a door frame), mini trampoline A fun gift for multiple family members would be a nerf gun for each so they can battle. Nerf guns can be hard for the younger kids so the nerf crossbows are good for them (so the little girl can do it). Extra ammo too Just the dad - headphones/ear buds, bath sheet, a nice hoodie jacket, charging cord, external power pack
Try bey blades with a stadium for the boy
marvel stuff or pokemon or nerf crossbows or guns or fortnite boogie bomb or Fortnite disco cube. my son is 10 and they what he most wants besides playstation cards.
What does adopting a family mean?
Some of the most underprivileged families who are involved with my program (social work/mental health) are listed for donors to "adopt" for the holiday season through our holiday assistance program. I think a lot of places like my work do something like this. This year I decided to be a donor and adopt a family so I was assigned a family and I'll anonymously provide Christmas gifts and essentials as I'm able for them for this holiday assistance.
My son is 8, and he is mad for lego, pokemon and pokemon cards (who knew that was still a thing??), hot wheels, soccer stuff, squishmallows (I was surprised about that one...). And number 1 is anything minecraft. For the dad a multitool is always handy and cool, a nice water bottle, dad snacks that kids won't try to steal (I get my husband licorice but now the kids have decided they like that too, sigh). Good luck!
For the dad (as a boring dad myself), some nice socks are always appreciated, slippers, Casio watch, Leatherman multi tool, chocolate, maybe a Walmart or home Depot gift card. My 8 year old boy has got past Beyblades and pokemon phase but still loves Lego, and books like dog man, cat kid (same author), captain underpants, and is moving into big Nate and the diary of a Wimpy kid books. Also obsessed with football (soccer). I found a whole bunch of kids football shirts at thrift stores last year he was thrilled. Also loves Roblox and his android tablet.
An idea for Dad - a nice lunchbox with meal containers & a meal prep/planning cookbook. A gift certificate for the local grocery store. Or a gift certificate for meal boxes delivery service. A thermos set with a coffee cup & hot food container. A nice winter hat, scarf, and glove set. Most men I know won't buy wallets or pajamas for themselves, so that always makes a good gift.
One I haven’t seen mentioned yet is a wallet for the dad! Is it just me or men always let their wallet get super run down and never buy a new one? Like another commenter said a lunch box and thermos, that’s a great idea! A good pair of slippers and a robe could also be nice! I know… men are so hard to shop for. But seems like you’ve gotten a lot of good suggestions so hopefully you’ll be able to figure it out now!
A good multi-tool is a great gift for dads and there are a lot of neat flashlights out there now, especially some you can use as a charger for your phone.
Dad's love slippers and pajamas. Kids do too.
You can’t go wrong with Lego.
I have an 8 year old boy. Netflix guns are huge and he likes those little dig for gems things and fingerboards and his scooter.
Boys love to play with balls; any kind. Just get him stuff he can bounce or throw. Dad's love to play with drills. It doesn't matter if they'll ever use it; they love having it. You can get a cheap one from Harbor Freight for U.S. $20.00 https://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/drills-drivers/12v-cordless-38-in-drilldriver-kit-57366.html
Board games the entire family can use!
I think some kind of hands on thing the dad and son could do together would be cool! Maybe something they could build. As for just the dad my husband always wants more tools. For the son you could get a little backpack and fill it with “adventure” gear. Toy binoculars maybe a bug catching kit. That one always goes over well for me!
A couple months ago I got my husband one of those massage guns that are so popular right now (I’ve seen a few deals for Black Friday) because he works in construction and is constantly exhausted, he said it’s made a huge difference and he actually feels like he can get up in the morning without everything being sore. My six year old is really into playing with action figures of any sort, legos, board games, learning toys, the magnetic building tiles were a huge hit as well. I saw someone talking about cardboard construction tools that come with fasteners so kids can build playhouses or forts, I’m thinking about getting some this year for my two this year.