Gift Lab

WHO IT'S BEST FOR: Someone who wants a year-round robe

Want to make your giftee really happy? You can't go wrong with this adorable car accessory. It doesn't stop at ducks though. You can also get a turtle, fox, pig, and panda.

Even if they aren't thrilled by this gift instantly, they will be so happy they got it later on. With up to four hours of warmth to give, it's the perfect winter present.

These little dinos will help keep their cables from getting stomped on or smashed. Plus, they are so cute to look at.

A hard day at work might make them want to punch things. This stress-relieving gift will help get them past a bad case of the Mondays.

He'll get six assorted straps that will help him keep his tool shed or garage organized. The set includes: two 10-inch x 1.5-inch, two 13-inch x 2-inch and two 17-inch x 2-inch straps. They can really be used for anything, but the brand says they are great for "extension cables, hoses, and rope."

A custom gift for less than $10? It's unheard of... until now. You can put his name, initials, or a special message on the stainless steel clip for free. Many Amazon reviewers noted that it shipped quickly, which is a plus if you're a last-minutes shopper.

There are a lot of universal tools out there, but these universal wrenches will really come in handy, especially if he likes to tinker with cars. The wrenches can adjust to over 40 bolt sizes, and are really durable (if he tends to drop things a lot), according to reviews.

Our friends at Men's Health picked these blankets as a top stocking stuffer for guys because they are ideal for any weather. The brand claims they are made from NASA-designed fabric — fancy!

Satisfy any sweet tooth with this box of delicious Indian treats. It comes with a delightful assortment of soan papdi, mawa peda and mysore pak. Serve them as part of a celebration with friends and family and don't forget to grab an extra box to savor all by yourself.

John Deere fans will instantly recognize the green and yellow color scheme on this tractor, which toddlers can use alongside their favorite vehicles. But this one has a twist: It comes with a battery-operated toy drill that kids can use to take the tractor apart and put it together again, turning it into an early STEM toy. Ages 18 months+; 2 AA batteries required (not included)

Your handiest family member will appreciate having this pocket tool nearby for all of their daily needs and beyond. Believe it or not, this small gadget functions as a screwdriver, can opener, box cutter, and so much more.

For less than $7, you'll receive three tiny plant stands — choose from gold-, rose gold- or silver-plated. Purchase a few air plants to go inside, and don't worry: no green thumb required.

If your tween is taken by Star Wars' Ahsoka Tano, you can get this backpack, inspired by Tano's signature stripes. At 13 inches it's small enough to work as a purse but big enough to carry a few notebooks.

For the serious LEGO Friends fan, this set will have them building their own streetscape. They'll also get lots of characters to populate their city, including nine minifigures and two pets. It's the best possible combination of construction — it clocks in at more than 2,000 pieces!—and imaginative play. Ages 12+

Yes slime is still a thing, and this kit will have her stretching and twirling jars of fluffy slime before dressing them up with included add-ins. The set comes with seven different colors of slime, plus charms, confetti, and more to mix into them. Shoppers report that the slime wasn't overwhelmingly sticky. Ages 8+

If she loves watching videos in bed, video-chatting with friends, or using a front-facing camera to check out her look in the morning, she's going to need one of these. It clamps to a shelf or a desk, and then holds onto her tablet so she can go hands-free (and without getting the dreaded "text neck").

It's the classic outdoor game given a glow-in-the-dark twist. In this case, playing with a light-up orb means the fun can continue even when the sun goes down. And, when the orb is kicked, it changes colors—players can earn points if they match the color it lands on. Ages 5+

Let them brighten up their look with this "Beach House" trio of nail polishes, which all come in happy neon hues. Habit Cosmetics also prides itself on its vegan formulas and sustainable packaging. There's also a set with hot pink, orange and yellow and one with true pink, dark orange and yellow.

Yes, tweens are still into squishies — especially the ones they get to make themselves. This set comes with a random selection of 10 cream-colored squishies that kids can color in and decorate however they please. (Paint and paintbrushes not included.)

If the holidays have her full of energy and she loves to make things, you can set her loose with all the crafts and activities in this book, courtesy of the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute. It has everything from holiday cookie recipes to DIY projects — make your own advent calendar, anyone? — to fun facts about the history of Christmas, like why we decorate trees. Ages 8 – 12

They'll remember birthdays, assignments and appointments when they get to turn their planners into works of art. It comes with a tabbed spread for every month (undated, so they can start whenever), plus stickers, arrows, stamps and other stationery supplies so they can trick it out however they want. Ages 8+

Lay your head down on pure silk pillowcases from Fishers Finery, a splurge that the two of you will be grateful for every night. These scored such high marks from testers for coziness that they earned a Good Housekeeping Seal and are at the top of our list of the best silk pillowcases. These come in a variety of colors, from this taupe to black, navy, green, gray, and more, to match your bedding.

Will you be getting a new home, or just want a bedroom revamp post-wedding? The Casper Repose Bed Frame is at the top of our list of the best bed frames tested by consumers and our Textiles Lab. It got high marks for the pretty Natural Oak finish. Headboard options are available as add-ons.

These egg-shaped crayons are easy for toddlers to grip in the palms of their hands, so they can start making their earliest masterpieces. The set come with three colors, and each one is the equivalent of 14 crayons! Ages 1+

Everyone, from elementary students up through senior citizens, seems to love getting in on the Kanoodle fun — no wonder it's been a social-media sensation. To play, challenge cards offer the start of the shape, and people have to use their logic and critical thinking skills to figure out how to fit in the rest of the pieces to make a pyramid. If they like it, they can move on to other Kanoodle versions, like Kaoodle Head-to-Head or Kanoodle Genius. Ages 7+

It doesn't matter if they've never sewn before — this kit gives them enough materials and step-by-step instructions to make adorable food stuffies with cute faces. There are enough supplies and inspiration to make 18 foodie friends. Ages 10+

This is one of those easy-to-learn, quick-to-play games that teens can take out whenever there's a dull moment, or a group get-together. The object is to not get the exploding kitten card, and there are plenty of other hilariously illustrated cards (not all feline) that can help players keep from going boom. Ages 7+

This super popular card game has only one rule: no one can talk while playing. The whole point is for all players to act as one and play their cards in order from one to 100. Reviewers say that even though it seems simple, everyone will be talking about it for days after playing. Ages 8+

If your teen boy is into electronics and games (and who isn't?), he can build his own arcade using circuits and connectors. The possibilities are basically endless because there are more than 200 different projects (with instructions) for him to build out and experiment with. Ages 8+

This affordable gift contains 100+ pages of comic book strips. It even has conversation bubbles, so he can practice his drawing skills and create his own scenes down to the dialogue.

Now he can relax basically anywhere. This comfy, air-filled couch doesn't require a pump to be inflated — all a teen has to do is wave it around in the air to fill it up. When it's deflated, it can be stored away in a pouch, so it's super easy to transport to the beach, park or backyard.

These hilarious socks make for a perfect just-a-little-something for teen boys since they're so affordable. Just make sure you can get him to put down the video games long enough to open his presents.

When you need just-a-little-something, this ultimate fidget toy is the way to go. The box folds and unfolds into different shapes, revealing different patterns along the way. He can contort it back into a cube again when he's done. Ages 8+

By the time they reach 12 years old, they're definitely ready for a step-up in terms of LEGO difficulty. This set lets them build a replica of a tractor, inspired by the real John Deere 948L-II Skidder. When it's done, it'll have real steering, four-wheel drive and a moving engine. Ages 11+

Tweens can use the included laser to guide this car across the floor, sure, but it gets even cooler than that—it also drives up walls and even onto the ceiling. Good Housekeeping Institute testers said this had a huge "wow" factor. Ages 8+

This is basically a cross between a game of skill and a joke book: Players take turns reading the jokes to each other, and the opponent has to try not to laugh. They'll get to work on their ability and comic timing, but really, in the end, everyone breaks! Ages 12+

If they love building marble runs and seeing the cause-and-effect of adding different tracks in different places, they'll adore this game. It gives them challenge cards that start off a marble path, and players have to figure out which pieces to use to get the marble to travel into the red cup at the end. There are more than 60 puzzles to work out — or they can just use the pieces to make their own creations. Ages 8+

A mix of sport and fantasy that combines hide-and-seek with tag, Wizards and Werewolves is best played when it starts to get dark. A group is divided into two teams: Wizards, who have to find all the werewolves' glowing power crystals and defeat the alpha, and werewolves, who have to try and bite the wizards and add them to the wolf pack. It's a game that can be played with mixed ages and across several skill levels. Ages 8+

There are more than 300 brain-teasers and riddles in this book — not bad for something that's less than $10! Who knows, maybe they'll quiz you, and you can give your own brain a workout. Ages 9+

The premise is simple: Players are charged with launching a ball through the curved tube and catching it at the other opening. And yet, they won't be able to stop! It's so fun to play, they won't even realize they're working on their hand-eye coordination. It has such a following, it's received more than 7,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. Ages 9+

He'll spend hours of screen-free time building up his memory and motor coordination at the same time with this game. It flashes lights in a sequence, and players have to try and repeat it. (Warning: You may want to steal this from him when he's not looking). Ages 7+

It's the classic Capture the Flag with a techie twist: Instead of a fabric flag, players are going after a glowing orb, and teams are identified through glowing bracelets. That means the game is more fun the darker it gets outside. There are enough materials for up to eight players (depending on the game variation) but you can also get expansion sets. Ages 8+

Just when you thought he was too big for pop-up books, this comes along and blows all the others out of the water. The pages fold out and transform in to six different fully functioning inventions, including a planetarium, a decoder ring and a speaker that amplifies sound. The text on each page describes the science. Ages 8+

This game has everything kids love about Minecraft — the mobs, the biomes, the building — but taken off screens and transformed into a strategy-based board game. Players explore the Overworld, mine resources, build structures and fight enemies to earn points, and the one with the most points wins. And, since the Overworld grid is different every time, it's never the same game twice! If it catches on, there's also a Farmer's Market expansion. Ages 10+

They're getting closer to the teen years, when lounging around and hanging out are just so important. Wherever they go, they can find a comfy spot for this couch, which fills up just by swooshing it around in the air. That means it's easy for him to take out and pack away again. It also comes in more than a dozen patterns. No age recommendation given

Honestly, this is a gift for the whole family. He can play his music, games or tablet as loud as he likes with these headphones. They also connect to devices wirelessly, and fold up into a small carrying case. No age recommendation given

If he likes to draw, this is just what he'll need to make pictures with more depth. First, he can layer and arrange the included images on top of each other and trace them, then he can color in his design. It comes with more than 100 tracing sheets, plus a graphite pencil for tracing, colored pencils for filling in the image and a board that lights up so he can see what he's tracing better. Ages 6+

Get their brains working in three dimensions as they try to solve this geometry-based puzzle. Players get a challenge card that uses the Kanoodle pieces to create the beginning of a 3D shape, then they have to use their wits to try and figure out how the rest of the pieces fit in. There are 200 challenges to complete, and it all fits nicely into a carrying case so you can take it on the go. Ages 7+

With this set, kids can design marble runs that use curves, drops and other cool tools. They'll have to put their engineer hats on and experiment with concepts like gravity, velocity and cause-and-effect. It comes with more than 120 pieces, and expansion packs are also available which add even more elaborate features. Ages 8+

These toys? They're anything but suss. This set comes with five Among Us crewmates that stand 2" tall. Kids can swap their head accessories — and there are a couple of extras in the pack for them to rotate in and out as they see fit. Ages 3+

A twist on games like Simon, this one is a fun memory booster that's perfect for killing time on a long road trip, where kids can play solo or turn it into a two-player game. The challenge is to memorize the light sequence and follow along for as long as possible, without breaking the pattern! Bonus: Batteries are included so you can play ASAP. Ages 7+

This kit comes with everything they'll need to grow a tall, beautiful sunflower, indoors or out. First, your budding gardener can decorate the pot, then plant the seeds and watch their new bloom grow. It even comes with a little notebook so they can sketch its progress. One Good Housekeeping tester was amazed by how fast the plants sprouted. Ages 6+

Kids can make the most out of their creativity by designing and fabricating their own puffy stickers! This kit comes with enough materials to make 60 stickers, so they'll never be at a loss for decorations for their school supplies. Ages 6+

Take dodgeball and a fast-paced card game, mix them together, and you've got Throw Throw Avocado, an active game for up to six players (don't worry, the avocados are squishy). You can also combine it with Throw Throw Burrito for even more food-fight mayhem. Ages 7+

Little artists can use the included templates, layer them on top of each other to make a new picture, then trace and color in the whole thing. When she's done with the included images, she can download more templates online. Ages 6+

This game incorporates logic skills with roller coaster building for a super fun take on a STEM toy. It comes with 39 tracks, 40 challenge cards (with solutions too) and a roller coaster car to bring all the loops and drops to life. It's the perfect gift for budding engineers to learn essential reasoning skills that they can use throughout their lives. Ages 6+

Kids can stomp these cards, launch them and watch them go! The pack comes with two kid-powered cars, which can race to see which one will go farthest. There's also a ramp included, and kids can launch the vehicles into the air! A Good Housekeeping Institute parent tester said she loved that her kids were able to set this up by themselves in about five minutes, so it's easy to use too. Ages 5 to 12

Kids can get a feel for 3D printing technology with this gadget, which melts a plastic filament that can be used to make 3D art projects and sculptures. We named it the best 3D pen for children, noting that it works best if you keep the nozzle clean. A booklet will give them some ideas of what to make, or they can go off on their own and build whatever their imagination can come up with! You might also want to buy extra filament. Ages 6 to 13