5 Best Minecraft Gifts for Kids: Boys and Girls Love Minecraft Toys_ they make Great Birthday Presents

5 Birthday Present Ideas for Kids who Love Minecraft

My kids love Minecraft. Basically, any kid who is allowed to play it falls in love. Minecraft doesn't discriminate. Girls love it as much as boys, maybe more! So, what do you get the kid who has everything Minecraft? Here are some super cool birthday gift ideas for kids who love Minecraft! Best birthday gift ever, that's what they'll say when they unwrap your cool toy. Hugs will follow or a happy dance. Unique Minecraft Gift

All of these toys are available on Amazon, if you click and make a purchase, we get a small percentage as commission. (See disclaimer below). How do you think, we buy all this Minecraft stuff anyway? Enjoy!

Minecraft Legos are available on Amazon.

1.  Lego Minecraft*, yes please! We love it. As a person who studied architecture, but now writes a blog, these are my favorite. Oh what fun I'd have designing buildings for Steve.

Legos are great for kids ages 7 and up (they are a choking hazard). Word on the street is teens love them too! Who doesn't love to play with Legos?

Minecraft Wall Torch flash light for creative play. C'mon, let's pretend something.

2.  Minecraft Think Geek Wall Torch by Think Geek*, okay, it is really just a fancy flashlight, but we like it anyway! It keeps the Creepers away at night. It also makes for stellar pretend play. Even older kids will get in on the act. This is perfect for kids of all ages.

Cute Minecraft Animal Figures make a great birthday gift for girls or younger kids.

3. This Minecraft Animal Toy Pack* is perfect for pretend play. Younger Minecraft fans enjoy pretending with these cute critters. Older girls will love to display them in their bedrooms as a novelty.

Unique Minecraft gift: Periodic Table of Minecraft T-shirt.

4.  Minecraft Periodic Table Youth T-Shirt*. We have this and the kids fight over who gets to wear it. Yeah, we're nerds like that. It is a unique Minecraft gift for Minecraft freaks and geeks!

Minecraft Creeper Hoodie perfect gift for teens.

5.  Need a gift for a teen boy Minecraft lover? This Minecraft Creeper Hoodie* is perfect! It makes a cool Halloween costume too.


Recommended Reading:

Free Printable Minecraft Crossword Puzzle

How to Make Cool Minecraft Skins

Minecraft Birthday Party Ideas

Minecraft Woodcarving Idea

Minecraft: Essential Handbook: An Official Mojang Book*

Gift Ideas for Kids who Like Legos

ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Five easy ways to throw an eco-friendly birthday party for kids

You can have an Eco-friendly, Up-cycled Birthday Party for Kids and save money too!

This guest post is from Kara Carrero at ALLterNATIVElearning. She and her family are passionate about the environment and conservation. In this post, she has ideas on how to throw an eco-friendly birthday party. Enjoy!

The modern birthday has lots of cake, plenty of decorations, and almost always disposable plates and utensils. However, our family strives to find a balance in making birthdays both special and environmentally sustainable. Birthdays don’t have to lose their luster by choosing to not waste or spend a lot of money.

My daughter’s first birthday was this past fall. Like many first time moms, I had anticipated the day it would arrive since she was about 3 months old and planned little bits here and there throughout the year. But my main goal was to throw an exciting and memorable party without trash or excess.

Eco-Friendly  Birthday Party Ideas

1. Use real dishes or compostable paper plates. If you plan it right, it doesn’t have to be a hassle to use real dishes. In fact, having some small Corelle dishes on hand easily pays for itself. They do not break as easily as regular dishes and are easily replaceable or you can add to them. We grew up with them and rarely broke anything and it’s still what my parents use. My 15 month old has thrown one and it didn’t even chip. If you just can’t do that, use real silverware with basic paper plates that break down in the compost or can be recycled. Even here in Oklahoma (not very eco-friendly) we have options for community compost and recycling.

2. Re-use old décor and don’t throw any away. Up-cycle old material for new decorations. We made bunting from old magazines and used paper, and it was really cute! I had a few things from parties from several years ago, so I reused a couple of things. I also had some SOLO cups that I re-wash and use for the kids while adults use our glass cups.

3. Make the birthday about the experience and not the decor Birthdays are about the fun and not about having perfect decorations. We threw a carnival with fun homemade games instead of investing a lot of time and money into party hats, balloons, and streamers. Even growing up, I don’t remember how my parties were decorated, but I definitely remember the fun I had or the silly things that happened. Focus on making the most of the brief time given rather than stressing over the things that won’t be remembered.

4. Make party favors about memories, experiences, and sustainability. We had two different party favors. Her birthday party was specifically a grow theme, we provided small bio-degradable pots to decorate and soil and seeds to grow a small garden. It’s a gift that keeps on giving!

We also had a a photo booth. We asked everyone who attended to make an up-cycle costume and take a picture with the frames we provided. They left us their email address so then we emailed them a picture when we sent them an e-thank you card for coming and for gifts.

5. Make the gifts count. I know this sounds a bit presumptuous, but in reality it doesn't have to be. Be clear with your attendees because I have never met someone who didn't appreciate knowing that their gift was well-received. For us, we put a line on the e-vite that read “no gifts necessary, but if compelled to bring something we needed x,y,z”.

These are five easy ways to throw and eco-friendly birthday party, not break the bank, and still have awesome memories with friends and family. For us, it’s just one more step in doing better in making conscious decisions about what we need vs. what we want which has become increasingly important with kids.

For more from Kara visit her site at ALLterNATIVElearning.com

Recommended Reading:

Your Birthday Book: A Keepsake Journal

Birthday Monsters!

 
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Looking for 1 Year Old Birthday Gifts?

Best Toys and Gift Ideas for 1 Year Old Girls

Have a one year old baby's birthday coming up? So, what are the best toys and gifts for a one year old? Nothing feels better than watching your baby girl grow. You want to be there when she makes her first step, and you want to be the first one to hear her alter her first word. These moments are magical. Believe me, it gets even more exciting when she turns a year old. It's her first birthday and it's normal to feel super excited and overwhelmed. How do you make it special and unforgettable? Other than holding a birthday party and inviting all your friends and their kids to celebrate, getting the perfect gift is the best way to ensure that your baby girl never forgets the day.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

But wait! Which is the best gift for a one-year-old girl? A toy is the best catch here. You want the best for your daughter, something that she will like and even if you were to keep it and show it to her when she is already all grown up, she would have the same smile she had when you first showed the toy to her when she was one year old.

What to get a 1 year old girl on their Birthday? 

Choosing such a toy can be a daunting task. This article aims to make the work easy for you by outlining a list of the best gifts and toys for a one year old girls.

A VTech pull and sing puppy

Kids love puppies, and they find them to be the cutest thing, and it gets even better when puppies and toddlers are combined. Not all girls are into barking, taking dogs for walks and having a pooping pooch. You do not have to get a real puppy to match the experience for your baby girl. If she loves puppies, a VTech pull and sing puppy is an excellent choice.

The little guy can do tricks and other stuff that real dogs can do and more. He can sing, teach numbers, body parts and colors as the baby pulls him around his leash. It comes with over 50 songs and melodies to keep the kid entertained, and she will never get bored even if you were to leave her alone as you do chores around the house. You, however, need to include a battery.

Baby Einstein take along tunes

Kids are sensory. Its smell and touch alone are enough to make the baby glued to the creature as she tries to figure out how the machine can respond to her queries. If your kid is already a young jammer trying to get her tune in line, this toy will do her good. It's a kind of jukebox that switches between a total of seven melodies.

What's more? It lights up as it sings. It also comes with a volume control button and two AA batteries. It's a perfect toy for small hands, and your kid will not struggle as she plays with it. Even better; it is made of a soft polypropylene surface which makes it safe for children. The color and design are cute, so it does not scare the baby away.

Fisher Price brilliant basics first doll

Girls love trying to play-pretend at this age, and a baby doll is a perfect gift to help foster her imagination. She can tote the doll around as she tries to learn new words and understand different body parts like the mouth, legs, hands, and eyes. Dolls are soft and cuddly which makes it ideal for helping the baby in social recognition and giving them a sense of comfort when playing with it. She will carry the doll where she goes which is also a way of learning a sense of possession.

Fisher-price Baby’s first Blocks playlist

Your child will have a blast with this gift set on her birthday. It features two Fisher-Price toys a baby’s first block and a rock-a-stack. What she has to do is sort them for fun, which is a perfect way to keep baby busy and put her mind at work.

Such toys help develop problem skills too. The toy is meant to prepare kids for preschool through mental development. Grasping, sorting, and stocking the blocks is a fun way for your baby to stay happy as she explores. It will teach her a sense of discovery as she tries to see what happens after all the rings are sorted and stacked.

LeapFrog count and crawl number Kitty

Get your child on the move on many skills with this unique, cute kitty. The doll is designed to enhance a great push and play experience for little ones, keeping them busy and offering them a positive way of having fun. It comes with keys, that when pressed, make the cat start counting in a rhythm. How exciting is that? That's not all.

There are also music mode keys that command the cat to play meows in low and high modes as she makes silly sounds. Pushing the kitty makes her produce fun counting songs that your baby girl will want to listen to the whole day. The kitty can sit, bat, scoot, and crawl. This toy is a perfect way of nurturing mental development and balance in your baby as she explores and counts numbers one to twenty and learns new music. It comes in beautiful colors to keep your baby's attention.

The choices are endless, and these are only a few of the best and highly reviewed toys. The best part is that they are all durable and you can keep them and show them to your baby girl when she is all grown up.

How do you choose a good toy for a one year old?

You shouldn't choose the first toy that comes when conducting an online searches in sites. Let's take look at what should inform your purchase of a one year old's gift. 

Considerations when buying a present for a one year-old girl

• Safety – some toys are just not safe for babies and they even come with a safety warning signs. You will realize that some of them have been written to explain that they aren't recommended for kids under the age of five. This is probably because the toy has some aspects that could compromise the baby’s safety. Kids at this age love putting things in their mouth and you have to ensure that what you get cannot choke your baby. Also, make sure that the toy is non-toxic and doesn't have sharp edges.

• Go for educational toys – it shouldn't be all about play and fun. The child should be able to learn something when interacting with the toy. This is the developmental stage, and therefore, the toy should at least sharpen her mental development, communication skills, and cognitive capacity. Your baby will probably be spending most of her time with the toy, and therefore, it should be in a position to help her learn.

• The toy should enhance coordination – it's around this time of her life that a baby girl will be learning how to roll over and pull up as she tries to take her first step. Choose a toy that can help her enhance her motor skills and coordination as she starts to stand and walk. Keeping baby's hands and legs busy improves her strength too.

• Color and material – these are also aspects to keep in mind. You want something that will attract a baby girl and you should choose brightly colored toys over the dull ones. Pink, blue, yellow, red, and white are the most recommended colors for girls. The material takes you back to safety. Choose something soft but durable.

Recommended:

Baby Articles for New Moms from Kids Creative Chaos

Best Selling Toys for One Year Old Girls

Gift Ideas for Girls

Six Fun Things to do with Fla-Vor-Ice Pops: Recipes for a Cool Kids' Birthday Party

Fun Things to do with Frozen Pops and Shaved Ice for Kid's Party

Remember when you were a kid, and your mom sent you outside with a Fla-Vor-Ice Pop?  To cool down in the hot summer, we'd eat our pops and then run through the sprinkler. The best thing about Fla-Vor-Ice is they are "mom approved".  Did you know they are gluten free, low in calories, and sugar?  Each standard pop has just 5 grams of sugar.  Like Fla-Vor-Ice on Facebook for more information and tons of fun ideas. 

This post brought to you by Jel Sert.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Kids like Fla-Vor-Ice Pops, because they are a fun and refreshing treat with great tasting flavors.  They come in original fruit flavors, Tropical flavors, and even a sugar-free variety. There is a Fla-Vor-Ice Pop for everyone.  During summer camp, we always have a box of freezer pops in the ice chest.  Since  ice-pops are portable fun for everyone, you never know when one might come in handy for one of these fun things to do with Fla-Vor-Ice Pops.



1.  Make a homemade, rainbow slushy for your next summer party. 

Summer Party Recipe Ice Pop  Rainbow Slushy.

2.  Keep frozen Fla-Vor-Ice pops in an ice chest during outdoor play dates or summer vacations, and use them as a quickie first-aid ice-pack for head bumps and boo-boos. They also help with hydration.

3.  For a fun, outdoor game use ice-pops and party cups.  Line the children up, so each one stands two feet in front of a party cup, cut-off the end of their ice-pop, and count to three.  On three, everyone tries to squeeze their frozen ice into the cup without missing.  The winner is the one who flings the most frozen Fla-Vor-Ice into their cup.    

4.  Squeeze your frozen Fla-Vor-Ice into plastic Easter Eggs and then refreeze them to make a fun Easter Egg shape ice-pop treat like these from Play Eat Grow blog.

Picture from Play Eat Grow blog.  Hop over for more great ideas.

5.  Use Fla-Vor-Ice freezer pops in a homeschool science lesson about the changing states of matter.  Time the ice-pop to see how fast it freezes.  Compare it's freezing time with that of other liquids like milk, water, or yogurt.  Let it melt in a bowl on the counter, leave it out, and then track how many days it takes to evaporate.  Does it completely evaporate?

6. Before your freeze your pops, pour the liquid into fun ice cube molds, and use them to flavor your favorite clear soda.  Yum!

It's your turn, what will you do with your Fla-Vor-Ice pop? Hop over and share your ideas on Fla-Vor-Ice on Facebook! 

Recommended Reading:

55 Recipes for Ice Pops and Shave Ice
     

Things to do in Indy with Teenagers

Fun Activities to do with Teens in Greater Indianapolis

Did you type in your search bar, 'fun activities with teens near me' or  'things to do with teens near me?' If you're looking for fun things to do with teenagers in Indiana, we're compiling a list and editing it often! No matter the season, whether you live in Indiana or you're on vacation, you'll find things to do with teens as a family. These Indiana things to do are also perfect for your teenagers birthday parties.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Things to do with Teens in the Greater Indianapolis Area

Fishers Castleton Noblesville Carmel

• Axe Throwing for Kids and Teenagers, ages 10 and up, Castleton, Indiana. Look for Groupon Deals. (Archery coming soon!)

Axe Throwing Review, Kid Friendly?

Oh my gosh, it's fun! Is axe throwing safe for kids? Well, it's no less safe for kids than it is for adults, particularly for adults who've been drinking. Is axe throwing safe? If you follow the rules, if you go slow, if you pay attention to your surroundings, yes! 

They'll give you a quick lesson, tips, and rules to follow. Make sure everyone listens. For me, the hardest thing to remember was to wait for the other thrower to throw BEFORE you go after your axe. Think of it like bowling. Be polite and go one at a time. Then, when you're both done throwing, go together to retrieve your axes. 

Tip:  It's a hour. It seems pricey for an hour, but you'll be tired and your muscles will ache. Got a kid who doesn't listen and likes to run around? Don't bring them here. Everyone is required to sign a waiver.

Love it? They also offer axe throwing leagues... for real.

• Tomahawk Throwing at Conner Prairie, Fishers, Indiana. Ask about Tomahawk Throwing when you purchase your ticket at the gate. There's lots to do at Conner Prairie, but this is probably the thing teenagers will most enjoy. Conner Prairie also offers balloon rides, weather permitting.

• Bounce U,  Read our Bounce U Fishers Review, Fishers, Indiana. (Look for coupon deals with Google Search.)

Tip:  What makes Bounce U more teen friendly than other bounce and jump places? It's not all slides and bounce houses. You can box, sumo, and joust. Also, they lead the teens in the activities while you sit and use the wifi or participate, whichever you prefer.

Inflatable Sumo Suit for Teen Birthday Party

• Dave and Buster's, Castleton, Indiana is a fun place for teenagers. They offer many youth activities including birthday parties for teens and kids of all ages. Enjoy bowling, pool, arcade games, virtual reality games, and dancing games

• Woodland Bowl on 96th Street, Indianapolis offers fun teen activities like bowling, Pirate Laser Tag and Miniature Golf.

Avon Clermont Danville Plainfield Speedway

• Western Bowl, near Plainfield and Speedway Indiana

• Roller City is just across the parking lot from Western Bowl. Offering $2 Tuesdays.

• Beasley's Orchard Apple Festival, Danville, Indiana. Apple Cannons and lots more, but your teen will love shooting the apple cannons. Thank me now.

Get Water Balloon Slingshot 

• Lucas Oil Raceway Drag Races, Clermont, Indiana.

Your teens with racing aspirations can participate in Wild Wednesdays with a signed, notarized waiver. They'll love you forever... if they live through it. 

• Take your Teens to Jail at the Hendrick's County Historical Museum, Danville, Indiana.

Indianapolis Downtown with Teens

• If you're cool with sexual innuendo (and who isn't?) and you have older teens, eat at Dick's Last Resort, downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

• 10 Things to do in Indianapolis with Kids (Read our list for kids of all ages.)

• Top 10 Things to do with Teens in Indy from Yelp

Beech Grove Greenwood Franklin Whiteland

• Great Times just outside of Beech Grove, Indiana, off I-465 is a fun place to take teens when in the Indy area. Teenagers can race karts, ride boats, and then head next door to the Expo Bowl bowling alley which offers a Laser Tag experience.

• Rascal's Fun Zone, Whiteland, Indiana

• Urban Air, Franklin, Indiana

This place is fun for everyone, but teens will especially like the climbing wall, indoor ziplines, jousting and more. 

Camby Mooresville Martinsville Bloomington

• Dr. Who Store, Camby, Indiana

• Pioneer Park Flying Soaring Eagle Zipline, Mooresville, Indiana. This zipline is mommy friendly too. Afraid of heights? Hold your breath, but take a chance. This is an Eagle shaped car (think an amusement ride) you sit in and fly through the trees. Best part? It's only $5 per rider. The park also has an awesome swimming pool, trails, and a covered bridge.

Ziplines for Backyards.

• Double B Arena, Mooresville, Indiana, Mutton Busting and Bull Riding. You read that right, your teens and preteens can ride a bull for $20 and other rodeo experiences. Bring your ambulance.

• IU Link Observatory, Martinsville/Mooresville, Indiana

Recommended:


Indiana Indy Field Trip Ideas for Kids

Fun Things to do with Kids (Vacation and Staycation Ideas)

Best Parks in Indiana for Family Fun



More to come, we'll be updating this post monthly. For more things to do with teenagers in Indy stay informed on our  Kids Creative Chaos Instagram profile.

How to make play dough at home and 12 Fun Things to do with Play Dough

Looking for fun things to Make at Home?

Maybe you need an easy recipe for how to make dough or you're wondering how do I make play dough at home? How to make clay dough for older kids Here are fun clay and dough recipes to make at home with kids of all ages.

How to make play dough recipe:                                                         
2 c. corn starch, 1 c. salt, 1 1/2 c. boiling water, 2 tbs. cream of tartar, 2 tbs  oil (vegetable oil to keep it edible or baby oil to make it fun and a pleasant scent) Mix all ingredients together, then add a couple drops of your favorite food coloring. You can also separate into individual baggies, add a different drop of food color to each bag, and knead to mix. Let the kids do this for extra sensory play! You can make it without cream of tar tar too; the oil will fill the void it just might not stay fresh as long :)

 Sensory Guest Post from Krissy Sherman Bonning, Mama of 3, and Blogger  at B.Inspired, Mama!  (Connecting moms with kid-friendly arts & crafts, easy recipes, and preschool learning fun.) Hop over to Krissy's blog and check out all of the cool  fun from a Mommy with a Master's degree in Art Education.

I found an exciting feature on her blog, she accepts Submissions from other bloggers! Get your fun ideas posted and earn yourself some much deserved recognition.

Fun things to do with Playdough at home.

My kids’ go-to sensory activity is definitely play dough.  The ways you can play with it are endless.  And adding unusual objects and art supplies to it make it even more fun.  Here are some of our favorites:

1. Stencils – Use them to place on the play dough and trace around, press into the play dough to make impressions, and for imaginative play, too. 
2. Recycled Bottles – Next time you drink something out of a plastic bottle, check out the bottom.  It will probably make a really cool flower-like impression in play dough.  (from B-Inspired Mama)
3. Cardboard Boxes – Play dough details can turn boxes into buildings and even an entire city.  (from Inspiration Surrounds, Creativity Abounds)
4. Muffin Cups – Silicone muffin cups are perfect for making pretend cupcakes and muffins for an impromptu Birthday party or picnic.  (from B-Inspired Mama)
5. Fake Flowers – Plant them in play dough to make a beautiful flower garden for imaginative gardening fun. (from The Imagination Tree)
6. Animals – Green play dough makes the perfect jungle for little animal friends. (from Picklebums)
7. Googly Eyes – Bright your play dough to life and make silly monsters with lots of googly eyes. (from Pink and Green Mama)
8. Candy Molds – Use chocolate play dough to make pretend candies and fun shapes with candy molds.  (from Learning 4 Kids)
9. Laminated Play Dough Mats – Laminate images and learning worksheets for kids to add play dough details, letters, and snakes to.  (from Planet of the Apels)
10. Alphabet Cookie Cutters – Make play dough fun a learning opportunity by adding letter cookie cutters.  (from No Time for Flash Cards)
11. Glitter – Add lots of glitter to turn play dough into a glistening glob for galaxy fun.  (from Poppytalk)
12. Trucks & Cars – Play dough makes fun hills for driving over and tires on toy vehicles make awesome impressions.  (from B-Inspired Mama)

Do your kids like playing with play dough? Have you ever used anything unusual to make it more fun?

Recommended Reading:

Fun-tastic Clay Critters to Make

Modeling Clay Animals

Sensory Play Dough Recipe

Plan a Fun Party for Kids with a Balloon Car Theme for Boys or Girls

Struggling to find a unique theme for a boy's birthday party at home that is a fun party for kids? Why not have a Balloon Car theme. 

There are tons of things to do with Balloons. Here are a few for your next party planning checklist. Have the best party birthday party ever with these fun ideas for things to do with balloons.

Cute Birthday Party Balloon Clip Art.

Arvind Gupta makes toys from trash on his fabulous website offering many recycle crafts for kid, arvindguptatoys.com  He offers a great how to make a balloon car tutorial printable pdf.

Visit Arvind Gupta Toys for the tutorial.

Michael Floyd of BalloonHQ offers a balloon car tutorial for making a car out of balloons for a kid's birthday party. Not sure Id' have the patience for this one!

Balloon Car from Michael Floyd 
 looks like Barbie might like to take a ride in this one.

My favorite site for balloon art has to be The Balloon Pastor he has balloon pictures of full-size car costumes for kids including a Tow Mater. You'll have to hop over to check them all out. Here's an example of his work, Lightning McQueen balloon car.

Finally, PBS Design Squad has some great balloon science projects which are fun for a kid's party or perfect for a homeschool project. Show your magic trick skills with this unpoppable balloon trick or 2-wheel balloon car tutorial.

Unpoppable Balloon Party Trick from PBS Design Squad.

How to make a 2 Wheel Balloon Car  from PBS Design Squad.

Recommended Reading:

Phineas Costume Mask

More Balloon Clip Art