A wishlist for kids – what goes on it and who decides

Your child helps decide

Depending on their age, your child says what goes on the list, and you add it. Younger kids point at pictures in a catalog or tell you what they saw at a friend’s house. You add a wish with a link from a store or simply as a line of text – “something with dinosaurs” is a wish, too.

Whatever matters most to your child, you mark as a top wish. It then sits at the very top.

A mix of price ranges

Grandparents often give bigger gifts, family friends smaller ones. A good list has something for everyone:

• one or two bigger wishes like a balance bike or swimming lessons
• several mid-range ones like books, games or craft kits
• a few small ones like stickers, markers or an audiobook

Add a price to the wishes. Then everyone can see at a glance what fits their budget, without having to ask.

Experiences instead of things

Not everything has to be wrapped: a trip to the zoo, a movie with a godparent, an afternoon at a climbing park. Wishes like these sit right next to the toys and are often the ones kids remember longest.

One list per occasion

Kids’ wishes change fast. It’s best to create a separate list for the birthday and one for Christmas; all of them belong to your email address, and each has its own link. If you have several kids, each gets their own list.

Does the surprise hold?

Guests only see that a wish is taken, not by whom. In your own view, you see what’s reserved – so show the list to your child before you share it, not after.