2015 Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide #HGG - Babies, Children, Teens, Oh My!

        Whether you are looking for gift ideas for your personal little ones or someone else's, it isn't always easy.  It seems like the older they get, the harder it is to buy for them.  And of course if you've been around any child this century, you know you've got to stay on top of the latest trends.  So that being said, I've got some really great products for Mom-to-be, Kids of all ages, preteens, and even those heading off to college soon this holiday!

Educational
1. Teach My 
After seeing the need for an all in one learning kit and finding there were none available while trying to educate her 18 month old son, Christy Cook the CEO of Teach My, literally created one herself.  She stepped up, did the research with local moms and playgroups, and created Teach My Toddler.  With the help of the Teach My sets her son was reading by three years old (and if you are a mother of young children, you know this is just amazing).

The Teach My sets include:
Teach My Baby - Animal Babies, Sounds and Touch, First Words, Self Blocks and Books, and First Numbers
Teach My Toddler - Continents and Animals, The Alphabet, Colors USA, Colours Canada, Numbers 1 to 10, and Shapes
Teach My Preschooler - The Solar System, Printing, Reading, The Time, Math, and Numbers 1 to 100.
AND NOW Bath time 6 Months and older - Baby Bath time Numbers Learning Set, Toddler Bath time ABC's Learning Set, Preschooler Bath time Spelling Learning Set

You can find the Teach My sets in the same learning and children's electronic aisle near commonly known brand names like Vtech or Leap Frog.  Except now Teach My is a better option and at a more reasonable price.  Teach My Learning Sets are available at Walmart Stores Nationwide as part of the new initiative to support women owned businesses, WOMEN OWNED.  Teach My kits will now have the Women Owned logo on the front of the packaging and will be available at your local Walmart.  The sets are also available at ToysRus Stores Nationwide.  This great news since they are easier to purchase for your growing kiddos!
Facebook: Teach My 
Twitter: @teachmy
Pinterest: Teach My 

2. Elementary Box 
"ElementaryBox is a subscription box service for elementary school teachers, Pre-K thru 5th grade." Each box is filled with teaching resources, student incentives and teacher gifts.  Teachers, friends of teachers, or students and families can subscribe and gift this wonderful monthly subscription.  You can select your grade level/plan and with each box you receive a curriculum, teaching resources, student incentives, and even a few gifts the teacher and students!

"Dear Teachers,
We know, first hand, how you are often overworked and under-appreciated. But let's face it, the world would stop turning if it weren't for you. Seriously, it would. We are here to lighten your load and give you a well-deserved treat."

With the box that arrived recently, it was themed for Thanksgiving and perfect for this months activities and focus for any 2nd grade classroom (since that's the grade I picked).  This months box had 6 items and 2 snacks along with the curriculum.  At the most expensive (pay by month) plan, you pay $29 for a box including everything you need plus the planning work is done.  I think this is more than worth it and makes for a great holiday gift for your teachers this season!
Facebook:  Elementary Box 
Pinterest:  Elementary Box 
Twitter:  @ElementaryBox

3. VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX
The VTech® Kidizoom® Smartwatch DX is "the smartest watch for kids. It's perfect for young photographers and packs more memory and fun activities into the original watch providing multi-functional technology for children."  Available in six colors/patterns, the VTech Kidizoom Smartwatch DX has double the internal memory as the original watch and a huge variety of features which include motion-activated games, special calendar and calculator tools, 3D clock faces, and all sorts of photo editing fun.

This watch makes me jealous of the kids gear!  Specifically purchased for my 7 year old who loves to take photos and create movies, I knew this was going to be an ultimate gift for the holiday.  He loves being able to add all sorts of new photo effects to his pictures to fit the story line he is working on and with the extra memory, I don't have to constantly worry about it being filled as soon as he starts.  The 8 new games allow my child to get a little more active offline while still using the same technology we know kids have become dependent on.

Since this arrived, my 5 year old has gotten quite jealous adding it to his list of must have gifts this holiday.  He loves the creative clock faces which help him work on telling time easier.  I am pretty sure I've caught him playing with the calculator too since he is always talking about wanting more exciting homework like his brother has.  The whole watch was very easy to learn to use regardless of age and set up was beyond simple.  Again, I've seen nothing like this watch before and I would definitely recommend it as a top gift this year for your little ones.
Facebook:  Vtech Toys 
Twitter:  @vtechtoys

Fun
4. HABA USA
Most parents have at the very least heard of the brand HABA USA, "a wood manufacturing company known for our high-quality baby and children's toys, as well as our children's games and block sets". Now partnered with great brands like GOTZ, Lillipuiens, Spielstabil, Moover, and Lassig, HABA also offers a variety of plush toys, games and apps, as well as accessories and textiles from Mom to toddler.

HABA USA has quite the variety when shopping for this years Holiday gifts!  You can search by category, age, or brand, and can expect nothing but the highest quality in your purchase.  The Lassig Belly Bands are a perfect accessory for any expecting Mother.  Worn over clothing to accentuate a beautiful belly OR underneath clothing to help layer (shorter) clothing tops as well as hold and secure unfastened pants for a more relaxed fit.

Made of a soft, breathable cotton, I love how you can wear these throughout pregnancy.  From beginning to end and even after, the Belly Band is an accessory that is truly for any woman.  There are tons of patterns which match virtually any outfit.  It helps boost your confidence when you need it most and is barely noticeable when wearing it.  I wish I had one when I was pregnant!

Perhaps you have a little one who is working on building their fine motor skills, in which case the Mini Monsters Stacking game is going to be a perfect gift this holiday.  Children can focus on their building and matching skills with each of the monster blocks and colored dowels.  If you have a bit older child to buy for who is possibly into dinosaurs of any kind, the Terra Kids Flying Dinosaur Assembly kit is the gift that keeps on giving.  Not only will a child have a blast assembling this prehistoric kit but then it can be displayed as decor anywhere you like.  The pull string even lets you flap the wings and bring it to life!

Facebook: HABA USA
Twitter:  @HABA_usa
Pinterest: HABA USA 

5. Sesame Street - Warner Bros. 
Always a classic in most any home now a days, Warner Bros. released several new Sesame Street DVD's this past year.  These include: Play All Day With Elmo, Count On Elmo, Elmo Can Do It!, Elmo the Musical Volume 2: Imagine and Learn, and The Best Of Elmo 3.  Regardless of age, who doesn't love Elmo?!

"Celebrating its impressive 45th anniversary this season, Sesame Street is the longest-running program in children’s television. The series has received more Emmy awards than any other show in television history, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award."
Facebook: Warner Bros.
Twitter:  @WarnerBrosEnt
Pinterest: Warner Bros.

6. My Little Pony Equestria Girls - Shout Factory 
My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (Three Movie Gift Set), which includes the new full-length feature film, My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games, was released on October 13th, 2015.  With a special lenticular cover that features a transforming Twilight Sparkle, the box set houses all three films released from the My Little Pony: Equestria Girls canon, Equestria Girls, Rainbow Rocks and Friendship Games. Complete with bonus features including audio commentaries, animated shorts and deleted scenes from Friendship Games, this gift set is perfect for giving this holiday season.      

I loved My Little Pony's growing up and even though I have boys, I love the fact that they love watching them too!  I had tons of the toy ones and used to love all the colors. The lessons are wonderful and right in line with those that I teach my children such as being proud of who you are AND being unique.
Facebook: Shout Factory 
Twitter:  @ShoutFactory
Pinterest:  Shout Factory

*Read my Disclosure