Looking for Family Gift Ideas? Our Gift Guide Can Help!
If you are searching for gifts for families, you are definitely not alone! Gifts for the whole family can be a great way to cover all your bases and get the family you know and love something that they can all enjoy. It might even be your own family you’re thinking about!
That said, while there are definitely some more popular gift ideas for families, the best family gifts are going to be the ones that work for your specific family in mind!
Like you, we’ve struggled to buy family Christmas gifts for our own families or for others in the past. Even if it’s not Christmas, family gift ideas can also be tricky if it’s for a housewarming – and even harder to get if you’re searching for gift ideas for families that have everything!
So, our family gift guide is packed with top gift ideas for families – no matter their interests, values, and composition!
If you’re looking for some more gift inspiration, check out some of our other gift guides:
- Great gifts for dancers, artists, foodies, and movie lovers
- Christmas gift inspiration for moms, dads, boyfriends, and newlyweds
- Our couples’ gift guide and gifts for frugal people
Great Family Gift Ideas
As we mentioned above, family gifts are a great way to buy one gift to benefit many.
There are loads of unique family gifts and cool family gifts that will work for families with younger kids, older kids, no kids, and beyond!
Below, you’ll find lots of different family gift ideas for various different interests and for many different budgets.
This way, you can get some great family gift inspiration and hopefully find a suitable gift so you can check it off your list!
Family Activities Book
Looking for ideas on how to spend time with the family outdoors? This unplugged family activities book is for you then!
In it, you can find over 60 simple crafts and recipes which can keep your family busy and entertained. This book is great for those families that need a little bit of inspiration for what to do outdoors while leaving their phones at home.
Mini Movie Projector
Know a family that loves movie nights? Then a mini projector might be perfect as one of those whole family gift ideas!
It takes movie nights to a whole new level by allowing you to easily display the movie on a wall or screen. This mini projector can connect to various different devices, making it easy to set up and enjoy!
Lego Modular Building Kit
Are there older kids in the family that still enjoy doing activities as a family? Then this Lego modular building kit might be a good family gift idea!
It comes with over 2500 pieces that will need to be put together. Similar to a puzzle, this can be a fun activity for a family to tackle together.
Since some of the pieces are very small, this is not a suitable gift for families with smaller children.
If you want to gift something similar to families with younger kids, just make sure you choose a Lego (or Duplo) set that only contains large pieces that can’t be swallowed.
Treasure Chest
Does the family you want to get a gift for collect a lot of sentimental “treasures” such as photos, ticket stubs, or handwritten notes? Then gift them a treasure chest!
Having a designated space for these types of items can make them feel more special. At the same time, it also helps to keep everything in one place instead of cluttering up different spots in the home.
Ice Cream Maker
If you’re looking for a family gift that the kids will most likely love, look no further than an ice cream maker!
With this ice cream maker, you can simply put in your ingredients, press the on button, and enjoy a frozen treat in about 20 minutes. It’s great for trying out different flavor combinations.
And those who are not huge fans of ice cream can also make frozen yoghurt or sorbet!
Snack Box Subscription
Have a family that loves eating snacks and trying out new products? Then get them a snack box subscription!
This subscription box is full of healthy snacks that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It’s great for those that aren’t afraid of trying something new.
You can choose between four different snack plans (classic, vegan, gluten-free, and workplace) so there’s bound to be one that suits the family!
Family Tent
Does the family you want to get a gift for love spending time outdoors and maybe even camping? Then a tent that fits the whole family can be a great gift idea!
A family tent can make for a fun bonding experience since the whole family sleeps in one place.
And even if the family doesn’t feel comfortable going on a full camping trip (yet), setting the tent up in a backyard and spending a few hours in the tent together can be just as fun!
Electronics Charging Station
Are the kids old enough to have their own electronic devices that need to be charged? Then get the family a charging station and say goodbye to a tangled ball of cords.
This charging station is compatible with various electronics like different tablets and phones and allows for up to six devices to be charged at the same time.
This should not only reduce the number of fights over charging cables, but should also make the charging process a lot less messy.
Chalkboard Paper
Does the family have younger kids? Then they might love this chalkboard wallpaper! The kids can enjoy drawing on the paper and the parents will be happy to know that the wallpaper won’t be ruined.
And even if there aren’t any young kids in the family – the chalkboard paper could be used as a new decorative piece in the kitchen. It would be especially great for a family that likes to write out their weekly meal plan.
Family Journal
If you know that the family loves writing down experiences and events to preserve them for the future, then consider getting them a family journal!
Lisa’s mom wrote down some fun events from when Lisa was a child and Lisa treasures being able to read about them now that she is so much older.
In this family journal, there is space for photos and memories from vacations or other occasions. For families that like being creative together, this can be a a great gift choice!
Indoor S’mores Maker
If there are big s’mores fans in the family, they’d probably be super happy about a gift like this indoor s’mores maker. Now they can have s’mores anytime of the year!
A s’mores maker can be a great addition for a family who likes game nights and lives in a colder climate. We’d definitely be a fan of a gift like this!
1000 Piece Puzzle
Looking for a fun puzzle that you can do with the whole family? Then this Ravensburger bookshop puzzle might be something for you!
It’s best for families with older kids since there are 1000 pieces and the pieces are quite small (choking hazard for young kids) – so keep that in mind when considering a puzzle gift.
If you want a puzzle for families with younger kids, there are also lots of different options out there. In that case, it would be better to opt for a puzzle with fewer – and bigger – pieces.
Travel Gift Card
Depending on whether the family you’re looking to get a gift for likes to travel, a travel gift card of some kind might be a suitable gift.
Since there are so many different hotels and other accommodation options, theme parks, activity companies, etc. out there, we didn’t want to recommend anything too specific. Just make sure to get something that aligns with their travel style (road trips vs. flying, nature vs. city, etc.).
We’d also recommend that you make sure it is something that they could use close to home. With the way the world is right now and the situation changing frequently, it just wouldn’t feel right to make anyone travel too far away from home.
Mix Box by Homemade Bakers
Do you know a family that likes baking together? Then get them a baking subscription box!
This can be a fun family activity that won’t take long to plan since you get the ingredients and the instructions sent to you in the mix box! And in the end, you get a delicious treat that can be enjoyed together.
We like this box since it makes it easy for people who are not 100% comfortable in the kitchen to try out (new) recipes and get away from the store bought “box mixes”.
Monopoly Cheaters Edition
If your family is into games, then you’ve probably played Monopoly at least once in your life! Lisa’s family is a huge Monopoly family and have played it so many times over the years.
The classic version never gets old, but trying out a new Monopoly edition can be lots of fun, too! The cheaters edition sounds like tons of fun to play with the whole family since fun and laughter is pretty much guaranteed.
Wii
You might think this is a bit of an outdated gift idea – but hear us out. A Wii can still be a good family gift even though it’s been around for white some time.
There are lots of games on the market that can be played with the Wii. Also, the controllers are easy enough to figure out even for younger kids, parents who don’t game, or even grandparents.
That makes a Wii a great gift for a family that doesn’t have one yet – especially nowadays when we all spend more time at home than we used to.
Family Calendar
Having a family calendar can make organizing the whole family’s schedule so much easier. Lisa’s mom always got a family calendar similar to this one when Lisa was a kid and the whole family loved it.
It’s just so easy to see who has what going on when. And by writing everything down it’s less likely that family members forget about important dates!
Disney+ Subscription
Disney+ was a big deal when it came out – and for good reason. Access to a family’s favorite Disney movies all in one place can be the perfect gift for a family that is into movie nights.
And if you want to include the grandparents or older kids that are already out of the house, then the group watch feature might be something that you’ll appreciate!
Family Mugs
Family mugs are one of these classic gift ideas that never get old. If the family you’re looking to get a gift for has different mugs – and maybe even collects them – matching family mugs might be something for them!
There are quite a few different ones out there – but we liked these black and white ones. This set comes with three mugs in total.
So it’s best for a family of three since you probably don’t want to make anyone feel left out.
Scrapbook
If you have a family that likes being creative and is into crafts, then a scrapbook might be a great gift for them.
It gives them the perfect opportunity to print out some photos from family adventures and be creative when putting the album together.
We like that this scrapbook comes with a nice little box. That makes it really easy to store the album in a secure place.
If you were searching for personalized family gifts, you might consider getting a scrapbook personalized with their last name for added value.
Matching Pajamas
This is a classic family gift idea so we couldn’t not include it on this list. Matching family pajamas can be a great gift idea – especially if it’s supposed to be a holiday gift.
We like this set with the polar bears but there are also other options available. Just make sure you know the approximate clothing sizes of all the family members before buying a gift like this!
Picnic Backpack
A picnic backpack might be a great gift idea if the family likes to spend time outdoors. While we usually like the picnic baskets, backpacks are just more practical when being out with the family. This way, you can keep both arms free.
We like picnic backpacks because all the cutlery, plates, etc. have their designated spot. Going on a picnic can be a fun adventure even for young kids. So, this is definitely a gift idea you should consider for outdoorsy families.
And they don’t even have to venture far since a picnic in their own backyard or the local park can be lots of fun, too!
Luggage Set
Does your family travel a lot from A to B? We’re not only talking about long international trips here – it could be as simple as weekend trips to family members who live an hour away.
Having luggage that works well for the family’s set-up can make all the difference when it comes to packing and having an enjoyable trip.
Depending on the type of trips they take, suitcases or duffle bags might be the better choice. We’ll let you be the judge of that! However, in general, we really like a luggage set that includes luggage in different sizes. This one even includes four packing cubes.
Outdoor Games
Does the family in mind like being active outdoors and has a backyard? Then a set of outdoor games might be a great family gift!
We like this volleyball and badminton combo set since it gives you the options for two different games. Volleyball can be played with a larger group while badminton is great for two to four players.
We are fans of both of these games and would definitely be happy about a gift like this. However, a gift like this makes the most sense for families that like being active and have kids that are (already) able to play these games.
Family Tree
Would the gift receivers enjoy a spot where they can display photos of the whole family? Then this family tree might be a nice gift idea.
There are definitely families out there that like having a lot of pictures on display. Some other families, on the other hand, keep the photos to a minimum. If you’ve been inside the family’s house, you should be able to gauge quite quickly which category they fall into.
In case you can’t find many family pictures decorating the walls, maybe opt for another gift – just to be save!
Recipe Book
Does the family have some classic family recipes that are always popular when getting together? Having a designated family recipe book would be a great place to have all these special recipes written down.
We know from first-hand experience how sad it can be when old family European recipes get lost over the years. Sadly, some of them were never written down.
A book like this can be a nice nudge to put the recipes down on paper and keep them for future generations!
Popcorn
Is the family big into movie or game nights and enjoys snacking? Then get them a popcorn set!
This is a great gift idea for when you’re unsure what else to get. In those instances, we’re always big fans of edible gifts. They have a purpose (aka they can be eaten) and then don’t take up unnecessary room in someone’s house.
Popcorn is usually a pretty save gift, but just double check that nobody in the family is allergic to any of the ingredients!
Things to Consider When Buying Family Gifts
Before buying a family gift there are a few things that you should think about. We’ll address some of the most important considerations in no particular order in this section.
Family Interests
The family’s interests are some of the most important considerations when purchasing a gift.
Since it’s supposed to be a gift that the whole family will enjoy, it’s important that it something all family members are interested in.
If one family member absolutely hates camping, then the family tent idea mentioned above would probably not be a good choice. The same is true for many other items on our list.
Since we don’t know the interests of the family you want to buy a gift for, we can only provide general ideas.
It’s on you to figure out if a gift idea would actually make sense for that specific family. Keeping their interests and hobbies in mind should give you a pretty good idea!
Product Quality
Of course the quality of the product will also play a role when looking for a gift. Especially when it comes to outdoor equipment and electronics, it’s important that the item is good quality.
That’s why we recommend that you always read the product descriptions and the reviews (if available) before making a purchase.
Product Price
Last – but not least – the price will most likely also impact your gift choice. Since you are looking to get one gift for the whole family, it might end up being slightly more expensive than separate gifts for individual family members would have been.
However, you should also not spend too much. It’s important to set a budget for yourself and then stick to it.
The last thing that the family would want is you putting yourself in a bad financial position because you wanted to get them a gift that was over your budget.
And there you have it – some of the best family gift ideas we can come up with. In the end, there is no perfect family gift that will work for every family.
It’s up to you to know your family a little bit and buy accordingly. Just keep in mind their interests and your budget and you’ll have a hard time going wrong with what you get them!
As always, Stay Curious,
-B&L
Pin it for later!
