Hill Gift Guide: For the Kids

Well, we’re just about through with the Christmas/Festivus shopping at the Krepp household, and between a myriad of young cousins (welcome to baby Noah, btw), Toys for Tots, and giving Santa a helping hand, we’ve been happy to report that not only is it possible to do all of your kid’s shopping on the Hill, it’s becoming progressively easier.

One big reason why, of course, is the opening of Labyrinth Game Shop. As my kids are getting to the stage where playing board games with them becomes, you know, fun, Labyrinth promises to become a staple of our holiday and birthday shopping. While there are plenty of options for younger kids here, it’s particularly exciting that we now have a store that offers a fighting chance at a gift that will interest a teenager. Or whatever.

Labyrinth has a few older cousins in the Eastern Market area helping me out in my new found goal of never shopping in the ‘burbs again. Just down Barracks Row is Groovy DC. Don’t be fooled by the greeting cards and such as you walk in. Wander towards the back for a well stocked and thoughtfully chosen collection of children’s toys. If plastic is overrunning your house, Groovy has an excellent collection of Melissa and Doug wooden toys for younger kids, as well as quite a bit of Klutz paraphernalia for the slightly older set. And this years big favorite seems to be the Automoblox  series of interchangeable wooden cars/blocks

Over on 7th Street, we have several kid friendly options. Best bet for gift’s is the venerable Fairy Godmother. While known for their book collection, Fairy Godmother is packed to the gills with toys and trinkets. A good choice for the young readers especially. Also on the same block are Dawn Price Baby if you’re looking for something for the newborn set and Monkey’s Uncle, a great option if you looking for clothes to give. Something I’ll never understand, but my daughters love.

But don’t feel confined to the obvious choices. Several other Hill options may be aimed at adults, but have some child cross-over appeal.  Cooking, for example, is far too important to be left up to the grown ups and Hill’s Kitchen has plenty of kid-friendly options, from fun and witty aprons to ten inch chef’s knives. Well, the latter may not be for every six year old, but plenty of other options exist.

And finally, Frager’s has long been a favorite of Santas who might have a slight problem with time management and meeting tasks on deadlines. While they do have a perfectly fine toy shelf, I say it’s never too early to learn how to properly use and care for tools. A little creative searching the aisles, and options suitable for smaller hands will jump out at you. In a Christmas not so many years ago, Santa managed to get a little behind in his shopping, and in a fit of desperation threw a small size safety glasses into the stocking. They’ve become a regular feature in the dress up rotation, and have since been solemnly worn whenever helping me around the house. You never really know what’s going to become a holiday hit.