Cool handmade toys for kids, for a back-to-basics holiday
All picks have been editorially determined by our staff. There has been no compensation for inclusion in this guide.
This guide contains affiliate links and some purchases help support our own small business at no additional costs to you..
All discount codes expired 2018
For more up-to-date discounts and gift ideas, please visit our 2019 holiday gift guide or 2020 small business holiday gift guide
Handmade wooden 8-bit Santa sound machine
Our kids are obsessed with these wonderful sound makers. So much so, we visited this dad-run company’s Brooklyn workshop!
$65, Brand New Noise
Handmade superhero capes and sets
One of our very favorite Etsy shops and for good reason!
$55 and up for capes, more for full costumes at Lovelane
Use code COOL15 for 15% off your order
Handmade modular wooden castle playhouse
Click through to see all the things it can do. Yay for imaginative play!
$150, Manzanitas Kids
Handmade mermaid dolls that help support kids in need
For each doll sold, they donate 10 meals to a hungry child.
$50-70, Cuddle and Kind
Elementiles handmade element crayons
perfect your future scientist-artist.
$19.95 Art2theExtreme
Use code CMP2018 for 10% off site-wide
Personalized handmade wooden toy crate
They’re going to need someplace to put away all those toys, right?
$39 as shown here, lots of handmade block sets sold separately
Use code COOLMOM to save 10% off sitewide
Handmade mix-and-match doll blocks
Heirloom quality and just beautiful.
$55, Abby Jacobs
Use code “cool10” for 10% off site wide
Handmade Waldorf wooden play kitchen
If you’re looking for one special gift this year, this Maine woodworker does extraordinary work.
$595, A Toymaker’s Daughter
Custom peg doll family
Beautifully hand-painted and personalized to look like your family.
$34/family of 6, Little Muslim Dolls
See our our roundup of diverse dollhouse dolls here for more ideas!
Paint your own superhero cuffs or tiara
It’s like a homemade gift for kids, squared.
$26, Lovelane
Use code COOL15 for 15% off your order
Handmade reindeer stuffy
For an extra $5, you can even have the tummy personalized.
$34.99, Plucky Rabbott
Use code COOLRABBOTT for 10% off site wide
Traditional handmade wooden pull-sled for children
An outstanding reason to hope for snow.
$299, Northern Toboggan Co
Be sure to visit our 2020 Small Business Holiday Gift Guide
which helps support dozens of indie shops, makers and artists with the best gifts for everyone on your list.
See our 2021 Holiday Gift Guide here
And don't miss our guide to 50+ of the coolest gifts for kids under $50.