TL;DR — We have tested all of this gear with our own kids, ages 7-12. The Beast Trampoline is the only one that survived a full year of abuse. Woom makes the best kids bike you can buy. Camp Snap is the one tech gift we recommend without hesitation. Everything on this list came from our house, not a PR package.
We have tested every product on this list with our own kids. No PR freebies. No guessing. Just gear that actually survived our house — and that we would buy again.
🏀 Outdoor Play & Sports
Best Trampoline: Beast Trampoline
We tested 5 trampolines. The Beast is the only one we kept. It held up through three Colorado winters, two kids who treat it like a UFC octagon, and one incident involving a garden hose. Read our full Beast Trampoline review.
Seriously, your kids will love this (and so will you... to give them something to do that isn't s...
🚲 Bikes & Rides
Best Kids Bike: Woom
Woom makes the best kids bikes on the market — genuinely lightweight, properly sized, and kids actually want to ride them. The difference between a Woom and a department store bike is the difference between a bike your kid uses and a bike that lives in the garage. Worth every penny.
Best Family eBike: Velotric Discover 2
For family rides where you need to keep up with (or haul) your kids, the Velotric Discover 2 is our top pick — 75-mile range, torque sensor pedal assist, and enough cargo capacity to actually be useful. Full review here.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Morbi auctor suscipit magna pretium sodales. Vestibulum eu lorem vitae diam ullamcorper viverra in vitae nunc. Duis non risus urna.
📱 Tech for Kids
Best Screen-Free Camera: Camp Snap
No WiFi. No social sharing. No screen time spiral. Just a camera that lets kids actually be kids and document it. Camp Snap is the single best tech gift we have found for ages 7-12 — and the one we recommend without any caveats. Read our Camp Snap review.
Our son loves this screen-free camera. He loves waiting to see how the pictures turned out even more.
Best Family Tablet: iPad Mini
Yes, it costs more than an Amazon Fire tablet — but it is worth it. The Fire tablets are cheap for a reason: slow, limited, and kids outgrow them fast. The iPad Mini gets used for years, works with every app your kid actually wants, and holds its resale value. If budget is tight, wait for an Apple refurb. We also love the Skylight Calendar Max for keeping the whole family coordinated.
🗓 Family Organization
Best Family Calendar: Skylight Calendar Max
The Skylight Calendar changed how our family runs. It syncs with Google Calendar, everyone can see what is happening at a glance, and no one can claim they did not know about soccer practice. If you have kids with activities, this is the one purchase we make without hesitation. Full review here.
Think of this as a larger, snappier version of the smaller Skylight Calendar. Full of great, innovative features for busy families.
Get This as a Printable Checklist
Want a printable version to share with grandparents or bring gift shopping? Drop your email below and we will send it straight to your inbox.
📋 Get Your Free PDF Checklist
We’ll email it straight to you — no spam, just gear we actually use.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.