Melbourne's best gifts for kids

Treat the kids in your life to a little something special. Check out our cheat sheet for fun tech toys, retro gadgets and unique treasures.

Chocolate koalas, $4.50

You can't go wrong with chocolate. Sweeten their day with a little Australiana this year. These limited edition koala pops from Koko Black in smooth and creamy milk chocolate are almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

Velvet scrunchie, $8

Cute and comfy, these soft velvet yarn scrunchies from Queen Victoria Women's Centre Shop! make perfect little gifts. Get them in braided lilac or gold to play hair salon. Or stack up on your wrist for an '80s aerobics dance-off.

UNO Flip cards, $14.50

UNO is the essential all-ages game. Perfect for games night, road trips and after lunch, upgrade the tattered old family set with this UNO Flip edition from Metro Hobbies. It's got a double-sided deck for double the fun.

Touch lamp koala, $29.95

This pint-sized cutie from Monsterthreads makes the perfect bedtime buddy. Tricky sleepers will nod off in an instant under the glow of this adorable night light. The LED koala touch lamp is rechargeable, made of soft silicone and lights up under the touch of little fingers. It also comes in the shape of a unicorn, T-rex or jellyfish.

Karaoke microphone, $39

Got a kid who was born for the stage? Bring out their inner Taylor Swift with a Bluetooth karaoke microphone from JB Hifi that hooks up to any smartphone. The built-in speaker pumps out the tunes and amplifies your voice. It also has LED mood lights, fun sound effects and a five-hour battery life to keep the party vibes going.

Unicorn necklace, $39.90

Delight unicorn fans with this cute enamel pendant from Angus and Coote in pink and violet. Cast in sterling silver with a matching chain, it’s the perfect, first grown-up jewellery piece for kids who love to dress up.

Neon Lights Tamagotchi, $45

That's right '90s kids, the Tamagotchi is back! Educate your little ones on this nostalgic pocket pal with a Neon Lights Tamagotchi from EB Games. They can choose from six different designs then feed, train and play with their virtual pet. It might not be a real puppy, but this Japanese toy is pretty darn cute.

Meccano multi-model rally racer, $49.99

Kids eight and up will love to build their own motorised rally racer and go full throttle. They can get creative with 10 different designs packed into this beginners set from Hearns Hobbies. It comes with off-road tyres and a Meccablock motor to tackle any wrapping paper–pile jumps.

Mermaid princess lantern, $69.95

Make their Christmas magical with this fantasy lantern from Ambiance. Switch on to illuminate the scene inside, and be mesmerised as the glitter swirls around the mermaid. Or make it a cherished Christmas heirloom with a festive-themed lantern. These hand-painted treasures are recommended for bigger kids. 

Mini instant camera, $119

Kids will adore the novelty of IRL printed photos. Instant cameras are always a hit and this Instax mini II is super simple to use. Designed for taking happy snaps in all lighting scenarios, just point and shoot and the auto exposure will do the rest. It even has a selfie mode. Grab yours at David Jones.

Barbie Corvette convertible, $160

Was your little one pink with envy over the vintage convertible Corvette in the Barbie Movie? Surprise them with a dream car of their own from Myer. In retro bubblegum pink, it's an iconic collectors item. It's even got working doors, steering and wheels. Slide Barbie into the driver's seat and cruise off into the sunset.

Balance bike, $259

What could be better than a new bike? Mini riders will adore adventuring around playgrounds and driveways all summer long on their brand new E200L ByK balance bike from Bike Force Docklands. With an adjustable seat it's perfect for growing grommets aged two to four.

Rainbow lion building set, $280

Little kids three and up will adore this extra-special wooden block puzzle from Stranger than Paradise Gifts. Fit the organic shapes into the wooden frame to create the majestic lion and his mane. Then get creative – they'll find other animals hidden within the colourful geometric shapes. Stack and play to build a whole Sahara landscape.