After years of promising this recipe it is finally time I share what we kindly call ‘Grammy’s Banana bread recipe’. This is a easy, kid approved version of banana bread that will have you questioning any other recipe you have ever tried.
The real magic in this banana bread recipe comes from using super ripe bananas — the kind that look a little too far gone on your counter. Trust me, that’s where the flavor lives.
The other ingredient that might surprise you is espresso powder. While not necessarily a pantry staple, you can find espresso powder in nearly every grocery store on the coffee aisle.
Kid Approved Recipes
I have 4 kids that are so picky. I think I can count on one hand all the meals they all enjoy. But this one – this is the kid-approved banana bread recipe that all my kids can agree on!
Whether it’s warm out of the oven with a pat of butter or packed in a lunchbox for a sweet surprise, this recipe has become a family tradition. Easy enough for the kids to help make, but delicious enough that it feels like a special treat every time.
Easy Kid Approved Banana Bread Recipe
This is a easy, kid approved version of banana bread that will have you questioning any other recipe you have ever tried. Once baked, the loaf is golden on the outside, soft and rich on the inside, and perfect for breakfast, dessert, or truly anytime you are craving a sweet snack!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour5 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup mashed bananas (very ripe)
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. espresso powder
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream or 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 c. mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350*
Shift flour, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream
Beat well with mixer until light and fluffy
Add sifted ingredients alternating with mini chocolate chips and bananas
Bake in a greased and floured loaf pan for one hour at 350*
Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving!
Family Favorite Banana Bread Recipe
Whether it’s warm out of the oven with a pat of butter or packed in a lunchbox for a sweet surprise, this recipe has become a family tradition. Easy enough for the kids to help make, but delicious enough that it feels like a special treat every time.
If you’ve been hunting for the perfect banana bread recipe, your search ends here. Grammy’s version has stood the test of time in our family — and once you try it, it’ll find a home in yours too.
Other Posts You’ll Love
I have not been adding recipes to my blog for long, but I do have a few crowd pleasers that ‘everyone’ loves. Be sure to check those out and make them now or pin them for later.
Hopefully you loved this easy sweet cornbread recipe! Be sure to follow me on Instagram (arinsolange) for more recipes and fun, and pin the photo below to find this recipe again later
For the past 3 or so years I have had Beddy’s Bedding in Jack’s room, then in the boys shared room. It is something I get questions about frequently, so I wanted to weigh in and give an honest review of the bedding, plus share a super generous Beddy’s Bedding discount code with you all!
This post contains affiliate links.
This post has been updated May 2024.
Beddy’s Bedding Discount Code & Review
I have owned a total of 5 Beddy’s Bedding sets, over the past 3 or so years. They were on bunk beds in Jack’s room. I then use 2 new sets in my boy’s shared bedroom where the beds were against the wall. That is another less than fun place for making beds typically.
If you’re here reading this post you may already know what Beddy’s Bedding is – but if not, Beddy’s is a 2 in one bedding set where the sheet and comforter zip together.
Think of it a bit like a sleeping bag where the bottom is a a fitted sheet. There are two choices in fabric. You can get the bedding minky lined, or in a traditional cotton. Both take away the difficulty of making your bed!
What’s the best bedding for bunk beds?
Why we tried it…
Like I said before – we originally decided to try outBeddy’s bedding for Jack’s room with bunk beds. The idea of making a bunk bed made me cringe. I wanted to see if Beddy’s was worth the hype, and the best for bunk bed bedding.
I had seen so many bloggers share about this bedding, but you just never know. Is it being shared because they love it? Or is it because they love the owners, or because they were given it for free? (I know that might not be the popular thing to say, but sometimes it is reality!)
I also loved that due to how the bedding is made and the over-all structure of it there wasn’t any over hang on the mattresses. This is definitely an advantage to zipper bedding. Jack’s bunk beds had the bottom bunk on the floor where extra fabric would have been a mess.
Beddy’s were a really logical choice for that space – so I set out to give it a try and really decide if I loved them, or if they were overrated.
Below is my review.
My Overall Thoughts On Beddy’s Bedding
First off I think I need to preface a few things and give sort of my over all thoughts before I dive into more about the bedding!
We obviously liked Beddys enough to get it for multiple rooms. That said – there are always draw backs, to great products, and this is expensive bedding, so I wanted to share both sides.
Beddy’s Bedding Fabric Pros
As stated as a reason I wanted to try them, the LACK of fabric is amazing. When I say that I mean there isn’t an over hang on the sides of the comforter. This could probably also make Beddy’s Bedding a good option for RV bedding.
This is especially great for kids. That is probably my number one love when it comes to Beddy’s bedding. If you like things to look clean and tidy then this is perfect.
Because of how it’s made you don’t tuck anything in at the end of the bed, so that lack of fabric, as well as the fact that the comforter isn’t falling off on both sides, and there is no sheet is a huge win for me!
Beddy’s Fabric Cons
But fabric is also where my 2 negatives come in. In Jack’s room we went with the black buffalo check and the dash for the bunk beds. When we washed them the black bled onto the white SLIGHTLY.
I am a perfectionist and it wasn’t enough for me to really be bothered, but it did happen.
Since my original post I have learned that they do give a tip on keeping this from happening on their site. It is still in my review because I am sure other people will miss those instructions. That said – it was user error!
I also wish there were just MORE fabric choices. I initially almost didn’t go with Beddys for the boys shared room simply because I have seen the fabrics in use so many times that I wanted something a bit more unique. So that would be a downside for me.
That said as a blogger I am accustomed to seeing more of those brands with friends than most people.
I also think it’s worth noting that I DID end up using Beddys again…so clearly the Pro’s out weighted even for me…and I am pretty big on going unique.
How Do Beddy’s Beds Work: Making the Bed
First off – you are buying this because of how easy it is to make the bed with it being zipper bedding. And it is EASY.
It is a great option for younger kids you are teaching to make their own beds, and we will likely get this for Avé so she can work on making her own bed too. So if for no other reason than that I will say they are WORTH IT.
That said – something that I didn’t think about, that is LIKELY A NO BRAINER, but for me got me frustrated was that it is still a pain in the butt to make the bed after washing – especially if its a bunk bed.
I was hoping this would be some sort of cure all on that, but the reality is you still have to put on a fitted sheet essentially, and on bunk beds that still sucks haha.
Why We Love Beddy’s Zipper Bedding
The biggest reason I went with Beddy’s bedding a second time around was for the clean and simple look it provides in a room.
I am pretty minimalist with decor, so I love that even when the beds aren’t made there isn’t extra fabric at the end of the bed coming un-tucked, and hanging off the sides.
I was also really impressed with the quality – especially concerning the zipper. When we first ordered I honestly had my doubts that a zipper could withstand Jack.
I was worried he would break the zipper and I would be ticked, but they are really well made and industrial zippers, so that hasn’t been an issue.
We personally have done the minky lined ones each time, and the boys LOVE how they feel. I like that they can use the comforter with the comfort of a blanket instead of needing that extra layer.
So to summarize why we love Beddys Bedding:
It is durable – extra large zippers make it withstand rough kids and easier for little hands
Zip Closure means making your bed in a few seconds flat
Comfort – My kids LOVE sleeping in it.
FAQ
Q: Are Beddy’s Worth it?
A: Yes! For me they have been. I will say I have purchased them personally for young kids (age 8 and below). But I don’t see me swaying from them as they get older. (personally I actually think they would be AMAZING for college).
Q: Do You Still Need Sheets with Beddys Bedding?
A: NO! Unless you want throw pillows or extras for decor you ONLY need the buddy’s set.
Q: Who is the Owner of Beddys Bedding?
A: Beddy’s was created by Betsy Mikesell. She was a mom who wanted a solution to her boys’ messy rooms – and she came up with a solution. She joined with her friend Angie White and Beddy’s was born!
Q: How do you Wash Beddy’s Bedding?
Unzip your top from the bottom and wash on cold ALONE. Tumble dry on low. ONE THING TO NOTE: one of my negatives was that one set had color bleed – they state that if you add some white vinegar to that first time around it will set the color!
Q: Why is Beddys Bedding so Expensive?
A: It is an investment – but if you use my discount code below I have found that putting them in my kids rooms has been no more expensive than buying the comforter and sheet set most of the time!
I think for a high quality bed in a bag type situation where you are getting it all you would be paying this same amount.
Overall – I would HIGHLY recommend Beddy’s bedding especially if you are decorating a Childs room and looking for a way to make their room clean and help teach them to make their bed.
When I initially wrote this post four years ago, we were three years into using Beddy’s bedding. Well, it has now officially been over 7 years of our family loving Beddy’s.
Over the course of 7 years, we have moved homes three times. Rooms have been decorated and redecorated several times over.
One of the constants in our bedrooms is our Beddy’s. We continue to love this product so much!
If you are on the fence about Beddy’s I would highly recommend this amazing product. Not only has the fabric held up well, it also washes easily, and we have not had any issues with the bedding wearing out.
At the same time, I understand that it is more of an investment. However, over the course of 7 years, we haven’t had to buy any new bedding.
We tend to go with more neutral patterns and I love that even though our room decor may change, the bedding still remains the same.
Because the bedding is neutral, we also tend to mix and match the bedding between rooms and siblings. So while the initial investment is expensive, it really does pay for itself over the years.
Where Have We Used Beddy’s Bedding?
When I initially wrote this post, I shared the rooms where we used our Beddys. Our boys shared a room in our first home. Both boys had Beddy’s which was perfect for when they were younger and needed help making their bed. Áve also had Beddy’s in her first room as well.
Once we moved from our first home to our historic home, our Beddy’s made an appearance in each of our kids’ rooms.
Now that we have moved to South Carolina, our kids will each get a new room refresh. We try to keep as much as we can to reuse and recycle among the kids. So it is not uncommon to see Goldie have a bed that Áve once used. The same can applied for our boys.
When you have four kids, redecorating their rooms can be expensive. Buying nicer furniture and decor can help keep its longevity and can be reused among siblings.
The same principle applies to Beddys and is one we enjoy using in each room.
I can’t wait to share the kids’ rooms in our next house!
Hopefully you found this review of Beddys Bedding, and you feel confident in your purchase if you decide to get them for your home. If you have any questions be sure to DM me on Instagram (@arinsolange) or leave me a comment below, and pin the photo below to find this review later.
Sharing Our DIY Wall Mounted Art Easel that was the best DIY fix to a need we needed filled yet to date. I did this a few years ago, and it remains a favorite here on my blog as well as in my home, so I can’t wait to help you all create one for your families as well!
I am going to go ahead and update this a bit – I created this DIY wall mounted easel over 3 years ago. ‘Santa’ set it up on Christmas Eve and it has been love ever since. Sometime the kids go weeks without touching it, and sometimes they go weeks fighting over who gets to draw on it.
This easel was created for my oldest who is now 7.5 but he has 3 younger siblings, so it has been so fun to watch each of them use it! If you’re on the fence about this DIY I say go for it and do it.
Our oldest son, Jack is crazy about the art easel at school, so much so that he hated to share it during free time because it was one of the few things he couldn’t also do at home.
I knew we wanted to get him an easel for Christmas, but I also knew that having one sitting out all the time would make me absolutely crazy.
I am super passionate about finding ways to make your house and your kids work together where you are both happy and in love with the design, and they are happy and able to grow and learn in the space. Both can happen cohesively if you work at it.
I wanted to come up with a DIY wall mounted Easel for him, but had to do some thinking on how to make that happen. There are some similar brands that sell Wall mounted paper scrolls, but they are crazy expensive, and I knew there had to be a way to make it happen on a tight budget.
For Jack art seems super therapeutic, and a way for him to really express himself, and we LOVE to support that.
An IKEA Hack Art Easel
I think if you find ways to embrace your kids needs in your home you will find everyone will be so much happier! And when it comes to doing a DIY hack make your way to IKEA and you will also be so much happier…you know, after the trip is over haha!
This DIY IS an IKEA hack, however I have had so many friends and followers use similar items from other stores since that time, so I am editing the post to allow you to find the items at a non IKEA store incase you are not close to one.
When I was researching DIY Wall Mounted Easel project I found a few inspiration posts and kind of just mashed them all together. My whole finished wall aside from the thin strip of black wood and the paper from IKEA
Before you head to IKEA for this project, because if you are like me, you like to knock it all out in one day, check out this post with all of my other IKEA hacks in one place, incase you want to tackle one of those too!
Now that you have your supplies, the actual assembly of this bad boy is so stinking easy. We actually like I said, did this for our oldest son for Christmas, and it was so easy that ‘Santa’ was able to install it all after the kids went to bed, and then sit down and have a glass of wine to enjoy Christmas Eve!
FIRST – if you are painting the wood piece black, paint that and allow it to dry. You will see that in the supplies, I simply used black spray paint.
Hang your curtain rod – hang at whatever height you would like and I hung mine roughly 32 inches across. The paper roll that I ordered (linked above) is 30 inches wide, which is where I came up with that width. One thing to note on the height is that it will stick out from the wall a decent amount, so I would recommend going high enough not to be hitting it with your head.
Put your paper roll on your curtain rod.
Now you just have to hang the wood piece. What I did was unroll the paper then laid the wood piece over it and we screwed into it on both ends NOT ON THE PAPER. So make sure your screws don’t go into where the paper will feed through. You also need to leave some slack in their so that you can kind of pull it out to refeed paper through from time to time.
Hang the bar with buckets if you so choose.
Those instructions are really simple for this project, because it just truly is that simple. I am a sucker for finding super easy, simple ways to solve a decor problem, and for us this hit that right on the money!
I love that this DIY wall mounted easel is such a simple yet good looking aspect to our home, that allows the kids to have fun and not disrupt the flow of the house.
One thing I am asked frequently on social media is ‘how do I keep my kids from coloring on the walls?’ which the short answer is that they just don’t.
My 2 year old who didn’t even exist at the time this was created is a bit more of a wild child than my others, so I don’t currently store markers in the baskets. The kids have to ask for them – so if you are worried about that, don’t store them there.
I have another great post on kids craft bins, and this is where we currently store all the kids crafts and supplies, and they simply grab their bin and if they want to use it at the easel they do!
If Marker or Crayon does get on the wall on accident, One wipe of a magic eraser, or honestly even a baby wipe for marker takes it right off, so I am not overly concerned about it. Make sure they are washable markers and crayons and you will be fine!
We recently moved into our new home in South Carolina. While my kids are getting older, their love for art is still unmatched. Of course, we had to recreate our most-loved wall mounted easel in our third home!
That’s right, this DIY has come along our journeys in each house we have shared with our kids. It is the perfect DIY for beginners and will keep your kids entertained.
Over the years, my style has changed. Our original DIY wall easel used IKEA products to create the look. However, not everyone has an IKEA store available. Additionally, IKEA items can sell out quickly.
I knew I needed to recreate our easel using items that are easy to find via Amazon! As a bonus, you can get them with Prime shipping!
So, without further ado, make sure you check out our new and improved DIY wall mounted easel! It is so simple and can be put up in less than 30 minutes. Check out my Instagram for the full instructions.
Shop Materials For Your Own DIY Wall Mounted Easel
Here are all of the supplies I used in our newest easel update. I included a few of our favorite art supplies too to get your budding artist started!
I have been wanting to add a gift guide with the best gifts for mother in law for years, and finally got one put together this year.
There are tons of fun options to choose from and you’ll be able to find something for every personal preference.
The best gifts for mother-in-laws are ones that come from a place of love. Whether you are looking for something meaningful or practical, these gifts are perfect for the holidays.
This post contains affiliate links.
This post has been updated in 2024.
Gifts for Mother in Law
Sam and I have been married for 12 years and together for even longer than that. Whether you have been with your spouse for 2 months or 22 years, you may be stumped on what to give your mother-in-law.
The best gifts for your mother-in-law come from the heart and are ones that remind you of that special lady in your life.
When I am shopping for my mom and mother in law I tend to look for items that are either really useful that I personally have loved in the past year, or for some special sweet items that I know they will love but maybe wouldn’t ever buy themselves.
I tend to think moms tend to always shop for everyone else, and never themselves, so when it comes to birthdays or holidays getting a couple little special items like the ones in this guide will truly make their day.
Here is a picture of the skylight frame from this guide
Other Gift Guides
While you are here on my blog, if you are looking for other gifts and gift guides be sure to check out the page I am linking below.
I have worked hard to round up great gifts for basically everyone in your life and family that will wow them all, and will make shopping that much easier!
Now for those gifts for mother in laws – shop the image below and enjoy all the fun finds!
*This post has been updated in 2024 for the latest links and products. Only current products will be linked. Please refer to the 2024 Gift Guide below.*
We officially hit 3 years in our house and we FINALLY finished Goldie’s Grand Millennial toddler room. No surprise here, it is the room of my dreams.
When we moved in I made a point to move through each kids room one by one, and worked oldest to youngest so sweet Goldie was last, and in my opinion it was worth the wait.
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. All Spoonflower pieces were graciously gifted in exchange for inclusion in her room.
Goldie’s Grand Millennial Toddler Room
Let’s rewind 3 years to this room in this house. Goldie’s sweet room took the biggest hit when it came to adding a much needed upstairs hallway. Although the end result is still a room that is plenty large for a child – it is certainly not huge.
I knew when creating the space we would do a daybed along the one wall. Fortunately, we already had a daybed from Ave’s room since she recently upgraded to bunk beds for sleepovers.
I was so happy to repurpose this daybed for Goldie. It is the prettiest bed and it truly fit the theme of her room so well.
When picking the overall theme of the room I wanted to lean ‘grand millennial’ because it A: makes me happy, and B: fits the time period of our home so well.
Textiles and Pattern
For a grand millennial style, there are a few basic tips to achieve the look. First, you should use natural materials like rattan and wicker. Second, you need to incorporate a lot of intricate patterns and textures throughout the room. The “grand” part of this comes into play if the pattern looks like it could come from your Grandma’s house.
To achieve that heavily pattern and textile look, I went with 2 patterns for 90% of the room.
I picked wallpaper from Spoonflower, and some bedding from Spoonflower – both of which I repeated throughout the room.
I love that although I repeated patterns and textures it still came out feeling airy and open because her room is small. We originally planned to add curtains in the pink gingham and when we started that it was just too much so I pulled back. Always remember to be willing to pivot.
We also aded some of the same pattern in the sconces which was SO FUN. I bought the sconces on Amazon, but for the shades I did a DIY to make pleated shades with the same pattern from Spoonflower.
Room Details
My goal was to create an open and inviting room. To achieve that, I didn’t want to go overboard and make the space feel too cramped. So we kept it simple. However, at the same time, I wanted to incorporate some meaningful pieces that scream “Goldie.”
The ‘Drop of Golden Sun’ sign was from Goldie’s Nursery. It is VERY subtle in her room now but I am so in love with it.
I went with a hanging chair for her room as well. We had 2 colors of hanging chairs from both Goldie’s nursery linked above as well as Avé’s room from our last house, and I just love it for a little girl.
I also added wall art and a small antique gold bow hook to one wall. This was super simple because her room didn’t need much for art – but I wanted something to draw the eye in.
For the trim and doors we went with a high gloss paint in Benjamin Moore Honey Nut
Storage
As always, I had to add storage. Most of this in Goldie’s room was in her closet, but I also added 3 nesting baskets for her stuffed animals, books, and toys.
The other issue we had with removing her dresser was the lack of place for her Hatch Sound machine. We added this outlet shelf to store the outlet shelf and it was one of the best decisions we made in the room. The shelf hides the cord and keeps the hatch off the floor.
Who else is last minute on everything this year? I am always last minute on telling my husband what I want for gifts which means when he is shopping for Mother’s Day gifts they are always last minute too. I wanted to round up some great options that are available on Amazon Prime to get you set for Mother’s Day this year!
When it comes to Mother’s Day gifts I like to round up a good mix of affordable, as well as splurge items…and let’s face it. This year more than ever we all probably deserve the splurge item a bit, right?
This year my round up is all items I either own or put on my list for my husband this year! A great round up of items that you will be so thankful you have.
I am super low maintenance when it comes to me, but my home…that is a different story, so you will see more home items than personal items, so if that is up your alley (or your mom/wife’s alley) this is the right round up for you!
Other Gift Guides
Incase this didn’t land you on exactly what you were looking for, I have plenty more gift guides for the moms in your life below. And if this helped you find the perfect gift, be sure to bookmark the next page so you can find my gift guides any time you are shopping.
I update all guides several times a year and towards the holiday season even send them out in an E-book with free discount codes!
I truly think the later you get in the elementary years the harder kids get to buy gifts for. Today I am sharing 19 gifts for 10 year old girls that will make all their little preteen hearts happy.
I tried to find a good round up of items that are not technology based and would keep them playing a bit, as well as some useful items.
This post contains affiliate links.
This post was updated in 2024.
19 Gifts for 10 Year Old Girls
I don’t have a 10 year old girl yet, but I do have a 10 year old boy so spend a good amount of time around 10 year old girls. Every year I add a new gift guide for my sons age child because I feel until then I can’t really speak to what that age would love.
This year my son turned 10 so enter the 10 year old boy and 10 year old girl guides. 10 year olds are definitely leaving behind toys and playing and turning into preteens, but still have plenty of “kid” left in them.
Although I do think things like The Nintendo Switch and iPads make great gifts for this age, I wanted to give some of those more outside the box ideas for you. Aside from the items in this post I tend to think that games, arts and crafts, and puzzles are all awesome choices as well.
All Other Gift Guides
If you are shopping for other people in your family, be sure to check out the page below with gift guides for your whole family. This page has ideas for kids each age, adults, teachers and so much more.
Below you will find the 19 best gifts for 10 year old girls. I hope you love the ideas, and you can find a better explanation to what they are below the round up.
This post has been updated in 2024 for the latest links and products. Only current products will be linked. Please refer to the 2024 Gift Guide below.
Tis the season for shopping, and although I share so much Amazon I also have such a heart for sharing amazing small shops that are creating gorgeous items. Below you will find a round up of amazing gift ideas from small shops that you will love this holiday season.
This post may contain affiliate links
This post has been updated in 2024.
Small Shop Gift Guide
No matter who you are shopping for this holiday season, there is something on this guide for anyone. One thing to keep in mind with this guide is that you will likely need to shop quickly as small shops get over-run the closer things get to the holiday season.
I also want to remind you to sign up for my emails if you are loving some of these items because many of them have discount codes, and I will work to continue to get those codes as the season goes on. Those discount codes will be exclusive to my email subscribers – so sign up here.
All Other Gift Guides
I have gift guides for nearly everyone in your family and life on this page that will help you shop for your friends and family this holiday season.
Last year I did a stocking stuffers under $25 from Amazon post and you guys all seemed to LOVE it, so this year I thought it would be fun to do another one! When I do kids stocking stuffers I go really inexpensive, so am rounding up kids stocking stuffers all from Amazon, and all on a super tight budget.
This post contains affiliate links – updated in 2024.
Kids Stocking Stuffers
Stocking stuffers in our house are normally a good mix of useful and fun. I am not a huge fan of clutter, so I do candy and a few smaller items that I think they will actually play with.
Hopefully the items in this post help you find great things to fill all your stockings this year, and make your Christmas morning magical.
Other Gift Guides
Before you leave make sure you check out the page below with all of my gift guides in an easy to find format.
Who has a home decor lover in their life? I totally fall in that category and rounded up my favorite gifts for the home and home owner today. I love that these are unique and fun items that any home owner would be thrilled to have!
This post contains affiliate links – This post was written in November 2020 and updated in 2024
Gifts for The Home Decor Lover
Do you have someone in your life that just loves home decor and home items? I am TOTALLY that person, so this blog post was fully based on things I would love to get as gifts.
I wanted to do a blog post with ideas for gifts that are great no matter the age or title. Just great items for decor lovers, or home owners in general.
This is a great round up of practical and not practical both – so fun items you can get no matter what you are going for.
Other Gift Guides
Because you likely don’t only have to shop for a home decor lover, I also have round ups for basically everyone else in your life. Simply go to the page below and they are all easily organized and ready to be shopped!
The fact that I am writing a blog post on the best gifts for 9 year old boys makes me pretty sad! I always wait to speak on an age until I have a child that age, so the oldest sneaks up on me! Hopefully you will see some amazing items that are both helpful and fun in this post.
This post may contain affiliate links- updated in 2024.
Gifts for 9 Year Old Boys
9 year old boys are SO MUCH FUN. My oldest son turned 9 this fall, which meant I was officially thinking about what 9 year olds love. Jack is into ALL OF THE BOY THINGS. I can name so many pokemon (sometimes that is much to my dismay), and have googled more video game things than I ever thought was in my future.
I feel like by age 9 kids are really coming into their own, and so fun to shop for, BUT can also be trickier to shop for in terms of them moving past toys in a lot of ways. I know for Jack he definitely has his list of things every year that he wants, and we always oblige, but I also like to think out of the box and get him some things that not every one of his friends will have.
This year Jack will be getting Bokugan, Pokemon Cards, Dog Man books, and a good selection from the things in this post.
When I do my gift guides I work really hard on making sure there are items at all price points and for kids that love many different things. My kids all enjoy a wide variety of things so I try to think of items that all of them would love at age 9.
I also really like to find items they can use indoors and outdoors. Encouraging my kids to play outside is huge for me, so when we can I try to include items for outdoor use. In addition I added some useful items as well.
Other Gift Guides
If you are shopping for a 9 year old boy you may have other adults or kids to shop for. I have a whole gift guide page on my blog with 30+ gift guides separated by age and gender.
Hopefully you will be able to find great items that everyone in your life will love for birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions.
This post has been updated in 2024 for the latest links and products. Only current products will be linked. Please refer to the 2024 Gift Guide below.
My picks for 9 year old boys are a majority of things we have already purchased for my son, so that I know we love them and the nine year old in your life will love them too.
The gift guide is below, so shop the number you are interested in!
Shopping for men can be so hard! I feel like they are less likely to voice what they want, and it is easy to under impress. I am rounding up the best gifts for men in this gift guide so you can wow the men in your life this year.
This post contains affiliate links – post was updated in 2024
Best Gifts for Men
When it comes to men you do truly have to think about what they have brought up over the year – but I also tend to think that getting one or two quality gifts is better ALWAYS.
Men aren’t as in to ‘stuff’ and normally when I go that route my husband has his fake smile going strong
In this gift guide I tried to cover the bases of men who are techy, athletic, and everything else you can think of, and if it doesn’t give you an exact idea, hopefully it will help you to have a great idea for what to get the men in your life.
Other Gift Guides
If you are new to my blog you may not know that gift guides are kind of my thing. I am linking below to the page where you can find them all very easily laid out and ready to shop.
