Kindergarten graduation is an exciting accomplishment for a young child. It's the first of many educational milestones to come, and one that is definitely worth celebrating.
One way you can show the kiddo in your life just how proud you are about them moving on to first grade is with a fun (and thoughtful!) gift. And to help you find the perfect present to reward your little graduate with, we came up with a long list of kindergarten graduation gift ideas that they'll be sure to love.
Kindergarten graduation gifts under $15
Quick Take: Help prepare your child in a fun and easy way.
Help your little graduate get ready for first grade by adding this fun book to their summer reading list. This picture book takes the reader through the entire first grade school year and includes special moments like pajama day and the mysteries of spelling.
Quick Take: This New York Times bestselling series will enthral readers.
This is another great, timely book to give your child. Author Barbara Park takes students through the adventures of Junie B. Jones as she graduates from kindergarten.
Quick Take: A funny spin on the classic Christmas poem.
Picture books are the perfect way to prep young ones for real-life experiences. This one follows main character Penny as she gears up for first grade and helps children navigate being in different classes than their friends.
Quick Take: This graduation photo frame can hold a picture of 4 x 6 inches.
Commemorate their special day with this themed frame that already comes decorated with the year and some balloons!
Quick Take: This gardening craft kit allows children to craft, plant, water, nurture and grow their own mini ecosystem.
Keep them busy with this fun terrarium kit, which boosts their STEM skills. All they need to do is assemble the kit and add water, and then they’re set to learn all about ecosystems.
Quick Take: The product includes four unique sets of mix-ins: bingsu beads, glitter, fishbowl beads, and mini sharks and fish.
After the end of a long school year, they've earned the right to get messy. This summery slime kit from Elmer's features mix-ins inspired by the deep "gue" sea, like mini sharks and dish, plus it comes with enough slime to share and play with their friends!
Quick Take: This playset includes a range of utensils and 5 different non-toxic colors.
If your little graduate loves to help in the kitchen, they’ll be jumping for joy when they receive this Play-Doh pizza-making set. It comes with six cans of Play-Doh, 25 different toppings and eight pizza-themed accessories to embrace their inner chef.
Quick Take: Includes 750 questions and answers covering reading, math, language arts, science, and more.
Get them ready for first grade with these trivia-style question cards that’ll turn learning into a game they’ll be excited to play. Each set comes with two decks that contain 750 questions spanning reading, math, technology and more.
They were also a favorite of several Shop TODAY editors growing up. Associate editors Allie Wise and Sierra Hoeger both have fond memories of playing with Brain Quest cards on road trips when they were growing up.
Quick Take: The kit includes 213 Lego pieces giving children endless building possibilities to inspire creativity and imagination.
While Lego offers many fun sets, you can’t go wrong with a classic option. This building kit allows construction to be as open-ended as possible, so your child can create whatever their imagination wants.
Quick Take: Squishmallows are stuffed toys that kids are crazy for.
What 6-year-old doesn't love a cute plush? This colorfully-haired bigfoot dons a graduation cap so it can be twins with its new owner.
Kindergarten graduation gifts under $25
Quick Take: By using the sun's light, your grad can make their own one-of-a-kind artworks.
Senior vice president of commerce Ashley Parrish calls this kit a "great intro to summer craft." They'll be amazed with the masterpieces they can create with just a few sheets of this paper, sunshine and water!
Quick Take: This pretty cosmetic case features two swivel trays, a mirror and space for extra storage of their favorite lip balms and glosses.
Does your little one love playing dress-up with makeup? If so, they’ll be thrilled to receive this retro-style organizer (that probably sparks a bit of nostalgia for you) to store play makeup and more.
Quick Take: This moneybox makes saving and learning financial literacy fun.
It’s never too early to learn about budgeting money. Help your kindergarten graduate learn about saving money with this Moonjar Moneybox as they separate funds for saving, spending and sharing in different sections in the “bank.” It also comes with a small notebook for them to keep track of their withdrawals and deposits.
Quick Take: Spark their curiosity in science with this working microscope made especially for kids.
This junior microscope made by Educational Insights is great for kids who are interested in biology. They can examine a magnified, hidden world with ease with the two extra-large eyepieces and the kid-friendly focus knob.
Quick Take: An award-winning cake-building game that's full on fun.
They’ll love racing to be the first to put together the cake slice pictured on their cards. Special action cards forcing circumstances like only being able to use one hand are sure to elicit giggles. Plus, the winner not only gets bragging rights, but they also get to sport the chef’s hat!
Quick Take: This durable yet lightweight kite gives a steady and smooth flight.
It’s never a bad time for kids to enjoy playing with a kite. This one is great for children since it’s easy to fly and it’s made with durable material.
Quick Take: These long range two-way radio transceivers are designed especially for young kids making them easy to use and fun.
These kid-friendly walkie-talkies are a safe and fun way for your children to play with their best friends. They’re easy to operate and have an extra-long range of up to 1000 meters, according to the brand.
Quick Take: This creative art set is perfect for kids who need a little outlet while on long journeys or even just to spend a rainy day at home.
This Crayola art set includes more than enough art utensils to create all the crafts your little one could ever want. It comes with crayons, gel and fine line markers, color pencils and construction paper for their masterpieces, along with the two-in-one storage case and lap desk.
Quick Take: Turn their name into fun coloring crayons.
Perfect for the creative kiddo, this bestselling crayon set from Etsy was literally made with them in mind. Each letter crayon is made with psychedelic colors that’ll make each doodle more unique than the last.
Quick Take: A no-mess painting set.
Amazon reviewers love this mess-free paintbrush set that’s true to its name. “I do not know how this thing works, but I am amazed of how good it is. No mess, no cleaning, all you need is a piece of paper. Really really good,” raved one recent verified five-star reviewer.
Quick Take: Change the discs to create different splashes and streams.
Prep them for tons of summer fun while getting them excited about science and engineering — a win-win, if you ask us! This KiwiCo. kit includes everything they’ll need to construct two powerful splash blasters, which they’ll need for all the water fights they’re bound to have while playing outside.
Quick Take: This pack contains 20 different cars for push-and-play fun.
Reward your child with an epic Hot Wheels collection that features 20 different collector cars. These mini toys feature classic designs from the brand and encourage the use of your little one’s imagination. It’s one of the most gifted toys on Amazon, so you know it’ll be a hit!
Quick Take: Includes everything you need to raise 5 baby caterpillars into adult butterflies.
Does your young graduate love to learn about science and nature? Consider gifting them something that will fuel their learning outside of the classroom. This butterfly growing kit comes with a mesh habitat and a voucher to order the live caterpillars when they're ready.
Quick Take: This drawing kit includes 1 case, 40 washable markers, 20 coloring pencils, 64 crayons, and 15 large pieces of paper.
If you’re used to finding crayons under the couch, in a corner or hiding somewhere else, this art case is such an easy way for them to keep their creative utensils organized. Deals editor Rebecca Brown says that even though her daughter has “so many crayons, this instantly became her favorite to use.”
Kindergarten graduation gifts under $100
Quick Take: This scooter is made from quality aluminum with adjustable handlebars for many years of use.
It’s crucial to get your children outside once in a while. This razor scooter is the perfect way to get some fresh air. It folds in half to be easily stored away when not in use and, according to the brand, has a weight limit of 143 pounds.
Quick Take: This camera is made of durable plastic and a shockproof shell. It comes complete with an SD card for maximum storage.
Say cheese! Let your little graduate snap a few commemorative photos with their very own camera. According to the brand, the fun gadget has a powerful battery life that can last up to two hours after fully charging.
Quick Take: Collect, protect, and display your little artist’s masterpieces in this neat and tidy coffee-table book.
"My daughter LOVES to draw, but every one ends up crumpled or taped onto a wall only to sort of fall apart," says Brown. "This book gives her a spot to not only affix all of her work, but write about each thing she creates. She gets super into it and feels proud about her work."
Quick Take: Customize this book so that your kid is the star of their very own story.
They'll get a kick out of this "Where's Waldo?"-style book. Instead of looking for Waldo, they'll be looking for different versions of themselves! It's sure to keep them busy (and giggling) for hours on end.
Quick Take: You can stick these rainbow name stickers onto anything headed out the door, from lunchboxes to toys.
Kids are bound to lose pretty much everything you send them to school with. Vice president of commerce Jen Birkhofer likes to use these labels to increase the probability of little ones returning with all of their stuff. She says they're great for school supplies.
Quick Take: This thoughtful set uses foundational messages kids need to hear and practical examples of how to apply them in their own lives.
Making the leap to first grade is a big change, but with change could come extra anxiety and complicated feelings that are difficult to navigate. This Slumberkins set — featuring a fuzzy fox perfect for cuddling, a board book and an affirmation card — was crafted with those specific emotions in mind.
Quick Take: This colorful camera comes with fun stickers and pens to truly make the photos their own.
They'll love this Paw Patrol-themed instant camera where they can not only print pictures, but also add fun borders and even color them in. It also has video recording capabilities so they can record and rewatch fun moments.
Kindergarten graduation gift baskets
Gourmet Gift Baskets Ice Cream Cone Cake Pops
Quick Take: Ice cream designed cakes without all the melting mess!
These ice cream-cone shaped cake pops provide all of the sweetness without the melty mess! Each one is made with vanilla-flavored cake, dipped in milk, dark or white Belgian chocolate, placed in a real ice cream cone and decorated.
Quick Take: This gift comes with a mallet so your little one can have fun bashing their way into more treats inside.
What little kid wouldn't love to bash through a huge chocolate cake? The Dylan's Candy Bar's Bash Cake is essentially a cake-shaped piñata made of milk chocolate and filled with mini milk chocolate-covered pretzels.
Quick Take: These cookies have an extremely long shelf life, and can be kept in a cool, dry place for up to six weeks.
What kid doesn't love sweets and French fries? This festive gift basket includes a large assortment of Cookie Fries, along with a bottle of delicious chocolate dipping sauce. Plus, it's large enough to share with 8-10 people!
How we chose
Shop TODAY editors and writers scoured the internet to find the coolest products that would make the best gifts for the kindergarten grads in your life.
Don't forget to check out Shop TODAY's other gift guides to find the perfect present for every grad on your list, including preschool, 5th grade, middle school, high school and college.
Summersalt The Perfect Wrap One-Piece
Summersalt The Perfect Wrap One-Piece