Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Celebrating Inclusivity & Culture Edition
The holiday season is a time to celebrate togetherness, generosity, and the richness of our diverse world. As we gather to exchange gifts, our Holiday Gift Guide for Kids is here to help you choose presents that reflect and honour cultural pride while fostering inclusivity. At Joeydolls, we believe every child deserves toys that inspire them to learn about and appreciate the beauty of diverse cultures.
This curated Holiday Gift Guide for Kids highlights thoughtful, culturally inclusive toys and gifts that spark joy and learning while promoting empathy and representation. Let’s make this season meaningful by celebrating inclusivity through play!
Joeydolls was founded with a mission to foster cultural pride, inclusivity, and anti-racism through play. Each doll is thoughtfully designed to authentically represent various Asian cultures, providing children with an opportunity to embrace their heritage or learn about others.
This year, we are thrilled to introduce our newly reimagined Vietnamese 'Thuong' Cultural Doll, the stunning Cambodian 'Soriya' Cultural doll, and our much-anticipated boy dolls. These educational, soft dolls are crafted with love and care, making them perfect companions for young children while helping to nurture cultural awareness and emotional growth.
Recommended Holiday Gifts That Celebrate Cultural Pride and Representation for Children
Joeydolls is proud to be part of a broader movement championing diversity, inclusion, and cultural education. Here are some standout brands that align with our mission and offer exceptional gifts for kids:
My Family Builders
In 2015, Eze Karpf as a founder of My Family Builders, was on a quest to find toys that represented diverse families. Searching store after store, he realized there weren’t any toys that depicted multiracial families, families with two dads or moms, single-parent families, or blended families. This sparked a conversation with friends, and together, they were inspired to change that. Through careful design, insights from child psychology, and dedication to inclusivity, Eze created an open-ended educational wooden toy that helps young children embrace family diversity through play.
Upbourders by Little Likes Kids
Upbounders founded by a mom, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Upbounders is for modern parents and caregivers who are looking for high-quality toys that are eco-friendly, fun, and educational and reflect what's special about the joyfully diverse world your child experiences everyday. Their award-winning puzzles, plushies, and playthings are designed to encourage special bonding moments between toddlers and their caregivers where they are engaging with kids about their world and watching as their childs’ imaginations, skills, and powers of observation grow. And everything they do revolves around the idea of promoting belonging in the minds of children.
Nuoc Mami
At Nuoc Mami, every creation is a heartfelt tribute to the richness of Vietnamese culture. With a deep passion for crafting, the shop owner lovingly weaves elements of Vietnamese heritage into every piece they make. The main inspiration comes from their mom—a culinary master of the best Vietnamese dishes and a devoted fan of the legendary Paris by Night (if you know, you know!). This blend of culinary nostalgia, cultural pride, and creative spirit makes every product from Nuoc Mami unique, warm, and full of stories.
Healthy Roots Dolls
Healthy Roots Dolls is a toy company dedicated to promoting self-love and diversity through play. Their flagship product, Zoe, is a doll designed to celebrate natural hair textures and empower children, especially Black girls, to embrace their unique beauty. Zoe is more than just a toy; she comes with customizable hairstyles and accessories, encouraging creativity while also fostering representation and self-confidence.
The brand's mission centers around redefining beauty standards and addressing the lack of diversity in children's toys. Healthy Roots Dolls also incorporates educational storytelling, combining play with valuable lessons about acceptance and empowerment. By providing dolls and accessories that reflect diverse appearances, the company ensures children feel seen and valued.
PlanToys
PlanToys is a toy company renowned for its dedication to sustainability and child development. Founded over 40 years ago by Vitool Viraponsavan, the company focuses on creating eco-friendly toys that support children’s physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth. PlanToys utilizes reclaimed rubberwood from Thailand and has innovated materials like PlanWood, made from sawdust mixed with organic pigments and non-toxic glue, to minimize waste. This process results in versatile and safe toys, some of which are even waterproof. PlanToys’ mission is to inspire positive change through “Sustainable Play.” They aim to nurture environmentally conscious, creative, and kind children while contributing to the well-being of communities and the environment
The Little Nomad
The Little Nomad is a boutique focused on offering thoughtfully curated products for families. They specialize in toys, books, clothing, and gifts for children of all ages, along with select items for parents. Their collections include modern wooden toys, puzzles, arts and crafts, board books, and unique family games. They also feature housewares like kids' dining essentials and bedding, as well as gifts for various occasions. The shop emphasizes products that inspire creativity and learning, catering to diverse needs and interests.
Mochi Kids
Mochi Kids, a family-run business offers aesthetically pleasing, and modern unisex apparel. We especially love their Asian-inspired clothing, which is not only adorable but also a celebration of culture. Beyond cute clothes, Mochi Kids is committed to social responsibility, meticulously sourcing materials within the United States. Preserving a tradition of supporting small businesses, Mochi Kids collaborates with a local print shop, ensuring an ongoing dedication to empowering local enterprises.
Mochi Toys, an extension of Mochi Kids, offers a careful curation of toys and gifts from all over the world. Design-focused and kid-approved, these treasures bring joy from our playroom to yours. Join us in celebrating Mochi Kids and Mochi Toys as standout recommendations in our AAPI holiday gift guide—brands that deliver not only adorable, modern, unisex fashion and carefully curated toys but also foster positive impact and social change
Kids for Culture
Kids for Culture is a brand dedicated to fostering cultural awareness, diversity, and emotional intelligence in young children through play. Proudly Black and woman-owned, the company is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and offers a wide range of educational resources and toys, including dolls, puzzles, flashcards, and books. These products are designed to celebrate inclusivity and encourage kids to embrace their unique identities and the diversity around them. Kids for Culture emphasizes positive self-affirmation and emotional literacy. For instance, their "Positive Pals" line promotes self-confidence, while the "Kids of the World" series celebrates global diversity.
T4Tales
T4Tales is a publisher specializing in interactive board books in Indian languages. Their mission is to provide Indian parents worldwide with simple and enjoyable books to read to their children in various Indian languages. The company offers a range of titles, including "Kahaani Chamkeeli," "Kahaani Rangeeli," and "Kahaani Puraani," each designed to engage young readers through interactive elements.
Gloo Books
Gloo Books, founded by Karen during her journey into motherhood, addresses the lack of diversity in children's literature. Initially inspired to write a single book, Karen discovered deeper systemic issues in publishing, prompting her to launch Gloo Books—a mission-driven brand creating inclusive stories that reflect the world’s diversity.
With collections like Very Asian Books (celebrating Asian cuisines) and Baby Go (exploring colors and sounds across Asian destinations), Gloo Books fosters curiosity and empathy in young readers. Through these offerings, the company builds a community that values diversity, inclusivity, and the transformative power of storytelling.
Why Choose Culturally Inclusive Gifts?
- Educational Value: Cultural toys provide children with a window into the world, teaching empathy, tolerance, and pride in heritage.
- Emotional Growth: Toys that represent a child’s culture or another’s foster a sense of belonging and connection, making children feel valued and seen.
- Inclusivity in Play: By diversifying the toys available to children, we combat stereotypes and promote understanding from an early age.
These gifts are more than just toys—they’re tools for raising a generation that embraces differences and celebrates diversity.
Want to know more about Joeydolls?
What makes Joeydolls unique?
Our dolls are crafted with cultural authenticity, high-quality materials, and educational value in mind.
Are Joeydolls safe for young children?
Absolutely! Joeydolls are made with soft, non-toxic materials and built to last.
How do Joeydolls promote cultural learning?
Each doll comes with educational resources about the culture it represents, including stories and traditions.
What’s next for Joeydolls?
We’re expanding our collection with boy dolls and exploring even more cultural representations. Stay tuned!
Joeydolls: Promoting Pride & Connection
Dolls are more than toys—they’re tools for teaching inclusivity and cultural identity. Joeydolls encourages meaningful conversations about diversity, fostering understanding and pride in children of all backgrounds. By providing a visual and emotional connection to various cultures, our dolls help children build bridges of empathy and knowledge.
Give a Thoughtful Gift This Holiday Season
This holiday season, give the gift of representation and learning. Visit the Joeydolls website to explore our full collection of culturally inclusive dolls and discover the beauty of cultural diversity.
💌 Join the Joeydolls VIP list for access to our upcoming product releases and stock updates, exclusive access to have a say in our upcoming product surveys, educational and fun freebies, also special exclusive discounts!
Let’s make this holiday season a celebration of diversity, one thoughtful gift at a time!