Shark gifts & toys — the best gift ideas
The best shark gifts and shark toys for children: from cuddly toys, figures and puzzles to books, LEGO and shark swim things.
By Sonja ·
How lovely that you’re looking for a shark gift! 🦈 Sharks capture the imagination of almost every child — exciting, fast and nice and tough. So a shark gift is usually spot on for a real fan, and it really doesn’t have to stop at a plastic shark.
From shark cuddly toys and figures to puzzles, games, books full of facts, LEGO and shark toys for the swimming pool: we’ve put together the best shark gifts for you, handily sorted by type — with an overview by age so you can quickly find something that fits. And for summer, you’ll also find tips for the beach and the pool. 🏖️
Which shark gift suits which age?
Every child is different, but this is a handy guide. Above all, choose by interest — one shark fan would rather play, another wants to know every shark species and every fact.
Little ones & toddlers (1–3)
Keep it soft and sturdy: a shark cuddly toy or hand puppet, a wooden Holztiger shark to play with, and the cheerful “Mr. Shark” things for the table or the bath. Also lovely: “Mijn eerste zeedierenboek” (“My first sea creatures book”) to look at together.
Young children (3–5)
The age of play: a figure or a Playmobil play set to act out stories with, modelling clay, a first puzzle and a read-aloud book about sharks. In summer, shark swim things are a hit, and school things with a shark on them are fun for school or childcare.
Early school years (6–8)
Now come the facts! Shark fact books, bigger puzzles (such as “Dieren in de oceaan”, Animals in the ocean), LEGO sharks and a card game with shark species. Some children this age know the names of all the sharks.
For the true fan (8+)
An impressive LEGO shark or submarine, a strategy board game like Aqua or Finspan (10+), or a beautiful reference book full of shark facts. And for the real enthusiast: a (fossil) shark tooth as a collector’s item!
Which shark is your favourite?
There are hundreds of kinds of shark — from tiny to as big as a bus. These are the best known, perfect for discovering together with your child.
Great white shark
The most famous of them all — big, fast and with rows of razor-sharp teeth. Even so, it attacks people far less often than you see in films.
Hammerhead shark
Instantly recognisable by its special hammer-shaped head, which helps it see and smell extra well under water.
Whale shark
The biggest fish in the world — as big as a bus! Yet this gentle giant isn’t dangerous at all: it only eats tiny plankton.
Megalodon
This gigantic prehistoric shark lived millions of years ago and was bigger than a lorry. Its teeth, as big as your hand, are still being found!
Our favourite shark gifts
Below is our selection by category — from cuddly toys and figures to books, LEGO, swim things and school things.
The product links are affiliate links: if you order through one, you support Kindkado with a small commission — at no extra cost to you. The shops are Dutch online shops that deliver in the Netherlands and Belgium, and the product names are in Dutch.
Shark cuddly toys
Not all sharks are scary — these ones are lovely and soft! A shark cuddly toy is a sweet gift that goes to bed every night and lasts for years.
Ty Beanie Boo — Finnegan de haai (15 cm)
Living Puppets — Fischmäk de haai (handpop)
Gobfrey de walvishaai (knuffel)
Figures & play sets
The classic: sharks to play with and act out the whole underwater world. From a beautiful wooden shark to a complete play set with pirates — children make up endless adventures of their own with them.
Crazy Motors — Shark N'Go (speelautootje)
Holztiger — houten haai
Schleich witte haai
* Amazon-prijs van 8 okt, kan afwijken
Playmobil Pirates — reuzenhaai met piraat
Shark puzzles
Puzzling with sharks and the sea. From a cheerful puzzle for young children to a challenging jigsaw with hundreds of pieces for the slightly older shark fan.
Crocodile Creek — Haaienrif legpuzzel (50 st.)
Ravensburger — Dieren in de oceaan (3×49 st.)
Jan van Haasteren — Overal haaien (500 st.)
Games
Playing together with sharks in the lead role — from a cheerful card game full of facts to a real strategy board game. Mind the age: Finspan is for 10+ (and note: “Haaien & Riffen” (Sharks & Reefs) is an expansion, so you need the Finspan base game for it), while the Baby Shark video game (PS5) is just right for the youngest gamers.
Nature Challenge — Haaien (kaartspel)
Aqua — legspel (oceaan-biodiversiteit)
Finspan (NL) — bordspel (10+)
Finspan: Haaien & Riffen (uitbreiding op Finspan)
Baby Shark: Sing & Swim Party (PS5)
Shark books
A shark book full of facts is a gift that lasts. How big does a great white shark get? How many teeth does it have? Ideal for children who want to know everything about sharks. (These are Dutch editions.)
Mijn eerste zeedierenboek
Het kleine maar grote boek over haaien
Alles wat je weet over haaien is fout!
Het allermooiste boek over haaien
Let’s build: LEGO & Plus-Plus
Building and sharks in one! With Plus-Plus you click together your own shark, and with LEGO you build a fierce shark with a treasure chest or a real shark submarine. Hours of building fun guaranteed.
Plus-Plus — Tube Haai (100 stukjes)
LEGO Creator — Woeste haai met schatkist (3-in-1)
LEGO — Tijgerhaaitank
LEGO DREAMZzz — Haaienonderzeeër
Crafts & creative
Getting stuck in with a shark theme — ideal for a rainy afternoon or as a small gift.
Interactieve boetseerklei — Shark
Draw 50 Sharks, Whales, and Other Sea Creatures
* Amazon-prijs kan afwijken
Summer: pool, beach & outdoors
Sharks belong to summer! With these things every trip to the swimming pool, the beach or just the garden becomes a real shark adventure.
Zwembandjes — Shark Fin
Scootaheadz — haai (step-accessoire)
At the table with sharks
Eating and drinking become a party with a cheerful shark on them. The “Mr. Shark” range from Trixie is nicely designed and nice and sturdy — from a straw cup to a cheerful cutlery set.
Trixie — rietjesbeker Mr. Shark
Trixie — siliconen eetset Mr. Shark
Trixie slab - Mr. Shark
Trixie siliconen tuitbeker - Mr. Shark
Cool school things
With a shark on your back — and on your water bottle and lunch box — you go to school or childcare feeling extra tough. At Studio Bambacht you can even have your child’s name put on the backpack.
Trixie — kinderrugzak haai (7,5 L)
Trixie — gymtas Mr. Shark
Trixie drinkfles haai - 350 ml
Trixie — RVS broodtrommel Mr. Shark (800 ml)
Even more fun ideas!
A few more shark finds. 🦷 Tip for the true fan: a little box with a REAL (fossil) shark tooth is often hugely popular — a unique gift you’ll find in museum shops and nature or mineral shops.
Rabbit & Friends — zaklamp haai
Trixie — badspeeltjes Mr. Dino & Mr. Shark
Trixie — houten stapeltoren Mr. Shark
LEGO — sleutellampje man in haaienpak
kinderdekbedovertrek 140x200cm zacht katoen haai
A gift that helps: protecting sharks
Did you know that many shark species are endangered? Sharks are incredibly important for a healthy sea, but overfishing means many species are not doing well.
A nice idea: combine a shark gift with something that helps real sharks. At the Wereld Natuur Fonds (WWF Netherlands), for example, you’ll find the Dutch children’s book “Haaienhelden” (“Shark heroes”) and cheerful shark socks (made from recycled fishing nets) — fun to give, and you support nature conservation with them. It’s a playful way to teach children about the sea and why we need to take good care of it.
Spotting sharks: a real sea adventure
A shark gift is even better combined with a real sea adventure. At these aquariums and zoos in the Netherlands you can see sharks up close.
Omniversum· The Hague
🐟 Sea and nature films on a dome screen
At the Omniversum you watch beautiful films on a gigantic dome screen. Sea and shark films are on regularly — such as Great White Shark or Secrets of the Sea — and you feel as if you’re right in the middle of the ocean. Check the programme to see which film is showing now.
Visit Omniversum →Burgers’ Zoo — Ocean· Arnhem
🐟 Large tropical sea aquarium
In the Ocean at Burgers’ Zoo you look into a gigantic coral reef full of colourful fish, rays and sharks. Part of a zoo where you can easily spend a whole day.
Visit Burgers’ Zoo — Ocean →Diergaarde Blijdorp — Oceanium· Rotterdam
🐟 Oceanium with sharks & rays
The Oceanium at Rotterdam Zoo (Diergaarde Blijdorp) takes you from the North Sea to the tropics, with sharks, sea turtles and even penguins. Easy to combine with the rest of the zoo.
Visit Diergaarde Blijdorp — Oceanium →Or make it a shark film night!
Don’t fancy going out? Snuggle up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and a shark film. A few tips (check they’re on your streaming service right now):
- 🐠 Finding Nemo & Finding Dory (Disney+) — with Bruce, the funny shark, and fun for the little ones too
- 🦈 Shark Tale (Netflix/Prime) — cheerful animation, from about 6
- 🎵 Baby Shark’s Big Show! (Netflix) — for the very youngest
- 📺 Sharkfest & shark documentaries (Disney+ / National Geographic) — for those who want to know everything about sharks
Frequently asked questions
What is a good shark gift for a child?+
A shark gift goes down well with every little shark fan. Think of a shark cuddly toy, a figure or play set, a puzzle, a book full of shark facts or — in summer — a swim board or armbands with a shark on them. Tip: choose something that suits the age.
What age are shark toys for?+
Sharks appeal to children of almost every age. For little ones and toddlers, cuddly toys, cups and first puzzles are ideal; young children love playing with figures and play sets; from about 6, fact books, LEGO sharks and games come into their own.
What is a good shark gift under €10?+
Definitely possible! Think of a small cuddly toy, a Plus-Plus shark, modelling clay, a shark bubble blower, a toy car or a read-aloud book. Plenty of lovely little gifts for a small budget.
Which shark is the best known, and which is the biggest?+
The best-known shark is the great white shark. The biggest is the whale shark — also the biggest fish in the world — which, despite its size, is completely harmless and only eats plankton. And the megalodon was a gigantic prehistoric shark that lived millions of years ago.
What do you give a child who loves sharks?+
For a real shark fan, figures, a lovely cuddly toy or a LEGO shark are favourites. Also fun: a book full of shark facts, a card game with shark species or shark school things. In summer, shark swim things are a hit.
More gift inspiration?
Love animals? Also see our blogs about horses & ponies, big wild cats, elephants and dinosaurs, or our gift ideas for boys aged 5–6, 7–8 and 9–10.