Gift-giving shouldn't be so hard, but it can be difficult keeping up with all of the trends. Pop culture evolves, and fads change as time goes by. Staying involved long enough to find a gift that will dazzle your grandkids can be a real challenge. What's popular anymore? Such-and-such replaced so-and-so, which had taken over for this, that and the other thing.

Here's some advice. Don't worry about buying the “right” thing. You're not shopping for a “thing” anyway – what you're shopping for is that elation you want your grandkids to feel when they open up your gift. To do it, you're going to need to get in touch with your inner kid. In the following sections you'll find answers to three key questions which can make all the difference when it comes to finding a unique gift that's right for your grandkids.

Does your grandkid have the coolest toy on the block? It's still true that every boy needs a good toy truck – and for girls, princesses are more popular than ever. But this is the 21st century, you know. If you want your gift to make your grandchildren squeal with delight, nothing tops a remote-controlled fish blimp. Air Swimmers have won toy industry awards, and it's no surprise. Kids love them because they're huge and colorful – but mostly because they get to drive. (And yes, you're going to want to give the great white shark a spin around the living room yourself. Don't fight it.)

Is your grandkid well-dressed? Clothes are clothes are clothes, right? Until fairly recently, one-year-olds would have disagreed with the notion that clothing styles also evolve. Wordsation is here to change all that with a designer baby onesie made for today's discriminating tots. Designed by artists from across the globe, these stylish onesies trade in convention for upscale sensibility. New designs emerge each month, which proves just how dedicated Wordsation is to changing the face of newborn fashion. While you can buy a single Wordsation onesie for your infant granddaughter over at the site, the subscription plan is an even cooler idea. With a subscription, a new onesie arrives every few months. As she grows, her clothing does too.

Is your grandkid travel-ready? For some reason, kids love to pretend they're adults. That's why we buy them kitchen sets, toy workbenches and even dollhouses. (If only they knew what they were getting themselves into.) Since one thing Daddy does is go places in big airplanes up in the pretty sky, kids need a playtime solution for that too. As it turns out, there is one, and it's actually functional. What could be cooler than the Trunki by Melissa and Doug? It's a hybrid suitcase and wagon. Your grandkids can pack it up and then ride it around the airport – on their way to see you.

If you want to pick up the perfect gift for your grandkid, the one gift that'll put a smile on his or her face, don't think too hard about it. In fact, don't think at all – because that's not how kids work. Instead, turn off your frontal lobes and take a good look around. Teach yourself to feel what's fun, then ask the questions. Your left-brained logical side will show up with the justifications. The onesies are cool, and your grandchild needs clothes. The suitcase is fun, and Mom and Dad will love it. Every kid needs a pet shark – and every kid needs a pet shark.