01:43 PM ET  11.17 | As the holiday season approaches and children start creating their lists to Santa, parents struggle to find that perfect present for their youngster. Sometimes those lists provide parents with no direction. Parents have such a wide variety of choices when it comes to getting their little sports fans that perfect present. Whether the child likes football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, or any other sport, a gift can be catered to their area of interest. Gifts could be as simple as a ball or as extravagant as a day at a professional league decked out in the team???s latest gear.

Simple gifts that go far could be getting your little sports fan equipment that they can use in a league they participate in. If you would like to go that route make sure you know what kind of equipment is allowed in the league so that you do not get something the child won???t be able to use. Do a little research to find out the better brands. Many times the most expensive one is not your best bet. When I talk about equipment this could be:

       Shin guards (soccer)

         Protective pads (hockey, football, lacrosse)

         Regulation size football, baseball, basketball, soccer ball

         Mouth guard

         Bat, stick, or glove (These can be a little harder without the child there since measurements and weight come in to effect here.)

If your child likes to watch sports rather than play jerseys and other team logo apparel is often a good choice. I recommend replica jerseys since kids grow fast and change their favorite player often. Many official sports organizations make games with their logos on it. This is a great gift especially if you participate or want to start your own family game night. These could include:

1        The Yankees Uno game with players featured on the cards

2        Connect Four and Monopoly games that feature NFL teams.

3      NFL, MLB, and NHL have a line of Mr. Potato Heads, which are really cool.

4         Match Box sports cars with Team Logos

Bigger gifts for kids you could get:

5       Tickets for a game along with a game used item that you get at the stadium or from a reputable dealer

6         A Meet and Greet event where your child has the chance to meet their favorite player and ask them questions. (Steiner Sports offers this type of opportunity.)

7        A trip to visit the Hall of Fame of their favorite sport

While this is a short list of gift suggestions for children who enjoy sports, there are many different options parents can take when doing their gift shopping. Check out the catalogs for the latest toys and coupons. This time of year stores push customers to buy from them by offering certain percentages off and sometimes more of a discount can be offered when purchasing online.