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Finding great gift ideas for toddlers will never be taboo, whether on birthdays or holidays. Outside of the “child” stage, the toddler stage is the first long stage in a toddler’s life they will be in. There are so many milestones toddlers hit between the ages of 12 months and 4 year olds that finding gifts for them can be exciting and daunting at the same time.
There is so much going on with your toddler in this age group. Now is a great time to get the best toys for them that will be affordable and a huge hit with them and the family.
When thinking about toddler gift ideas, one of the essential things to consider is if it’s for younger or older toddlers. Sometimes you can have a great toy, but it’s better for little kids than older kids. You can read my post on toddler gifts for Christmas if you want to see what I recommended last year for practical gifts.
For every stage of your child’s journey, you always want to ensure that you provide them with the gifts they will love and are appropriate for their age. Sometimes you can go up by six months for some items, but picking the right gift for young kids will make the difference between a good gift and the perfect present.
This post is about gift ideas for toddlers.
Sometimes the best toddler gifts are the ones that are an excellent way for the child and family to connect. These gifts are also great ideas because they also help tackle the core motor and cognitive skills toddlers have to develop during this age group.
Below is the list of the best gifts for your toddlers, and moms of all types will be able to appreciate any of these gifts their little ones will receive.
These gifts offer open-ended play and pretend play, and kids of all ages in the toddler group will love and benefit from any of the gifts below.
Luxury Gift Ideas
The Montessori Playshelf
Price: $400
Pros: Organization Accessories Included, Make the Most of Your Space,
Cons: Requires two people and 1hr+, Spot Clean Only
Oversized Navy with White Piping Anywhere Chair
Price: $185
Pros: It comes in different colors. You can customize it by adding your child’s name to the chair. It comes in different sizes for all stages of a child’s development. Soft-close technology to protect your child’s fingers
Cons: Have to wash in cold water by itself, can only spot clean insert.
Art Easel
Price: $99
Pros: BPA-, Lead-, and Phthalate-free.
Cons: You will have to spot clean with a cloth
The Block Set
Price: $90
Pros: The Block Set is designed for children ages 18 to 48+ months. Solid wood blocks are made of sustainably harvested FSC-certified wood.
Cons: Spot Clean with cloth
Intermediate Gift ideas
Little Tikes 3′ Trampoline
Price: $73.10
Pros: Perfect trampoline for toddlers to burn off energy
Cons: Must supervise or child could get injured
VTech Touch and Learn Activity Desk Deluxe
Price: $64.99
Pros: Very interactive and keeps kid attention for long periods, batteries latest a long time.
Cons: It doesn’t cut off right away, and it’s loud
VTech Marble Rush Ultimate Set
Price: 47.99
Pros: Batteries included, Accredited STEAM Toy
Cons: Small pieces. Watch when children are playing with them.
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Around the Town Learning Table
Price: $45.99
Pros: Batteries included three levels of playing and learning.
Cons: Volume can’t be adjusted.
Affordable Gift Ideas
Radio Flyer My 1st Scooter
Price: $34.99
Pros: Wide base for better balance
Cons: Max weight 50 Pounds
Animal Bean Bag Toss Game
Price: $26.99
Pros: 2 in 1 Double Sided Game Board
Cons: If throwing indoors, monitor to make sure nothing breaks
VTech KidiBeats Drum Set
Price: $13.50
Pros: Comes in 2 colors for boys and girls, Parent-Friendly Features
Cons: We will need to change out batteries if usually regularly.
ABCaptain Counting Animal Matching Game with Sorting Cups
Price: $10.99
Pros: IMPROVE FINE MOTOR SKILLS
Cons: Small pieces, so just watch and make sure that you monitor your child while playing.
Best Gifts for Imaginative Play
Have you thought about getting a play kitchen? If you are looking for gifts that allow toddlers to explore different occupations. See the world and amplify their dreams.
One way to do that is with a play kitchen. The best part about all these gifts is that you can see what your toddler is made of. You can have them cook Christmas morning or Thanksgiving dinner. The possibilities are endless with these play items.
Step2 Fun with Friends Kitchen
Price: Range from $84 – $199
Pros: Comes in different colors, unisex
Cons: small pieces, so watch them ensure they don’t put them in their mouth. You can lose pieces quickly.
Little Tikes Cook’ n Play Outdoor BBQ
Price: $52.49
Pros: upgradeable to more parts to come with this grill, realistic
Cons: small parts
Pretend Play Kitchen Toys Cookware Playset for Kids
Price: $23.99
Pros: it can go along with any existing kitchen set
Cons: tiny pieces, so you must watch your kids when playing with this item.
Best Books for Toddlers
Gifts just don’t have to be about toys. A good book can change the life of a toddler. Reading is so essential in the development of language and cognitive skills of young children. There are many ways to introduce an excellent book to toddlers, and here are some favorites.
Board books are great because toddlers eat paper (not lying). Board books make it harder for them to feast on the book and their shelf life is much longer than other books. You still want to ensure that the books will be fun and interactive and can last for a while.
All Are Welcome Book
Price: $17.99
Pros: teaches kids about diversity
Cons: some pages pull out to make it easier for your child to rip the book.
An Alpha Eye Spy (Poke-a-dot)
Price: $12.99
Pros: an interactive book allows your child to learn by touch and sound.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar *Also available on Kindle and Audiobook
Price: $5.00
Pros: board books, so it will be hard for kids to tear the book up.
Bedtime for Sweet Creatures *Also available on Kindle and Audiobook
Price: $4.67
Pros: a great bedtime story and the journey of getting a little to sleep
My Top Picks
When it comes to my toddler, I make sure I feel comfortable about what I am getting a toddler. Since my toddler has a speech delay, I always ensure that the gifts he receives take into account 2 year old speech best practices. Your toddler might not have any delays, which is excellent! It’s still a good idea to try and get items to help them learn and have fun.
At this age, your toddler is taking in so much information. Fun gifts will be vital to ensuring your toddler is getting what they need. Yes, some of these items will require an additional cost, but it will be worth it. If you are looking for high-quality gifts that will leave a lasting impression, below are my personal recommendations.
The Montessori Playshelf
It is about to have an all-in-one play area for kids that comes in handy as they get older. You will find that trying to find a dedicated space that keeps all of their toys becomes challenging in small spaces.
So having something like this helps eliminate the stress once your child leaves infancy. It might cost a lot upfront, but it will be worth it on the back end and pay for itself.
VTech Touch and Learn Activity Desk Deluxe
My son plays with this daily. Without me having to go to it, he will just cut on the desk and play with it for an extended period. It’s a fun toy for them and a fun way to get them moving since it also has modes where they can dance and sing.
You can get interchangeable cards to go into the desk and expand on what they are currently learning with the current available plates. Click here to read my thorough review of the VTech activity desk.
Animal Bean Bag Toss Game
Toddlers love throwing. This gives them a purpose for throwing, and it’s great for younger kids if they have play dates.
It’s always great to have one of the toys during the toddler years. So they feel like they are getting bonus points for playing a game that allows them to throw but also teaches them simultaneously.
Pretend Play Kitchen Toys Cookware Playset for Kids
Sometimes the best gift ideas are just adding to what is existing in your current ecosystem. Play food is an excellent way to teach your toddler motor skills, cooperation, and more.
You can add this to the collection if your toddler already has a toy kitchen. There are so many ways of getting your little one to interact with you, and it makes excellent Christmas gifts for all the children in your life.
All Are Welcome Book
This book talks about diversity, one of my favorite books to read to my toddler. It’s a great place to start teaching your toddler about different types of families and people and also gives them a look at how they are. The book has bright colors and a positive message.
This book gets great reviews because it s a simple, easy-to-reach book but also so impactful in specific categories of learning and interaction. It’s a perfect gift for any time of the year and at any age.
Useful Gifts for Toddlers
If you are unsure about buying specific gifts for kids, you can always get a gift card and let the parents get the items for them. Board games, picture books, and building blocks are also great options to provide kids, which is discussed more in my toddler gifts for Christmas.
If you are looking for more resources, you can always check out a great site, Melissa & Doug. They are one of the leading publishers of interactive children’s books and a great place to start if you are new to toddler gifting. Since they have great recommendations on unconventional toys, you might not have thought about them for your toddler.
Always remember that gifting doesn’t have to be profound. It just has to be intentional, especially for toddlers. Their little hands will love anything that you get them. From little girls to little boys, a high-quality gift is priceless and will aid their learning and development for years to come.
This post was about gift ideas for toddlers.
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I don’t have toddlers anymore but I remember getting a pink chair for my girls and they loved it.
Good ideas for what to give my young nephews.
That’s awesome; they grow up so fast don’t they 🙂