It’s the most wonderful time of the year! There’s no doubt that holidays with toddlers are filled to the brim with excitement and pure joy. Toddlers are, after all, awakening to the awareness that opening gifts is really fun, and that Santa guy isn’t so bad. So, what’s on the toddler gift list? This can be a bit more perplexing for parents because let’s be honest — we’ve all seen the toddler who ditches the toy for the box just moments after opening it. What toys and gifts will toddlers actually love and appreciate? Here are some of our favorite toddler gifts.
- Kinetic Sand Beach Sand Kingdom: Sand that won’t dry out? Here it is! A perfect sensory play toy, this sand feels like wet beach sand but is actually dry. It comes with beach-themed molds that will help your toddler activate their imagination and engage in language-promoting play.
- Melissa & Doug Examine and Treat Pet Vet Play Set: Another great toy for imaginative play, this 24-piece pretend play vet set includes a plush dog and cat, along with common vet tools like a stethoscope, thermometer, and bandages. The set allows for role-playing that promotes empathy, a crucial skill for toddlers to learn.
- 40-piece Nuts & Bolt set: Perfect for developing fine motor skills, toddlers will also get to practice matching colors and shapes as they manipulate these nuts and bolts in order to match pieces together. A STEM construction toy, your little will love stacking and building the pieces, which is a major part of the learning process.
- Doodle Mat: A no-mess art toy (really!), the doodle mat is a colorful play mat that toddlers can draw and “paint” on using special pens that simply need to be filled with water. It’s non-toxic, reusable, and easy to use. The doodle mat promotes hand-eye coordination and handwriting skills.
- Fishing Bath Toy: Transform bath time into a fun-filled learning activity with these brightly colored sea creatures, a fishing net, and a fishing pole. This toy promotes improving their motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and language skills, and it’s great for interacting with your child.
- Little Tikes 3’ Trampoline: Burn off that energy with this miniature trampoline! Equipped with a handlebar for safety, toddlers will love jumping while they (unknowingly) practice balance and coordination.
- Melissa & Doug “Let’s Play House” Toy Set: Teaching littles how to help around the house from a young age not only helps them learn responsibility, but it also help them feel included and like part of a family. This set includes a broom, a mop, a duster, and a dustpan/brush, all perfectly sized for your toddler.
- Lego Duplo “My First Bricks” Set: This starter LEGO block set is amazing for toddlers because it includes 80 brightly colored, different sized bricks that will ignite your little one’s imagination and promote many learning skills. If you’re a LEGO fan, this set also is a great supplement to other Duplo sets.
- Play-Doh Fun Factory: Three cheers for open-ended creative, sensory-based play! While this is a basic set of a couple of Play-Doh cans and some of the most-loved tools for working with the dough, it’s a cheap and easy must-have for toddlers because working with Play-Doh is just so good for their brains.
- Strider Balance Bike: Well worth the investment, a balance bike works wonders for children’s balance and coordination. In fact, many kids bypass using training wheels if they’ve learned how to ride a balance bike as a toddler/preschooler!
Did we miss anything on your toddler gift list? Let us know; we love learning about new toys that promote creativity, learning, and development!