When shopping for toddlers and preschoolers it can feel a bit overwhelming. There are TONS of options out there, many of which include giant, bright, and loud toys. If you’re looking for gift ideas for toddlers that will keep your child entertained, provide great educational value, while not cluttering your home with annoying characters or sounds, this is the list for you.
As a mom of 6, I have had plenty of toys come and go through our home. Many of my suggestions not only were gifts to my older kids when they were toddlers and preschoolers, but are still played with by those big kids.
Here’s my list of top gift ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers.
The first of the gift ideas for toddlers is a glide bike (with toddler helmet).
Glide bikes (also called Balance Bikes) are those small bikes without pedals. Kids can sit on the seat, and glide along. They learn balance while having the security of being able to place their feet on the ground. My kids were able to go directly from riding a glide bike to a pedal bike without training wheels easily, and at a younger age.
They may not get how to ride right away, but give them some time and they will be gliding along in no time. Before taking it outside, we’ve even let our younger kids ride the glide bike indoors as they get comfortable and then take them outside once the weather is nicer.
The key is selecting one that is light enough that they don’t feel overpowered by it, and that is small enough that they can start with their feet flat on the ground as they sit on the seat.
We have loved this glide bike for how small and easy to manuever it is for smaller kids. We gave this one to our son for Christmas just before he turned 2, and our daughter started riding it around 20 months old.
Don’t forget a helmet that fits their small head. I love the Joovy Noodle Helmet as it fits well with a clip that helps avoid pinched chins.
Another gift idea is a play kitchen with food sets.
One of the most used things in our home has been the play kitchen. It doesn’t have to be huge even, (we have this one by Janod) but have nobs to turn, doors to open and close and a place to “cook.” Add in fun food sets and your kids can become little chefs in the home. The kids make me food often, practice mixing, putting things into and out of bowls and more.
The Nugget Comfort is the next of my gift ideas for toddlers, preschools, and big kids alike.
It may look like a giant couch, but long PNW winters have been saved by our Nugget. The kids can jump on it, build it into a fort, and create a slide that entertains them for hours. Turn it into a slide, a car ramp, or a place to read books together. The Nugget has been great for all of our kids, and even this mama who finds sitting on the floor reading rather challenging and uncomfortable.
The next of the gift ideas for toddlers and preschoolers are Lego Duplos
I’m a HUGE Duplo fan. They stay together, but are easy for young builders to put together. There are Lego Duplo sets for any interest (cars, trains, Disney, farm) or creative sets for free building. My kids play with Duplos from ages 1.5 until 6 or 7, though the older kids will still build with their younger siblings or we will have family Duplo town building nights.
Books are wonderful gifts.
Toddlers love the same books read over and over (and over and over). Christmas and birthdays are a great time to add a few new books to their pile for changing things up. We love any books by Usborne and Sandra Boynton for this age.
Looking for more specific book ideas? Check out my Book Recommendations for Toddlers!
For a snuggly gift idea for toddlers, Slumberkins hit the mark.
Slumberkins are an amazing educational tool hidden as a stuffed animal with a book. Each character represents a challenge/lesson your child may face. From Alpaca helping hold your anxiety, to Slumber Sloth helping you fall asleep, to Fox who helps kids grasp family changes.
We have most of them, but favorite Slumberkins around my home are Honey Bear, Unicorn, Alpaca, and Yak.
Board games and card games is a great educational gift idea for toddlers and preschoolers.
Age appropriate board games and card games are great ways to include your littles in family game night. They are also great ways to teach about winning and losing, following rules and taking turns.
A few favorite games around here are Candy Land, Alphabet Go Fish, and Sequence for Kids.
As you can see, there are plenty of great ideas for your toddler or preschooler. Each of the above ideas, have lots of options within them too, so you should have no problem finding the perfect gift for the littles in your life!
Find more gift ideas for Baby’s 1st Christmas along with gift ideas for kids ages 6 to 10.
*This article contains affiliate links that directly benefit my family. We appreciate your support. You can trust that I only recommend things we truly love.
Comments +