Christmas last year was a little hectic because we had a newborn baby. I’m so looking forward to this Christmas because our daughter is so much more active – even if she won’t entirely get what’s going on! Today I’m sharing the best gifts for toddlers, and this list works whether you’re giving a toddler gift for Christmas or a summer birthday! It includes the best toys, clothing options for 1 year olds, and things that little hands will love. This list is mostly for toddler girls, but many of the things I picked out can be for boys or girls – and many come in different color options, too! And I included a bunch of our favorite toys in this list.
cozy sweatshirt | doggie sweater | track suit
dress up station | play kitchen | classic coupe
puppy book | personalized name puzzle ($20!)
castle fort (under $17!) | play cell phone | velvet hair bows | mini Caboodle
Best gifts for toddlers
* Play kitchen – I love that they made a version to fit easily into corners! Pretend play is so popular with 1-year-old girls (and boys!) and I don’t think I know a little girl who wouldn’t love a play kitchen.
* Dress up station (for older toddlers) – comes in 6 different colors with 2 bins for storage and is great for their imaginative play! Having an easy station like this is a great way to teach them to clean up, too, since everything goes in a specific place.
* Mini construction bench – I don’t know if I’ve talked much about this on the blog, but when I was little my dad worked in construction and did quite a few projects on our own home, including building our sun porch and 2-story deck and stairs! I had a little construction set when I was a kid (I actually kept it to give to my kids someday!), so this is a gift I would give to a girl OR boy. Young toddlers love to do anything they see their parents doing, so if you ever do little projects around the house I’m sure the little ones will think it’s a great gift!
* I am dying over so many of these dollhouses! They really make them detailed, don’t they? I think this one is my favorite. This one is the dollhouse of little girls’ dreams! The perfect gift for open-ended play. We have had a dollhouse in the living room for a little while, and it’s so much fun to watch her play out different scenarios like bath time with her dolls.
* Metal shopping cart – I love love love seeing little kids at the grocery store with mini shopping carts, and this is one they can have at home! There are plastic versions, too, but the metal ones seem to have a little more weight to them and don’t tip over as easily.
* Personalized name puzzle – I’ve already ordered a few of these for kids in our lives (sorry for ruining the surprise, friends!) because I just think they’re so special. I love a good personalized gift, and being able to choose the name and colors, too, means you can truly personalize these puzzles. It’s a great introduction to letters and spelling their name, and puzzles are great for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination too.
* Clothes – One of my favorite things to gift, because I know that kids grow fast! (Seriously, every other month I’m putting away another bin of clothes!) I love this doggie sweater, a fun unicorn hoodie outfit, an oldschool track suit, and a designer cardigan for less than $25. If you don’t know what size they wear, buy something bigger. That way if it’s not the right size they can grow into it. (And they grow so fast!)
* Other ideas: A musical toy, building blocks, shape sorter, a soft doll, or other educational toys great for small hands
What to avoid: If they’re 3 and under, avoid any toys with small parts. Little fingers love small objects and especially putting them in their mouths! Also avoid an interactive toy no matter how much you think it makes fun sounds.
Gifts to play with:
Gifts to wear:
Big gifts:
Related post: Our Favorite Books for 6-9 Months
Toddler stocking stuffers
If you do stockings, here are some great toddler stocking stuffers:
- Jammies! I love these ballerina pajamas and these floral ones
- Snuggly booties for cold mornings
- Day of week socks
- An easy-to-clean cup for on the go
- A monogrammed snack bag
- Mittens for tiny hands (because you’ll probably lose a few!)
- Cozy hat
Growing up, we always got things like coloring books, crayons, stickers, and some clothing items in our stockings. I always love hearing what other people did as kids! What did your family do? What other stocking stuffers would you include for a toddler?
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