Gift Ideas for Toddlers

Are you looking for gift ideas for toddlers? As a mom of 3 kids, I have made a list of our favorites. These are items that my kids play with again and again. I get commissions for purchases made through the affiliate links in this post.

For me, the best toddler toys are ones that stand the test of time. They are ones that my child loves as a toddler but still will play with a few years later.

Trains

My oldest absolutely loved trains when he was a toddler. It was a toy he played with every day. We were constantly building tracks and playing with trains. Aiden is now almost 11. He still enjoys playing trains every now and again. Lily (age 6.5) also loves playing with trains. She’s been learning since she was little how they work. She loved exploring cause and effect with trains. It’s a great way to introduce train tracks to toddlers without it feeling overwhelming. Elon (age 4.5) has also loved train since he was a young toddler. He always liked playing with the train sets at the train store.

I don’t really have any recommendations for a fabulous train set. We bought simple sets that were on sale. I recommend keeping a look out for good prices. I will say that I love the set pictured above from Hape. My kids play with the Hape Musical Rainbow Railway Train Set every time we go to the train store. We brought home the xylophone melody track piece. It was a welcomed addition to their beloved trains plus it’s perfect to play with on it’s own.

Jumbo Dinosaurs from Learning Resources

I wrote for the Learning Resources blog, so they sent us products like the jumbo dinosaurs above. These dinosaurs were one of my youngest favorite toys when he was 1 and half to 2 years old. He played with them every single day. He still plays with them quite often. We have both the Jumbo Dinosaurs 2 set and the Jumbo Dinosaurs: Mommas and Babies set. All three of my kids like to use them for pretend play and learning games. (Check out our dinosaur mazes.)

Green Toys Vehicles

I think every toddler needs to have cars and trucks to play with. Green Toys makes some that are the perfect size for them. I love that Green Toys products are made from recycled plastic. My kids’ favorites are the blue pick-up truck and the dump truck. We had fun exploring ramps with our Farm Animal Races with Little Blue Truck – a great introduction to simple science concepts for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Combine the blue truck with the story of Little Blue Truck for the perfect toddler gift under $25. Looking for more book suggestions for toddlers? Check out this list of animal sound books for toddlers.

DULPO LEGO

My kids love LEGO. We have a giant bin of DUPLO that gets played with almost daily. DUPLO bricks are perfect for little hands. The sets are so versatile and will grow with your child. My almost 10 year old still plays with the DUPLO bricks. He likes using them for his large scale creations because they are quick to build. We have several different sets – Cars, Mickey and Minnie, super heroes, the zoo, the train, the carousel, the house, dinosaurs, and basic sets.

My suggestion is to get a set with basic DUPLO bricks (you get more bricks for your money) and choose a themed set that you know your kids would love. My kids love playing with the DUPLO figures (we have Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Mickey, Minnie, zoo animals, a zoo keeper, dinosaurs, and a few people) and the vehicles. We always put the sets together when we first get them but rarely do they get put back together like that again. The DUPLO My Town Family was a recent addition to our collection. I like that it has more flat platforms and accessories. My kids love building houses and other buildings with their DUPLO bricks.

Fisher Price Little People

Little People are a classic toy that toddlers love. There are so many different characters and vehicles to choose from. My youngest two especially love the vehicles. We have the bus, the plane, and the fire truck.

When Aiden was one, he played with the Little People Barn all the time at daycare, so we got him one for home. It is still played with 9 years later. The set above is their latest version – the Caring for Animals Farm Playset.

Ride On Toys

My kids gravitate towards ride on toys. We have some for inside and some for outside. Their favorite is probably Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. We’ve had the police car version since my oldest was 2. We also have the Little Tikes Go and Grow Lil’ Rollin’ Giraffe Ride-on. I like the fact that the giraffe ride on has an adjustable seat so it can grow as the kids do.

Chunky Puzzles

I love puzzles like this Melissa & Doug Farm Animals Jumbo Knob Wooden Puzzle. Don’t worry if your toddler can’t put together puzzles just yet. Taking them apart is part of the learning process. (Read more about the importance of destructive play here.) Just make sure you choose ones with big pieces.

Little Tikes First Slide

We got this slide a few Christmases ago for 2 year old Lily. Elon has been playing on it since he could climb. We used it inside up until 2 years ago. Now it’s outside during warm months and in our basement playroom during the winter. It’s perfect for dreary days when we can’t go outside.

What are your favorite gift ideas for toddlers? Leave a comment and let me know!