When it comes to Christmas gifts for your toddler toys are a must. Of course, choosing what to get your child is not easy, since there are obviously endless options. Above all, you want to get something that your toddler will not only love in the moment of tear into gifts on Christmas morning but also play with longterm.
Bearing that in mind, we rounded up 10 gift ideas for 2-year-old and 3-year-old toddlers, to make your holiday season and Christmas shopping easier.
Thus, this gift guide includes 10 must-have toddler toys for playful learning. They help not only to improve longer attention spans for toddlers but also their ability to organize and plan. So, if you want to make a 2- or 3-year-old really happy, surprise them with a great gift that will not bring them joy but also help them to thrive while playing.
Play is key to building thriving brains, bodies, and social bonds according to a recent study of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This research shows that play can improve children’s abilities to plan, organize, get along with others, and regulate emotions. In addition, play helps with language, math, and social skills, and even helps children cope with stress.
Keep in mind:
Bored children will not learn well.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
For these reasons, we chose toys that keep toddlers motivated, actively engaged and help them to joyfully discover the world.
Playtime! 10 Must-Have Toddler Toys
1. Toy Farmhouse/Barn
A toy farmhouse is THE number one toy to play with for many toddlers. No wonder! Indeed, the animals and the farmer were going up and down, hiding, singing, eating. In addition, you can always add additional farm animal toys and the play-learn never stops. Expect the sorting, counting, colors, animal names, stacking, transportation to go on every day. There are plenty of choices out there.
You can choose depending on your budget on different options.
2. Play kitchen
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man. Bake me a cake as fast as you can… From cooking cars, through real vegetables, pancakes to washing dishes with imaginary water and having imaginary and real eating, nibbling, feasting, kids love to play in a wooden play kitchen.
3. Wooden Grocery Store
The play grocery store sells everything from blocks, though books, cards, food, milk, chalk, toys – it’s just the place to hang out for hours, to chat a little bit. This is an essential toy to teach important life skills.
4. Classic Wooden Bus with Play Figures
The wheels on this classic wooden school bus are going round and round and so do the wooden passengers everywhere in the house. Keep playtime rolling along with this wooden set that includes a city bus, bus stop, and 12 play figures (decorated on both sides). Sometimes, they go through the door, sometimes through the roof of the bus. And sometimes, they just hide under the couch. Good that the bus stops and picks them up, wherever they go.
5. Wooden Cars & Tractors
Obviously, we have a boy, so our best toy list cannot exist without cars, tractors & trucks. Cars are the most used toys in our house and there is a good reason for that – you can do anything with them. Definitely, sorting, counting, learning colors, transporting other toys, race and so much more.
6. Color-shifting Cars
Hot and cold. That’s how we learned both words and it took only a few buckets of hot and cold water, some of which landed on the floor through all car wash splashing. Cars that change their color depending on the temperature. The fascination with changing colors never fades. Sink, fridge, bathing time – color changing cars are just lit. Interesting fact – we are the ones interrupting his play – just because either the floor or his clothes get too wet. Check out our playtime with color-changing cars.
7. Magnetic Drawing Board
Also Color Magna Doodle —The drawing pad is a classic and fun toy for children to play with. Mess-free, engaging & useful, this toy is a must-have on a car trip.
8. Alphabet and Numbers Foam Puzzle Play Mat
No need for an introduction – another classic toy and a great base for hours of fun playing & learning.
9. Balls
Indeed, balls are almost as good as cars on our list and they are almost everywhere in the house, making sure that the playtime never ends. Check out our 5 EASY BALL TODDLER ACTIVITIES AT HOME.
10. Musical instrument
Let’s dance! We had not one dance session and a toddler-DJ bedtime time with this portable piano keyboard.
11. Workbench
Or the fine motor skills bench, how I call it. Despite the hammering when I have headaches, a workbench is one of the best toys, you can gift to a boy and a DIY lover.
Can’t decide? Our Christmas gifts for Toddler Quiz can help! In just 1 minute, you will get your answer.
Happy Playing!
