There’s so much going on inside a toddler’s brain that it’s hard to get them to stay engaged for a long time. The world is so new to them that it makes everything *really* exciting. Think of it like this: If FOMO were a person, it would be a 3-year-old at a park. That makes finding Christmas gifts for toddlers easy and tricky at the same time. You want your special gift to be something they’re interested in, but you know it probably won’t hold their attention for very long.
There are toys with broad appeal for toddlers, though. Toys like play kitchens, pretend play toys, sensory toys, and toys that encourage activity are generally big hits. If you can get their bodies and their brains focused as they do with Goaldozer, at the same time, not only do you have a winning toy, you are doing terrific things for their development, according to scholars at Harvard University who found that encouraging the brain-body connection in early childhood is absolutely essential for growing brains and maintaining lifelong health.
This year, the most popular gifts tend towards learning and physical activity. Whether it’s the Step2 Coaster or the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine, parents and kids are showing that screens and gimmicky toys are on the decline.
I love toddlers, but let’s face it, they’re basically all a bit like tiny, uncoordinated, drunk masterminds, so safety has to be a big consideration, and I’ve made it: All these toys have been tested by toddlers or groups of toddlers that I know personally. Many tested toys and gifts didn’t make this list — only the products that kids really responded to made it to our list of best Christmas gifts for toddlers. Check out our top picks below!
Our little tester has this in their basement, and their mother actually had to bribe him with candy to get her off it to go out to lunch. We can all agree that’s impressive and says a lot about how much fun this ride-on toy is. They’ll use it repeatedly until they tire themselves out, which is a win-win for parents and kids.
Peaceable Kingdom Monkey Around First Game for Toddlers
If your child is also constantly singing “Five little monkeys, jumping on the bed…” you need this game. There’s no rhyme or reason for how much they love both, but this game of wiggling and squiggling was a win for all the kids who got a chance to play it.
Another super chill toy, the Toniebox is a soft-sided storytelling machine that works with characters that you place on the Tonie box, and they guide you through. It seems gimmicky, I’ll admit, but it’s one of the best-tested toys I’ve introduced to kids in the last several years.
There’s a well of energy that exists inside of every toddler that I’m convinced that if we could harness it, our global energy crisis would be solved. Alas, until that day comes, you’ll need to encourage your child to get it all out. A blow-up bouncy dinosaur is a soft and fun way to go. (Pump included.)
One of the sleeper hits of the year, Goaldozer is an indoor, interactive soccer toy that pushes the ball toward your child via the car behind it. Your child returns the ball to the goal, and then Goaldozer pushes it in an entirely different direction. It’s great for solo or group play.
Hand-eye coordination learning is something that takes time. I am still learning, personally. (One day, batting cages!) The Chase ‘n Go ball popper works with your toddler in an extremely fun way; they place the ball in the hopper, and it pops out! Then, it’s catch or chase it!
Bath toys are the unsung hero of gifts because they not only keep your child entertained, they do it while making sure that your kid is no longer covered in a mixture of jam, chicken nuggies, and fruit juice.
Playmobil designed this duck toy for the tub or kiddie pool, giving kids the power to either rescue or abduct the baby ducks, depending on your viewpoint.
Fisher-Price Toddler Toy Light-Up Learning Vacuum Musical Push Along For Pretend Play Ages 1+ Years
I know that I have two different pretend play cleaning toys on this list, but there’s a good reason for it — kids love it. Over and over again I test toys with toddlers, and these are perennial favorites.
Fisher-Price Learning Toy Laugh and Learn Ultimate Playhouse with Smart Stages & 9 Pretend Play Accessories, Infants & Toddlers Ages 6+ Months
There’s a time when your toddler is still kinda wobbly and need help standing occasionally. This play house has tons of places for your littles to pull up, and learn to walk through. There are a ton of accessories as well that light up and play music.
Crayola Washable Finger Paint Station, Less Mess Finger Paints for Toddlers, Kids Gift
Toddlers love being messy and they’re naturally curious and artistic. Make the most of it with this easy to clean finger paint set. It gives kids a washable space to go wild with their paints, letting them create work after work of art.
At first, a wearable blanket doesn’t seem like a ton of fun, but when you realize that those stars are glow in the dark? Instantly 10000 times more fun. Several toddlers in our lives have this very wearable blanket and they love it beyond what is reasonable. (Hint! Get a few, in a few different sizes. It’s lovey-level love.)
Encourage your toddler’s movement and their musical talent with this piano floor mat. It also helps to teach numbers and colors and animal sounds as well. It is a toy they’ll never tire of.
Learning to match colors and shapes is incredibly important for toddlers. iPlay, iLearn helps kids do that easily and with a ton of fun. The little dino eats up the matches assisting kids with the right matches.
Certainly, not every toy needs to have an educational angle, but when it happens and doesn’t take away from the child’s level of engagement, I would call that a win.
The “My First Number” train is for ages 18 months and up. It combines building with numbers and counting. It provides a lot of visual and tactile stimulation that toddlers really dig.
I watched a toddler play with this toy for a solid 20 minutes in a doctor’s office filled to the brim with other toys. This takes the classic popper toy, turns it on its head, and makes it a scoop-and-clean truck toy that mimics a lawnmower a little bit. It also gamifies the popper, encouraging your child to scoop the balls back into the truck.
By the time my son was two-and-a-half, he had about ten gazillion play cars. Having a mat like this was the best thing for him. It gave his cars a purpose and a play area. On top of that, it really saved my floors because kids and cars aren’t nice on hardwood.
Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6-Piece Pretend Play Set
This gift is not lame, in spite of how it looks. This set was honestly one of our best-tested toddler toys a few years ago, and now the younger siblings in those households are still using it. Everyone loves it. Kids want to do what you do, so the opportunity for pretend play is massive here.
This is an interconnected space-themed play tunnel designed with toddlers in mind. It has a rocketship-style playhouse on one end and an open area on the other.
Fun fact: You do not have to add balls to the area they’re showing as a ball pit. You can add many pillows and stuffies, and kids like it just as much. In fact, I’d say they like it more because it doesn’t sting to fling themselves bodily at it.
There’s never a peep about bath time when you take out the finger paint unless it’s the sound of delighted squeals. These are especially useful when kids have difficulty winding down before bed or after an activity (like, say, Christmas dinner?). This allows them to find their focus in a clean way, but good luck telling your little one that bath time is over!
A balance bike is a terrific first step into bike riding, starting in toddlerhood. It’s not a tricycle, so kids don’t become dependent on the balance that the rear wheels provide. This allows kids to find their own center of gravity and use it to propel them—just don’t forget the helmet!
