Having kids back to back was not the plan. Now staying home with a four-year-old girl and three-year-old boy, I’ve dubbed myself a know-it-all on kid’s favorite toys. Ask any toddler mom, between birthday parties and rewards for potty training, our kids have MORE than enough LOL Surprise Dolls, JoJo Siwa Bows, Swords and Transformer toys. And at this age, we are hard pressed to get them to clean up their own stuff. With Kindergarten coming up fast, our kids intellectual accomplishments are at the top of our priority list. Here are some toys that are educational, but still fun for toddlers to play with.
Building Vocabulary
Melissa and Doug See and Spell Puzzles – $17
Kizh Wooden Letter and Number Construction Activity Set – $13.99
Priddy Books Wipe Clean: Letters – $6.24
For the Experimenter
Snap Circuits Jr. – $20.99
Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. My First Microscope – $18
Educational Insights Motorized Solar System – $28.67
Opt Outside
iBert Child Bike Safe-T-Seat – $149.97
Backyard Bird Memory Tiles – $23.59
Critical Cycles No-Pedal Balance Bike – $59.99
Discover with Dr. Cool Lunar Telescope – $39.99
Pacific Play Kid’s Tent – $32.40
History Buff
Mud Puppy Map of the United States Puzzle – $16.99
Kid Galaxy White House with Presidential Figures – $35
Scientific Explorer My First Dino Kit – $15.68
For the Musically Inclined
Ehome Toddler Musical Instruments Backpack – $33.99
Kabi Plastic Egg Shakers – $16.99
Mini Hand Bell Set – $17.97
Animal Lovers
The Learning Journey Head and Tails Matching Game – $9.99
Any of Safari Ltd. Toobs – approx. $12
Shifu Orboot Reality Based Globe – $49.99
Math’s Important, Too!
Counting Bears with Cups – $11.78
Learning Resources Pretend and Play Calculator Cash Register – $36.99
Melissa and Doug Beginner Wooden Pattern Blocks – $16.99
Melissa and Doug Shape Sorting Clock – $12.99
About Your Body
Melissa and Doug Magnetic Human Anatomy Set – $12.99
Operation Board Game – $13.44
Learning Resources Skeleton Floor Puzzle – $20.99
Worldly Toys
Illuminated Globe – $29.99
Round World Jumbo World Puzzle – $18.37
Safari Ltd. Toob World Landmarks – $12.99
Building Trinkets
Magna Tiles – $49.99
B. Toys Bristle Blocks – $21.95
Melissa and Doug Wooden Building Blocks – $16.14
Star Flex Creative Connecting Construction Set – $22.14
Quality Books
Usborne Books and More – variety of prices
Strongs Girls “I Am” Series – $27.99
I Can Read 1 Series – $10.48
Experiences
Memberships
Extra Curricular Activities
Day Dates
You truly can’t go wrong with gifting something they can use all year round! Think of memberships to the local Zoo, Aquarium, Children’s Museum, Trampoline Park, Botanical Gardens, etc. Bonus, a lot of these programs also do membership swaps, so the kids can experience more than just one place!
Coordinate with mom, but offering to pay a couple months for dance, gymnastics, soccer, karate, swim lessons, Tinkergarten, or music lessons would be a lot of fun! At this age, kids are just learning to take direction from someone else besides the parents. These activities give them a social opportunity, and let them try out a variety of outlets to help find their passion.
There’s a lot of outings that would make our kids year, too: pottery class, cooking lesson, little girl spa day, painting class, indoor play place, bowling, movie date, Chuck E. Cheese, or horseback riding, to name a few.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving and will leave memories for a lifetime.
Keep the messy playroom in mind when buying gifts for toddlers this year! Make those toys useful in development at the this critical age.
For a complete visual list that I will update all season long, check out my Gift Guide for Toddlers page! CLICK HERE!
*This post contains affiliate links. Since I put in a lot of hard work, I should get some kickbacks, right?
Amber Launstein 