Baby and Toddler Toy Gift Guide

You don’t need to go anywhere else for the best baby and toddler holiday toys!

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Sifting through all of the social media noise to find the best toys for your baby and toddler is stressful on a good day.  Now, during the holidays it is even more difficult to find the right gift for your little one.  My hope is to take the pressure off this holiday season by rounding up the absolute best and most-loved toys for your baby and toddler.  That way you don’t have to go sifting through every site, but can use this as a true guideline for all of your gifting needs.

It is important to mention, especially for your babies and toddlers, to focus on things your child enjoys and not just what you see shared online.  Focus on things they already gravitate towards and add to your collection with things that will continue to inspire them.  Instead of adding toys that will just clutter up your playroom.

In order to cover all of the most meaningful toys, I decided to organize them into different categories:

• Art
• Sensory Toys/Activities
• Pretend Play Toys
• Playroom Essentials
• Babydolls
• Trains/Cars
• Games/Game Boards
• Outdoor Play

This age group 6-12 months and then your toddlers, 1-3 years old are such a fun age for exploration and discovery!  While you’re shopping, look for toys you are excited to enjoy with your child and toys they can play with independently too!

Happy playing!

Art Gifts for Babies

Gifts for your art loving baby!

1. Honey Sticks Non-Toxic Crayons
2. Crayola Smock (great for finger painting, sensory play, or exploring with paints!)
3. Crayola Easy Clean Fingerpaint Kit 
4. READY 2 LEARN Doodle Dabber Dot Markers
5. Crayola Egg Crayons 
6. Spots and Dots Art Book for Baby 
7. Color Me: Who Loves Dinosaurs? Watch Me Change Color In Water Bath Book

The Best Art Gifts for Toddlers

The best art gifts for your creative toddler!  Use these over and over again!

1.  LCD Writing Tablets 
2. Wikki Stix (the best throw in your bag travel essential)
3. The Pencil Grip Wonder Stix (so fun to use on mirrors and windows and completely washable!)
4. Melissa & Doug Water WOW pack of 4 (always have these for travel)
5. Ready 2 Learn Easy Grip Chalk 
6. Kwik Stix Tempera Paint Sticks 60 count (the BEST art supply for toddlers, paint that dries in 90 seconds!)
7. Kwik Stix Holiday Edition (Holiday Colors)
8. Crayola Washable Kids Paint Set with cups, lids, brushes, and a smock
9. Do A Dot Metallic Shimmer Markers 
10. Do A Dot Art! Paint Markers Classic Colors 
11. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Standing Art Easel (Dry erase side, chalkboard side)
12. Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets! 
13. Skillmatics Art Dot it Dinosaurs!
14. Paper Plate Art Craft Kit (so many crafts on hand!)
15. Melissa & Doug Sticker WOW! Activity Pad 
16. Skillmatics Art Dot It Princesses & Unicorns, No mess activity
17. Skillmatics Art Dot it Disney Mickey & Friends

The Best Sensory Toys for Babies

Sensory play is not limited to sensory bins, especially when it comes to babies!  These toys help encourage babies to discover the world around them and explore new textures, sounds, and sights!

1.  Hape My First Wooden Stacking Toys
2. Infantino Press & Stay Sensory Blocks 
3. Genius Baby Toys Surprise Box
4. Sensory Pull Along Baby Tissue Box
5. Little Tikes Tap a Tune Baby Drum
6. Ms. Rachel Surprise Learning Box
7. Ms. Rachel Speak and Sing Doll

The Best Sensory Toys for Toddlers

1.  Playskool Sit and Spin (a classic for a reason)
2. Cute Stone Color Changing Sink (when I discovered this toy as a toddler mom, it changed everything for me!)
3. Temi Kids Waterfall Water Table (Will transform simple water play!)
4. Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Toddler Water Table (another tried and true classic for indoor and outdoor use)
5. Crayola Mess Free Touch Lights 
6. Liquid Floor Tiles for Sensory Play 
7. Balancing Beam Sensory Toy for Kids
8. B. Toys Splash and Scrub Sink

The Best Baby Pretend Play Toys

When you look at these pretend play toys, I want you to think of how they will enrich your little one’s play time on a daily basis.  How you can enjoy these toys together and also how they will continue to grow with them in each new phase and stage of development.  Some of these pretend play toys in this roundup are not the latest models, but I can assure you they are well-loved and tried and true.  Toys are classics for a reason and flashy and “new” doesn’t necessarily mean best.  I hope you enjoy these!

1. Battat Hop In Foam Ball Pit 
2. EocuSun Ball Pit 
3. Little Tikes Shopping Cart
4. Baby Stella 
5. Little Tikes First Oven 
6. Melissa & Doug Soft Rollback Cars 
7. Melissa & Doug Farm Animals Sound Puzzle 
8. LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart (we have had this since my daughter’s first birthday and it still sits in our playroom 6 years later)
9. B. Toys Car Keys 
10. Fisher-Price Baby & Toddler Laugh & Learn My Smart Play Purse 
11. Fisher-Price Toddler Toy Laugh & Learn Light-Up Learning Vacuum Musical Push Along
12. VTech Sit to Stand Baby Walker 
13. Step2 Little Baker’s Kitchen (like I said earlier, this kitchen is by no means the newest or flashiest, but it has been so loved in our playroom for many years)
14. Fisher-Price Toddler Tea Set
15. Playkidz Pound a Ball Toy for Toddlers 
16. VTech Smart Shots Sports Center

The Best Toddler Toys for Pretend Play

1. Fisher-Price Barbie Toddler Tricycle 
2. Fisher-Price Little People Toddler Toy Surprise Musical House 
3. Mega Bloks First Builders Toddler Blocks 
4. Fisher-Price Barbie Little People Dreamhouse 
5. Fisher-Price Little People Disney Elsa’s Frozen Ice Palace 
6. Animal Figurines 
7. Hape Toddler Kitchen Set
8. Melissa & Doug Wooden Food Group Set 
9. Melissa & Doug Wooden Scoop and Serve Ice Cream Counter 
10. Learning Resources Fix It Tool Set!
11. Fisher-Price Little People Farm Set
12. Fisher-Price Little People Barbie Pet Spa Playset
13. Melissa & Doug Vending Machine
14. Thomas & Friends My First Train Table With Track 
15. Thomas & Friends Pull-Along Toy Train

Playroom Essentials

These are some of your essential pieces for your playroom for your baby and toddler to enjoy and grow with!  This list has play tents, play couches, ball pits, and other essentials to help development, active play, and imaginations develop.

1.  B. Toys Little Learners Activity Walker 
2. V. Tech Prance and Learn Rocking Unicorn 

3. Fisher-Price Baby Toy Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car Red Activity Center

4. Battat Hop in Foam Ball Pit
5. Battat Cloud Castle Foam Fort

6. Fisher-Price Baby Learning Toy Laugh & Learn Ultimate Playhouse

7. JOYIN White Rocket Ship Pop up Play Tent with Tunnel and Playhouse Kids Indoor Outdoor Spaceship Tent

8. Princess Tent 

9. Bluey – Pop ‘N’ Fun Play Tent

Best Baby Doll Gifts for Babies and Toddlers

Baby dolls have always been a favorite in our home.  Baby doll play is an essential way for babies and toddlers to play, engage with the world around them, and use their imagination.  These favorite baby dolls are perfect for your babies and toddlers this holiday season.

1.  Melissa & Doug High Chair 
2. Creative Minds Basket of Babies Soft Baby Dolls

3. Corolle Bébé Calin Charming Pastel Baby Doll (our absolute favorite)

4. Corolle Mon Grand Poupon Louise 14″ Large Baby Doll

5. Corolle Interactive Baby Doll Potty with 2 Sounds for Realistic Pretend Play

6. Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella Sleepy Time Scents Soft Doll Set

7. Baby Alive Soft ‘n Cute Doll, Blonde Hair, 11-Inch First Baby Doll Toy

8. Step2 Love & Care Deluxe Baby Doll Nursery Playset for Kids

9. American Girl Doll Bitty Baby
10. American Girl Bitty Baby Travel Seat
11. Little Tikes Classic Doll Stroller 

12. My First Baby Doll Stroller for Toddlers

1. 1. VTech Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train

   2. Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Pull-Back Vehicle Set 

   3. BRIO My First Railway – 33727 Beginner Pack

   4. Thomas & Friends Toddler Toy My First Train Table with Track

   5. iPlay, iLearn Toddler Musical Train Set Toys, Kids First Electric Railway Tracks Playset

   6. MEGA BLOKS First Builders Toddler Building Blocks Toy Set, ABC Musical Train

   7. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe
   8. Little Tikes Push and Ride Racer

   9. Radio Flyer Pit Stop Play, Ride-on Racecar

   10. Step2 Up & Down Roller Coaster Kids Ride On Toy

The Best Board Games for Toddlers

It’s never too early to start a board game tradition with your family.  These board games are perfect for toddlers and the whole family!

1.  Peaceable Kingdom Acorn Soup 
2. Peaceable Kingdom Monkey Around First Game for Toddlers

3. HABA My Very First Games – First Orchard Toddler Game

4. HABA My Very First Games – Here Fishy Fishy!

5. HABA My Very First Games – Hanna Honeybee 

6. Educational Insights The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Board Game

7. Peaceable Kingdom Games for Parents & Their 2-Year-olds: Duck Duck Dance

The Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers

These outdoor toys will have your toddlers engaged in active play and will withstand for years to come!

1.stargo Sand Digger Kids Excavator Ride on Toy

2. KidKraft Shark Escape Outdoor Toddler Climbing Toy

3. JOYIN Turtle Balance Stepping Stones

4. A-Frame Hideaway & Climber

5. Little Tikes Cape Cottage Pretend Princess Playhousefor Kids

6. Step2 All Around Playtime Patio with Canopy

7. Little Tikes First Slip And Slide

8. Little Tikes Little Tikes 3′ Trampoline 

9. Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set

10. Lydaz Bubble Lawn Mower for Toddlers

11. Step2 Tropical Rainforest Water Table

Holiday Favorites for Toddlers

Help make your holiday season spectacular before gifting even begins with these toys!

This Step2 Christmas Tree is the perfect toy to help keep your toddler occupied without pulling all of the ornaments off of your tree!

Toddler Felt Christmas Tree and Ornaments

Bluey Storybook Advent Calendar

Step2 My First Advent Calendar

Disney Princess Advent Calendar Story & Activity Library