Gifts for Toddlers – Christmas Gift Guide

• Posted on 19th November 2012
• in Christmas, Seasonal, Toys

1 lonely comment

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Stuck for preschool present ideas? Here are a few gifts that any one or two year old will love straightaway and will still be using years later:

Rocking horse – the bigger ones are very expensive but they are the kind of heirloom that will be passed down for generations. I love this one from NotOnTheHighStreet as it reminds me of a hospital rocking horse I played with a lot, but there are lots of antique rocking horses and more reasonably priced traditional rocking horses on Ebay. For a more contemporary option, this rocking motorbike is also a sturdy ride-on!

Skittles – there are skittle sets for every pocket and they’ll all provide hours of fun. Great on hard floors as little ones love to hear them clatter to the ground.

Splash Out: Gruffalo’s Child Skittles, £32.40
Amazon

Sand table – It may be winter now, but you don’t just have to buy indoor toys. You can buy basic plastic sand tables for £20-£30 but I think this Sand and Water Picnic table is much better value – use with the lid on as a garden bench!

Plum Sand & Water Picnic Table,
Was £79.99 Now £39.95 at Amazon

Trike with handle – Unlike the smaller, pushalong ride-ons, these can be pedalled by kids with longer legs, so are a great choice for taller or older toddlers. Word to the wise: You’ll want a parent handle at a sensible height with a comfortable grip – if possible look for one with a decent sized basket or trailer. They’re a great alternative to a buggy and even better if you can put your bag in the back!

My picks? The Little Tikes 3-in-1 Trike and Smart Trikes are expensive for a reason as they has everything you could wish for, but this Bentley Kids version looks equally good at half the price!

Keyboard / piano – my daughter has been coveting this keyboard and stool for about a year now but we’ve promised ourselves to buy less space hungry presents this year. The ELC mini keyboards are half price at the moment, so great value! Try to find one with at least 8 keys (an octave) so that they can start to play tunes they recognise.

Dolls pram / pushchair – Whether a basic buggy or a posh pram, this will get toddlers walking independently and is a lovely present for soon-to-be big brothers and sisters. I personally favour prams as it means I don’t always have to carry the shopping home… but fold down buggies are good for popping in the boot of the car, or hanging on the handles of the full-sized pushchair when little one gets tired.

Duplo – Lego and Duplo are wonderful toys for dexterity and coordination and they really stretch the imagination. They’re also really soothing for adults to play with or “supervise”.

Kids Table & Chair Set – Endlessly useful, but try to get 2 chairs to save arguments with friends. Check out Poundstretcher for plastic sets in multiple colours.

Roleplay Toys – a lot of the roleplay toys which little ones love to play with contain small parts which can be a choke hazard for under threes. These sets are designed to be safe for little ones, but won’t seem babyish as they grow up.

Jigsaws – always a winner, but check with the parents what size / type of jigsaws their child is doing already and try to buy a step up. Dexterity varies massively at this age as they all learn things in different orders! It’s hard to beat ELC for lift out puzzles but look out for puzzles with noise or tactile puzzles. There are some gorgeous shaped puzzles around too.

And last but not least… Bags – Toddlers adore bags and can spend hours taking things in and out of them and carrying them around. They are the new, exciting, upgraded model of last year’s hit present, “the box”. We really liked the Little Life DaySacks. Available in Ladybirds, BumbleBees, Sharks, Dinosaurs and lots more, kids wear them happily, they have practical little rain hoods tucked away inside, and they have both a rein attachment and a grab handle which means they can keep both hands free and you can hold onto them tight in those moments when their independence starts to cause panic rather than pride.

Lots more gift inspiration coming soon!

Tags: Christmas, Christmas Shopping, doll, duplo, gift guide, gifts, jigsaws, kids tables, lego, Little Life, musical toys, outdoor play, rocking horse, roleplay, skittles, Toys, trikes, wooden toys