Gift Ideas for Babies and Toddlers (Ages 0 to 2)
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This is a compilation of our household’s favorite toys. Every one of these has been tested (and approved) by one or both of my boys, but I think most of them are suitable for girls, too.
I gotta warn you, though, that we don’t have toys with bright lights and loud noises. If you’re looking for trucks that go “beep” or toys that sing the ABC’s, this is not the list for you. I decided early on in my parenting journey that my mental health is important to keep everyone in the house happy and sane. Toys with annoying sounds and repetitive noises make me feel a little crazy. (And, if they’re annoying to me, I feel like there’s no need to subject my children to that.) This list isn’t necessarily Montessori-friendly, but it’s somewhere in the middle of the road.
So without any further dilly-dallying, here it is:
Ages 0 to 1
Baby Play Gym
A friend got me this baby gym as a gift when I was pregnant with my first kid. It wasn’t on my registry, and I didn’t really think I needed it. Boy, was I wrong. This is such a great spot for tummy time, for sensory play and for baby exercises. It even comes with a little booklet that guides you through various activities you can do to help your baby learn things at their stage of development. When my first kid outgrew it, I let my best friend borrow it for her daughter. When she outgrew it, I took it back just in time for my second kid to enjoy it.
Lovevery has a huge variety of high-quality toys that are designed with exact developmental milestones in mind. You can check them out here.
Teething Tubes
These teething tubes were a favorite for my guys. The different textures and the fact that they could reach any part of their gum seemed to make them very desirable. They come with handy little tools to make them easy to clean.
The only downside of these is that there is a LOT of drool that can pour out of them while the kiddo is gnawing away at them. but let’s be honest, drool is one of those things that is going to happen anyway during the course of teething.
Silicone Stacking Toys
Speaking of teething toys, silicone stacking toys like this are also a great option. They’re a nice introduction to puzzles, colors, stacking, size differentiation and other concepts.
There are other varieties of stacking toys like these stacking cups (great for bath time), this classic ring toy, and these nesting doll toys (which I feel the need to get to celebrate my Russian heritage).
Mold-Free Bath Toys
I once saw a video where a mom took a bath toy - I think it was a typical rubber ducky or something - and cut it in half. Inside was a disgusting amount of mold. I thought, “no way.” For science, I decided to sacrifice a little green sea turtle. I cut him in half and, lo and behold, a layer of dark mold. Thinking of how often my toddler put those bath toys in his mouth, and trying not to gag, I rounded up all of our hollow bath toys and tossed them all in the trash.
We now have mold-proof, hole-free bath dinos. Don’t want dinos? Try these sea critters, these jungle animals or this mold-proof version of classic rubber duckies.
Plush Pretend Play
These tools are a favorite among my boys. They are super cute, they come with a little toolbox and the drill even vibrates!
There are a lot of pretend play toys that are plastic with lots of buttons, lights, noises and annoying voices or songs. If you’re looking for simple plush toys (that aren’t stuffed animals), you can also try this adorable veggie basket, this sports bag or this plush purse complete with phone and credit card!
“Indestructibles” Books
These books are pretty fantastic. They are truly indestructible. Believe me, my boys have really tested these. Chewing. Ripping. Folding. Drooling. They have withstood it all.
They have a HUGE variety, too! From basic topics like colors and numbers, to classic nursery rhymes and songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider and others like that), holiday-themed books and a whole lot more. Check out the full catalog here.
Mess-Free Drawing
This magnetic doodle pad is a huge hit with my kids. At first it was mostly just a very fancy chew toy (the legs come off, which my kiddo figured out quickly, and he’d just waddle around the house with one of them hanging out of his mouth like a cigar). Then he figured out how to use it for its intended purpose (even though we lost the legs somewhere) and he LOVES it. It can be used to practice shapes, numbers and letters. It can also be used to terrorize nanas with endless requests for giraffe pictures (according to my son).
If blue and orange isn’t your favorite color combo, there are a bunch of other color options to choose from.
Ages 1 to 2
Play Tents
Everybody loves forts!
These things are super fun, they are easy to set up and just as easy to put away. They fold up flat and come with a little bag for storage. There are other varieties that come with ball pits, but I feel like that’s just a little too much chaos for my liking (and I imagine it’s a chore to clean).
Balance Bike
This bike is a great gift that is not only fun, but it’s also great for developing important skills like balance and coordination. It’s a lovely first step to learning how to ride a real bicycle. I only wish it had an odometer so I could see how many miles my toddler has racked up doing laps in my house!
It comes in a bunch of colors and can be used indoors or outdoors!
Race Track
This toy is such a simple idea, yet it provides so many hours of entertainment!
The race track provides an opportunity to practice motor skills, learn patience, teach about cause and effect, get an idea of how gravity works, etc.
Let’s be real, though. It’s also just fun to watch the cars do their little flips as they fall down.
Trucks and More!
I’ve fallen in love with Green Toys brand. They are US-made toys made out of recycled plastic. Trucks of every variety, boats, planes, helicopters, tea sets and kitchen tools. No buttons, no lights, no sounds. Just sturdy toys that my kiddos love.
A lot of them have functioning moving parts (propellers that spin, ramps that open, etc.) and they come in all sorts of fun colors.
Check out their catalog on Amazon here.
Cleaning Supplies
Children LOVE to help. And I firmly believe that it is very important for adults to allow children to help them (even if sometimes it can be annoying or time consuming). Perhaps that’s a topic for a future article, but for the purposes of this one, I’ll just say that getting kids toys that allow them to participate in helping around the house is amazing.
This cleaning set is wonderful. My toddler loves to help us clean the house using his own tools.
There are other toys that can get your kiddo involved in helping around the house like these gardening tools or this very realistic Dyson-style vacuum that actually works.
Play Tools
I could have added these to the above category of toys, but because they are loved SO MUCH by my toddler, I decided to give them their own section.
These tools are very realistic and come with a cool little toolbox for storage. You can put the little wood pieces together using the nuts and bolts, and the screwdrivers fit just right so you can actually practice using them properly. My kiddo learned to use a tape measure (and for some reason, he’s decided that everything he measures is “forty nine” - I just go with it).
When his dad is fixing something around the house, my toddler LOVES to get out his own toolbox and help.
Hopping Giraffe
This is a great way for the little ones to let out energy!
This inflatable critter is so fun, super cute, easy to clean and all around wonderful. When he’s not doing laps on his balance bike, my toddler is hopping around the house on his giraffe.
If you don’t want the very realistic yellow giraffe, it also comes in blue, pink, and there’s even a green dinosaur option!
Wooden Blocks
Wooden blocks are a classic toy with which you can’t go wrong!
It started with mama building towers and learning how to knock them down. Then learning how to balance and stack the blocks himself. Now he’s two and is a master builder, creating castles and roads. The possibilities are endless with these things. They are truly a timeless toy.
This one comes with a bucket for easy storage and a lid to sort the blocks by shape (which makes clean-up a little more fun).
Tongue Drum
I know I said no toys that make noises. I know.
This magical instrument is the exception. The reason I’m happy with this one is that no matter how chaotically, aggressively or repetitively my child plays this, it sounds lovely. If you must get a noisy gift, get this one.
I hope this was a helpful list for you! Happy shopping!