It’s gift season again. Choosing the right gift can be a mine field for adults, let alone very young children who can outgrow a gift in seconds. So what can you get that will still be fun when the baby is 2… or 3?
Remember you know your baby best, and they have been here long enough that they have preferences. This is a guide to give you ideas for gifts with some staying power.
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Puzzles
There are a plethora of puzzles out there, and kids love puzzles. At this age you should go with a puzzle that is not too difficult with easy to hold pieces. Thick puzzles made of wood or plastic are your friend.
Puzzle Type Ring Stacker
These are great! They build on the stacking ability the child already possess to teach a new skill. Combining stacking with problem solving, counting, pattern recognition, and shapes is a great way to extend their skills.
Chunky Puzzle
The gateway to the jigsaw puzzle. Often these puzzles will try to teach a concept. You can find ones that familiarize children with letters, shapes, numbers, and common objects. Some even make the sound of the matched object! Super fun!
To Foster the Imagination
Over the course of the next year your child will begin to pretend. Set them up with toys so they can pretend to do things they see you do every day.
Child’s Kitchen
This is such a standard toy, and you can get or make one in every budget. Have a spare end table? A little paint can turn it into a kitchen. If you don’t like the DIY route, you can get one pre-made. Feeling minimalist? You can draw burners on the kids table and let them have at it.
Just make sure you have some child sized kitchen utensils and food. My favorites are from IKEA.
Tent
A place to hide and read a book, play hide and see behind, or pretend is a castle is a great addition to the play room. If you have a climbing structure you could forgo this for an old sheet covering the climbing structure. Or, if your couch cushions come up you could just make pillow forts.
Empty Boxes Filled with Paper
The box can be turned into anything from a space ship to a produce stand over the course of the year. Or you could just put the baby in the middle of it and let them color the sides. The point of wrapping it and filling it with paper is to give them something exciting to do on Christmas day. You know how they say babies of this age are more interested in the wrapping than the gift? So just get them the wrapping to play with.
Blocks
It is time to start building. You probably already have wooden blocks, but now its time for blocks that fit together. We are talking Duplo, Bristle Blocks, Magna Tiles, and the many other blocks that snap together. Just make sure not to give your child any blocks that are too small to play with. In our family, we will get sets, and then store the pieces that are too small with the spare childproofing items until the baby is old enough to be trusted with them.
A World to Pretend In
When you are pretending, it is nice to have a cast of “people” to pretend with. Stuffed animals, dolls, toy cars and trains are all great to help young children create a world to play in. You don’t need much, just enough to create props.
Get Them Moving
Babies/ toddlers at this age want to move. They want to climb and explore everything. So it is nice to get them some gifts that support that exploration.
Climbing Structure
Inside or outside, something to climb on will be fun for years. There are literally a thousand climbing structures out there to choose from, from the classic to the modern every family will find something to suit.
Slide
Slides and swings are purely sensory, and kids love them. You can get a free standing one, or you can get one as part of a climbing structure. Either way, the baby will love it.
Balance or Push Bike
Baby is on the move. They are looking for things to push around the house and things to ride. A balance or push bike could serve both functions. Just be careful you don’t trip over them!
Table and Chairs
If you don’t have a child sized table and chair, it is time to get one. You can find them second hand, or get a short coffee table and a child chair. The little one will enjoy doing crafts and eating at the table for years to come.
Balls
You likely already have some sensory balls or wooden balls, but it is a good time to expand the collection to include some bigger balls. Exercise balls are fun to push and jump on. Soccer balls are fun to pass back and forth and sit on. Consider adding some more balls to the collection.
Art Supplies
It is time to do more art. Construction paper, paint brushes, crayons, and finger paint are all great gifts. And many art supplies make great stocking stuffers.
Clothes
Babies grow fast. Getting clothing and shoes the next size up can be a great help.
Books
Children love to be read to, they also love to flip through books and use the pictures to tell stories. When in doubt, finding a good book to share is a fantastic gift. At this age board books are king, but soon they will be interested in more complex stories so children’s books of every flavor are a good idea. Links to my favorite books are above.
Music
Instruments
A xylophone, baby piano, drums, or any other age appropriate musical instruments will get a lot of use. Of course they are also likely to drive mom and dad nuts, but baby will be happy.
CDs
Babies have musical preferences too. So it is a good idea to find out if they have any music they are particularly fond of. If so, a CD that mom and dad can play in the car of baby’s favorite music can make car rides go smoother.
Wrapping It All Up
You know your child, and you know what gifts will land and what won’t. This is just to help give you ideas.
What are you getting the kids for Christmas?
Jane
Jane Reid, the primary author of Unprepared Mom and STEM 911, is an educator, tutor, women’s rights advocate, and mom. Here to make your life easier one article at a time.