2021 Holiday Gift Guide: Great Gifts for Toddlers and Preschoolers
My kids are all well past the fun toddler age, but I have a granddaughter currently in the toddler stage!
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Gifts for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Toddlers and preschoolers are great ages for giving holiday gifts.
They are just old enough to realize they are getting gifts and the magic of the season, but young enough to not have too much of an opinion of what gifts they’re getting.
So if you’re shopping for a toddler or preschooler this holiday season, have fun and know they’ll be so excited as they tear through the wrapping paper.
This holiday season, with our toddler spending a lot of time at our home while sister is in the hospital, I’m trying to stick with gifts I know will get used all the time and will inspire creativity and lots of play.
FIND UNIQUE GIFT IDEAS BELOW TOO!
Here are our recommendations for the best gifts for toddlers and preschoolers:
Ride On Toys
Ride on vehicles are tons of fun and are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. One of this year’s hottest ride-on toys is the Flybar Bumper Car. Built with fun and safety in mind, this kid car performs 360 degree turns, includes exciting flashing LED Lights, and reaches a maximum speed of 1 MPH.
Other favorites include:
- Kid Trax Toddler Electric Quad Ride On Toy
- Peg Perego John Deere Ground Force Tractor with Trailer
- Best Choice Products 12V Kids Ride On Truck Car w/Parent Remote Control
- Kid Trax USPS Mail Delivery Truck Ride-on
Dolls
All of my girls were toddlers when they were given their first doll. They might not play with the dolls any longer, but they still have some of them today!
One brand they’ve always loved is Baby Alive! The Baby Alive Lulu Achoo Doll is sure to be a gift guide favorite this year!
Other favorites include:
- CoComelon Official Deluxe Interactive JJ Doll with Sounds
- Blippi Get Ready & Play Doll
- Blippi Bendable Plush Doll
Building Toys
If there’s one toy that kids never seem to get bored of, it’s a few good sets of building toys. The Magformers Backyard Adventure Set is our current favorite!
Other favorites include:
Playhouse
A playhouse of any sort is a wonderful gift for a toddler or preschooler. It’s a big gift and does take up space, but you can look for versions that are easy to fold and store. Or find one the kids can enjoy either inside and out.
Other favorites include:
- Sweetwater All Cedar Wooden Playhouse
- Little Dove Store Play Tent with Mat
- The Original AirFort
WANT A BOUNCE HOUSE INSTEAD? Look at the Fisher-Price Bouncetastic Bounce House!
Play Kitchen
We always had a play kitchen for our kids, and it’s now one of our granddaughter’s favorite toys!
There are so many different play kitchens to choose from and plenty of deals to be had during the holiday season. A popular one this year is the Blue’s Clues & You! Cook-along Play Kitchen Set.
Other favorites include:
- KidKraft Wooden Farm to Table Play Kitchen
- Ultimate Corner Wooden Play Kitchen with Lights & Sounds
- On a smaller scale, the CUTE STONE Color Changing Kitchen has a real faucet and is even great for outdoor play!
Role Play
Letting kids role-play is a great way to let them enjoy open-ended play.
Using their imagination, and a few props, to develop creative and abstract thought processes. JaxoJoy Complete Kids Cooking and Baking Set is a definite crowd-favorite at our house for playing with pretend food.
Other favorites include:
- Blue’s Clues & You! Check Up Time Blue
- Pretend Play Kids Vanity Table and Chair Beauty Mirror and Accessories Play Set
- Mad Mattr Bakery Activity Set
- Kids Camping Set with Tent
- Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk Deluxe
- Learning Resources Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set
- iLearn Cutting & Cooking Toy
- Princess Purse Style Set
Trains
Trains and train tracks are a perfect gift for toddlers and preschoolers. You can go with the ever-popular Thomas & Friends or something new and trendy like the new Just Play CoComelon Stacking Train.
Other favorites include:
- Waterfall Mountain Wooden Train Set & Table
- Create A Dinosaur World Road Race
- LEGO DUPLO My First Number Train
- For beginning engineers, the BRIO My First Railway is perfect!
Dollhouse
Dollhouses are a great gift for toddlers because it’s something special that they will play with as they grow.
You can get furniture and dollhouse people that are suited for toddlers and preschoolers and then change it out as they grow.
This is definitely a special gift that will last. There are so many beautiful dollhouses. Of course, Barbie Dreamhouse is always popular.
Other favorites include:
- LOL Surprise OMG House of Surprises
- Disney Princess Ultimate Celebration Castle
- Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse
Toy Figures & Playsets
These themed, little playsets are perfect for this age group. They are easy to hold and great for imaginative play. There are people, animals, cars, houses, and more. There are even character sets.
Hot characters this holiday season include:
- Bluey: Mega Bundle Home || Ultimate Caravan Adventures || 4 Pack of Poseable Figures
- Peppa Pig: Family Home Interactive Feature Playset || Deluxe House Playset || Family 4-Figure Pack || Family Campervan Camping Playset
- CoComelon: Deluxe Family House Playset || School Time Deluxe Playtime Set || Official Friends & Family 6-Figure Pack
- Mickey Mouse: Funny the Funhouse Playset || Outdoor and Explore Camper || 7-Piece Figure Set
- Little People: Cuddle & Play Nursery || Toy Story 4 Jessie’s Campground Adventure || Friends & Pets 7-Figure Pack
HURRY ON THIS ONE! Grab the Little People Advent Calendar to countdown to Christmas by opening a new door each day to discover a Little People figure or holiday accessory!
Education and Learning Toys
The best way for children to learn sometimes is through play.
Having a tangible item to engage with or repetitive teaching to memorize, tech, and learning toys are great for preschoolers. Coding Critters Magicoders is the hottest tech toy this year!
Other favorites include:
- LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures
- Just Smarty Interactive ABCs and 123s Learning Poster
- Toniebox Audio Player Starter Set with Nap Time
- Wooden Stacking Dinosaur Block Toys
- LeapFrog On-The-Go Story Pal
- Carrots Harvest Shape Size Sorting Game
- Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Ultimate Learning Bot
GET THEM MOVING! If you’re looking for toys to help your baby crawl, you won’t “bee” disappointed with this Skip Hop Developmental Learning Crawl Toy.
Sensory Toys
Dimpl Pops are sure to be a hit this holiday season for all ages! My TEENS are fighting their toddler niece for access to hers!
Other favorites include:
- Creativity for Kids Sensory Bin
- Pop Tube Sensory Toys
- Kinetic Sand Sandisfactory Set
- Educational Insights Playfoam Combo 8-Pack
- My Squishy Little Dumplings (these are selling fast already!)
Books
As an avid reader, I always think books make great gifts for kids. They don’t take up space, are educational and there are so many fun titles to enjoy. Activity books are also great for this age.
Here are some our our favorites books for toddlers & preschoolers:
Giraffes Can’t Dance || Good Night, Little Blue Truck || Big Preschool Workbook || I Love You to the Moon and Back || A Little SPOT of Emotion 8 Book Box Set || The Wonderful Things You Will Be || In My Heart: A Book of Feelings || If You Give a Mouse a Cookie || The Book with No Pictures || Dragons Love Tacos || Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You || Llama Llama I Love You || If Animals Kissed Good Night
HOLIDAY BOOKS: For holiday-specific book recommendations for kids, click here.
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