Shopping for a toddler, or soon to be toddler, in your life? Lost for ideas? Have no fear! We’ve put together our gift guide for toddlers! Happy shopping!
Basic Toys/Activities for kids between 1-2 years
Shape sorter- promotes early visual motor skills
Blocks- promotes early grasping skills and visual motor skills
Play food- perfect for basic imitation and symbolic play
Cardboard books (heavy duty)- promotes early interest in reading and visual motor skills
Ring stacker- promotes early visual motor skills
Musical instruments- great for imitation
Tub crayons- promotes early grasping skills (15-16 months start assessing the grip on a marker)
Bubbles- great for visual tracking, back and forth engagement
Small to medium sized balls- perfect for promoting early ball skills
Water table- early sensory idea!
Finger painting (something edible)- promotes finger isolation, sensory play
Simple peg board- promotes early visual motor and grasping skills
Cause and Effect toys- helps promote intentional play
Pretend animals- promotes basic imitation and symbolic play
Large legos-promotes visual motor skills and grasping skills
Simple puzzles- promotes visual motor skills and attention
Brands I love for this age: Fisher Price, Vtech, Melissa and Doug, Leap Frog, Learning Resources, B. Toys,
Specific Games I love for this age:
1. https://www.target.com/p/mega-bloks-big-building-bag-pink-80pc/-/A-17482314
2. https://www.target.com/p/b-toys-whacky-ball-fuchsia/-/A-76155801
3. https://www.target.com/p/b-toys-parum-pum-pum/-/A-12026425
4. https://www.target.com/p/b-toys-wooden-shape-sorter/-/A-76165437
5. https://www.target.com/p/land-of-b-wooden-puzzle/-/A-76596503
6. https://www.target.com/p/b-toys-magnetic-26pc-alphabet-puzzle/-/A-76165440
7. https://www.target.com/p/melissa-38-doug-geometric-stacker-wooden-educational-toy/-/A-10076312
8. https://www.target.com/p/melissa-doug-what-should-i-wear/-/A-53519883
9. https://www.target.com/p/vtech-stroll-and-discover-activity-walker/-/A-53321190
10. https://www.target.com/p/vtech-sort-and-discover-activity-cube/-/A-50026572
11. https://www.target.com/p/vtech-musical-rhymes-book/-/A-11395269
12. https://www.target.com/p/learning-resources-pretend-play-sliceable-fruits-veggies/-/A-51937228
13. https://www.target.com/p/munchkin-bath-crayons-5ct/-/A-13991508
14. https://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-brilliant-basics-rock-a-stack/-/A-14773010
15. https://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-baby-s-first-blocks/-/A-14774376
Basic Activities/Toys for kids between 2-3 years
Free coloring/scribbling (an easel is a great idea, great for shoulder stability)
Paper Tearing
Play doh (great way to introduce scissors, BLC-rolling into a ball)
Building with medium-small blocks (visual motor skills)
Rice and Bean Bin/Sensory bins in general (great way to work on fine motor skills)
1. Scissor tongs (handy scoopers-you can find them on Amazon)
2. Empty spice containers
3. Beading
4. Animals
5. Regular tongs (jumbo tweezers-you can find them on Amazon)
6. Stacking cups
7. For sensory bin ideas and boundary setting- https://busytoddler.com/2016/12/introducing-toddlers-to-sensory-bins/
8. More sensory bin ideas- https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/all-about-sensory-bins-5-things-need-know/
Pretend food/dress up (symbolic play)
Finger painting (finger isolation/stability)
Bowling- promotes hand/eye coordination
Medium to small sized balls- promotes hand/eye coordination
Duplo legos- promotes visual motor skills and grasping skills
Puzzles- promotes visual motor skills
Magnetic letters- promotes letter recognition
Brands I love for this age: Melissa and Doug, Vtech, Leapfrog, Learning Resources
Specific toys I love for this age:
1. https://www.target.com/p/melissa-38-doug-food-fun-combine-38-dine-dinners-blue/-/A-52034789
2. https://www.target.com/p/melissa-doug-scoop-serve-ice-cream-set/-/A-50696931
3. https://www.target.com/p/melissa-38-doug-rainbow-caterpillar-bowling-set/-/A-50696728
4. https://www.target.com/p/googly-massive-inflatable-toy-ball/-/A-54007620
9. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KW5FZMG?ref_=fly_sa_pdt_rwt_stet_u_2y4y_pdc_166359011_B07KW5FZMG
10. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J2WA0TI?ref_=fly_sa_pdt_rwt_stet_u_2y4y_pdc_166359011_B00J2WA0TI
11. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KG3WYI2?ref_=fly_sa_pdt_rwt_stet_u_2y4y_pdc_166269011_B00KG3WYI2