Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Toddlers & Preschoolers

Toddlers are experimenting with and refining their newfound developmental skills, from walking to using words to get what they want. They are also using pretend play to understand the world around them. This means more self-awareness, imagination, independence, autonomy, and tantrums (sorry, there’s no way around this).

Here are our gift picks for toddlers ages 1-3:

Kitchen Busy Board

Why We Love It:
In general, busy boards are great since they let toddlers safely tinker with simple everyday devices and fasteners, developing their fine and visual motor skills. But what gives this busy board the edge is because it not only looks like a kitchen but allows little ones to simulate cooking and baking. With realistic cooking sounds, interactive appliances, food pieces, and functionally placed latches, knobs, and switches, it gives them a chance to apply what they observe into their pretend play.

SESAME STREET Elmo’s Learning Letters Bus

Why We Love It:
Toddlers love music. They also like getting their hands on things to better understand them, utilizing haptic perception. This activity board marries the two to help toddlers learn the alphabet. The 26 removable letters allow kids to manipulate each letter, connecting what they see to what they feel (curvy, straight, big line, little line, etc.). The music and phrases give further meaning to the alphabet and letters. It also has a handy shelf to place letters as they attempt to come up with words. Its compact design allows for easy clean up and travel.

Little Tikes Magic Workshop Roleplay Tabletop Play Set

Why We Love It:
In a world where every kid-sized play set is either a kitchen or tool bench, it’s fun to see a magic workshop! Complete with a cauldron, a spell book, a wand, and a pet frog (btw, what other playset has a pet companion?), your child can channel their inner wizard by making potions and seeing what would happen if they poured some over their dear frog friend. Lights, sounds, a bit of water play, and your child’s imagination can make this pretend play set a lot of fun.

Leapfrog Interactive Learning Easel

Why We Love It:
Vertical surfaces, like easels, are great for building a toddler’s developmental skills. What makes this chalkboard/whiteboard easel a standout is its open-ended and guided art activities to encourage creativity. The audio prompts encourage children to explore letters with magnetic tiles, compose pictures with shapes, and complete art activities that stimulate visual and spatial skills. The included touch-sensitive book images help to explore shapes, composition, and art concepts. They can do all that artwork without your toddler noticing the gross, fine, and visual motor skills they are refining.

Fisher-Price Bright Light Station Activity Table

Why We Love It:
This unassuming light station (that looks like something EDM DJs would use) provides a customizable sensory experience that your child can fully operate and control. This electronic activity table features six different interactive play modes and a variety of textured buttons, dials, and switches to alter light colors, patterns, animation speeds as well as sound and volume. It also includes a light-refracting fidget spinner and a goo pack to use on the light station to enhance and expand their sensory play. Now all you need is some headphones to complete the look.

Stocking Stuffers:

Tub Works™ Smooth™ Bath Crayons
hand2mind ColorMix Sensory Fidget Tubes
Toddler Talking Flash Cards
Pop It! Pets (if over 3yrs old)

Stockings are also a good place for all those necessary, take care of yourself items, like toothbrushes and toothpaste, new socks, hair accessories, new school supplies. This age group is looking to find their routine and mimic yours. Good hygiene and personal care is a good thing to model.

Next week, the gift guides continue with our Elementary-age kids and Child(ish) Reads.

Most of the linked items can also be found on our Child(ish) Advice Holiday Gift Guide Amazon List.
We do not receive a commission through these links. We’re just really big fans!

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