- Home›
- international›
- news»
- 31 gifts for toddlers that'll keep them entertained longer than the boxes they come in
31 gifts for toddlers that'll keep them entertained longer than the boxes they come in
- Toddlers have strong opinions, so finding Christmas presents they'll love more than the boxes said presents come in can be a challenge.
- As a mom of a 16-month-year-old, I've already gone through that shopping process so I've rounded up 31 gifts for every type of toddler. Most of these are ones that my daughter loves playing with.
- We've also categorized them by age groups to make shopping for your toddler easier too.
- Looking for more gift ideas? There are a lot more holiday gift ideas right over here.
Toddlers can be picky little humans. You'd know this if you've ever seen how long they're kept entertained by a cardboard box or bubbles only to leave a $50 toy sit in their toybox day after day.
I would know - my 16-month-old Ellie has a big personality. But I've become a pro at buying gifts that she plays with longer than the packages they come in, like this dancing Baby Shark toy or a stuffed animal that teaches her about emotions.
That's why I've rounded up 31 gifts that will be a hit with any toddler - many of which have also been tried, tested, and well-loved by my own.
Here are the best gifts for toddlers:
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Find all the best offers at our Coupons page.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.
A classic baby doll
Baby Alive Luv'n Snuggle Baby Doll, available at Target, $12.99
Baby dolls are great toys for boys and girls to develop empathy and foster imaginative play. My daughter is obsessed with baby dolls and this Baby Alive is one of her favorites. The doll has a soft, cuddly body and she can suck her thumbs, toes, and bottle.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A starter dollhouse
Fisher-Price Little People Big Helpers Home, available at Amazon, $36.95
Dollhouses can keep toddlers entertained for hours as they imagine new scenarios and practice everyday skills. This one comes with people, a dog, and some accessories. It also lights up and plays songs that encourage kids to help out around the home.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A cleaning set so they can "help" around the house
Melissa & Doug, Let's Play House! Dust! Sweep! Mop! Pretend Play Set, available at Amazon, $23.99
This might seem like a strange gift, but my daughter loves to "help" me clean around the house and this set is the perfect size for toddlers. It comes with a pint-sized broom, mop, duster, brush, dustpan, and even a storage rack.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A fun and colorful xylophone
Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone, available at Walmart, $58.88
Toddlers can use the included hammer to knock the balls through the holes and then hit the xylophone underneath for some tunes. They can also pull the xylophone out to play with each part separately.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A mesmerizing ball drop toy
Roll & Bounce Tower, available at Fat Brain Toys, $29.95
Give my daughter a ball and she'll drop it over and over again; she's loved this type of toy since she was around 12 months old. The balls in this toy swirl around, drop, and pass through obstacles as they make their way to the bottom.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
An interactive dump truck
VTech Drop and Go Dump Truck, available at Target, $14.99
Dump trucks are great imaginative toys and this one comes with colorful "rocks" to dump. As kids get older, they'll surely find other things to dump.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A piano that blows stars into the air
Play Monster Mirari Pop! Pop! Piano, available at Target, $28.95
There's something about this piano that's mesmerizing and somewhat addictive. As kids press the keys, colorful stars pop out of the respective tubes. It comes with a plastic covering that initially keeps the stars contained for younger kids, but as kids get older, they can take off the covering and see how far they can shoot the stars.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A mini activity gym complete with a slide
Little Tikes Little Baby Bum Wheels on The Bus Climber and Slide, available at Amazon, $119.99
The show "Little Baby Bum" is a hit with many toddlers, so they'll love the familiar faces on this bus. Even kids who don't watch the show will still love having their own slide and bus to climb around on and develop their gross motor skills. Because there's so much interactivity with the toy, it's also perfect for cold winter months when it's hard to get out of the house.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
An easy-to-grasp push and pull car
Kid O Go Car Early Learning Push & Pull Toy, available at Amazon, $12.39
This car is easy for small hands to grasp and it's a great toy to help develop motor skills and encourage imagination too. My 16-month-old loves to say "vroom" and "beep;" toy cars like this are perfect to develop those early simple words.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A dancing and singing baby shark
WowWee Pinkfong Baby Shark Official Dancing Doll, available at Amazon, $29.82
My daughter got this as a gift for her first birthday and it has been a hit the second she laid eyes on it. The shark sings three Pinkfong songs (yes, including "Baby Shark") and dances around the floor. Toddlers can activate it by calling "baby shark," tapping its head, or clicking a button on its fin.
Read my review of the toy here.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A sturdy activity cube
Battat Wooden Activity Cube, available at Amazon, $48.96
This activity cube is really sturdy so it's great for early walkers to pull themselves up to play. The cube is farm-themed with a fun manipulative scene on the top of the cube and activities on each side.
Read my review of the toy here.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
An airplane they can ride on
This can be used as a push toy or a ride-on toy. Either way, kids will love the Mickey Mouse theme. My daughter likes to be pushed around on it, but she also likes to push it herself with her baby dolls on the seat. The plane also has interactive buttons and a spinning propeller for a hint of realism.
Read my review of the toy here.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
A stuffed animal that can display emotions
Whatsitsface Stuffed Animal, available at Amazon, $29.99
Help toddlers learn to understand and express their emotions with this stuffed toy that has six different faces: happy, sad, surprised, angry, laughing, and sleeping. At 16 months, I'm using this toy to teach my daughter how to respond to emotions and it's so cute to watch her give it a hug when it's sad.
Read my review of the toy here.
Recommend age group: 12-18 months
Eggs that teach colors and shapes
Skoolzy Matching Eggs Color Sorting Toys for Toddlers, available at Amazon, $15.97
Make learning colors, shapes, matching, counting, and more fun with these eggs. They're the perfect size for toddlers to carry in their hands so they'll also work on their hand strength and dexterity when they open the eggs.
Recommend age group: 18-24 months
A toy that keeps them busy while also promoting fine motor skills
Toddler Busy Board, available at Amazon, $25.99
My daughter loves to practice buckling, zipping, snapping, and more with this busy board. This type of toy helps toddlers learn skills needed to dress themselves or tie their shoes, and it's also the perfect activity to keep them occupied in a car or plane.
Recommend age group: 18-24 months
LEGOs designed specifically for toddlers
LEGO DUPLO My First Cars and Trucks, available at Amazon, $19.99
The first time my daughter played with LEGO DUPLOs, she played by herself for 30 minutes straight, which is saying a lot for a toddler. This set with cars and trucks is the perfect starter kit, but you can add on more according to your child's interest.
Recommend age group: 18-24 months
Toddler-sized crayons and coloring books
Crayola Jumbo Crayons, available at Walmart, $3.43 My First Toddler Coloring Book, available at Amazon, $5.29
This is a simple yet exciting gift for young toddlers who are just learning how to color. This is my daughter's favorite coloring book and includes large pictures, numbers, letters, and shapes.
Recommend age group: 18-24 months
Their first flashlight
Vtech Spin and Learn Color Flashlight, available at Target, $9.89
Toddlers love the novelty of having their own versions of grown-up items, like this flashlight. It has a handle for little hands, lights they can turn on and off, and entertaining noises and sounds. This is especially great for activities like flashlight tag, shadow puppets, and reading books in the dark.
Recommend age group: 18-24 months
Racecar building blocks
Mega Bloks Race Car Garage Building Block Set, available at Target, $22.99
Mega Bloks are a big hit with the toddlers, and they remain fun toys as kids get older as well. My daughter's Mega Blok collection is quickly becoming out of hand. They inspire creativity, and this car set would pair well with a more general starter kit.
Recommend age group: 18-24 months
Their very first "board" game
Roll & Play, available at Amazon, $26.60 Seek-a-boo, available at Amazon, $19.95
Board games are a great way to start teaching kids about sharing, taking turns, winning and losing, and more. It's fun when my family plays board games over the holidays and these include even the youngest member.
Recommend age group: 18-24 months
A play kitchen with all the bells and whistles
Step2 Grand Walk-In Kitchen & Grill, available at Amazon, $179.98
Toddlers love to pretend to be grown-up, so they can live out their fantasies in this play kitchen. It features a refrigerator, oven, sink, utensils, fake food, and more. My daughter loves flipping burgers on the "grill."
Recommend age group: 2-3 years
An adjustable easel
Kids Double-Sided Magnetic Whiteboard & Chalkboard Multiple-Use Easel, available on Amazon, $55.99
Kids love to play school and create art on easels. This one comes with a magnetic whiteboard, chalkboard, and even paint cups. It's also adjustable so it'll grow with your kids.
Recommend age group: 2-3 years
A colorful train set
Rainbow Sights & Sounds Toddler Wooden Railway, available at Amazon, $29.00
There's something about a train set under a Christmas tree that just screams "holiday." This wooden set is very colorful and has musical instruments like tambourines and a xylophone.
Recommend age group: 2-3 years
A Santa-themed puzzle
Santa's Sleigh Wooden Chunky Puzzle, available at Amazon, $13.49
The big pieces on this wooden puzzle are easy for toddlers to grasp. Kids can also stand the puzzle pieces up and play with them as figurines.
Recommend age group: 2-3 years
An educational board game
First Orchard, available at Walmart, $25.99
This is another fun board game for toddlers. Players try to collect fruit before a raven gets to the orchard and eats it all, and it's a great game to practice counting and colors as well.
Recommend age group: 2-3 years
A tropical island they can build on their own
LEGO DUPLO Town Tropical Island, available at Amazon, $55.97
This is an adorable DUPLO set with elephants, tigers, monkeys, and more. Kids can help the monkey slide down a vine or move people across a swinging bridge from a treehouse to the caretaker's hut. Imaginative play opportunities are endless.
Recommend age group: 2-3 years
Lightweight blocks
Melissa & Doug Extra-Thick Cardboard Building Blocks, available at Target, $21.49
My daughter loves to play with big cardboard blocks. They're fun because the large sizes are easy to stack to kids can really be a part of what they're building. As in, they'll love making forts with these blocks.
Recommend age group: 2-3 years
A subscription box full of fun and educational projects
KiwiCo Crates, available at KiwiCo, starting at $31/crate
KiwiCo Crates is a subscription box with kid-tested science and art projects specifically designed for each developmental stage. This is the perfect gift to keep the magic of the holidays alive all year; parents will love it when it shows up on the doorstep just as their kids are getting tired with the previous box.
Recommend age group: various depending on subscription
Tickets to their favorite live-action show
Disney on Ice Presents Dream Big, available at Ticketmaster, starting at $15 Disney on Ice Presents Road Trip Adventures, available at Ticketmaster, starting at $15 Disney on Ice Presents Celebrate Memories, available at Ticketmaster, starting at $15 Disney on Ice Presents Mickey's Search Party, available at Ticketmaster, starting at $25 Disney on Ice Presents Worlds of Enchantment, available at Ticketmaster, starting at $20
The magic of Disney World might be out of reach as a Christmas present, but you can get the next best thing with Disney on Ice. Gifting experiences rather than toys is a fun and popular option, and Disney on Ice has five different shows that are touring all over the country, so you can find a show your kids love near you.
Pro tip: If you go, don't forget to buy a light-up wand ahead of time to avoid paying exorbitant prices once you get to the show.
Recommend age group: various depending on shows
A fun magazine subscription
Hello Magazine for ages 0-2, available at Highlights, $29.64 for 1 year High Five Magazine for ages 2-6, available at Highlights, $29.64 for 1 year
Highlights has fun and educational magazines for kids of all ages. It's so exciting for toddlers to get mail in their own names and they'll love to explore their new magazine every month. I still remember getting my Highlights magazines in the mail when I was little.
Recommend age group: various depending on subscription
Holiday and winter-themed books
The Sweet Smell of Christmas, available at Amazon, $7.99 The Polar Express, available at Amazon, $14.52 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, available at Amazon, $9.17 The Mitten, available at Amazon, starting at $7.67 Jingle Bugs, available at Barnes and Noble, $7.90
As a former English teacher, I can't help but recommend books; these are some of my daughter's favorites as well as my own from my childhood. They feature scratch and sniff stickers, pop up pages, and exciting stories that toddlers will want to read year after year.
Here are some other books that my daughter has loved reading.
Recommend age group: various depending on reading level