Gifts for Toddlers

Ages 1 to 3

Toddlers want to push, pour, stack, and knock things over, ideally all before lunch. The toys that last are the simple ones they can do something with on their own, built sturdily enough to be thrown down the stairs. Everything here is labeled for ages 3 and under or chosen with no small parts, so it is safe to hand over on Christmas morning.

Under $25 9 ideas

  1. Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube

    Twelve chunky wooden shapes and a cube with matching holes. It teaches shapes and patience, and it survives being dropped far better than the plastic versions.

    Melissa & Doug

    See it on Amazon

  2. Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag

    Big, soft-edged blocks that a one-year-old can actually pull apart, which DUPLO is still a little stiff for. The bag doubles as storage.

    Mega Bloks

    See it on Amazon

  3. Crayola My First Palm Grip Crayons

    Egg-shaped washable crayons sized for a fist, since toddlers cannot hold a regular crayon yet and snap them anyway. A good first art supply for any one-year-old.

    CrayolaStocking stuffer

    See it on Amazon

  4. Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow! Animals

    Fill the pen with water, paint, and the colors appear, then fade so it can be used again. No mess, which makes it the art toy parents actually allow in the car and at restaurants.

    Melissa & DougStocking stuffer

    See it on Amazon

  5. Boon PIPES Building Bath Toy Set

    Five pipe pieces that suction to the tub wall and connect in different ways to make water run. Bath time gets longer, which some parents will thank you for and some will not.

    BoonStocking stuffer

    See it on Amazon

  6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Board Book)

    The hole-punched pages are their own toy, and the book holds up to being read forty times a week. Most parents will happily accept a second copy for grandma's house.

    Eric CarleBook

    See it on Amazon

  7. Dear Zoo: A Lift-the-Flap Book

    A short, repetitive story with a flap on every page hiding an unsuitable pet. Toddlers learn the pattern fast and start 'reading' it back to you.

    Rod CampbellBook

    See it on Amazon

  8. Skip Hop Zoo Little Kid Backpack

    A small animal-face backpack that fits a snack, a change of clothes, and a favorite toy. Useful for daycare, and toddlers like having their own bag to carry.

    Skip Hop

    See it on Amazon

  9. Stomp Rocket Jr. Glow

    Jump on the pad and a soft foam rocket shoots up. It turns stomping, a toddler's favorite activity, into something with a payoff, and the rockets glow for evening play.

    Stomp RocketAn experience

    See it on Amazon

Under $50 5 ideas

  1. Green Toys Dump Truck

    Made in the US from recycled milk jugs, with no metal axles to work loose. The tipping bed works in the sandbox and the bathtub, and it holds up to a toddler sitting on it.

    Green Toys

    See it on Amazon

  2. Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone

    Whack a ball through the hole and it rolls out over xylophone keys. The xylophone slides out to play on its own. Loud, satisfying, and better built than the plastic pounding toys.

    Hape

    See it on Amazon

  3. LEGO DUPLO Classic Brick Box 10913

    DUPLO bricks are too big to swallow and still click into regular LEGO later, so this box keeps getting used for years. It comes in a storage tub with a sorting lid.

    LEGOAges 1.5+

    See it on Amazon

  4. VTech Touch and Learn Activity Desk Deluxe

    A small desk with a light-up activity panel and swappable pages covering letters, numbers, and animals. It folds into an easel and chalkboard as they get older.

    VTech

    See it on Amazon

  5. Melissa & Doug Let's Play House! Dust! Sweep! Mop!

    Toddlers want to copy whatever the grown-ups are doing. This kid-size broom, mop, duster, and dustpan set comes with its own stand, so the cleaning game stays tidy too.

    Melissa & Doug

    See it on Amazon

Under $100 5 ideas

  1. Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon

    A wooden push walker for new walkers that turns into a pull wagon for hauling blocks and stuffed animals. Steadier than most walkers, and it looks good enough to keep out.

    Radio Flyer

    See it on Amazon

  2. Little Tikes Cozy Coupe

    The red-and-yellow foot-powered car that has been in driveways for decades. A removable floorboard lets parents push it until the kid can scoot it alone.

    Little TikesAges 1.5+An experience

    See it on Amazon

  3. Magna-Tiles Classic 32-Piece Set

    Magnetic tiles that snap together edge to edge, so a three-year-old can build walls and towers without the frustration of bricks that will not click. They stay in rotation for years.

    Magna-Tiles

    See it on Amazon

  4. Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table

    Pour water in the top and it rains down into the pond below. A backyard summer toy that buys a lot of independent play; it is a big box, so check with the parents first.

    Step2Ages 1.5+An experience

    See it on Amazon

  5. Yoto Mini

    A screen-free speaker that plays stories and songs when a child slides in a card. A three-year-old can run it alone, and it doubles as a nightlight and bedtime story player.

    Yoto

    See it on Amazon

$100 and up 2 ideas

  1. Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

    No pedals: kids push with their feet and learn to balance, and many then go straight to a pedal bike without training wheels. Light enough for an 18-month-old to handle.

    StriderAges 1.5+An experience

    See it on Amazon

  2. Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe Scooter

    A three-wheel lean-to-steer scooter, so two-year-olds turn by shifting their weight rather than wrestling handlebars. Swiss-made, and it lasts long enough to hand down.

    Micro KickboardAn experience

    See it on Amazon