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Holiday gift shopping doesn’t have to be hard. These tried and true toys for kids 0-3 will be a hit with them and their parents!
Shopping for kids of any age can be chaotic at best during the holidays. All these shiny, noisy toys coming at you from all directions, promising all these impressive things. I dread it, and my daughter is only two. I have been pretty successful at keeping the majority of my daughter’s toys open ended, which not only prevents the noisiest toys from taking over my house, it extends the lifespan of her toys exponentially! She is able to use the toys she has for months, if not years, longer than anything that requires batteries. Its budget friendly, but also forces her to expand her curiosity and find new ways to play with each toy as she grows.
Some of the toys on this list are clearly geared towards younger babies and infants, but we have owned and loved every single one of them – that’s the only reason they’re in this holiday gift guide.
Open-Ended Toy Holiday Gift Guide
- This baby gym is perfect for even the teeniest babes trying to master tummy time! My daughter loved batting at the dangling toys overhead.
- These soft stackable blocks are excellent for babies working on their grip strength, teething, and then when they get a little older, stacking and sensory play! We got countless hours of fun out of these.
- If you haven’t picked up on it yet… babies love stacking things. These stacking cups are no exception. My daughter also uses them as cups during pretend play. The aesthetically pleasing colors are a lovely bonus.
- This puzzle set comes with both numbers and letters! Even if the alphabet and counting is a little advanced for your little one, the motor skills and critical thinking involved in solving these puzzles will keep them plenty busy!
- My daughter is always trying to “help” in the kitchen, so we got her this learning tower. It helps bring your toddler to counter height (and contains them nicely) giving you some time to get things done. They feel included and you can be productive!
- This silicone stacking rainbow is a big hit in our house. My daughter loves trying to re-arrange the pieces in different ways, and I get quite a lot of amusement out of it too.
- Hi, again. More stackable toys! These wooden rocks have several different faces and angles on them, allowing for more complex stacking and sorting. Another huge hit for my busy 2 year old.
- This mid century inspired table and chair set is an amazing addition to my daughter’s room. She loves to sit and color, or look at her books, and gives her a sense of independence playing on the floor can’t provide.
- For the budding artists, this easel is amazing. It has adjustable heights to grow with your little ones, and is multi-functional. One side is a magnetic chalk board, and the other is a white board with clamps for a roll of paper. There are spots with cups that can be marker holders, or paint cups. It lets them explore their creative side with lots of different mediums!
- This set of wooden fruit is on constant rotation. They are held together with magnets, making the “cutting” a little less difficult, and come in handy when my daughter is playing in her learning tower. She can mimic my meal prep with her own food and feel involved – without the mess.
- The actual cutest matching sets I’ve ever found. The ribbed sets are buttery soft, and come in the cutest variety of colors. I’ve bought probably 6+ sets in different colors and styles since my daughter was like 6 months old. For less than $20 you can have one trendy, cozy kid.
- I wish these slippers came in adult sizes!! They are the only shoes I was able to keep on my infant, and they come in the cutest color combos ever. Well worth the price!
- Pretend play is a big pillar of our day to day routine here, and this plush camp fire set is perfect for it. We love to roast marshmallows and build fires, and I can sneak in lessons about “hot” and “cold” and “cooking”!
- I bought this infant activity chair for my daughter when she was ~3 months old and it was a lifesaver. It gave me some hands free time, and she liked watching me and playing with the attached toys.
- When I first saw balance boards popping up on social media, I was *not* convinced. But after I saw how many different ways it can be used, I decided to give it a shot. Weird how the most boring looking thing can be the source of endless fun! We use it as a slide, a bridge, a ramp, the roof for forts, a rocker, and probably a dozen other things.
- OMG – I cannot say enough about this activity table. We got this when my daughter was ~5 months old, and it was our most used toy for the longest time. The seat swivels freely 360 degrees around and each of the toys practices a different skill. When she was able to stand independently, we took the seat out and turned it into a play table. To this day she still loves the little music board! Best investment ever.
- These water wow pads are a new discovery, but *wow* does my daughter love them. You fill the pen with tap water and color on the pages with it. It makes the illustrations come to life with hidden details for them to discover, and the best part is when the water dries, the drawings are re-usable!!! A mess free way to color over and over again is a huge win in my book.
Looking for more?
Still have a few more gifts to get? I’ve created a few more holiday gift guides for the loved ones in your life.
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