Gift Guide for Babies and Toddlers

These items have been hand-selected by Margot as favorite toys for a growing 16-month-old Taby (a mix of toddler and baby). Sure, she loves a spatula, rocks, coasters, vacuums, and other things laying around the house. But she’s picked a few favorite toys that she uses near daily so I’m happy to recommend them for the little ones in your life!

This collection of gift ideas is (mostly) made up of natural materials, open-ended objects, are free of electronics, can encourage imaginative play, and aid in development for this age group. Win win!

Margot’s absolute favorite thing to play with are books, which I didn’t include here. Consider adding a related book to each of the toy gifts!

Swing: We installed this swing on the porch for Margot’s half birthday and she’s used it nearly every day. Here are details on the hardware we used. In the backyard we installed this swing but I prefer the classic playground style. If you’re gifting the swing, consider gifting the installation, too!

Rainbow peg puzzle: Margot plays with a 1980 hand-me-down peg toy but here’s a new one that’s identical. She’s loved this toy since she was 6 months old. First it was fun to empty the pegs, now that she’s older, she likes putting them back in.

Rocking horse: We use the rockinghorse my dad made me for my first birthday, but this one is nearly the same. It’s handmade and has a classic design that never gets old. Before she could walk, she’d request we do laps around the dining room pushing her around. It provides hours of fun (and just a few backaches with this technique).

Stacking toys: Babies love stacking things. We have a few different stacking toys (some aren’t even toys) and she likes the different shapes and nesting qualities so I included both styles. Wheat straw plastic round cups, and wooden boxes. This is where you could make a fun, custom toy for a baby - such as boxes with photos of their favorite animals glued on each side.

Climbing triangle: We got this Pikler triangle for Margot a couple of months ago and she’s just now growing into it. We got the slide attachment, too. It folds so it can tuck away when not in use.

Custom board book: This is such a special gift and unique heirloom item! We made one for Margot with photos of her family members and it was a fantastic way for her to learn people’s names.

Baby sunglasses: Many toddler sunglasses are far too big for kids under two years. These are the right fit for a baby and they’re very cute. We’ve been introducing them to her for nearly a year now, and she’s finally proudly wearing them. She smiles when she sees how cool she looks in a mirror. Consider sending toddler sunglasses with a gift of a membership to a local zoo, outdoor camp, or another outdoor toy.

Soft dolls: For her birthday, my mom gifted her one of these which is the perfect size with simple features for a one-year-old. It doesn’t have any pieces that can come off, so she keeps in her crib and has grown quite attached. As she gets older, I want to introduce more dolls of different styles (sizes/clothes/colors/features/etc.), so this one is on the list.

Duck: This has to be the top-most-enjoyed toy of hers - eliciting the most giggles by far! We started playing with this before she could crawl. At 6-months-old we’d run around her room pushing the duck as it made its funny flapping rubber feet noise and she’d laugh so hard she’d fall over! Now that she can walk, she requests “duck duck” and we do laps around the house pushing it while she chases us. Since we operate it, we added a pole extension so it wouldn’t break our backs. I’m about ready to remove it so she can push it on her own.

Chubby markers: We introduced Margot to art with crayons, and it was hard to get much of a mark on the paper because she didn’t use enough pressure. These chunky foam markers are way easier for her to make a mark.

Bubble machine: It turns out kids and adults both love a good bubble machine. We had a small one that didn’t do too much, so we upgraded to this one that’s plugged in, has a big bubble solution reservoir, and has a remote for easy (and surprise!) bubbles.

Bath crayons: These nontoxic crayons are the perfect addition to bath time! Gift a bath bundle with this hooded bath towel for toddlers (it’s 2 feet wider than the typical one for growing babes) and these bath toys that I have on Margot’s holiday list.

Transformable learning tower and table: Make a gift to the parent(s) by combining two things in one - a climbing learning tower and a table with a chair. It’s very cool and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen and doing puzzles/crafts at a table of their own height.

Plush veggies: We got this basket of felt produce from our recent Into The Wonder materials box (see below) and it’s a nice addition to her other food toys - these teethers which are a great gift for little babies!

Into The Wonder box: We recently subscribed to the Into The Wonder materials box which is a subscription of items from a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool in New York City. The boxes are available for different ages and also include zoom music classes. A recurring subscription to this box of goodies would make a fantastic, lasting, gift! Here’s a popular subscription box option, too.

Custom name puzzle stool: We got this stool (from the original baby name stool maker!) as a gift shortly after Margot was born and I didn’t know what to do with it at first. I mostly just used it to prop up her bedroom fan. But one day around 6 months she started playing with the puzzle pieces and it became a favorite. We learned that her favorite color was yellow with this toy - always clutching the yellow “R” letter along with the yellow pegs from her peg toy (above). Now, the stool is a perfect seat to put her shoes on and is an interactive puzzle she can do herself. One day, she’ll stand on it in the bathroom to brush her teeth! It’s a perfect, custom, heirloom piece!

Art easel: This is on Margot’s holiday list this year. We have the transformable table (above) which is great for puzzles and activities. But this will be a nice dedicated art easel that I will have live outside in the summer months.

Car ramp: I’m not a fan of toys that do only one thing, and this is pretty limited to being just a car ramp. But it’s the only toy we have that’s like it and it teaches cause-and-effect and problem solving. I’ll admit that I like playing with it, too! When she gets older, we’ll get out the train track toy for her to push the cars around on, too.

Toddler bike: We got this balance bike as a gift for Margot’s first birthday and she hasn’t grown into it just yet. For being in the 90% for height, her legs still didn't reach the ground just right. She’s at a perfect age to receive this as a gift and start getting into riding around.

Sock shoes: Margot wears sock shoes exclusively. They’re flexible so it’s like she’s barefoot (the ideal way for a tot to be!) and they’re so easy to slip on. These sock shoes have a fun tiger for tots to roar at when we put them on.

Xylophone: I’m determined to make a family band! Or, at lease give Margot lots of musical opportunities. She makes a drum out of anything, but a xylophone can’t as easily be made with household objects. It’s a charming sound that caregivers can enjoy, too.

Activity membership: Consider the gift of an experience. Tinkergarten outdoor classes are available everywhere and encourage a connection to nature. Memberships to local children’s museums, zoos, etc. are great items you can renew each year.

I hope this helps you gift to a little one in your life! Don’t forget to shop small, add a book to the gift box, and consider gifting toys that can be tools for play - they’ll last longer and provide more creativity!

Here are a few small toy shops I recommend:

(I happen to know all of these are businesses run by great people that support progressive causes and inclusivity.)

Merci Milo
Darling Clementine
Acorn Toy Shop
Kiddo Toy Shop

Check out my gift guides from years past:

Gift Guide for Anyone with a Coffee Table
Gift Guide for Makers
Gift Guide for Old House Lovers
Gift Guide for Those Going Zero Waste
Gift Guide of My Personal Wish List
Gift Guide for Organizers and Tidiers
Gift Guide for Entertainers
Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers
Gift guide for Homebodies
Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes