November 17, 2023
10 Easy Educational Christmas Gift Ideas for Toddlers
Happy
Holidays
With endless options online and in stores for what to buy for children this holiday season, and every advertisement boasting it’s product as the best, it can be difficult to determine which items would be most beneficial and most meaningful to gift to a toddler.
Whether you are a parent, grandparent, teacher, or anyone who has a toddler close in your life, you know how easy it is for a child to excitedly open a new toy only to toss it aside in 5 minutes or less. And, since you’re reading this article, you are likely a person who cares not only that the toddler likes the gift and plays with it long term, but you also care that the gift is able to support the child's learning and development as they play.
Hi, and welcome to nat’s nook. My name is Natasha and I am an early childhood educator. I have a master’s degree in early childhood education and I would love to share all that I have learned and experienced in hopes of improving the early childhood experience and promote positive early learning experiences for young children. In this article I will share with you 10 Educational Christmas Gifts for Toddlers that you can purchase easily on Amazon.com, as well as a brief description of how the item engages the child in meaningful learning.
The toddler years always seem to go by so quickly, but toddlers experience a lot of developmental change during those few short years. A toddler at 14 months, for example, usually has very deferent developmental needs and interests than a toddler at 2.5 years. When children are growing and changing so quickly, it can be hard to find toys and gifts that are just right for them and that will last them for a decent amount of time. This list of Toddler Christmas Gift Ideas suggests items that consider individual development, are made to last and designed to keep children engaged. I know your little learners will be so excited to open some of these on Christmas morning and I hope they enjoy it for many mornings to come.
10 Easy Educational Christmas Gift Ideas for Toddlers
1.
Soft Building Blocks: Many toddlers, especially younger toddlers and teething toddlers, are very much in the stage of putting things in their mouth. The silicone material these blocks are made of make them easy to clean and sanitize and the softness ensures that they are not hurting their gums and new little teeth. These blocks also offer so many other ways to play and engage which makes this the kind of toy that can grow with your child.
Texture: During the earliest years of development, children are learning through their senses. The different textures on each block can help a toddler satisfy this developmental need.
Motor Skills: Building with blocks helps children strengthen their hands and fingers. This will prepare them for self help skills like dressing and even pre writing. It also encourages them to practice motor coordination and manipulation.
Shapes: Each block has a shape protruding from one side and another block has the corresponding divot to create a lock and key type matching game that allows toddlers to practice with shapes. This type of game is self corrective meaning the toddler can play independently and the materials will guide them in the right direction without adult supports.
Numbers: Even as your toddler approaches the preschool stage, there are still ways they can use this toy for learning. There are number symbols and quantities on each block. When your toddler starts practicing early math they can match the number to the correct quantity.
2.
Mega Blocks: If you work with children or have older children yourself, you likely know how much kids love LEGO. While LEGO is a wonderful and engaging toy, most LEGO blocks are just so tiny. Not only do they pose a serious choking hazard for toddlers, but they can be very challenging for their tiny hands to manipulate. The rule of thumb I was taught is the smaller the hands the bigger the toys. These mega blocks are the perfect solution and I have had them available in nearly every toddler classroom I have worked in and they are used by my toddlers every day.
Mega Bocks are a great open ended building material that allow toddlers to create anything they can imagine. They are big enough for toddlers to manipulate with ease but intricate enough to encourage fine motor coordination and manipulative practice to strengthen those little hands and fingers.
The bright colors are exciting and engaging. They also offer opportunities to practice colors and color recognition. As your toddler gets older you can even practice increasing complex patterns. With open ended materials like this the opportunities to play and learning are nearly endless.
3.
Wooden Stacking Rocks: Wooden Stacking Rocks are another amazing open ended toy you can get a toddlers for Christmas. These work really well in Montessori, Waldorf, or nature inspired leaning environment. They are made of wood which is great for parents who are looking for more natural materials in their child’s playroom.
The bright colors keep this simple material interesting and engaging. The varying colors and sizes of the wooden stacking rocks rocks offers toddlers opportunities to practice sorting by color or by size.
Unlike most other building toys, These rocks do not fit together or lay flat. Their unique shapes allow toddlers to practice balancing objects, critical thinking, problem solving, and perseverance as they stack these rocks.
A beautiful aspect of the wooden stacking rocks is the openness of the toy. In my classrooms children not only stack and sort the rocks, but they also build fire pits, pretend food play, pretend make up, and so much more.
4.
Montessori Busy Board: Every toddler needs a few good busy activities, whether that’s to keep their little hand busy while waiting for dinner or to keep them entertained during the car ride to daycare. I love this particular busy board three specific reasons. The first is that it’s made of wood. Wood is a durable material that is likely to last longer than paper or felt counterparts. I also love that the switches and plugs are real and reflect what children will be engaging with in real life so they are practicing real life skills while developing their fine motor coordination.
On this Montessori Busy Board, each switch triggers a light. This helps the toddler develop their understanding of cause and effect and also helps satisfy the strong desire many toddlers have to have control or impart some effect on their environment. You can even play games where you give your toddler a sequence to mimic. For example, you say “red green blue” and they have to turn those lights in that order.
5.
Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube: A shape soring cube is a classic toddler toy. This particular shape sorting cube, like the mega blocks, has been a toddler favorite in nearly every toddler classroom I have worked in. The down side for us was that wee always only ever had one and so many toddlers wanted to play with it. This Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube is made of wood making solid and durable. It has lasted years in toddler classrooms with countless toddler hands playing with it.
The Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube encourages toddlers to practice strength and coordination in their hands and wrists as they move the shapes into the right spaces. They can learn more about shapes and practice matching. One side of the cube slides open allowing toddlers to empty the contents and try again. For many toddlers the dumping out part is the most fun.
6.
Geometric Stack and Sort: Another amazing toy frequently found in both toddler and preschool classrooms. I love this stacking sorter because it is another self corrective toy. A toddler can play independently and the toy will guide them in the right direction. It offers opportunities to explore various geometric shapes in different colors.
I have also seen children remove the stacking blocks and use them in more open ended ways. For example, I have seen many children use the blocks like patter blocks or puzzle pieces to make different images. The even use them in dramatic play as table setting or pretend food parts. Children can create endless fun and learning with this toy.
7.
Honey Sticks Crayons: This one is a first for me. I have never come across Honey Sticks Crayons before but crayons are a great gift for toddlers. What I love about these Honey Sticks Crayons is that they are short and chunky. Most toddlers are not developmentally ready for traditional thin crayons. Using those crayons are challenging for them and will often encourage them to compensate by using what is called a palmer grasp instead of a pincer grasp. This creates bad habits that will affect their later pre writing and writing skills.
Remember that rule of thumb? The smaller their hands the bigger the toy. The short thick structure of the Honey Sticks Crayons is not only more comfortable for little hands but will help them to develop that pincer grasp while also allowing them to express their individual creativity on paper.
Honey Sticks Crayons are also handmade in New Zealand with 100% beeswax making them both natural and non toxic. It’s a win win win if you ask me.
8.
Wooden Tea Party Set: Firstly, this Wooden Tea Set is so pretty. It is also made of wood making is very durable. It has soft sanded edges and is just the right size for little hands. This set comes with a kettle, cups, tea bags, snacks and more. This is another amazing gift that can grow with your toddler through toddlerhood and into the preschool years.
This Wooden Tea Party Set also encourages dramatic play. Dramatic play and role playing is the primary way that toddlers and preschoolers process though experiences in their lives. Ensuring a child has toys that support dramatic play is very important to social emotional development. Children can also practice self feeding, using utensils, and table etiquette using this toy. It’s a great gift to enjoy independently, with friends, or event with adults.
9.
Kids Cooking Set: Kids always want to do what adults are doing, even as toddlers. In fact, mimicking adults is an important part of child development. Children learn how to behave and engage in the real world by observing the adults around them. This likely why your toddler always wants a sip of your iced coffee, your hot tea, or a bite of whatever you are eating even if they have 5 snacks in front of them. This Kids Cooking Set is an essential for the “I do it!” toddlers. The ones who are eager to to do everything mommy and daddy are doing in the kitchen.
This Kids Cooking Set has everything a toddler needs to safely participate in most aspects of cooking. These materials are designed to be child safe and are perfectly sized for little hands. This is another gift that will remain useful and engaging as well as grow with your child for years as they continue to develop life skills in the kitchen. These types of toys are essential in any Montessori environment.
10.
Custom Name Puzzle: Looking for something more personal? This custom name puzzle is a great gift to help toddlers start learning the letters in their name. It’s personal, it’s meaningful, and it’s fun. Puzzles encourage both cognitive development and fine motor development. A great way to work the brain and the hands.
You can get this puzzle from Amazon.com with just the name or with the name ad the additional images. Even the images are customizable so you can select whatever your toddler is interested in whether that’s animals, dinosaurs, or even cars and planes.
I hope your toddlers love some these Christmas gift Ideas. If you want more advice or inspiration for helping your toddler become a great learner, follow me on Instagram. Let me know which of these toddler gift ideas you use for your little learner by sending a message in the section below or messaging me on Instagram. Happy Holidays! See you next time!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small percentage of the purchase price, at no additional cost to you, for online orders made through my links This post is not sponsored.