These Fun Gifts for Toddlers Will Take Playtime Up a Notch

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Toddlerhood is a time to play, learn, eat millions of snacks a day, and shout opinions at whoever will listen (hello, terrible twos and threenagers). The good thing is, even with their strong opinions, kids ages 1 to 3 are usually pretty easy to please when you arm them with the best toys. So, we made it our mission to find the most fun toys for toddlers that'll keep them occupied and you at peace.

I’ve rounded up a list of gift ideas for toddlers that’ll keep them entertained and learning and will give them an outlet for their humongous toddler energy. So, whether you’re buying gifts for your toddler or someone else’s, you can feel confident that at least one toy on this list of fun toddler gifts will bring them immense joy, even if only for a few minutes at a time — you know, toddlers.

Scroll down for an expert's take on what to look for when shopping for the best gifts for toddlers!

Story Dream Machine Starter Set

This story dream machine from Little Tikes truly is a dream. The kid-friendly, mini projector shines one of three classic books on a wall or ceiling: The Saggy Baggy Elephant, The Poky Little Puppy, and Tawny Scrawny Lion. It’s easy for kids to learn to adjust the volume, press play and stop, and fast forward or rewind. The set comes with a Poky Little Puppy character that adds light effects.

Bounce & Ride Pony Baby

This foot-to-floor ride-on pony helps develop and engage gross motor skills and is recommended by Eggleston. “As toddlers discover how to get on and off, scoot forward and backward, and navigate where they are going, they are practicing important balance and coordination skills,” Eggleston says.

The pony features music and lights that encourage your little one to keep on moving.

Sugar Snap Learn to Dress Doll

As toddlers learn to dress themselves, it can be helpful for them to learn while playing, like with this learn-to-dress doll. The plush doll is available in four skin tones, which is inclusive and fantastic. Toddlers can practice zipping her dress, buttoning straps, tying her shoes and hair bows, and fastening her belt.

Wooden Play Food

This wooden play food set is a fun gift for toddlers that'll also teach them some good health habits. It's a great way to introduce your toddler to the five food groups so they can explore them on their own. They make a great hands-on gift for toddlers and preschoolers ages 2 to 5. The food comes in four wooden crates and can be played with as a standalone toy or with an existing play kitchen.

The Helper Kit

Lovevery’s Montessori-style subscription kits are all so wonderful, especially this helper kit that allows toddlers to feel a sense of independence, AKA like a big kid. The kit is full of practical activities and tools to help kids develop an interest in helping out around the house. Signing up for the subscription will get you a new stage-based kit every 3 months that’ll meet your child where they’re at. You can cancel at any time.

Doctor Kit

Get ready to be poked and prodded by the world’s cutest doctor when you gift this Melissa and Doug doctor kit to your kiddo. The 25-piece set is jam-packed with all the doctor tools needed to treat patients, including a play stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, tweezers, thermometer, reflex hammer, and a cute bag to put everything in.

Toniebox Audio Player Set

Not to be dramatic, but the Toniebox is one of the greatest gifts my then-3-year-old received. When a character is placed on top of the box, bedtime stories, songs, and more automatically start playing in the voice of that particular character. It’s easy enough for a 2-year-old to operate alone (my friend’s 2-year-old is obsessed with hers), and there are loads of characters to choose from. One of our senior editors, Cat Bowen, gave this to her nephews, and she says they're obsessed.

Peek-a-Zoo Puzzle Box

Level up your kid’s puzzle game with this Montessori puzzle box from KiwiCo. Each cube is unlocked using matching shapes and colors, and as your child grows, they can also match the animals into pairs and use the puzzle as a memory game.

Pop Tubes

There are so many approaches to playing with this eight-pack of sensory pop tubes — just leave it to your toddler to figure out their favorite ways. The colorful tubes are easy to connect and give kids the freedom to explore the way they feel, sound, and move by forming them into different shapes and designs.

Wooden Busy Board

Your toddler will love this wooden busy board full of all the switches, knobs, cords, keys, and fun lights they could ever dream of in one place. The board is small enough to throw in a diaper bag or pack in a suitcase for on the go busy board play.

Rainbow Starter Pack

This fun gifts for toddlers will keep them occupied for hours on end. Magnetic tiles are like magic, and Connetix makes the best of the best. This rainbow starter pack comes with 102 pieces for hours and hours of open-ended play. My kids have been playing with these since my oldest was 3, and it’s still a toy they take out and build with literally every single day.

Water Wow! Reusable Pads

If your toddler loves to paint but you don’t love the mess, try these water paint pads that are reusable, easy to use, and completely mess-free. The three-pack of pads each have four pages to paint and are great for travel days. You’ll probably need to help your little one fill up the pen with water, but they should eventually be able to do it on their own.

Spell & Spin Pencil

The Little Tikes spell and spin pencil is a fantastic way of introducing your little one to letters, sounds, and spelling. Spin the letters around the interactive pencil to spell over 100 words that are found in the accompanying notebook. In the notebook, words are spelled out with their corresponding pictures to help kids learn on their own.

Fishin’ Magnetic Bath Toy

Help your toddler improve their hand-eye coordination while having fun in the bathtub with this fishing magnetic toy. The set comes with one magnetic fishing rod and three floating bobbing characters. They’re just as fun to play with out of the bath as they are in the bath.

Turtle Sandbox

Kids have been playing in this turtle sandbox from Little Tikes since the ‘80s. While it might look a smidge different than the one you remember, it’s just as great for imaginative play. The sandbox comes with a lid and is big enough for four kids and can hold more than 100 pounds of sand. (The kids and the sand aren’t included.)

Letter Matching Eggs

There are 26 plastic eggs in this letter-matching egg set, one for each letter of the alphabet. Toddlers can break apart the eggs, mix them up, and then find the matching letter or corresponding color. It’s a fun puzzle game that can also be a big help with letter recognition.

DUPLO Brick Box Building Set

Duplos are bigger versions of Legos for toddlers, and they’re so fun — even for grownups. The box comes with 65 pieces of multicolored bricks, a car, and two figures. The set also comes with an idea book full of cool creations that you can build with your little one, which is a fun bonus.

Chatter Telephone Pull Toy

Raise your hand if you had this Fisher-Price phone when you were a kid — or at least played with it at a friend’s house. This new-school version of the classic old-school pull toy is pretty much just as you probably remember it, just a little smaller and with a face that doesn’t give off serial killer vibes. Fun fact: It’s been around since 1961. It'll forever be one of the most fun gifts for toddlers, I swear it.

Toddlers can spin the dial to make a pretend call with ringing phone sounds. You can play along with them and chat back and forth, encouraging social interaction and language recognition.

Foam Climbing Blocks

Set these foam climbing blocks up for your little one and watch them go crazy — in the best way possible. Kids will get a kick out of climbing, sliding, jumping, and crawling through the blocks, and they might even try rearranging the setup themselves. The adorable jungle gym is soft enough to cushion any falls.

Learning Friends 100 Words Book

Toddlers are sponges, so when playing with this words book from Learning Frog, they’ll definitely broaden their vocabulary. Cute animal friends will introduce more than 100 age-appropriate words, all chosen by learning experts.

Narwhal Stuffie & Board Book

There’s something so special about Slumberkins stuffed animals and corresponding board books. The narwhal story is all about believing in yourself, and the super cute stuffie is impressively soft and has the potential to become a permanent lovey. Plus, it’s machine washable, which is always a welcomed bonus.

GeoSafari Jr. Kidnoculars

Some of the most fun gifts for toddlers are those that'll get them to feel like anywhere they go is a new adventure. Your kiddo will love taking these binoculars outside to explore the world (or at least their backyard). Kids can get up close and personal with nature as well as the occasional close-up of a parent’s face. The binoculars are easy for kids to line up with their eyes, so you can just sit back and watch them explore.

Bubble Lawn Mower

It’s no secret that toddlers have an affinity for bubbles and feeling independent, so a bubble machine tucked into a toy lawn mower makes all the sense. Your kiddo can help with yard work right along with you while pushing this adorable plastic lawn mower. It comes with bubbles and stickers so your child can personalize the mower however they see fit.

Learn ‘N Climb Indoor Climber

This particular triangle climber is great for toddlers because it can grow with them. With three adjustable heights, as your child gets bigger, so can the climber. The climber features anti-tip feet for safety, and it folds flat for storage. The Montessori toy will help your child practice balance and agility while growing their self-confidence.

Go! Go! Smart Wheels Spiral Tower Playset

You’ll be surprised at how quickly your toddler will learn to build this track on their own, and your toddler will be impressed at how awesome the track is. The track has interactive features that communicate with the cars, triggering fun phrases and music as the cars roll by. Truthfully, you might have just as much fun playing with this one as your kiddo.

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