2024 Toddler Gift Guide

There’s no such thing as a perfect gift for a toddler – in most cases they’ll prefer to play with the box it comes in – but that also makes it easy because they love pretty much anything. When it comes to choosing the perfect gift for a toddler my number one rule is to pick something that won’t drive their parents crazy. Tons of tiny pieces are an automatic no because toddlers would much rather dump them all over the floor than pick them up. Any obnoxious lights or noises are ruled out because a toddler will repeat them endlessly and then lose their mind when the batteries die. That still leaves plenty of great options though! Here are my picks for toddler gifts this year (all links are affiliates).

Fun to Find Book – This is a book that a toddler can enjoy on their own, with another child, or with an adult. The pictures are fun to look at and little ones are sure to find something new each time. I’m always a fan of a book that is truly fun.

Kidoozie Ball Drop – Toddlers find so much joy (and learning!) in repeating the same actions. This ball tower lets them endlessly drop the balls down and watch them roll to the bottom. The balls have colored beads inside which are fun to watch and shake.

Fisher Price Forest Friends Carrying Case – These chunky little animals are made specifically for toddler hands. The best part is definitely the carrying case, the spaces all have pictures behind them so little ones can easily figure out where each animal belongs. They might actually WANT to match them up and put them away properly. It also supports imaginative play and acting out the kinds of stories that toddlers love.

Hape Rocket Ball Stacker – One press of a button turns on a fan that forces air through the rocket to push up a ball, how fun is that?! Children can build their rocket as high as they want, changing the order of the pieces every single time. Experiment with short rockets, tall rockets, or no rocket at all. This is one of those toys that just might keep a toddler’s attention for more than 5 minutes!

HABA Doorway Puppet Theater – Whether you’re the one putting on the puppet show or watching from the audience, the real challenge is how to hide everything but the puppet. This genius puppet theater attaches to a tension rod (included) that can be hung in a doorway. It can even be hung low enough for the youngest puppeteer to enjoy. When children are done performing the whole ling gets rolled up so it can fit in a drawer or toy bin until the next show.

Fisher Price Coffee Cafe Playset – Fisher Price always pulls out all the stops on cuteness and attention to detail. This might be one of those gifts that parents enjoy as much as (or maybe more than) their child. Of course toddlers love to do anything that they see their parents doing, so if you have a coffee-loving family on your list this toy is sure to be a hit.

Step2 Interactive Snowman – This is essentially a toddler-sized, snowman version of Mr. Potato with lights and music. Children can mix, match, and change all of the pieces to build their own snowman and then play with it. It can also be used indoors or outdoors. This is perfect for the kid who desperately wants to build a snowman and the parent who despises putting on all of that snow gear. Is it over the top? Yes. Will toddlers love it? Yes. I’ll also note that we had a similar Christmas tree version and had to put it away after the holidays, where this could definitely stay out all winter long.

Skip Hop Ball Popper – Does a child move through toddlerhood if they’ve never experienced a ball popper??? Seriously, these are ubiquitous for a reason. Little ones absolutely love that they have the power to make the balls pop as fast or as slow as they want. This Skip Hop version is really really cute too, which *might* make up for the never-ending popping sound.

Wooden Kitten House – Any animal-loving toddler will happily play with this set. The little wooden cats are adorable and all of the fun perches and accessories let little ones really get into the cat mindset. Parents will appreciate that their toddlers are playing with toy cats instead of crawling around pretending to be cats.

Cali’s Books Rock Songs – If you must buy a book that makes noise, please let it be this one. It plays 6 rock songs that parents won’t mind hearing over and over again, while letting their toddlers push the button as many times as they want.

For holiday gift guides from previous years, click here – these choices never go out of style!