For This House
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
We try to keep the product placement to a minimum, in fact, we usually encourage resilience around commercial marketing (per Ally’s recent post, here). Last year we shared a list of our 30 favorite gifts for women—the best gifts we’ve received from ourselves or others. This year, we’ve decided to share a few of our all-time favorite toddler gifts now that we’re all moms of littles. Maybe these things would make a great gift for a child in your life, also!
I’ve got a house of little boys, so we tend toward the wheels and animals end of the spectrum, although my emotionally intelligent 3 year old has been known to take great care of his “baby kitties” on the daily.
I try to take on an “essentialist” perspective when it comes to kids stuff, but that’s only so effective when everyone else in your life loves buying kids things. Admittedly, there’s so much on the market that it is nice to try things out for a time and see what sticks.
Here are my top five tried and true baby and toddler items over the last 4 years.
IYKYK. This was gifted to us when our oldest was an infant, and we had to order a second one when our second baby came along. It’s that essential. We love that it charges on a base so you don’t have to mess with plugging it in, and the batter lasts more than a week the way we use it anyway. Night light mode is essential during night feeds, but the brightest setting is so nice for bedtime stories. It’s totally kid-safe and drop-test-durable, too. 😅
JolyWell Baby Night Light
Find it on Amazon
We love this cup for around the house, but most importantly naps and bedtime. It doesn’t leak like others we’ve tried in bed. It does require your toddler to be old enough to know to sit up to drink because it doesn’t have that 360-degree straw, but we’re all for sustainable stainless.
Pro-tip: When the silicone on the stainless cup lid starts to discolor or mold, you can buy the plastic version of this tumbler, and the lid will fit the stainless cup. We had stickers on our cup we weren’t ready to give up! (Owala has yet to sell replacement parts for this, unfortunately.)
Owala Kids Tumbler
Find it on Amazon
I stumbled upon this product at a thrift store and it has quickly become our bathtime essential. My 3-year-old will sit and play in the bath endlessly now, “making coffee” or playing “pet wash” or any make-believe scenario you can come up with. Great way to wind down for the night with some independent play.
Yookidoo Baby Bath Toddler Toys
Find it on Amazon
At 3 years old, nap times are hit or miss and are becoming a bit of a fight, so I opted for a visual timer to show my son exactly how long he has to stay in his room for “quiet time” instead. Sometimes, I set him up in his bed, hoping he’ll still fall asleep (you know when they need it!), and other days, we just do “quiet play time” so that we all still get a little alone time in the day.
This timer is rechargeable and you can set it to flash silently or beep when the 60 minutes or less are up (in case they do fall asleep).
LIORQUE 60-Minute Visual Timer for Kids
Find it on Amazon
This toy has been well-loved since learning to walk and is still going strong at almost 4 years old. Keep those dollar store bubbles on hand, and you’ll have so much entertainment for that little boy in your life. It’s something he does outside with Dad following him around the yard as he mows the lawn even (with ear protection, of course).
Maxx Bubbles Deluxe Bubble Lawn Mower Toy
Find it on Amazon
I’m the girl-mom of the three of us, so you can bet my house has a lot more pink, sparkles, and dress-up than either of my sisters. And while one of my oldest’s favorite things right now is, in fact, dressing up in one of the many princess dresses she has, there are a few other things we’re loving right now, too.
This little guy has been a game changer for us when it comes to nap/rest time and bedtime lately! We got this when my oldest was around 2, and while she was a little young for it at the time, it didn’t take long for her to grow to LOVE it. Since then, it’s become a staple for her rest/sleep routine, and now that she’s over 3, it’s genuinely the only thing that will get her to actually quiet down during what’s supposed to be her quiet rest time.
Yoto Mini
Find it on Amazon
We purchased this for my oldest’s first Christmas (let’s be honest, we were going to buy it anyway, but the timing happened to line up so that we could play it off as a Christmas gift for her 😉), and both my girls have loved it. It’s the perfect combination of bright and colorful to be engaging for little babes but also aesthetically pleasing to be in your living space 24/7. I also appreciate the sturdy wood arms this play gym has to give baby a little more protection from an over-excited dog or clumsy older sibling!
LOVEVERY | The Play Gym
Find it on Amazon
These were a thrift-store find that I didn’t realize would become such a regular part of our toy rotation! My daughter loves to build creations with these, and they make for a great, quiet toy for her to play with when she decides to play quietly rather than rest during quiet time.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set
Find it on Amazon
When my first was ready for a high chair, we opted for the super-cheap IKEA high chair with an ‘after-market’ footrest. Somewhere around the time she turned 2, she broke the footrest, and we decided it was time for an upgrade. She was old enough that we didn’t need the straps to buckle her in anymore, so we opted for this adjustable chair that’s very similar to the ever-popular Stokke Tripp Trapp chair but a little easier on your budget!
FORNEL Wooden High Chair
Find it on Amazon
I’m the girl-mom of the three of us, so you can bet my house has a lot more pink, sparkles, and dress-up than either of my sisters. And while one of my oldest’s favorite things right now is, in fact, dressing up in one of the many princess dresses she has, there are a few other things we’re loving right now, too.
This bike is great for toddlers ages 12-24 months. It’s perfect for helping develop the motor skills needed to walk and eventually ride. It’s also a great way to help your toddler burn off energy indoors since the bike is small enough to have in your living space.
Retrospec Cricket Baby Walker Balance Bike
Find it on Amazon
Endless play that grows with your child. These magnatile dupes would make a great gift for kids of any age. They’re compatible with other magnetic tiles and present endless ways to play. From a 9- 12-month-old using them on the fridge to a 12- 24-month-old learning how to connect and build, to those 2+-year-olds building anything they can imagine!
CuteTiger Magnetic Tiles
Find it on Amazon
You’ve probably seen the Melissa and Doug cleaning set, but I prefer this Battat version. The reason being: the mop pad. It’s removable and washable, so you can actually have your child help you clean the floors while they play. Who doesn’t love productive play?
Battat Kids Cleaning Set
Find it on Amazon
If you have a small space, or just don’t enjoy clutter, this collapsible step stool turned toddler tower is an essential play tool. Moving toys to a different space or height makes them feel brand new. Not to mention the doors a stool can open for involving your child in cooking, dishes, and so much more!
Cosco 2-Step Kitchen Stepper
Find it on Amazon
We don’t own this exact toy, but the barn and animals we have are hands down the most played with toys in our house. So great for all ages! If I were buying it today, I would buy this Fisher Price Barn because the music and noises would entertain kids for even longer. Not to mention it would boost language development, as well as encourage imaginative play and storytelling.
Fisher Price Caring for Animals Farm Bundle
Find it on Amazon
