Holiday Gifting Ideas for Young Children

You may be preparing already not only for Thanksgiving but also for the Winter holidays your family celebrates. Whether you observe Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or another special day next month, we thought you might be interested in some suggestions for holiday giving.  We're sharing some of our own ideas along with recommendations from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  We hope these two lists, one for infants and toddlers and one for preschoolers, spark your creative gift-giving ideas.  Comment if you'd like to share some of your own!

Gift Suggestions for Infants and Toddlers

​Typically, babies will be more interested in the box a gift came in, the shiny ribbons they can grasp and wave, the paper they can tear or a piece of sticky tape! 

We suggest toys that encourage open-ended play and meet the needs of children at their ages and levels of development. Please share these suggestions with anyone buying or making holiday donations to young children:

• Birth through 6 months: rattles, squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, vinyl and board books, books with nursery rhymes and poems, unbreakable mirrors
• Older infants 7-12 months: large beads, balls, and nesting toys, large soft blocks and wooden cubes, low, soft things to crawl over; baby dolls, plastic and wood vehicles with wheels.
• One-year-olds: board books, toy phones, dolls (doll beds and strollers), dress-up props, puppets, stuffed toys, plastic animals, plastic and wood vehicles, blocks, puzzles, large pegboards, toys with parts that do things (dials, switches, knobs, lids), large and small balls
• Two-year-olds: wood puzzles (with 4 to 12 pieces), objects to sort (by size, shape, color), blocks, sturdy transportation toys, construction sets, child-sized furniture (kitchen sets, chairs, play food), dress-up clothes, sand and water play toys, washable crayons and markers, large paintbrushes, fingerpaint, large paper for drawing and painting, colored construction paper, chalkboard, large chalk, rhythm instruments, picture books, large and small balls for kicking and throwing, ride-on equipment (but probably not tricycles until children are 3)

Important Note: Always keep in mind the safety of toys, especially for children under age 3.  Toys that may pose a choking hazard may not be labeled as such, so do your own testing before giving toys to infants and toddlers:  Pull on all the parts of the toy to see that they are securely fastened together.  Then check every piece for size.  If you don't have a small parts test fixture that "measures 1 inch to 2.25 inches in height, slanted on a diagonal plane, and 1.25 inches in diameter"(NIH.gov), a toilet paper roll may be a good substitute.  Keep any toys that fit completely into the tube away from children under 3.  Recent research shows that occasionally choking can happen even for larger toys, so use your best judgment and always supervise children's play vigilantly. (NIH.gov)

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Gift Suggestions for Preschoolers

Give gifts of love and learning for preschoolers!!

“Playful learning doesn’t require the latest and greatest toys and technologies. Some of the most valuable learning materials are open-ended items that you probably have at home or can find at little to no cost. Blocks, paint, sand, water, playdough, and natural materials… lend themselves to playful learning and exploration.”  
“Open-ended items are developmentally appropriate for young children of various ages and can be used for sensory, creative, or dramatic play. They are particularly engaging when children and families use them together.”
“A stack of blocks can become the Empire State Building while a flourish of paint across a page can be a thunderstorm.” (Valesek)

​Here are some suggestions for gifts that encourage open-ended play for young children (approximately 3-5 years old):

Blocks and Manipulatives

• various blocks for building
• transportation toys
• construction sets
• puzzles (12 to 20+ pieces)

Props for Pretending

• child-sized furniture
• play food
• dress-up clothes
• dolls with accessories
• puppets and simple puppet theaters​

​Art Supplies

• crayons and markers
• paintbrushes
• fingerpaint
• paper for drawing and painting
• colored construction paper
• preschooler-sized scissors
• chalkboard and chalk

Musical Instruments & Supplies

• rhythm instruments
• keyboards
• maracas
• tambourines
• drums
• scarves and ribbons for dancing
• recorded children's music

Outdoor Activities

• balls for kicking/ throwing/catching
• ride-on equipment including tricycles
• taller climbers with soft material underneath
• wagons and wheelbarrows
• plastic bats, balls, or bowling pins
• targets and things to throw at them
• a workbench with age appropriate tools
  

Other

• books (children's fiction and non-fiction)
  
• comfort toys (stuffed animals, "lovies")

For more toy suggestions for young children listed by ages and stages, visit: naeyc.org/resources/topics/play/toys

You don't have to spend a bundle to give gifts of love and learning for preschoolers!  Providing open-ended activities with household objects and creative materials (such as wrapping paper scraps, boxes, and ribbons) can also keep your child engaged and learning throughout the holidays.

If you are planning to do some online shopping, please visit our website store to purchase our own EEPWORM® picture books and comfort toys.  They were designed to help children deal with big feelings, so they can help with self-regulation!

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References & Resources

​NAEYC. (n.d.). Good toys for young children by age and stage naeyc.org/resources/topics/play/toys
Neofotistos A, Cowles N, Sharma R. (2017). Choking hazards: Are current product testing methods for small parts adequate? International  Journal of Pediatrics. doi: 10.1155/2017/4705618.  Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5467345/
Valesek, J. (2022). Harnessing the joy of open-ended materials with your child.  NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/summer2022/message-backpack-open-ended-materials