I am always PANICKED over making sure the gifts I get for my toddler for Christmas will be WORTH it. To me, a worth it gift is one that makes them happy, will last a long time, fits the cost, and will actually get used on a regular basis. I can’t even begin to say how many Pinterest posts I went through and how many friends I’ve asked for gift ideas in order to curate this years list for my kiddo. In the end, I’ve crafted this complete list of Christmas gifts for my 2.5 year old. Some will be from “Santa”, some from mom and dad, and the rest are getting to sent to any friends and family that ask what our kid wants for Christmas.
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Wobble Disk:
This was my impulse social media influenced purchase. I saw so many moms saying this is how they get their kids energy out while at home. This immediately sparked my interest, because when I tell you my kid has energy I mean he has ENERGY. So something that other moms swear by as an energy burner hits the worth it list for me. The best part is, this one from Amazon doubles as a climbing mound as well!
Yoto player:
My son LOVES stories to a point where I’m constantly making some up while I’m cooking, cleaning, or doing anything that’s not actively playing with him. The Yoto mini seems like exactly what I need for him. He also loves music so it seems perfect. Add to that there’s learning cards and emotion cards you can buy and I went all out. I ordered the Yoto mini, the llama llama card collection, the young meditators collection, the Sea Life Trust ocean education cards, AND the preschool song collection cards. (If I’m honest this one was funded by the grandparents so be prepared since it’s a little pricey). You can get the original from Yoto.com here, or get it from Amazon for the same price with faster shipping here. The other option is to get the mini for slightly cheaper from Yoto or Amazon!
Play Kitchen:
This is the number one “ding” gift of this list. My kid loves pretend play and we go sit at a local coffee shop for an hour+ just to use their pretend bakery. My mom ordered this wooden kitchen with a working sink from Lovevery and I cannot express how excited I am for my toddler to see this on Christmas morning.
Wooden Espresso Machine:
Knowing the kitchen was going to be the main gift I added this wooden espresso machine to use as an additional fun accessory. I make coffee every morning and now we can make it together! With this concept, if you’re struggling to think of what to add to your kids list, think of what you can find that works as an add on to things you’re already getting.
Sarah’s Silks play silks and wooden toys:
Sarah’s Silks are basically THE open ended toy. If you’re trying to encourage your kids expressive side don’t shy away from play silks and the other imagination toys they come up with. We honestly get so creative with Sarah’s Silks, it opens up a whole new world of play.
Board games:
At 2.5 my toddler can finally start playing games and actually understanding the rules. It’s become one of my favorite things to do with him and I’m stoked that he’s enjoying it as much as I am. We have already and love Rainy Ranch. I’m adding to his Christmas list Dinosaur Go Fish, Monkey Around, and Barnyard Bounce
Puzzles:
On that same line of thought we’re starting to love puzzles in this household as well! So our Christmas list now includes the Melissa and Doug letter puzzle, this nature puzzle, and the last few mud puppy puzzles we don’t have yet.
Books:
We’re a big reader family over here so books are a must! The books I’m adding to my toddlers Christmas list this year are-
Zog
The Snail and the Whale
Llama Llama Jingle Bells
Children of the Forest
Winnie the Pooh
The Rainbow Fish
Good Morning National Parks
Face Painting Kit:
We’ve had a few fair trips that resulted in a slowly fading tiger face paint that lasted 3-4 days because there were so many tears when it came time to wash it off. A few weeks ago when it happens I was like, “you know what? I bet I could turn him into a tiger too”, and then a face painting kit got added to the Christmas wish list. This is one that I’m certain will be opened and disregarded immediately, BUT extreme excitement will follow every single time it gets used… so worth it to me.
Honey Bee Acres:
I quite often consider buying Calico Critters for my son since he’s obsessed with animal imagination play in particular. I usually end up passing on them because I have a strict budget for holidays and I can’t justify spending that much of it on one small item. This year I discovered Honey Bee Acres which is a much cheaper version in my opinion. I will say Calico Critters are (at least to me) much cuter, so if you’re not worried about the budget and care about the aesthetics check out this super cute calico critter set. Otherwise, I’m adding this set of honey bee acre toys to the list since I know my son does not care what they look like and would much rather me stretch this budget as far as it can go.
Tender Leaf Toys Chicken Coop:
Tender leaf toys in general has the coolest wooden toys in my opinion, but often out of my budget. My baby is obsessed with farms so I’m thinking this smaller chicken coop could be great.
Tara’s Treasures Felt Toys:
Ohhhhh my goodness I cannot express how excited I am to have discovered Tara’s Treasures. These are the cutest felt toys that encourage so much imagination play. To be completely honest, my son can get into imagination play with a toilet paper roll. These sets are more for the aesthetic AND I feel like they allow me to get more involved! I suck at pretend play and I try my hardest to get involved so I can fully connect with my kid, and sets like these are exactly how I get into it. If you’re interested in these you can also use code SIDNEY for 10% off your order! These are the ones I’m most excited for this year:
The Gruffalos Child finger puppets:
Arctic play mat:
