Eclectic Gifts for Babies & Toddlers

Ten simple gifts for the 0-4 year olds in your life

The older I get, the more fraught seasonal gift giving becomes. I love buying gifts, and I like to think I’m very good at it! I don’t, however, love receiving gifts (in general) because I hate clutter, I resent accepting anything I don’t really want or need, and I’m not all that great at feigning excitement. I fare better when I can get super specific about my wishlist, pick out a gift for myself, or call the whole thing off in favor of spending time instead of money. The same goes for kid gifts. I hate clutter but I understand the importance (and fun) of toys; I’m happier when I set boundaries around what we bring into our home.

I have a bunch of nephews in addition to my own adorable two-year-old, and I aim to give them ONE: things that won’t drive their parents bananas and TWO: things they’ll play with for multiple seasons and years. Aside from one birthday when I went on a spree through The Dollar Tree, I think I’ve done pretty well so far, so today I’m sharing a simple gift guide for ages 0-4. I’ve paired some of Theo’s favorite picture books with toys we either own and love or gifted and heard great reports about. Most of these are Amazon Affiliate links, but you should be able to find these books, along with similar toys, at your favorite local shops.

0-12 months

Moo! & Classic Barn Play Set - We gave Theo this barn set for his first birthday, and he still plays with it one year later. Given his love of farm animals, I don’t see him stopping anytime soon.

Let’s Look at Animals & Montessori Sensory Toy - Another toy Theo still plays with, even though he’s aged out of its intended group.

The Noisy Book & Teething Straws - This pairing would be perfect for a baby shower, too, so keep it in your back pocket!

Little Pups in Big Trucks & Green Toys Construction Trucks - This book cracks me up, and it works so well with any classic truck for gifting.

Very Good Hats & Colorful Beanie Hat - One year we bought Theo and my nephews matching hats, and it went over so well with all of the parents, plus the boys wore the hats all winter and got plenty of use out of the gift. You don’t have to stick with toys, especially for babies under one year.

2-4 years

Maybe & Indoor/Outdoor Jungle Bean Bag Toss - I gave this book and play set to my nephews almost two years ago and they still love them. The bean bag toss can be used indoors or outdoors, making it perfect for winter gifting.

A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree & Play Tent with Camping Kit - Theo got a tent and a little hiking/camping kit for his birthday, and we all have so much fun playing with them! The tent lives in our basement for chilly day play time.

DK Dinosaur & Jumbo Dinosaur Toys - This is actually sitting in my cart right now because Theo just started showing interest in dinosaurs. He loves his other jumbo animal sets from Learning Resources, so I’m going to predict this as a winner.

The Big Book of Trains & Cute Train Set - Kids and trains. What more needs to be said? I grew up reading lots of these DK books, and they’re so great for gifts because kids can go from enjoying the pictures to reading fun facts over the span of a few years.

Boop! & Tongues Out! Game - This is Theo’s Christmas book for this year, and IT IS SO GOOD. I can’t wait to read it with him.

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I hope I helped de-stress your holiday shopping a bit. On Friday I plan to share a short list of bookish items I’d give or receive for the holidays—think useful, clutter-free, cozy goods.

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