21 PRACTICAL Toddler Gifts in 2024 (+ Non-toy ideas!)

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As much as I love to give my kids fun gifts and watch their faces light up on Christmas morning, I don’t love giving items that will be stored away in their closets and minimally used. I’ve compiled a list of our real-life FAVORITE practical toddler gifts.

Whether you are looking for gift ideas for toddlers that are not toys or simply looking for toys that will get played with endlessly – here are my best recommendations! These are literally our tried and true favorite items of both ME AND my three kids (ages 1, 3, and 5!)

21 Best Practical Toddler Gift Ideas

Ok, on to our favorite gift ideas! I’ve decided to include both non-toy items as well as toys that actually get played with over and over.

These are the good toys that promote independence and creativity. The ones that last years. I’m not including those battery-operated toys that cause a big bang on Christmas morning and then get thrown in the closet for next to forever.

Non-Toy Gifts for Toddlers (Useful Gifts)

1. Raincoat + Rainboots or Snowboots

A practical toddler gift idea – both a raincoat (I love this one for boys and this is adorable for little girls) and rain boots will get tons of use! We love these rain boots that we got last year. And if you live in an area that gets snow, snow boots are also a useful gift for toddlers.

2. Sleeping Bag or PeaPod

This is a perfect gift for the family that loves to camp or travel. It can even work for sleepovers at Grandma’s house. We have and LOVE these kids’ sleeping bags, they make a great practical gift. The sleeping bag can even double as a travel bed for toddlers!

We also love our Peapod. We actually have both the original Peapod (perfect size for my 1-year-old) and a PeaPod Deluxe which fits my 3-year-old.

3. Pajamas

What toddler doesn’t love new pajamas? They are arguably more fun to a child than clothes yet super practical. Every toddler needs them and outgrows them quickly! Check out my favorite toddler pajama brand here.

4. Fun Beach Towel

Does your toddler love the beach or the pool? A stylish beach towel is a great gift for any holiday or season! There are so many adorable prints (but my kids’ favorites are anything Super Hero/Mario or Minnie). Not only will they have fun with it but it’s practical to use at the pool, beach, or even during bathtime.

5. Bird Feeder

What toddler doesn’t love to watch the birds and refill a bird feeder? My 3-year-old has a bird feeder in his playhouse and is always intent on making sure it is full of birdseed.

6. Bicycle or Balance Bike

The practical toddler gift of a bike is something your child will be able to use as they grow. One size does not fit all with bikes! Typically a 2-4-year-old will need a 12″ bicycle and somewhere between 3-5 will need a 14″ bike, but measure to know what size to buy your child.

Another great option to help develop biking skills is to start your toddler on a balance bike. My daughter has and enjoys this chillafish balance bike.

7. Puzzles

My son went through a BIG puzzle phase at ages 2 and 3 years old. We bought a lot of small puzzles in tins from Dollar Tree and Aldi. Here are some great puzzles for 2-5 year-olds.

8. Herb Garden Kit

My son was gifted an herb garden kit at the age of 3. He was very interested in planting it, watching it grow, and caring for it (we had to water it often). The best practical gift ideas are those that you can actually use – especially in your kitchen!

9. Magazine Subscription

If your toddler is into a certain topic, consider gifting them with a magazine subscription. My toddlers love to receive the Highlights High Five magazine in the mail.

10. Small Suitcase

Whether you travel frequently or are simply sending your toddler off to Grandma’s house for the night, a small suitcase is a fun gift. In fact, I still remember when my grandparents gifted me a small Minnie suitcase!

11. Picnic Table

This summer our kids were gifted this picnic table and it’s perfect! We have had many lunches/snacks on it and also enjoy playing with Play-Doh and other activities outside. Plus, it folds down so we can store it away in the garage this winter.

12. Bible or Devotional Book

Jesus Storybook Bible – We gifted this Storybook bible to our kids over a year ago when my son was only two. He loved it even though it is probably geared towards older kids.

Louie Giglio Devotional Books – We are currently reading this with our 3 year old and honestly, it’s probably a bit better suited to older kids, but he does LOVE it and reminds us to read it every day.

• How Great is Our God by Louie Giglio
• Indescribable by Louie Giglio

13. Memberships & Subscription Boxes

Check with your local zoo or museum to see if they offer a discount for memberships. My kids love the zoo and aquarium but these places do get more expensive as they age.

KiwiCo Activity Box Subscription

KiwiCo has various activity box subscriptions depending on your child’s age. We have purchased the Koala Crates for our 3-year-old before, and he really enjoyed doing them.

Note: The Panda Crate is recommended for 0-36 months.

Lovevery Play Kit Subscription

While Lovevery Play Kit subscriptions are technically toys, they are the kind of toys that are aesthetically pleasing and educational.

Full of toys that will provide sensory play, improve hand-eye coordination, and truly get played with over and over, Lovevery makes a wonderful birthday or Christmas gift for any littles.

14. Nugget (Play Couch for Kids)

We got my kids a Nugget for Christmas and I’m convinced it was the best gift ever. Seriously, we are considering getting them a second one.

This is the gift that gets used all the time and provides so many uses, from pretend and imaginative play to physical activity. Plus, it’s even great for younger babies – my 12-month-old crawls all over it!

15. Binoculars

We have a small real set we let our toddler play with and he loves them. However, he does have some issues remembering which side to look through so this kid’s set would solve that problem for younger kids.

16. Books

Of course, books are the obvious practical gift and one I included on my list of practical gift ideas for 1-year-olds as well. Here are our favorite books for 2-3-year-olds:

• Bear and Friends Book Set – My kids love these books and I personally find them very catchy and fun to read so it’s a win-win.
• I Spy Books – we found these to be especially great for travel this summer.
• The Pout-Pout Fish , Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School,and Pout Pout Fish and the Big Big Dark

If you love to gift books, here are more ideas of the best books for 2-year-olds.

17. Art Supplies

These are some of our favorite art and activity supplies for our toddlers:

• Do-A-Dot Markers – We love these Do-A-Dot markers. They provide plenty of entertainment and wash off hands and clothes easily from our experience. Pair them with this dot activity book to make a complete gift set!
• We use a Mess Free Coloring Set similar to this one for our 3 year old in the car and he loves it!
• Stamp Set – Stamps are always fun especially when they are washable like this one. (ha!)
• Large Roll Paper – We love to use this to trace or use for other activities (shown below.)

Minimalist Toy Gifts for Toddlers

Obviously, you want to give SOME toys to your toddler. You just want to be picky about what kind you give. To us minimalist toys are the ones that get played with over and over, providing hours of entertainment and therefore are still practical toddler gifts at the end of the day. Here are our FAVORITES:

18. Magnetic Tiles such as Magnatiles (or Picasso Tiles)

We actually have the budget-friendly Picasso tiles and love them. We also have this Magnatile Car set that gets tons of use, and now my son is asking for magnetic windows and doors.

19. Duplos

I definitely recommend having a duplo starter set with basic blocks, but we also have quite a few special sets that we just love and build over and over. Duplos were something we did almost every day while my son was 2. Here are a few of our favorite sets:

• Duplo Barn & Duplo Horse Stable– These are favorites of my sons. I had to help assemble at age 2, but at 3 he can do it himself.
• Duplo Train – Your toddler will likely need help building this at first, but once they are older they will be able to do it on their own and it will continue to provide entertainment for years.
• Duplo Minnie Set – My daughter received this set when she turned one and she just loves it. Her big brother sets it up for her and then she enjoys playing with it.
• Duplo House – We have the 80s version from my childhood, but my kids absolutely love the duplo house. It has gotten hours upon hours of playtime.

20. Play Kitchen

A toddler kitchen provides a lot of entertainment for toddlers. We have the one from IKEA which is an inexpensive and cute option. However, here are some other favorite toddler kitchens and don’t forget all these best toy kitchen accessories.

OR, here are some fun KITCHEN toddler gift ideas!

21. Outdoor Toys

Some basic outdoor toys can help keep kids entertained while they get a dose of Vitamin D from the sun. Here are some of our favorite outdoor toys:

• Crayon Water Blaster – These push/pull squirt guns are so fun to use. Someone recently just gave us some and my 3-year-old loves to even just blast the trees all day.
• Water Table – These are perfect for 1 year olds and younger toddlers, but my 3 year old still plays in it as well.
• Outdoor Dump Truck
• Water Balloons
• Bubble Machine

What are your Favorite Practical Gifts for Toddlers?

I’m quite literally always looking for new ideas for practical gifts for my kids. I don’t want to clutter up our closets or home with items that got used on Christmas morning or never again. If you have any great non-toy gift ideas for your kids or even minimalist toys that get a lot of playtime, please share them below!! And of course, BOOKS are always a practical and fun gift for toddlers. Check out the best books for 2 year olds for more great ideas!

By the way, if you have a 1 year old here are some great practical 1-year-old gift ideas!

Need More Favorite Toddler Gift Ideas?

11 Best Educational Gift Ideas for Toddlers

21+ Best Books for 2-Year-Olds

24 Stocking Stuffers for Toddlers

Best Play Kitchens for Toddlers

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