29 Christmas Gifts for Toddlers That Will Tame Their Energy and Fuel Their Imaginations (2024)

There's so much going on inside a toddler's brain that it's hard to get them to stay engaged with anything for very long. The world is so new to them that it makes everything *really* exciting. Think of it like this: If FOMO was a person, it would be a 3-year-old at a park. That makes finding Christmas gifts for toddlers easy and tricky at the same time. You want your special gift to be something they're interested in, but you are also aware that it probably won't hold their attention for very long.

There are toys with broad appeal for toddlers, though. Toys like play kitchens, pretend play toys, sensory toys, and toys that encourage activity are generally big hits. If you can get their bodies and their brains focused as they do with Goaldozer, at the same time, not only do you have a winning toy, you are doing terrific things for their development, according to scholars at Harvard University who found that encouraging the brain-body connection in early childhood is absolutely essential for growing brains and maintaining lifelong health.

This year, the most-popular gifts tend towards learning and physical activity, whether it's the Step2 Coaster or the Little Tikes Story Dream Machine, parents and kids are showing that screens and gimmicky toys are on the decline.

I love toddlers, but let's face it, they're basically all a bit like tiny, uncoordinated, drunk masterminds, so safety has to be a big consideration, and I've made it. All of these toys have been tested by toddlers or groups of toddlers that I know personally. Lots of toys and gifts that were tested didn't make this list — only the products that kids really responded to made it to our list of best Christmas gifts for toddlers. Check out our top picks below!

One of the hottest toys of 2024, the Story Dream Machine by Little Tikes is so sweet. It looks and acts like an old-school projector and even comes with "reels" for your children to watch. Anywhere you have a vertical, clear surface, you have a screen ready to play stories.

Our little tester has this in their basement, and their mother actually had to bribe him with candy to get her off of it to go out to lunch. I think we can all agree that's impressive and says a lot about how much fun this ride-on toy is. It's a toy they'll use over and over until they tire themselves out, which is a win-win for parents and kids.

If your child is also constantly singing "Five little monkeys, jumping on the bed..." you need this game. There's no rhyme or reason for how much they love both, but this game of wiggling and squiggling was a win for all of the kids who got a chance to play it.

Another super chill toy, the Toniebox is a soft-sided storytelling machine that works with characters that you place on the Tonie box, and they guide you through. It seems gimmicky, I'll admit, but it's one of the best-tested toys I've introduced to kids in the last several years.

There's a well of energy that exists inside of every toddler that I'm convinced that if we could harness it, our global energy crisis would be solved. Alas, until that day comes, you'll need to encourage your child to get it all out. A blow-up bouncy dinosaur is a soft and fun way to go. (Pump included.)

One of the sleeper hits of the year, Goaldozer is an indoor, interactive soccer toy that pushes the ball toward your child via the car behind it. Your child returns the ball to the goal, and then Goaldozer pushes it in an entirely different direction. It's great for solo or group play.

Hand-eye coordination learning is something that takes time. I am still learning, personally. (One day, batting cages!) The Chase 'n Go ball popper works with your toddler in an extremely fun way; they place the ball in the hopper, and it pops out! Then, it's catch or chase it!

Literacy starts young. Sight words are something kids start learning in preschool, and LeapFrog has designed a way to make it interesting and fun for toddlers. With 100 words to learn with sound and bright colors, it's an engaging toy that kids come back to time and time again.

I watched a toddler play with this toy for a solid 20 minutes in a doctor's office filled to the brim with other toys. This takes the classic popper toy, turns it on its head, and makes it a scoop-and-clean truck toy that mimics a lawnmower a little bit. It also gamifies the popper, encouraging your child to scoop the balls back into the truck.

By the time my son was two-and-a-half, he had about ten gazillion play cars. Having a mat like this was the best thing for him. It gave his cars a purpose and a play area. On top of that, it really saved my floors because kids and cars aren't nice on hardwood.

This gift is not lame, in spite of how it looks. This set was honestly one of our best-tested toddler toys a few years ago, and now the younger siblings in those households are still using it. Everyone loves it. Kids want to do what you do, so the opportunity for pretend play is massive here.

There's never a peep about bath time when you take out the finger paint unless it's the sound of delighted squeals. These are especially useful when kids are having a hard time winding down before bed or after an activity (like, say, Christmas dinner?). This allows them to find their focus in a clean way, but good luck telling your little one that bath time is over!

A balance bike is a terrific first entree into bike riding that starts in toddlerhood. It's not a tricycle, so kids don't become dependent on the balance that the rear wheels would provide. This allows kids to find their own center of gravity and use it to propel them — just don't forget the helmet!

Let's all be honest with each other. This is not a gift you're going to get for your own kids. This is a gift you get for your sister's or brother's kids. This is an extremely fun, light-up drum toy that your nieces and nephews will love, and also serves as the perfect retaliation for childhood grievances.

I know: Cocomelon is supremely annoying. However, your toddler is probably obsessed. This controller is screen-free learning in the style of the show, and it's perfect as a stocking stuffer that can be stored in a diaper bag and pulled out to entertain the kids at dinners out or in the car.

After I put this play kitchen together, I realized that I subconsciously picked my perfect kitchen color scheme. A bit of envy? Yes, I have it. It's a stunning play kitchen that comes with a salt and pepper shaker, pan, pot with lid, spatula, slated spatula, three ice cubes, cup, three cans, a phone, and two reusable sticker sheets.