Christmas 2017 Toddler Gift and Toys Buying Guide

You’re in luck if you have a toddler to buy for this Christmas in 2017! There are so many great toys available that you’ll have trouble making up your mind. Choose from an array of toys that include indoor activities, educational, shapes, bath time fun, physical activity and even toys that will help to keep them still and quiet in a car seat or stroller.

This guide will show you – not only on the best-selling toys of the year – but the impact they may have on your toddler. The toddler years are when your baby is changing rapidly and becoming more independent.

They’re also learning to master motor skills that will give them independence and they’ll be able to slightly control some of the things around them. With each new skill he develops, your toddler will develop more self-confidence – which will lead him to have fun learning other skills as he continues to grow.

You need some ideas to get you thinking about which toy(s) would be best for the toddler in your life, so let’s get started!

Activity Toys That Help Toddlers Learn

As your toddler is transitioning from sitting and crawling to actual walking and from looking wide-eyed at something to actually trying it out, he may need a bit of help along the way.

There is a wide array of play centers, shape sorters, musical and even shoe-tying toys that teach while encouraging the toddler to experiment and learn while having fun. Look for toddler toys that are colorful to help teach colors – and musical toys to teach him rhythm and notes.

Some clever toy makers have combined a toy into two types – teaching and physical activity. A good example is the VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker. This ingenious toddler toy encourages the child to pull himself up and walk using the small walker as security.

The toy is also a teaching tool with the removable play panel featuring fun items that your toddler will want to try. There are piano keys playing musical notes, shape sorters, spinning rollers, telephone and mechanical tasks and over 70 sing-along sounds, phrases and music.

Another VTech toy for toddlers that is flying off the shelves this year is the Drop and Go Dump Truck. Little boys or girls will love this colorful toy that teaches a child to learn numbers as the truck counts each rock that falls.

It’s a multi-educational toy that also features buttons that play phrases, melodies and teaches colors. And your toddler will quickly learn that the hinge on the side of the truck dumps the rocks when lifted. There’s so much to learn and so much fun to have with this activity and learning toy.

Toys That Improve a Toddler’s Motor Skills

Learning motor skills is very important for toddlers to be able to maneuver and learn what works – and what doesn’t. Toys create the pathway to a toddler learning physical, mental, social and emotional development and are an important part of a child’s upbringing.

Choosing toys carefully can be challenging with all of the items available today. Keep in mind that toys with features such as pounding, sawing and other tasks require that the toy you choose is strong enough to withstand all the rough play time it’s going to have.

Pounding toys that let the child hammer balls or other shapes until they fall are great learning tools for hand-eye coordination and aiming. Toddlers can use their imaginations to pretend, play and create things from the motor skill toys that are available today.

Melissa & Doug toys have always been leaders in toys that ignite the imagination and help children realize their full potential. They manufacture well-designed, tough and classic wooden toys that help children of all ages discover a passion or a purpose in life.

The Hammer and Saw Tool Bench – Wooden Building Set by Melissa & Doug comes with 26 building pieces, the tool bench and 5 tools. It’s ingenious how they designed self-stick tabs that mimic cutting the wood.

Toddlers can pound on the wooden nails to their heart’s content and learn motor skills and hand-eye coordination. There are even blueprints to help the kids create houses, boats or animals as they grow and learn – or something from their own imaginative play.

Playkidz’ Super Durable Pound A Ball is also designed with teaching a child eye-hand coordination, how to sort shapes and cleverly introduces them to color. This Pound A Ball toy was especially designed for little hands and excitement when the balls are pounded and roll out the side.

The Brilliant Basics Rock-A-Stack stacking toy from Fisher-Price is a classical and inexpensive toy that’s been around for generations. It’s an evolving learning tool for the toddler that can delight them with rattles, help them teethe by chewing on the rings and eventually figuring out colors and how to stack them to fit.

Now, there are other Rock-A-Stack toys to choose from, including the Rock-A-Stack Pink or the Rock-Stack-Clacker which features a teething ring at the top of the stack. Beginning your child’s learning experience with motor skill toys helps to develop confidence in other things they attempt.

The Perfect Toys for When Toddlers Have to Stay Put

Your child’s safety is foremost on your mind when you place him in a car seat, stroller or crib. If you’ve ever tried to keep your toddler restrained in the back seat – especially on a long car trek – you know how difficult it can be.

The main goal is to keep your child safe and happy – which in turn, keeps you calm and happy and a safer driver on the road – not distracted by crying in the back seat. This is true especially on long car trips when it’s essential that the baby remains restrained and safe and you have all your wits about you.

Frequent stops to remove the toddler from a car seat or stroller are essential to keeping him calm and happy. Another critical time you have to deal with is when a child wakes up in his crib and you’re not in the room. You’ll want to be sure he can’t climb over the railing or find danger within his crib.

It’s normal for toddlers to try and find a way to escape from a crib or playpen when it’s time to go to sleep or when he first wakes up. But, if there are appropriate toys placed on or in the crib or playpen to keep him entertained he’ll be much less likely to try and escape.

Look no further than the Taf Toys Play & Kick Car Seat Toy to enjoy an easier driving experience while your baby faces the rear seat and remains safe and happy – and you calm and able to concentrate on the road rather than a screaming and dissatisfied child.

Packed with entertainment for the toddler, the Play & Kick Car Seat Toy provides playful activities and soothing music to help calm and keep the baby occupied while you’re occupied.

The toy also includes three colorful and soft toys that the baby can grab and play with. Or, he can choose to kick the soft kick pad, he’ll hear music and experience twinkling soft lights that will help develop his motor skills and other senses.

You’ll be happy to know that the Play & Kick Car Seat Toy attaches extremely easy to the car’s headrest with two plastic rings. And, you can adjust the angle and height to your child’s reach with the easy to use Velcro straps.

Another toy to choose that will keep your toddler entertained while you’re on the move is the VTech Baby On-the-Moove Activity Bar. Note that ‘Moove’ isn’t misspelled in this instance – it represents the cute and laughing ‘cow’ in the middle of the toy that swings back and forth.

As the cow swings, the motion sensor is activated and your toddler will be delighted with interesting sounds that he chooses. The heart button on the cow triggers songs, phrases and music. The bird on the toy helps the child learn motor skills and self-awareness. That should keep him occupied for a while – and help him learn.

Toys That Make Bath Time Fun for Toddlers

If a parent is asked what time of the day he or she enjoys most with a child, the answer would most likely be bath time. Toddlers do love the water and demonstrate it with lots of splashing and squeals of delight.

A parent wants to provide the most fun possible at bath time – and if the child is learning too, it becomes quite an experience. Bath toys are a great resource for your child learning cause and effect by making them learn while having fun. For example, pressing a button and making water spew.

Water and bath toys also help your child learn to fine-tune their motor skills, develop problem solving skills and improve hand-eye coordination. Keep in mind that bath toys are also a great way to help a child gain respect and awe for the way the world works.

The Yookidoo Submarine Spray Station is a water pump with a hand shower bath toy and is a perfect way to begin to educate your toddler about water and all the fun you can have with it.

Your toddler will be able to independently play and explore while they learn the science of cause and effect. They’ll learn hand-eye coordination, problem solving and develop their motor skills while having the most fun ever with a bath-time toy.

Much thought has gone into this developmental toy and how it can help your child reach his full developmental potential. Yookidoo toys are developed by the internationally renowned team of Golos-Weisman Design and they know how to challenge a child while giving them a sense of delight and accomplishment.

The Tumama Baby Shower Bath Book is another way to keep your toddler occupied and having while educating them – even in the bath. This bath book is waterproof and includes a three-piece set of animals, food and exciting things from the sea.

The learning and bath fun toy is made up of three, soft and waterproof books titled “Submarine World,” Delicious Food” and Animal Paradise. There are four colorful pages in each book that will enhance their bath time with funny stories told with a voice that will make him laugh each time he presses the button.

Waterproof, non-toxic and totally safe, the Tumama Baby Shower Bath Book is the perfect toy to introduce to your child’s bath time fun. You can find other toys that will also enhance your child’s bath time and make it a fun time.

Toys That Help Toddlers Get Physical Activity

Physical activity is a highly important part of your child’s developmental progress. It can also be unnerving to watch your child try to climb and maneuver structures that could make him fall.

Thankfully, there are toys available today that not only encourages a toddler to try new physical activities but are safe and inspiring to keep him trying new things. Physical activity toys can be both entertaining and educational and will tweak their imaginations and help them gain self-confidence.

Child developmental experts say that children under five years of age should have about three hours per day of more intensive physical activity including running, climbing and jumping and some light activities such as board games and walking.

Physical development toys are readily available to help your toddler build muscle and confidence as he learns various sports and activities that will increase his confidence as he moves from toys to actual sports.

The Sportstastic Activity Center is specially designed to teach toddlers how to kick, climb, slide and dunk. There are three sports to choose from in this activity center – basketball, baseball and soccer.

There’s also a mini-slide that teaches how to climb the ladder and slide down. The toy comes with all the necessary accessories and can be stored within storage spaces located on the outer wall of the activity center.

Mimicking their parents is one of the most fun and rewarding things a toddler can do. And, it can also teach and provide a good deal of exercise if they have the right tools. The Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House! Dust, Sweep & Mop Set is the perfect toy to teach and also build muscles and coordination.

The Dust, Sweep & Mop Set contains six pieces to help your toddler learn about housekeeping and other chores through play. While learning, they’ll also develop motor skills by using the broom, mop, duster and brush. This toy also comes with a storage tree to keep the accessories in place.

Watch your toddler explore new heights with the ECR4Kids SoftZone Climb and Crawl Play Set. It’s a five piece foam structure set of bright colors that encourages the toddler to take action and develop motor skills while having fun.

Your child can use a cylinder, slide, hemisphere and a rectangular prism to encourage your toddler to explore. You can configure the pieces in various ways to always make it interesting for your child.

You can feel good about the safety of your child because each piece is covered with reinforced, phthalate-free vinyl that is certified for exceeding low emissions for indoor product use.

There’s no end to the protection and care that a parent feels for a child. Toddlers are more prone to accidents because they’re exploring and trying out new things. Make it easy for them to play and grow by choosing toys that can play a part in their overall development.

Research toys online and choose from a wide array of specially designed toys that will both delight and teach your child to better help him or her to meet the world and excel in it.Top of Form