It has been awhile since I updated our gift lists, so I thought it was time. Most of these are going to be suitable for the 3 to 5 year old age range, but they may be ok for kids who are a little older or younger. When looking at gifts, I try to select a good range of prices and accessibility- lots of relatives are only going to shop on Amazon because it is familiar, but I will include lots of links for great small shops as well! My daughter attends a Montessori Primary program, so at home we now have mostly open ended toys, art supplies, and just a few of her favorite work items-- so those are the things that I usually add on these lists.
Another question that usually comes up this time of year is "What do I do with the less than desirable gifts that just don't fit with our parenting philosophies?" I have a few suggestions. Of course practice gratitude for the thought and love that went into selecting a gift for your child, even if it is something you would not have selected. Still, I am a firm believer in Marie Kondo's philosophy that sometimes gifts have served their purpose by being given, and we should not feel like we have to hold on to something that truly does not bring joy. (for reals this is not easy for me, but it is a work in progress!) So what can you do with the stuff? 1) Car toys or outdoor toys (it can get lost and dirty and then you can get rid of it) 2)Keep at Aunt/Uncle/Grandma's house as something special that they can use there. 3)Put it away until your child forgets about it, and then donate it to a children's hospital, toys for tots or other charity. Oh, and 4)this is pre-emptive, but convince your family to draw names for kids! With all of the weirdness this year, our family with 10 neices and nephews agreed to this, and I am excited to see how it goes. Hopefully these are some helpful tips to reduce the stress for everyone! Enjoy these gift recs! (Includes affiliate links from Amazon or other affiliate programs provided at no cost to you)
Practical items-
For Small hands is an excellent resource if a gift list isn't for you, but you would still like to give some guidance. All of the items they offer are open ended or Montessori inspired, so you really can't go wrong!
Lovevery Play Kits also make great gifts and they now have playkits all the way to age 4!
Building items- as my daughter gets older, the more she gravitates towards her blocks! Here are some of our favorites:
LSP (the rainbow blocks above)
The large stepped Pyramid is a great set of beautiful blocks with extra grip to help keep structures stable.
These BEAUTIFUL sparkle blocks from Rosebud Toy Co. Beautiful Sparkle Blocks
Grimm's 1001 Nights blocks And other great Grimm's sets here>
An open ended element to add to block play or any activity, really.
Ball runs are a fun, creative way to build and experiment, and this can be easily combined with other building elements. I love that the pieces in this set are so large.
Dollhouses or Barns- We rotate the two in our home, and they are used every day
Tender Leaf Toys Dollhouse (message me on facebook if you would like the referral coupon for The Tot) Or this Drewart dollhouse for a more natural look.
My favorite dollhouse, it is huge, and our other Tender Leaf Toy items are really well made
Not Montessori, but my daughter loves these Maileg mice!
Barn- (click photo) Beautiful, a great price point, ours is used all the time! Check out
Tractor Supply (they do BOGO 50% around Black Friday and have tons of
Schleich, or HappyHenToys.com for Schleich, Papo, Mojo, or CollectA)
Art Supplies-
Art Supplies for Kids | The Natural Baby Company (tons of beautiful supplies here)
dough rollers - Yellow Door Dough Rollers
eco cutters These are so intricate and beautiful 😍
Crayon Rocks Great for small hands
Confetti and gluebox (favorite!) (click photos)
Trucks/vehicles/train tracks
Fagus are amazing if you are lucky enough to snag one when they restock-FAGUS- Happy Monkey Shop, Fagus -TNBC
The Ikea Train set is excellent for the price, and ours gets a lot of play
The Guidecraft Roadway is very large and easy for little hands to put together.
(click photo)
We also love simple diecast vehicles- the schoolbus is a favorite (click photo)
This Hape dump truck is super sturdy and large for small hands(click photo)
This garbage truck is my daughter's favorite, and the favorite of any kid that comes to play!
(click photo)
Musical instruments-
The Loog guitar is well made, has great sound, and has only 3 strings for simplified learning.
Loog Mini Guitar | The Best Kids' Guitar
from: Loog Guitars
Books- really not the most exciting gift to give, but easily the most well loved in our home!
More book suggestions below (just click book to follow link)
The Natural Baby Company - Tons of great brands and free shipping over $49!
from: The Natural Baby Company & GroVia
My Toy Wagon - Bumbu, Plan Toys, Nurture Play Australia, Jolly Designs, Bauspiel, Drewart, Papoose, Skandico, excellent rewards program
Happy Monkey Miami- Maileg, Drewart, Minikane, Grapat, Bauspiel, Fagus, Abel, rewards program
Mom's Milk Botique - Maileg, Plan Toys, Craft items, Tonies, super cute freebies and great rewards!
German Mommy- all the favorite German brands except Grimm's, rewards program and they have great sales
Rosa La Belle A beautiful collection of thoughtful items, reward programs, and the owner is fantastic!
Little Happy Ogles Carefully painted peg dolls and more at an amazing price point- perfect for stocking stuffers! Use code Member10 for a discount
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