My daughter is 2.5 years old, so we wanted to get her gifts that she can have fun with, but also learn from. In this post, I’ll share the items she got and why we love them for her.

I work from home full time right now due to the pandemic and am also taking care of my daughter full time at home due to lack of childcare because of the pandemic, so by the end of the day, I’m exhausted. If that sounds like you, you’re in for a treat because I was also sure to pick out a bunch of items that I can do with her while sitting on the couch. A win win for all.

The other great thing I did was create an Amazon wishlist (not sponsored) that I then shared with our family and friends and they were able to purchase the thing that resonated most with them that still fell into that learn and play category. And the other great thing is that this method didn’t take away from the surprise on Christmas day because we used the “don’t ruin my surprise” setting on the wishlist so items didn’t disappear from our view once they were purchased, but they did disappear from the list from the buyers view.

Now that you have all of that background info, let’s get into the actual items.

Gift Items My Toddler Received

JumpOff Jo Rocksteady Balance Stepping Stones

Linked here: https://amzn.to/34QgNhq

Why I love them:

Plastic blocks that you line up however you’d like and hop from one stone to the next.
They help her practice balancing.
Can be played with inside or outside.
Can grow with her because as she gets older she can space them out farther and create more challenging obstacles courses.
I also love that they fit into each other so they can easily be stored, but also would be easy to transport if we wanted to take them to the park or a friends house for a play date when the world opens back up.

MOLUK Bilibo in Pink

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3mUUVYd

Why I love it:

Shell shaped toy to arouses curiosity, engages the imagination, and encourages creativity
Encourages creativity (you can literally do whatever with the item, there’s no wrong way to us it) can be used to spin in, as a sled, as a stepping stone, etc.
For ages 2-8 so will grow with your child.
Allows kids to practice balance and coordination.

Mrs Potato Head:

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3hswGzA

Why I love it:

My daughter, already knows all of her body parts, but this is a great way to reinforce body part names and teach a child who doesn’t know their body parts.
This specific set has 35 pieces so I appreciate that it can encourage my daughter’s creativity. She can style the Mrs. Potato Head the way that she likes. I feel that encouraging creativity is just as important as practicing fine motor skills.
Speaking of fine motor skills, this toy also helps to develop those skills because the child has to get the little stem of the pieces into the small hole on the Mrs. Potato Head.

Melissa & Doug Take-Along Town

Linked here: https://amzn.to/37X4QrZ

Why I love it:

Important to introduce children to toys made for all genders. There is nothing wrong with little girls playing with cars or little boys playing with baby dolls. In fact, they make male dolls specifically for little boys.
During play, we talk about the colors of the cars and the roles the different emergency vehicles play in our society.

Melissa & Doug Birthday Party Cake

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3o05FFY

Why I love it:

My daughter loves making pretend birthday cakes to celebrate her loved one’s birthdays. This toy gives her the tools to do so for every occasion.
We like that it encourages imaginative play and that the cake slices are actually sliceable. She is able to pretend to bake the cake, decorate it and serve it all with this toy.

Melissa & Doug Ice Cream Cone Playset:

Linked here: https://amzn.to/37WGezG

Why I love it:

Encourages imaginative play
The ice cream scope helps to develop her fine motor skills because she has to hold the handle while pushing the button down.

Puzzles

Couldn’t find the exact ones I purchased, but Amazon has some similar products: 3D Dinosaur Wooden Puzzles: https://amzn.to/3hsZrMz

Color Wheel Puzzle: https://www.orientaltrading.com/color-wheel-puzzle-a2-13949985.fltr?sku=13949985&cm_mmc=GooglePLA--Free--Google-_-13949985&BP=PS544

Why I love Puzzles:

Encourages critical thinking and strategy
Low energy activity

Elefun

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3o2dhYH

Why I love it:

An indoor activity that lets my daughter exert a lot of energy
Helps with reenforcing colors
Helps develop hand eye coordination

Let’s Go Fishin’ Game

Linked here: https://amzn.to/38EF7DW

Why I love it:

Helps with strategizing and color development
low energy activity

Pooh’s Go-Together Game

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3puh7u3

Why I love it:

A matching game where kids match two items that go together.
Helps with critical thinking.
Low energy activity

Books, My Little Book of Dear God Letter

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3o4sUPy

Why I love it:

Reading together is a great bonding activity and can also reenforce vocabulary words, color associations, etc.

LeapFrog Tad’s Get Ready for School Book

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3nYCWBC

Why I love it:

Interactive book that teaches number, color, and letter recognition
Low energy activity

Little Tikes T-Ball Set

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3pE7B7P

Why I love it:

Helps with hand eye coordination

Obuby Walkie Talkies

Linked here: https://amzn.to/37YM2IM

Why I love it:

Encourages imaginative play
Family bonding

Smartwatch

Couldn’t find the exact one my daughter was gifted, so I’m linking a similar product: VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch: https://amzn.to/2WTm0k3

Why I love it:

Can help with number recognition
Can grow with my daughter

PJ Masks Sing & Talking Feature Plush

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3puWE8k

Why I love it:

Imaginative play

Star Belly Stuffed Animal

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3rGfdZk

Why I love it:

Night light and comforting toy

Baby Alive Baby Gotta Bounce Doll

Linked here: https://amzn.to/3o0CqD3

Why I love it:

Encourages imaginative play
Interactive doll

Final Thoughts

My daughter also received some additional gifts in the clothing and just for fun category. If you would like to explore the other items she received and/or hear more about my thoughts on the products, check out my YouTube video: https://youtu.be/2fZQ3zyQI2A