Unique Gifts for Toddlers and Preschoolers This Year

There's a reason the Pottery Barn Anywhere Chair is one of the most popular gifts for toddlers! My kids each have one, and they use them every single day. You can't go wrong with this one as a thoughtful, personalized gift.

A water table is always a great gift for young kids. In the summer, it's a great outdoor activity to keep them busy and cool. In the winter, it can come inside to be a sensory table, filled with beads, sand, rice, or whatever sensory items you've got!

Ride-on cars are always a hit with toddlers – anything to express their newfound independence, amiright? This one is so cute and unique – your kid will be cruising in style.

Click the link to see the other adorable options available, too... there's also a fire truck, an airplane, and a few other retro styles for both boys and girls!

Don't you wish you could put all your toddler's energy to good use? Now you can. We have the real version of this Dyson cordless vacuum (and I'm in love with it, for the record...), and my kids constantly want to "help" me when I pull it out to clean up.

I love that they'll be able to tag along with their very own vacuum (so they don't smash mine...), and that it has *actual* suction so they can do their dang part around here for a change.

My daughter got this set as a 2nd birthday gift, and it is just the cutest. Plus, it's high quality and sturdy – so the blocks will survive my kids' constant castle-building and smashing.

If there's one thing this crazy year has shown us as parents, it's that you can never have too many physical activities available to wear your kids out.

If you don't have the space (or money) for a full-sized playset in your yard, this is a great alternative option that they can climb all over and burn off some energy during long days at home.

If there's one thing toddlers universally love, it's themselves. Seeing their face and name in a book will blow their minds. It's super easy to customize this book on Shutterfly (and they have great deals and sales all the time, so keep an eye out!).

Our Pottery Barn plush rocker is one of my favorite toys at our house. It's a toy, a stuffed animal, and playroom decor, all in one. It's a perfect gift for any animal-loving toddler!

We've had it for four years now – since my oldest's first birthday – and it's gotten heavy use in that time. But you'd never know it... it still looks brand new.

I love Baby Einstein's "Magic Touch" line of musical toys. I think I have just as much fun playing with them as my toddler and preschooler do!

Who didn't want one of these giant piano mats growing up?! Admit it, you wanted one, and you probably still do. Do yourself a favor, and get this gift for your kids... and yourself.

If your toddler or preschooler doesn't have a balance bike yet... you need one! We got this one for my son when he turned 3, and by the time he was 4.5, he was riding a regular pedal bike, with no problems at all. It was amazing!

I love this Strider Balance Bike in particular, because it has a pedal conversion kit. So you get a little more use out of it, and it makes the transition to pedals a bit easier for your kiddo.

Magnetic tiles are my favorite gift for toddlers. They've consistently been my 2- and 4-year-olds' favorite thing to play with, for years. Literally – years. I can't think of a single other toy or activity in my house that's gotten as much play time as these.

If your kid doesn't have them yet, get them. NOW!

Wiggle Cars are a super fun gift for energetic toddlers. Whether they use it inside or outside, it'll be sure to burn off some of their endless energy and keep them busy.

Are you seeing a trend in this year's list? I'm all about gifts that exert energy for my rambunctious kids! I love these balance boards as gifts for toddlers, because they can be used so many different ways.

It can be a balance board, or a bridge, or a racetrack, or a doll bed... the possibilities are endless, and it can really spark your toddler's imagination.

My 2.5-year-old daughter is suddenly very into dress-up, so I can't wait for her to get this princess dress-up trunk as a gift this year. She will love all the accessories and that she can put them on herself, since the dresses are in two pieces.

Activity cubes are always a great gift for young toddlers, but I love this one in particular. Not only is it high quality (as you'd expect from Hape toys), but the activities are great for a wide range of ages.

My 2- and 4-year-old both still play with it regularly (and in different ways), and it's still in great shape for my newborn to play with when he's old enough.

This Skip Hop scooter is another great energy-burning gift idea for toddlers. This one in particular is awesome, because it grows with your child. It has a removable seat and an extendable handlebar to adjust as your toddler grows.

This coloring poster would be a great gift for an older toddler or preschooler. I know my dinosaur-loving 4.5-year-old would love to color this in over a few different sessions, and practice his coloring in the lines.

For younger toddlers, just get a roll of craft paper and let them scribble – much cheaper and simpler. 🙂

Play-Doh sets are always a hit with toddlers and preschoolers. My son actually specifically requested this one in the Amazon Toy Guide this year, so it must be good.

My soon-to-be 5-year-old is getting this gift for his 5th birthday this year, and I know he's going to love it! Little boys love playing with power tools from a very young age – it's in their DNA, I guess.

So now that my son has the fine motor skills to actually use his very own drill to build things, and turn it into a remote control car, he's going to be over the moon.