The Best Gifts for Toddlers (with non-toxic options!)

Find the best gifts for toddlers including non-toxic, screen free options! If you are struggling to find the perfect gift for the toddler in your life, but also want to find clean, low-tox options without breaking the bank, look no further. I know how hard it can be to find gifts your kids will love and play with, promote learning and are ALSO non-toxic. It’s tough! So I’ve compiled the best options with many that are not only non-toxic, but tried and true favorites of my own toddler!

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Wooden Gifts

When considering gifts for toddlers, I always choose wood if I can for a few reasons. First, wood is more durable than plastic and much better for the environment. Wood toys tend to be made much simpler than flashy, light-up plastic toys so they offer toddlers more open-ended play and encourage use of the imagination. Lastly, plastic can be toxic compared to wood so children playing with wooden toys have reduced exposure to chemicals like BPA and PVC. This doesn’t mean we have no plastic toys at our house, but we definitely look for wood options first.

Wooden Blocks

Blocks are a classic and we love these fun colored STEM stacking stones. They are made of pine wood and painted with a water-based non-toxic paint.

Wooden Musical Instruments

These might be a parent’s nightmare, but playing instruments helps toddlers with sensory development and gives them an outlet for creativity and emotions. So maybe add a pair of ear plugs if you choose this one!

Melissa & Doug Wooden Farm Set

Every toddler needs a farm set with animals. These promote language as they begin learning animal names and sounds as well as independent creative play. And they’re just a lot of fun!

Kitchen Standing Tower

We love this standing tower for toddlers. It will help you safely get your toddler involved in the kitchen and helping make food!

Wooden Climbing Set

My toddler loves this Montessori climbing set and I love it too! It offers him a way to climb safely, improve his coordination, work on balance and get movement.

Learning Gifts

At the toddler age, learning through play and having sensory experiences is my main focus for my son to learn about the world around him. However, there are definitely some learning toys that we’ve invested in to promote focused learning on letters, numbers and shapes, etc.

Sensory Bins

Sensory bins promote sensory exploration in toddlers and help them to work on their motor skills. It keeps them busy learning, especially if they are playing with friends or siblings!

Wooden Beads Sequencing Set

This is a fun gift that will help your toddler with their sorting, sequencing and fine motor skills. Plus they will love playing with the fun shaped blocks.

Personalized Name Puzzle

Toddlers love puzzles and this one is no exception. This puzzle is great for toddlers who are learning letters and how to spell their own names.

Wooden Clock

We love this toy at my house. My son can practice shapes, numbers, colors and eventually he will be able to practice telling time.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Magnetic Letters

Every toddler needs some fridge letter magnets. These wooden ones are a better option than the plastic you may have had as a kid!

Wooden Reading Blocks

This is a fun learning activity for toddlers to identify pictures to learn letters and basic 3 letter words. This is more directed learning, but is very basic and helps children with language as well.

Alphabet Matching Game

I love a simple alphabet matching game with pictures to encourage my toddler to improve attention to detail and attention span! He can play this with his big brother and they both have fun!

Busy Board

This busy board is an easy, mess-free way to keep a toddler busy when you need to. It folds up nicely and takes up little space. It has been a life saver for us on trips!

Montessori Kitchen Utensils

I love these Montessori kitchen utensils. They encourage toddlers to participate in meal making. Studies show involving children in food preparation does influence them to be more likely to eat the food if they had a hand in making it.

Role Play Gifts

Role Play is a great way for kids to use their imagination and explore. It helps them make sense of real-life situations, builds cultural awareness and encourages their creativity. It can also help them grow their language and communication skills. Role play gifts for kids are probably some of my favorites!

Wooden Tea Set

Your little one will love to have her own tea party with this adorable set.

Doctor Set

Allow your toddler to play pretend with this adorable doctor set.

Explorer Kit

I love a good explorer kit, something my kids can use to get outside and start looking at the world through different lenses.

Dentist Kit

This dentist kit is a really great way to get kids familiar with dental equipment in a fun, safe play environment. It can help promote positive associations and help them feel more relaxed at a dental appointment.

Wooden Makeup/Salon Toy Set

This adorable set is an another way to promote imaginative play and allow children to gain confidence while modeling mom or a hairdresser.

Wooden Toolkit Set

It’s in children’s nature, especially little boys, to want to build and this toy encourages them in that. This toolkit will help them with their fine motor skills and also to problem solve in a fun way.

Cleaning Supplies

Toddlers love to model what others do and this is a way to allow them to do that but also teach them some life skills early on. My son loves to help me clean and he loves having his own set of cleaning supplies so we can do it together.

Toddler Kitchen

This is another gift that encourages toddlers to mimic what they see mom and dad doing in the kitchen and spark their curiosity for real world activities. I’m a firm believer that all toddlers need a play kitchen at some point. it’s such a great way to facilitate their imaginative and independent play. I like this wooden one; it’s adorable and simple without plastic or too many frills.

Bath Toys

Non-Toxic Mold Free Bath Toys

It’s hard to find bath toys that don’t mold, but these silicon boats are a hit in our house and mold-free thus far!

TRUKID Bubble Podz

These non-toxic bubbles make a great stocking stuffer! Many common brands of bubbles are full of chemicals but we love these Bubble Podz that have minimal toxin-free ingredients.

Honey Sticks Bath Crayons

These washable bath crayons are a huge hit at our house. They are made of beeswax and soy wax and colored with non-toxic food grade colors. They are tons of fun In the tub and can also be used on glass and mirrors.

Outdoor Toys

We love to incorporate as much outdoor time in our days as we can and being outside in the fresh air and sun encourages movement and health in children and adults. Most moms I know want their kids to be active and play outside as opposed to sitting indoors on a screen. Here are some classic outdoor gifts that will keep your toddlers busy and enjoying the outdoors.

Urban Infant Non-Toxic Sidewalk Chalk

What kid doesn’t like sidewalk chalk? This non-toxic version of the outdoor play staple is made with child-safe pigments and is also durable enough for little hands. The fun part of this particular chalk is that it includes a booklet of hopscotch games that you can draw and play with your little ones!

Gardening Set

Encourage your little one to work alongside you in the garden with this gardening set. This set comes with the tools to garden, 3 seed starter containers and 3 packs of seeds (tomato, strawberry & sunflower) amongst many other things. Gardening is known to be good for kiddos by enhancing mood and reducing anxiety, basically the same benefits adults get from gardening!

Basketball Hoop

Get your toddler outside to get some physical activity with a classic basketball hoop. Everyone in the family can play together while the toddler will be building social skills, and working on hand-eye coordination at the same time.

Toddler Trampoline

Trampolines are very popular but are not the safest for little people, especially those under 6. I’m personally ok with the little toddler trampoline and my son loves it. It’s a good way for him to burn energy and I monitor him closely. Make the choice that’s best for your family!

Water Table

A water table can keep a toddler busy for a while and is a good option to get your toddler excited to go outside and play. My son loves his table and I love that it promotes a sensory experience, imaginative and independent play.

Splash Pad

I often get my kids summer gifts at Christmas so we are ready and prepared with some fun options when the warm weather arrives. This splash pad is one I got my toddler last Christmas and once the weather warmed up, we got it out and he loved it.

Arts & Crafts

LCD Doodle Pad

This drawing pad is a well-loved resource for airplane rides or car trips! We always keep it packed in our bag with a few other small toys and it has saved us a time or two on trips!

Kid Made Modern Beeswax Crayons

I love crayons, but prefer this non-toxic beeswax crayon over the more common paraffin wax crayons that can contain lead and even asbestos.

Melissa & Doug Giant Coloring Pad

The toddler on your list will need a jumbo coloring pad to go with the non-toxic beeswax crayons!

Honey Sticks Watercolors

I love to let my toddler explore his creativity with watercolors, and I also love that they are non-toxic and made with food grade ingredients!

Water Doodle Mat

I can let my toddler play on this mat and not worry about him writing on the walls because the pens are filled with water. He colors on the mat and it disappears after about a 3-10 minutes so he can start coloring again! For a toddler with a short attention span, this is a fabulous gift!

Veggie Baby Finger Paint

These vegan finger paints are organic veggies and even edible for kids older than 6 months! It allows your toddler the fun sensory experience of finger painting, but without the worry of them putting their fingers in their mouths. It’s a little messy for cleanup, but what finger paints aren’t?

Melissa & Doug Finger Paint Paper Pad

Be prepared and make sure you have a finger paint paper pad to go with your finger paints, otherwise you might have a toddler ready to paint the walls!

Play Dough

I am all about making my own things, and you can certainly make your own play dough, but if you are looking for convenience, this is a great option. This play dough is non-toxic and made of food-grade ingredients. It provides a fun sensory experience to facilitate your toddler’s imagination and creativity!

Books

Psalm 23 – A Colors Primer

Invest in your toddler’s heart health with a book on Psalm 23 and colors. I love to incorporate Scripture or Biblical themes into anything my children receive and this set of books is a really awesome choice.

Our God – A Shapes Primer

Teaching about God and shapes at the same time. What could be better!

First Bible Words

Toddler Bible

Other Non-Toxic Gifts

Piggy Paint Nail Polish

All little girls want to paint their nails like their mama’s. Feel good about the nail polish you are putting on your toddler and choose Piggy Paint, a lower tox nail polish for kids!

Toy Trucks

You can’t go wrong with a classic toy truck. My son loves any truck toy that is placed in front of him! This eco friendly brand is a better option made of recycled plastic with no PVC’s or BPA’s.

Baby Doll

Every little girl wants a baby doll and this beautiful handmade Waldorf doll makes a great gift that she’ll love.

Balance Bike

The balance bike is made for younger toddlers as it helps them practice balance and coordination as well as their confidence on a bike.

Toniebox Audio Player

This cool little contraption will allow your toddler to listen to stories and music without the flash and glare of a screen. This is a great way to keep your child busy with an activity you can feel good about while helping them focus on their listening skills.