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We all know toddlers and preschoolers often have waaaay too many toys, so if you are here for some unique and “outside the toy box” gift ideas then I have you covered! If you are a minimalist mom then this gift guide is perfect because it only includes practical, unique, creative, and essential items that actually get used by toddlers, preschoolers, and beyond.
I have broken down this list of unique gift ideas for toddlers and preschoolers into three categories: fun, practical, and educational.
Some of these items could be adapted for any age group and some can be used by a wide range of ages. This list of unique gift ideas is best for the ages 2 to 5 (ish).
Unique Gifts for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Fun
There are so many gift guides out there for children and the advertisements make children “want” it all. This can make it super overwhelming choosing the perfect gift. I’m guessing since you are here you are looking for something a little more unique, so in the “Fun” section, I’ve curated a selection of items that may be a little unexpected.
These are toys, activities, and supplies that have stood the test of time with my children and the hundreds of children I taught in a preschool classroom. These picks are not just fun but also encourage creativity, curiosity, and exploration, making playtime a meaningful and engaging experience.
1. Play Silks are probably my most recommended gift because they are really great for all ages from babies through big kids. Think peekaboo all the way to fort building. We own several Sarah’s Silks and they are the best texture and quality. I prefer the standard play silk size, but they also have mini and giant along with streamers, crowns, costumes, and more! I suggest getting a bundle and keeping an eye out for sales (or use my code TOYBOX10 to save 10% off your entire order).
2. Kinetic Sand. Did you know that Kinetic Sand does not dry out? It is one of the reasons it is one of my favorite sensory play bases. It has such a great texture and is fairly easy to clean up too. You can get it in all sorts of colors or as part of a set, but the regular sand is a great place to start.
3. Digital Camera. Another one of my most recommended gifts for toddlers and preschoolers is a digital camera. They are so great for 2 years+ and it is so fun to see the world from their perspective. You can get this affordable option from Amazon or if you are looking for something a little more special (especially for Hello Kitty fans) I highly recommend the Kidamento x Hello Kitty Limited edition instant print camera.
4. Craft Supplies. Ok, this is another one of my favorite gifts to give. I know, I have already said that like three times, but these are all so good. What I love about craft supplies is that it is something used and doesn’t add to the clutter like some toys that trend from year to year.
Some of my favorite craft supplies to give as a gift are:
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- Airbrush marker set. We gave this to a friend when he turned 5 and he loved it. I love that it can be used as an airbrush or the markers can be used on their own.
- Skillmatics Foil Fun. This is our latest favorite craft. It is mess-free as long as you don’t count all the little pieces that you have to peel off for the foil to stick on.
- Kwik Stix Paint sticks. These go on so smooth and dry almost immediately.
- Colored tape. So many fun uses for colored masking tape. You can create activities for them or let them use it to create.
- Calligraphy mat, paint with water, watch it evaporate, then paint again. It’s a really unique gift for toddlers and preschoolers.
- Tivi Tray keeps messy activities contained and easy to set up/clean up!
- Or opt for a perfectly themed and curated craft supply box like My Creative Box
5. Sensory Tools. This particular set of tools is a classic and can be used for so many sand, water, and other types of sensory bins. It might be extra fun to create a little sensory box to give with these tools.
I also love a beautifully premade sensory kit like the ones from The Sensory Mess.
6. Makedo tools are kid-safe cardboard creating tools. They are great for older kids from about 5+ independently and 3+ with adult assistance. I have used them in a preschool classroom and at home with my two children under 5 years old. If you have a crafty kid, this would make an excellent gift! (Use code OTTB10 to save 10% off your entire order)
7. A bluetooth microphone is one of those classic toys that gets used so regularly that when our first one broke we replaced it immediately. This gift is especially great for toddlers and preschoolers who love to sing and perform.
8. Instruments are another gift that has longevity from babies to big kids. My daughter received an instrument set when she was one and she still uses them regularly at 5 years old.
Here are some favorites:
- The Lovevery Music Set, which I think has a great variety of instruments that are not as commonly found in other kid’s music sets.
- Amazon Set
- Hape Nature Inspired set has a super cute theme.
- Ukulele. We gave one to my daughter last year and it is well-loved.
9. An audio player. Our favorites are definitely the Yoto mini and the Toniebox. I believe both have benefits.
The Yoto mini is better for travel and the cards are more cost effective to collect.
The Toniebox is easier for younger toddlers to navigate and the characters are super fun.
10. Magnetic Tiles. Open-ended toys make a fun and useful gift for toddlers or preschoolers. Magnetic tiles are some of the most used toys by my kids, the many kids I have observed in my preschool classes, and many from the Outside the Toy Box community.
Here are some sets we love:
11. Color changing lights. Speaking of open-ended play, we have had so much fun with these simple color changing lights. They are fun with sensory play, building, playing in the dark, and all sorts of creative play.
12. Light box. I always wanted a lightbox in my preschool classroom, but they were always quite pricey. I used to DIY my lightbox, but when I found this $25 lightbox I knew that was well worth the price. It even comes with translucent shapes and transparent design cards. Definitely one I will be gifting to toddlers and preschoolers.
13. This balance beam and stepping stone set is from Battat, the same brand as the lightbox, and it is also super well worth the price at only $40! You can change it to different configurations and it stores really compactly too.
14. Wiggle Car. Both of our children received wiggle cars for Christmas a couple years ago and they have been used EVERY. DAY. since! So much fun and probably one of our most used toys.
15. Calico Critters Red Roof Country Home Gift Set. Calico Critters are the most adorable little figurines that my daughter has loved since she was just one year old and continues to love at 5 years old. Pretend play is so beneficial and these characters provide all sorts of details that inspire lots of communication and making connections to their own lives. This set includes over 50 accessories and 2 Critters. The home can be opened for play at 90-degrees, 180-degrees, and any angle in-between. Home also closes for more play options and easy storage. Home lights up 3 lamps included.
Unique Gifts for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Practical
Sometimes children have all they want and it’s best to find something a little more practical. In the “Practical” section, I focus on those useful items that are perfect for growing toddlers and preschoolers. These gifts are designed to support their everyday needs and make parenting a little bit easier.
And, honestly, sometimes children love the practical, everyday gifts just as much as other things that get tossed aside after a few play sessions.
I’ve also considered some of the developmental milestones at this age. They might be potty training, making underwear essential, or learning to ride a bike, so a helmet becomes practical.
Other items, like shoes, rain boots, and cozy PJ’s, can work for literally any age group. That’s what’s great about the “Practical” section for unique gifts for toddlers and preschoolers—it’s all about providing useful options that suit their needs and milestones.
- Toothbrush Toys. Toothbrushing time is often a struggle in our house, so I look for anything to keep things new and exciting. I love how the Toothbrush Toys are fun and come with a book and a story that you can watch when you scan a QR code. You can collect the different characters or replace the heads of their favorite ones. We have Aqua the mermaid and Chompers the shark.
2. Tooth Fairy Flylight. Children start losing their teeth typically around kindergarten and the Tooth Fairy Flylight is an awesome idea that creates a magical experience around losing a tooth. It comes with a light where you can put the lost tooth, a book to give more context to the tooth fairy, and a journal to keep track of all the lost teeth.
3. Water bottle. I feel like there is no one perfect water bottle. I have tested a few and my favorites do not leak even when left open, are very durable, and are easy to clean. I also look for ones where the straw can be covered (it just seems more sanitary to me). I really like the Simple Modern Stainless Steel water bottle with straw or the Contigo.
4. Sheets. Sheets might seem like a really boring gift, but they are very practical and you would be surprised how many toddlers and preschoolers love some fun-printed sheets. We love these ones with the car and road print, but check out all their prints.
5. Bath supplies. This one can be fun or practical, depending on which direction you go. You could get some cool bath toys or you could go with soap, washcloths, towels (I love these hooded towels with snap closures, or bath bombs (which also can be fun too).
6. Play table. There are so many great options out there. I have seen so many cool ideas with the Flisat table from IKEA, but we never had one. I have personally enjoyed the weaning table from Sprout Kids and this KidKraft table has been great for snacks and activities.
7. Helmet. If your child is learning to ride a bike, scooter, skateboard, or roller skates, then a helmet will be necessary and super practical. Here’s the one we have and it has worked well for us.
8. Underwear. With potty training fresh on my mind, underwear seems like a very good practical gift. There are so many cute styles and prints, but my tips are to choose ones that are easy to put on and to size up when they are first starting to make it easier for them to take on and off. Boys underwear and girls underwear
9. Shoes. For shoes that make a great unique gift for toddlers and preschoolers, definitely check out Kazoom Kids! Your child will love their STEM designs and you will love how easy they are to put on without them falling off easily. They are super durable too. We have owned several and have been able to pass them down with plenty of life left in them.
10. PJ’s. My daughter went through a big nightgown phase, where that is all that she would wear. They became a favorite practical gift. I also love the Cat & Jack Soft Brushed Pajamas. They are soooo soft!
11. Hair accessories. We recently bought these Disney Princess bows for a friend and I see them in her hair almost every time we see them. I like getting clips or some sort of small hair accessory for a stocking stuffer at Christmastime.
12. Rey to Z Hat. These letter hats are adorable, high quality, and make a great unique gift for toddlers and preschoolers. There are lots of ways to customize and they have baseball hats, beanies, and clothing.
Unique Gifts for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Educational
One of my favorite unique gifts for toddlers and preschoolers is books and things for learning through play. The “Educational” section features a carefully curated collection of books and educational tools perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. I chose titles with unique features, such as interactive elements, vibrant illustrations, and engaging stories that encourage a love for reading. And as a huge advocate for learning through play, it is always fun to include something that they can use for hands-on learning.
- Lovevery Reading Skill Set. The Lovevery Reading skill set definitely has to be number one for this section. As an early childhood teacher and mom of two young children, I am truly so impressed with this reading set. It is broken down into three parts (you can purchase separately or as a bundle) and it seamlessly takes your child from foundational skills all the way through reading chapter books. The quality of what you receive is amazing! Skills are taught through fun games and the sequence was developed with reading experts. The books included in the set are excellent too! We have Part One and I have never seen decodable readers that allow for turn taking so that children can read at their skill level, but adults can add to it to make it much more interesting to read. It’s well worth the price, 10/10 would recommend this set Part One
2. Bustletown. As soon as we got our first Bustletown book, I knew we were going to need all of the books in the series. My kids were obsessed! These are large wordless board books. They are super durable and detailed. I love how you can follow multiple storylines just from looking at the illustrations.
3. Cali’s Books infinibook is probably the most unique sound book I have come across. You get booklets to put into the reader, which makes each sound book much more affordable. There are two methods to listen to the story, the prerecorded or you can record your own reading. There are also comprehension games that rotate through various questions at the end of each book. Seriously such a great unique gift for a toddler or preschooler.
4. Mereader books. We own several Mereader book sets and they are a favorite, especially for travel. I love how my young kids can listen to stories independently using the tablet reader. Here’s a link for the Frozen MeReader
5. Flashlight books. My kids love their flashlights so these books go perfectly with that interest. Interactive books are a great unique gift for toddlers and preschoolers. Getting them interested in reading is perfect for this age group.
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- The Shine-a-Light books have several different topics. You use a flashlight to reveal hidden images. Here’s a link for the Construction Site Shine-a-Light
- The Three Little Pigs (Pop-up Shadow Stories) is such a unique idea with pop-up pages you use a flashlight to create shadows to enhance the story.
6. Highlights Hello or Highfive subscription. One of our Aunt’s gifted a Highlights Hello subscription when my daughter was just a baby and has continued to renew for us each year. It’s a gift that keeps on giving! Highlights are a classic and I love the baby magazines (Hello) because they are really durable, we continue to use them as bath books.
7. Board Games. While children don’t typically start to play structured games until about 4 or 5 years old, there are plenty of great cooperative games and super simple games that you can start with as young as 2 years old. My favorite first games are from HABA. They are simple, cooperative, and have pieces that are fun to play with on their own. Find my favorite first games here.
8. Puzzles. Here are just a few of my favorites:
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- Mideer Level Up: I love how these puzzles come in graduated levels so that your child can master jigsaw puzzles at their level.
- Melissa and Doug Giant Jigsaw. I always had some of these in my preschool classrooms and they held up to lots of use.
- Large as Life is such a unique concept for a puzzle. It has trivia on the back side of each piece, special shape pieces, and the puzzle is the actual size of the animal pictured. We know all about King Penguins and now I really want the Red Panda puzzle.
- Domino & Juliette Find and Fit puzzles have silicone pieces that are soft, safe, and super easy to clean, which makes them great for well beyond the puzzle. Think with play dough, oobleck, water, sensory bins, and even cooking projects.
9. Learning Resources ABC Cookies are great for pretend play, activities, and this set comes with learning games to go with the cookies.
10. Flags Around the World Sticker Book and Flags. My kids were really interested in flags for a while and so I took that interest and found some fun ways to learn more.
11. HABA Magnetic Game Box ABC. This one is great for at home or on-the-go. You can play and then store it all in the box it comes in.
12. Playfoam Sand ABC Cookies. This is a fun sensory set that comes with the softest play dough sand and letter cookie stamps.
13. Numberblocks 1-10 set. My kids have learned so much about numbers and math concepts from Numberblocks. This set comes with Mathlink cubes that can also be turned into the characters from the show. It also comes with activity cards that extend specific episodes from the show.
14. Express Your Feelings Sensory Bottles. I love these sensory bottles for so many reasons. They are very durable, they have expressive faces, and the fillers match how the emotions often feel. My kids absolutely love them and play with them like figurines.
15. Alphabet car magnetic puzzle. This one is a favorite for on-the-go as well. It is such a neat puzzle where kids can match upper and lowercase letters on cars and their parking spots. All the pieces are contained in a plastic covering so there are no loose pieces to lose when you are out and about.
16. Learning Resources Alphabet Learning Mailbox. A mailbox is so fun to have for pretend play and it definitely encourages writing. I love this set because it also comes with letter matching puzzles, reusable post cards and reusable stamps.
17. LCD writing tablet. This has been one of our most used and most loved travel toys. It’s such a budget-friendly option for a unique gift for toddlers or preschoolers that I know they will love. I’ll link the one we have and love, but there are many options out there that are great.
18. Lakeshore Real-Working Cash Register. This one is seriously so fun for children who love math and pretend play. My son was amazed that he could do actual calculations and find the answer to all his curiosities around number combinations. This one is really durable and comes with realistic money.
19. Lakeshore Remote-Control Gear Bot is double the fun! My preschool students always loved building with gears, and now they can take it to the next level by building AND controlling their creation with a remote! My 3 and 5-year-olds are obsessed.
Final Thoughts
Whatever you decide to get as a gift for your toddler or preschooler, my hope is that you consider your child and gift intentionally.