Welcome to PART ONE of our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide Series. We've looked into what the "big-box" retailers, experts, kids, and parents have on the top of their lists for little ones (age 1 to 5), and put together our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Littles. Check it out, and stay tuned for our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide for Moms, Dads, Big Kids, and our NEW guide featuring "Experience Gifts"!
AGES 1 TO 3
These personalized children's books by the Minnesota company "I See Me!" have been a favorite of ours since our oldest child was an infant. The pages are bright and vivid, and the stories are captivating. They make a perfect life-long gift.
I See Me! Personalized Books: Starting at $29.99
(get 25% OFF ALL book bundles using code BUNDLE through November 21st, 2016)
Our 1-year-old loves this activity center! It's recommended for children age 6-36 months, and has a "stages switch", so the toy grows with your child. There is so much for little ones to explore, touch, and learn with this activity center.
Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Learning Center: Target, $39.99
Our oldest child received this B. Toys "Par Rum Pum Pum" drum and instrument set for her first birthday, and five years later BOTH of our kids are still playing with it. B. Toys are found at Target, and it's one of my favorite toy brands, as they're at a reasonable price-point for the quality of products that you're buying.
Parrum Pum Pum: Target, $21.99
Our 5-year-old received three of these Photicular books from our cousins recently, and she loves them. So does our 1-year-old! You can find these books at Whole Foods, Amazon, and they are a great gift to give to any young child. Little ones can enjoy them now, and for years to come, as the books include fun facts to read inside.
A Photicular Book: Amazon, $18 to $26
AGES 3 TO 5
Little ones can listen and learn the animal alphabet with the new Animal Planet Animal Alphabet Playpad. This touchpad allows kids to learn animal sounds, spelling, and names with the touch of a button. Great for on-the-go learning!
Animal Planet Animal Alphabet Playpad: $29.38, Walmart
This is on the top of our 5-year-old's Christmas list. Kids can create their own lip gloss flavors, and then serve them as ice cream! There's even an ice-cream dispenser on this toy truck to dispense lip gloss from.
Num Noms Lip Gloss Truck: Amazon, $32.99
When little ones hit the "I want an American Girl Doll" phase, the struggle is REAL. Those dolls are spendy! However, Walmart has a line of "My Life As" Dolls at a much lower price-point. And new this year, is the "My Life As" Food Truck: An 18-inch, moveable food truck, that allows "My Life As" Dolls to fit inside. The truck comes with dozens of mini-food pieces, and a flip-up menu and chalkboard.
My Life As Dolls: $27.97, Walmart
My Life As Food Truck: $99, Walmart
This foldable tent is great for indoor or outdoor play. It has a zipper-free door, which is safe for kids, comes in a variety of colors and designs, and has a fast and easy set up with durable wooden poles.
Discovery Kids Foldable Tent: $69.99, Toys R Us
Paw Patrol's Zoomer Marshall is an interactive pup that comes to life. It walks, talks, spins, and with the wave of your hand you can get him to follow you. Press down on his head and you'll get him to say over 150 Paw Patrol sayings and sounds.
Paw Patrol Zoomer Marshall Interactive Pup: $69.99, Toys R Us
Little Passports is an adventure subscription-plan for kids age 3+. Every month (you can pick a plan that runs as long or as short as you'd like), the recipient receives a package in the mail filled with fun and educational activities, games, and projects. We ordered a 3-month subscription for our daughter when she was 3.5 years old, and she loved opening her special package that came in the mail each month! Over a year later, the colorful map of the world that she got in one of her packages is still being utilized... By BOTH of our kids!
Little Passports: Subscriptions start at $11.95/month
(save $20 on any 12-month subscription with code THANKS20 through November 21st, 2016)