Did you know that we have a brand new list in our famous collection of gift guides this year?
I really think you’re gonna love it.
It’s a collection of more than 50 top-tier toys that are priced at $20 or less.
This could be one of the most useful pages you’ve come across on the internet for Christmas and the rest of the year in a long while!
Once your kids are a certain age, you find yourself spending a good number of your weekends at other kids’ birthday parties… and that can get expensive!
Wouldn’t it be great to have on hand a list of toys that the birthday boy or girl will truly love AND will cost you less than $20 a pop?
…Today I’m giving you a glimpse of just that list!
Don’t forget – you can check out all 15 of our 2016 Gift Guides here!
Also, I do my best throughout the year to keep our readers up-to-date on any sales I see on our gift guide items. To be in the loop, be sure to:
Get Daily Emails of All the Sales Here!
And speaking of sale, here are…
The toys from the $20 and under list that are currently on sale!
Lamaze Take Along Toys starting at $11.99 (6 months – 2 years) – over 30% off
Favorites include: $18.49 $12.98
Musical inchworm
$18.49
$12.98
Clip & Go Moose Mortimer
$14.99
$10.96
These lamaze toys were all the rage in the mommy and baby class I attended with my first son and it didn’t take us long to figure out why. They’re oversized, plush, and have lots of fun stuff for baby to pull and chew on. Plus they’re durable – all of ours lasted through all three kids. Along with Freddy the Firefly, our favorites were the moose and inchworm (which also plays music).
Now onto the rest of the list. There are over 50 toys on the following list, all described in detail and organized by age.
Bookmark and pin this list somewhere safe and refer to it whenever you need a winning kid gift!
Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag, 80-Piece (Classic)
$19.99
$11.24 (15 mos – 2 1/2 years)
I still remember my son receiving his first set of award-winning Megabloks for his first birthday. It took him a little while to figure out (kids typically grasp block building somewhere between 12 and 18 months), but once he did he started building like a mad man and never looked back!
All my mom friends and I love Mega Bloks for our youngest kiddos, even more than the classic LEGO duplos. The locking mechanism is just a little bit easier for beginners to put together and pull apart. Plus the colors are beautiful and the zippered bag is very handy.
Melissa & Doug Spray, Squirt and Squeegee Set
$15.99
$13.99 (walking – 6 years)
One of the most surprising things about having toddlers and preschoolers is seeing how much they absolutely LOVE to clean! We’ve had a broom and dust pan set for years. The kids really enjoy breaking it out to help with clean up when the opportunity arises or just using it to play pretend. Every toddler we know has this set and totally adores it and our 18 month old completely freaks out when he can’t find it.
This year, though, I’m totally eyeing this set- it comes with so much amazing stuff!!
With this set my toddler will get to spray, wipe, scrub, and even squeegee. Do you KNOW how much toddlers love, love, love to spray and wipe down windows, cabinets and anything else they can get their hands on?
This one is a sure slam dunk for any toddler on your list- guaranteed!
Sesame Street Elmo On the Go Letters
$14.99
$12.74 (2 – 4 years)
This suitcase full of big letters is the perfect on-the-go toy and such a fun way for preschoolers to learn their ABCs by snapping each letters into place. The toy grows with kids too, as they enter preschool kids can use the letters to spell out simple words in the bottom window. Also, underneath each letter is a cute image of a word that starts with that letter.
When play is done, fold up the Elmo carrying case, and take the alphabet on the go! This straight forward toy is a big hit with parent and kids alike plus the Elmo face on the front of the case is sure to put a smile on the face of any toddler.
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Tea Set
$17.99
$10.98 (1 – 4 years)
Toddlers and preschoolers naturally love anything that allows them to pour water over and over again. Add in a level of pretend play with the “tea time” experience plus voice prompts, sounds and songs teaching about numbers, shapes, opposites, manners, greetings and more – and you’ve got a winning toy guaranteed to provide hours of fun. With over 800 reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars on the original version, parents agree.
Educational Insights Magic Moves Talking Electronic Wand
$14.06
$11.91 (3 – 10 years)
Normally I’m not big on electronic toys with lots of sounds and lights, but when said toy can help my kids get rid of all their pent up energy on a rainy day, it becomes my new best friend. This inexpensive magical wand uses 90 silly commands (sway, creep, stomp like a dinosaur, leap) and 26 songs, along with a light show to get kids moving.
This is one of those rare toys that’s great for siblings of different ages to play together. It will keep the bigger kids interested (who doesn’t like having the mic and being the star of the show?) while developing listening skills in the younger set along with enriching their vocabulary and ability to follow directions.
Richard Scary Busy Town Game
$19.99
$14.99 (3 – 8 years)
I have heard great things about this cooperative, non-competitive game from multiple sources but was really convinced when a mom on one of my son’s good friends was raving about it. Everything about this game is impressive, from the 6 foot long game board, to the amount of imagination and teamwork required.
In fact, the company behind this game, Wonder Forge, has won over 120 prestigious awards by creating good-for-you games that encourage teamwork, healthy competition, and get-up-and-go active play. This is the perfect game for children of multiple ages to play together and for when you hit that stage when kids pout a lot about losing or start to become ultra competitive as it focuses on teamwork instead of competition.
Learning Resources Primary Science Lab Set
$17.99
$15.91 (4+ years)
This kit of real science tools is perfectly sized for little hands. It comes with 10 double-sided activity cards, beaker, magnifying glass, funnel, eyedropper, flask, tweezers, googles, large 6″ test tube and stand, and 2 small test tubes. The authenticity of these items will have your little scientists dying to experiment and they’ll serve great double duty for dramatic play too.
Learning Resources Primary Science Plant and Grow Set
$20.00
$15.00 (3 – 8 years)
Can you tell I’m a fan of the Learning Resources kits? This is a 12-piece kit with see through rooting trays, pots, observation jar with vented lid, watering can, trowel, plant markers and a series of 10 activity cards that invite kids to grow a variety of plants.
Perfect for burgeoning botanist, the activities encourage kids to use found materials like pineapple tops as well as traditional seeds in their miniature garden. The round observation jar with a lid can even become a small terrarium. Check out this company’s primary science magnetic kit as well.
Snap Circuits Jr
$19.25
$16.04 (5+ years)
This clever kit is the all-time-best-seller on our gift guides and another multi-award-winner that takes advantage of kids’ natural interest in building toys (like LEGOs) to teach the principles of electricity. The components aren’t intimidating, snap together simply, and can be used to create a bunch of cool projects. The standard set comes with 60+ pieces to create over 300 different electronic projects.
The pieces include snap wires, slide switches, an alarm circuit, a music integrated circuit, and a speaker and are numbered and color-coded to make identifying them easy. These components combine to create working circuit boards just like the ones found inside televisions, radios, and other electronic devices. (Note: there is a conversion set that turns Snap Circuits Jr into this bigger set when your kids are ready to move up.)
Star Wars Pillow Buddies – Darth Vader
$17.99
$14.00
Eight different options to choose to cuddle up to including Chewbacca, Yoda, and Kylo Ren.
The Force Awakens Chewbacca Electronic Mask
$23.99
$17.99
Made famous by that lady on YouTube who can’t stop laughing, this mask really is as fun as she makes it look.
Melissa & Doug Solar System Floor Puzzle
$11.99
$8.74 (3+ years)
World Map Floor Puzzle
$12.16
$9.50 (4+ years)
USA Floor Puzzle
$12.99
$11.99
Extra Large floor puzzles are great to introduce around ages 3 or 4. We have all three of these and our kids have loved them from preschool through 2nd grade and counting. It amazes me what they can construct completely on their own!
Ed Emberely Drawing & Art Books starting at $6.29 (6+ years) Up to 30% off
These books are just so cool for kids that have a passion for art because they can use them to teach themselves how to draw all the things they want to. We started with the thumbprint book, which is great for younger kids, and recently added the animal and vehicle drawing books for my son’s birthday as well as Picture Pie, which incorporates cutting and pasting shapes to make things step by step instead of just drawing.
Lulu Jr. Book and Comic Book Making Kits starting at $17.95 (5 – 12 years) – Up to 39% Off
Lulu Jr. Illustory
$24.24
$18.15
Lulu Jr. My Comic Book
$29.99
$23.46
Lulu Jr. IlluStory Junior
$19.99
$17.77
These award winning kits allow your children to author, illustrate, and publish their very own book hard cover book. My daughter and I have been making books together at home for a while now so I’m excited to surprise her with this kit allowing her to make a professionally printed book. I also love the comic book making kit for kids who need a little encouragement in the areas of reading and writing. From the manufacturer, “Lulu Jr. allows children to become published authors,encouraging creativity, strengthening literacy and building self-esteem. Your child writes and illustrates their own original story that will be printed as a full-color, hardcover, professionally printed book.
You choose whether to mail your completed book pages to them in the included prepaid envelope, or you and your child can create the book online. The final product showcases your child as the published author on the book’s back cover using our ‘About the Author’ feature. With Lulu Jr.’s award-winning book-making kits, IlluStory Junior, My Comic Book and My Awesome Book, children can realize their potential as an author and artist. With 800,000 kits sold and over 15 industry awards, Lulu Jr. is the ideal destination for young authors. “… For younger kids, also check out the low-tech Create Your Own 3 Bitty Books kit that allows them to make three of their own mini-board books for only $10.
Melissa & Doug Dress Up Sets starting at $18.07 (2– 6 years) – Up to 30% Off
A big box full of dress up clothes was the kids’ big present a few Christmases ago. I filled it with lots of random items (shoes, jewelry, masks, hats, boas, etc) as well as a few complete outfits. For that, Melissa & Doug’s selection has always been my favorite. Go for their Delux Role Play Costume Bundle or check out their chef, Fire Chief, and pirate outfits as well as this very cool, non-M&D, astronaut getup.
No Stress Chess
$14.99
$11.99 (5+ years)
When my kindergartner came home from school one day asking me to teach him to play chess, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand I was excited because, despite spending a lot of our time together on sports-related activities, I have great memories of playing chess with my dad growing up. On the other hand, I was afraid he was a little young for it and might get frustrated and give up on the game all together. Enter “No Stress Chess”. This genius game uses cards to teach young kids how to play in stages. The cards tell you which piece to move, so even children (and adults) who have never played the game can jump right in.
The moves for each piece are on the cards as well as on the game board and the first stage makes the game about chance, not skill – you simply draw a card and do what it says, perfect for learning how the pieces work. Once that is mastered, you can draw 3 cards at a time and decide which one you want to go with to introduce some strategy to the game. Finally, when you’re ready to play chess for real, just get rid of the cards and flip the board over to a traditional chess board.
Green Toys Tea Set
$19.59
$17.51 (2 – 7 years)
Whether playing with mommy or a favorite doll, tea time is always a fun way to pass some time. We’ve had this set for over a year and it still looks like new (despite lots of use in the playroom, bath tub and even sand box). Plus I love that Green Toys are 100% recycled, made from milk jugs, are FDA approved to eat and drink from, and do not contain BPA, phthalates, or lead paint. What more could you ask for?
Lil Lockitz Best Friend Party Pack (5 – 12 years)
$39.99
$27.99
My 6-year-old daughter loves, loves making rainbow looms for her friends and trading them with her friends. So, I’ve been looking around to see if there were any other jewelry-making kits that would equally capture her interest. I think Lil Lockitz is definitely it.
Last month my husband purchased this rubber band refill set and she absolutely loved the charms that came with it… The Lil Lockitz sets are all about charms. The sets supply kids with gems, backgrounds and charms to fill and personalize each locket. Kids love the ability to customize the locket to fit their personality and if boys aren’t into the necklaces, there are bracelets and keychains to be made too.
Plus they’re large and easy to manipulate. And, like any good toy, there are a million different themed sets available. This Christmas I’m leaning towards starting my daughter off with the Best Friend Party Pack,which comes with a photo puncher to use your own photos in the lockets.
Barbie Careers Line of Dolls Starting at $12.97 (5 – 10 years)
I’ll admit it, I’m not a huge Barbie fan… but that doesn’t mean my daughter doesn’t love her. So when looking for Barbie dolls for her, I try to compromise by at least going for the lines that I see as having the most play value and setting the best example.
The careers line is one that fits the bill. Instead of putting the emphasis on clothes, it focuses on various occupations and sets up girls to focus on those things in their play.
Also, the props that come with some of the sets are pretty cool and you really can’t beat the price – perfect as a birthday party gift or for a deluxe stocking stuffer!
Especially notable options include:
Barbie Careers Eye Doctor Playset
$19.99
$15.99
Barbie Careers Game Developer
$12.97
$9.99
Now onto the rest of the guide…
Best Gifts for Babies Under $20
First 100 Words $4.76 (9 months – 3 years)
This quintessential first book for babies is uber popular, and with good reason. It’s a sturdy board book with a lightly padded cover that’s easy for baby to hold (and, let’s be honest, mouth) and it’s full of bold, beautiful pictures. Words are grouped together into categories making this a great tool for vocabulary building and shared reading time between mom/dad and baby (who pediatricians now recommend reading to at least 15 minutes a day from birth!)
A really nice present for a friend that just had a baby is this book bundled with the books Numbers Colors Shapes and the book First 100 Animals.
Lamaze Take Along Toys starting at $11.99 (6 months – 2 years)
These lamaze toys were all the rage in the mommy and baby class I attended with my first son and it didn’t take us long to figure out why. They’re oversized, plush, and have lots of fun stuff for baby to pull and chew on. Plus they’re durable – all of ours lasted through all three kids. Along with Freddy the Firefly, our favorites were the moose and inchworm (which also plays music).
Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes $5.99 (6 months – 2 years)
You know those lovely early months when many babies scream just about the ENTIRE time they’re in the car? This musical toy that’s easy to hold and has button big enough for baby to push on his own was the only thing that ever got my kids to stop – it was worth it’s weight in gold I tell ya. It was also great for getting my babies’ attention in times of non-stress.
Infantino Textured Multi Ball Set $9.90 (6 months – 4 years)
Balls are excellent for open-ended play and motor development for babies and younger toddlers – truly, every child should have a set. The varying textures, colors, and sizes of the balls in this pack make them extra great for sensory engagement.
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Love to Play Puppy $14.19 (9 months – 4 years)
We got this dog as a hand-me down from friends whose kids had outgrown him. The puppy’s a cuddly and engaging first friend and our 1 1/2 year old is quite taken with him. He has two modes – learning and musical and identifies body parts, colors and sings lots of fun songs when various body parts are pushed. All three of our kids have loved him and we whole-heartedly agree with one reviewer who wrote, “For $20, he is very interactive and elaborate…. he counts, names body parts and colors, has funny sayings, and sings many songs (ENTIRE songs). He’s funnier, more educational (and cuter) than “Tickle-Me-Elmo”–minus the annoying voice.”
Also, the one for sale is a newer version. New features include Smart Stages technology-learning that changes as baby gets older with 3 levels of age-appropriate play. Also available in the “Sis” version too… I left the link to the original puppy up top so you can see all the amazing reviews he’s gotten over the years.
Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube $19.03 (9 months – 3 years)
We received this as a hand-me-down and both the kids and I were pretty impressed by what it could do. It’s essentially an orchestra in a cube. Press the sides representing different musical instruments (harp, french horn, piano, flute and violin) and hear 8 of Mozart’s masterpieces played by any combination of instruments you prefer. Babies and young toddlers enjoy experimenting with adding in and taking away the different instruments and, of course, each side also lights up along with the music.
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Bug Jug Fill & Spill Soft Baby Toy $18.43 (6 months – 3 years)
It’s truly mystifying how endlessly entertaining putting things in and taking them out again is to babies. On top of that, these bugs provide lots of opportunities for sensory exploration. They’re multi-textured and rattle, jingle, squeak and crinkle in little hands. All those textures and grip-able legs help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, plus the self-storing set is great for travel.
Hohner 4 Piece Baby Band $18.17 (3 months – 5 years)
I used to list just the hand bells from this company in this guide. Our toddler group class had them and they were always a big hit whenever they were pulled out – easy and fun for baby to use and great to play with while singing together. Then I saw this musical kit for baby and fell in love. Going beyond the hand bell, this kit contains three additional instruments that baby can easily grasp and shake. Even before baby is old enough to hold these toys on her own, she will delight in watching and listing to others shake them. Older brothers and sisters also really enjoy getting in on the action too so it’s not a bonding activity for everyone!
Ty Beanie Boos starts at $5.95 (6 months – 10 years)
All three kids in my house (my 7 year old son, 5 year old girl, 18 month old son) COMPLETELY ADORE Beanie Boos. It started with my daughter getting her pink leopard on a trip and proceeding to sleep with her every night of her life thereafter. Then my baby boy kept trying to steal the leopard so I decided to see if he’d actually sleep with one of his own (all previous attempts to get him to keep a “lovie” with him in the crib had utterly failed).
Now has to have “Woof Woof” in the crib with him every night. Not to be left out, my oldest son has been asking for his very own beanie boo for his upcoming birthday for months. I really can’t think of a better endorsement for a toy than every kid in the house wanting one. The size and price make them ideal stocking stuffers too.
Best Gifts for 2-Year-Olds Under $20
Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag, 80-Piece (Classic) $19.99 (15 mos – 2 1/2 years)
I still remember my son receiving his first set of award-winning Megabloks for his first birthday. It took him a little while to figure out (kids typically grasp block building somewhere between 12 and 18 months), but once he did he started building like a mad man and never looked back!
All my mom friends and I love Mega Bloks for our youngest kiddos, even more than the classic LEGO duplos. The locking mechanism is just a little bit easier for beginners to put together and pull apart. Plus the colors are beautiful and the zippered bag is very handy.
Melissa & Doug Spray, Squirt and Squeegee Set $14.62 (walking – 6 years)
One of the most surprising things about having toddlers and preschoolers is seeing how much they absolutely LOVE to clean! We’ve had a broom and dust pan set for years. The kids really enjoy breaking it out to help with clean up when the opportunity arises or just using it to play pretend. Every toddler we know has this set and totally adores it and our 18 month old completely freaks out when he can’t find it.
This year, though, I’m totally eyeing this set- it comes with so much amazing stuff!!
With this set my toddler will get to spray, wipe, scrub, and even squeegee. Do you KNOW how much toddlers love, love, love to spray and wipe down windows, cabinets and anything else they can get their hands on?
This one is a sure slam dunk for any toddler on your list- guaranteed!
Tot Tube Playset – Toy Car and Ball Tunnel Ramp Race Track $18.95 (1 – 10 years)
This deceptively simple toy is so much more than it appears. Parents and teachers rave about how the hours and hours their kids spend shooting things through this heavy duty tunnel. This is a great toy to get kids hypothesizing about, “what will happen when I… (put something heaver in, tilt it higher, put more than one thing in it, etc…) When my friend first introduced me to the tot tube, I really liked the idea but wondered if it was worth the money (couldn’t we essentially do the same thing with a cardboard wrapping paper tube?).
What I like about this, though, is that it’s a lot more durable than a cardboard tube, it’s wider shape accommodates bigger sized cars and balls, it can break apart for easy storage or you can attach more than one for a super long tunnel, and the kids can see through it- making it so much more engaging. Read the reviews on this one and I think you’ll be sold.
Sesame Street Elmo On the Go Letters $14.97 (2 – 4 years)
This suitcase full of big letters is the perfect on-the-go toy and such a fun way for preschoolers to learn their ABCs by snapping each letters into place. The toy grows with kids too, as they enter preschool kids can use the letters to spell out simple words in the bottom window. Also, underneath each letter is a cute image of a word that starts with that letter.
When play is done, fold up the Elmo carrying case, and take the alphabet on the go! This straight forward toy is a big hit with parent and kids alike plus the Elmo face on the front of the case is sure to put a smile on the face of any toddler.
Learning Resources Primary Science Mix and Measure Set $18.74 (18 months – 6 years)
This set includes a scale, bowl, 3 self standing spoons and 6 unique cup designs to help children visualize quantities as well as activity cards to guide children in making mystery goo, puffy paint, slime and more.
Because it allows those not quite ready to experiment to get in on the fun too, it’s a great toy for siblings of different ages as older kids can partake in real concocting while their younger counterparts pour to their heart’s contentment. This is a fabulous toy perfect for playing with at the sink, in the tub, or at the water table.
VTech KidiBeats Kids Drum Set $19.99 (9 months – 3 years)
Sometimes you just need a toy that’s fun enough to keep your toddler distracted long enough to get dinner on the table. This miniature sized drum kit is just the thing. It’s just the size for your energetic toddler to go to town on in the “free style” mode and even fits on a highchair tray. For more structured play, they can even follow the lights on the drums as they learn about letters and numbers.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppies Remote $8.49 (6 months – 3 years)
This looks like it serves a similar function as the Take Along Tunes and also gets great reviews. With this one, baby can learn about numbers, opposites, colors, greetings and first words. Buy one of each and keep one in mom’s car and the other in dad’s just to mix it up. You won’t be sorry.
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Learning Piggy Bank $14.97 (1 – 3 years)
This is one of the few plastic, noisy toys that all three of my kids truly loved when they were tots. It seems all young kids love dropping things into slots and taking them out again, so that part was a guaranteed hit, but my littles also took to the songs and prompts encouraging counting along, comparing big and small and (new to this model) discovering mommy and baby animals. This is another one with a huge amount of positive reviews on Amazon.
Kidoozie Little Tuffies Trucks $16.95 (9 months – 4 years)
We bought these trucks several years ago for our very first (of many) sensory bins and couldn’t have been happier. They’re the perfect thing for shoveling, scooping, dumping, mixing, and driving over all sorts of sensory materials from sand to colored rice and the price can’t be beat. We’ve loved these trucks so much that they’ve been worn out and we will be buying a new set for our young toddler as soon as we make him a bean box.
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Tea Set $17.99 (1 – 4 years)
Toddlers and preschoolers naturally love anything that allows them to pour water over and over again. Add in a level of pretend play with the “tea time” experience plus voice prompts, sounds and songs teaching about numbers, shapes, opposites, manners, greetings and more – and you’ve got a winning toy guaranteed to provide hours of fun. With over 800 reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars on the original version, parents agree.
Band in a Box $19.99 (12 months – 3 years)
This is a really wonderful collection of easily manipulated instruments and a great introduction to playing music. Both my bigger kids loved our set when they were younger and our youngest boy is really started to enjoy the tambourine and maracas at 12 months, and still plays with them all the time at 18 months. Every young toddler needs something that makes fun sounds when you shake it!
Mommy & Me My First Doll Stroller $19.99 (walking – 5 years)
Around the time they start walking all kids, girls and boys