December 8, 2014

Top 5 Gifts for Older Toddlers

I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping! I only need to buy gifts for a few more people and I'm good to go. What about you?

In my case, around 70% of the gifts I bought this year is for, well, Yuri. That's the same as the past two Christmases! I can't help it; buying Christmas gifts for a little child is so much fun!

This year, Yuri is in a stage between toddlerhood and preschool. He's 32 months (last Christmas, he was 20 months), and while the interests are basically the same (trucks!), our goals are now very different. For starters, we're aiming to start homeschooling next year so that's a common theme behind my gifts!

(For gifts for younger toddlers/babies, here's my list from last year.)

If you want to know what I consider to be the best gifts for children too old to be called toddlers and too young to be preschoolers, I'll show you some things on my wishlist:

1. BUILDING BLOCKS

If you're kinda lost on what cool gift to give, I suggest you buy something that a child can build with. They're a surefire gift because they promote STEM learning and a child could never have too many of them.
wooden blocks for toddlers philippines
It doesn't have to be Legos or Mega Bloks (although these choices are superb!). You can buy cheaper but still very great alternatives like wooden blocks, bristle blocks, pipes, and gears.
alternatives to lego

Batatt bristle blocks (P799) 
Source: toykingdom.ph

Just make sure that the pieces are easy to connect and disconnect!

2. SCIENCE KITS

Oh em gee, I would really love you forever if you gift us with any preschool-appropriate science kit. I'm sure many other parents would think the same. This is especially because we're homeschooling and I want to give Yuri a good foundation of science since it's important.

And cool.
Source: timberdoodle.com

If it's hard to look for age-appropriate science kits (it sort of is), go for 'scopes instead.
Source: amazon.com

3. PUZZLES AND BOARD GAMES

Go crazy with puzzles and board games! We love wooden puzzles at home because they're more durable and, well they're better-looking.
what's in the cat's hat game philippines
What's in the Cat's Hat?
board games for toddlers and preschoolers
Richard Scarry's Busy Busy Airport
board games for toddlers and preschoolers
Board games for toddlers (Monopoly, Eric Carle's ABC, Dr. Seuss' ABC, Chutes and Ladders) - I spotted them here.

However, I still haven't bought board games because I'm afraid I wouldn't have time to sit with Yuri and play with him. I'll make it a point to buy some next year.

4. TENTS AND FORTS

If there's one thing I would've loved as a child, it would be an imaginary territory. Options were very limited back then, though, so we made makeshift tents and forts (which my dad didn't approve of).

Today there are many more choices. You can buy children's tents for less than P1000; yesterday, I even saw pretty tents from Cotton On Kids. I think they were P800 with any purchase. I was also thisclose to buying Yuri a firehouse tent!
Source: toykingdom.ph

5. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!

One can never ever go wrong with books. Last Christmas, for example, Job and I gifted Yuri with around 20+ books, a mixture of classic books and board books.
science books for young children
I'd still love to receive them for Yuri, but at this stage, I would love preschool teaching books even more. I'm eyeing Kumon workbooks (available at National Bookstore) and phonics books like BOB books and the like.
Source: amazon.com

(Older toddlers may already have several alphabet and number books so level up!)

There are more gifts that I think would be perfect for ols toddlers / young preschoolers but, so far, these five are on the top of my list. Another great thing with these gifts is that they are not gender-specific. And all of them combine fun with learning, which is just perfect!

What about you? What are your favorite gifts for older toddlers?


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