10 Teacher Approved Gifts for Your Toddler
Happy Holidays! I have been an early childhood professional for over a decade and have two wonderful children of my own. Parents are always asking me for ideas of toys to keep their children engaged. Here are some teacher approved toys for your toddler or preschooler!
These are amazing! They are manipulative letters that transform into robots and transformers. My students love these in the morning and sometimes engage with them for over 30 minutes!
Kinetic sand is always a go to in our classroom and at home. It isn’t as messy as sand, water, slime, or even playdoh. I love that this comes in a bin already so you can just cover it and place it on a shelf for a rainy day. Kinetic sand does not dry out very quickly so you get a lot of use out of it. I love using it myself; it’s very soothing! Your toddler will love this activity at home!
If you have budding sous chef, then this is such a great fine motor tool! The fruits and vegetables are connected by velcro and they can practice cutting them in half. Our kitchens at school always have this available. It’s great for hand eye coordination, imagination, and feeling like they are helping you in the kitchen!
If you are looking for something a little smaller (and less pricey) than Magna Tiles then these are it! Although I do highly recommend Magna Tiles as well! These are much smaller, so great to bring in your purse for a restaurant outing. Toddlers love magnets and stacking and these are super handy and convenient!
5. Busy Board
This is another great manipulative and fine motor tool that keeps those toddlers engaged for a long time! The lights, the keys, the switches, and everything! It’s a great tool to have handy in the car or your bag for restaurants or even airplane rides. However, be careful because my friend brought one on a plane and they had to swipe it because they thought it looked like a bomb. So maybe stick to long car rides instead!
Kids LOVE to help and feel like they are participating in grown up things. This drill set is bound to keep your toddler engaged and feeling productive. It is also a great tool for hand eye coordination, concentration, and its fun!
As a teacher, I believe that students should always be practicing their grip. Playdoh scissors are excellent to help build hand muscles! This helps them with writing in their future. Playdoh is such a great tool and so easy to make at home. Having the scissors will keep them entertained even longer!
8. Play Vacuum
Another fun household item. Toddlers love to mimic their parents and teachers. My recommendation is to get a vacuum cleaner that actually works! That way they truly are helping you in the house! Win-win!
This is a great one for safe indoor gross motor practice. Bean bags are light enough to throw but heavy enough for a toddler to have to use their muscles. This is a fun game even for parents to enjoy with their child!
10. Stepping Stones
These are perfect for getting the wiggles out indoors! There are many games you can play like “The Floor is Lava!” They are great for practicing balance, gross motor skills, and a fun option!
