My favorite items to give as gifts for 2 to 5 year-olds
My kids are two and five years old, with cousins ranging from one to four years old. With family, friend, and classmate birthdays happening seemingly weekly, I have found a few tried and true items that kiddos love receiving as gifts, and we love to give. None of these gifts make noise, require batteries, or feature a cartoon character. We have those types of toys and sometimes give them as gifts, but I find that the list below includes items a wide variety of children (and their parents) enjoy receiving. In addition to the list of favorite gifts to give, I’ll also share info on why each item is a favorite. I hope you find this useful if faced with a last minute birthday party or if you’re just drawing a gift-giving blank. If you have a favorite gift to give, please share in the comments!
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These paint “dot” markers are easy for little hands to use, and screwing the caps on and off are perfect motor skill practice for kiddos as young as two. The paints truly are washable and come off of surfaces with a damp cloth, as well as being easily washed out of clothing. They also last quite a long time without drying out. We own a couple sets of these and love to give them as gifts too!
Number 2: Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Stamp Set with Washable Ink
The quality of Melissa & Doug products can’t be denied, and these stamps are both adorable and durable. Melissa & Doug make a variety of stamp sets, so we’ve given the animal set, above, and also this Melissa & Doug Vehicles Stamp Set. There’s quite a few others if you search around too. The ink really is washable (my daughter has stamped herself many times and the stamps was right off) and you can add water to the ink pads if they dry out to give them new life.
I would sing the glory of Magna-Tiles from the rooftops if I could. We LOVE this toy and love to give them as gifts. Because the tiles are magnetized they are easy for even the littlest of kiddos to build with (our youngest has these in her Montessori classroom), and yet they remain compelling and interesting enough that my 5-year-old builds with them daily. There are a variety of sets available (like this builder set, this jungle animals set, and this arctic animals set), and though these can get a bit pricey, they last for as long as you could possibly want to play with them.
Melissa & Doug make a variety of play food sets, and we love them because they’re typically made of wood, super durable, and just plain adorable. The pizza set, above, is super fun because the toppings are removable, but we also love the Diner Restaurant Play Set, and the Ice Cream Cone Play Set. There are MANY more options available and kids of all ages will enjoy playing with the pretend food. My kids are “chaos chefs” and love to mix the food sets with other items. Duplo smoothie, anyone?
We’ve given this toy as a gift a couple times, both instances the gift was for a 2-year old, and I think that’s about the right age for it. The play set is made of wood and felt, and has fruits, veggies, and little worms to pull out of the “garden.” There is enough going on that this toy keeps a little one’s attention for hours, and it is made well-enough that it will stay in good shape for as long as they find it interesting. It’s also pretty inexpensive (<$20) which is always a plus!
These building blocks were a pandemic purchase and they’ve really stood the test of time. Because of their unique design, these blocks effectively “stick” together. This makes them appealing to a wide age range because they’re easy enough to use for a toddler, but complex enough that an older child would still enjoy playing with them. They’re also made of plastic which means the majority of ours are used for bath-time building, an unexpected but welcome surprise!
I love a mess-less art activity, and this is the least messy option around. Each booklet comes with a small plastic “pen” (more like a paint brush) that you fill with water, which is then used to “reveal” the color on a black and white design. Once complete, the booklet will then dry-down, returning to it’s original state, ready to be painted again! These are great for travel since they are so mess-free, and will entertain kids as old as 5 or 6.
