Gift Guide for 18 month old
Tips for Gifting at this age:
-Having bigger stuff set up already with a bow on it
At this age it is more exciting for them to just run up to it and start playing with it rather than waiting for you to put it together. Plus it's less work for you to wrap. A win-win.
-Simple wrapping or cloth bags
For things that you do wrap keep it simple. I've been slowly switching to cloth bags for our family presents and my 18 month old had so much fun pulling gifts out of the cloth bags. The presents that were wrapped in wrapping paper he didn't find as fun to open.
- If possible divide up gifts.
Opening gifts gets really overwhleming for them very fast. We ended up having a seperate day where we gave him christmas presents from mom and dad and then another day where he got presents from one set of grandparents and then another day from another set of grandparents. This ended up being great for us because he could focus on the new toys that he got on each of those days. I think if we would've given them to him all in one go he would've just gotten too overwhelmed. We also took our time opening gifts- we let him play with something for a while before we would have him open something else.
- Declutter before Christmas and the night before put away most of the previous toys.
Cannot recommend this enough- same goes for birthdays. Get rid of stuff before you get a bunch of new stuff. I'm a big fan of toy rotations for my own sanity. The night before Christmas I basically put away the majority of toys that he had out. That way you have empty space to put the new toys that are coming.
-Let them play with everything when they open it then put most of it away for later.
This is also huge especially for Christmas. I knew we were headed into a dreary winter season where we couldn't always go outside. I let him play with all the toys on the day he got them- especially to let grandparents see him play with the gifts they got him and then I put 75% of them away. Then as he started to get bored with them I would rotate them and *bam* basically brand new toys to explore and play with during winter. Like I said previously I'm a huge fan of toy rotation in our house. My rule is if I can't pick up all the toys in 3 minutes or less then there are too many toys out. Plus I find that my child plays better with less out. If there is too many things out he will just make a big mess rather than sit and play with a toy.
Gift Ideas:
1. Busy Book
This I actually got for a trip that we were going to take in November that ended up getting cancelled so I saved it for christmas. This thing is great! I let him play with it on christmas but then I just keep it in our diaper bag and wip it out at resturants if we are waiting for food or the check. It's a great screen free activity and I've received compliments from older people about how well behaved he is with it. We've also brought it and used it on the plane with great success. It's a great entertainment while keeping them confined. The downside is they get better at buckles and zippers and then can open your diaper bag if you aren't paying attention.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gojmzo-Montessori-Birthday-Educational-Activities/dp/B0CPHTTKBZ/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3SPZSDU7K1K2K&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.w1OyPmEciCvSNjW02MhgyNeYwEgVqPaB0iy3ljWQab4HTFBBfE07AO8bHa9ezk4-HkRI4Z8uAiG1ml3Qc_l5Ibk5lgt1nPRSGSFmPsnSZOc_HKnHYZu8izJ-_hrzE0DZNSmjTTBiEazptab4EcWFSkcAW50fWakq_JPP05gq5SpfJcDTW2umYqbU5TpY-M_4NyUIAbQ3Q8269gUaAFcP2M9CwAp3eQp3Ow8OiUiaAnY18NXg7xSmIeCjqphP_6HrliTstGL3SUXwANUYaWiWeEZfRCV9RiIzfZaviu7CFiw.xa_PIdwHrsZEn-ZoF-T6MRvCA1k0oYvDEimhruqZImE&dib_tag=se&keywords=busy+book+toddlers&qid=1720408554&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=busy+book+toddlers%2Ctoys-and-games%2C158&sr=1-5
2. Toddler Cleaning Set
Prior to this Christmas my toddler was obsessed any time I brought out the broom. When I found the Melissa and Doug set on Amazon I just had to get it for him. He loves this so much we play with it all the time and now any time that I get my broom out he runs and grabs his as well- it's super adorable. I love how this toy is super open ended- we've played with them in lots of different ways.
Link:https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Pretend-Frustration-Free-Packaging/dp/B07PBXRJ7G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38RJW16LJAWXP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.DnVu1lCm-HSITIC_8OWHuxvRU0DG6PVd7Lz91PlhhNwBklu0pRDcBjem7k5zeJSOEJixcAcdMSv6tb_hXsYZ1Co7ULPr26kIR0w5NmXXkRofcLPz0yuX0jdacuQICVPAcn2-piIjnlXKpvMzj_9BYs8SAQbXlZZAUl1RL9mSXHeaog3chRA-thbeUZuew-mxzBrsKRFsi1ehswTUn4ExYmriy6sXcbYQ1M_d9iC40dpdiamN1SlMOhcB8XPMmzHzDGVF215yrzfGTnNu78ZfIbAHyvUeayCkXCN0ulg79ck.6nBWqAzbDChx7MbdxTSlaq6sIKY7D6IHB2DbSZq_xv4&dib_tag=se&keywords=melissa%2Band%2Bdoug%2Bcleaning%2Bset&qid=1720408514&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=melissa%2Band%2Bdough%2Bcleanin%2Ctoys-and-games%2C152&sr=1-1&th=1
3. Basketball Hoop
This was kind of last minute add to our Christmas list but I am so glad that my parents got it for him for Christmas. Eventually my plan is for this to be an outside toy but it is so nice to have inside for winter. My husband plays with this with our toddler a lot and it helps him burn a lot of energy by running around and chasing the balls and shooting hoops. This is great in winter when you are stuck inside due to poor weather. You can raise the hoop up as they get older and taller.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Tikes-EasyScore-Basketball-Exclusive/dp/B01C5A2WJO/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2IZR5D1L84IFV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dg0zchHY2BW4RH8epme6CDB5zdY0eysFzTm9mVPLZvB2rrFqmO5Psi4tOaTFNMeMRvb7L_4L331d7w2ueRryq6iU6wiow2Qu1CPWUQxWeD1i-qbccevygl7mngtCEjfb6pGsQjo9JOaGchyg23Aq0yuNMLuPk1PgLDUcy8LDXrELBmy-DdE5cftNieXq_EpI_DQJhVYZIFh3AeUJd-ubPDkxYPRYB5himyULdXwIVMh5_NGYnUJzN82-p3kLSAAKcX6K3tLzRKxLFpbSTJuFztDX3VQw9xiBNCuxAe6OPHo.ASF60cP7CP6mClHf99LofjFxrzyUzccTL3u9EYGuEko&dib_tag=se&keywords=fisher+price+basketball+hoop&qid=1720408473&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=fisher+price+baske%2Ctoys-and-games%2C179&sr=1-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1
4. Baby Doll
We got him a baby doll because he was going to be a big brother in the new year and we wanted to work on him understanding the concept of a baby. He was a bit afraid of it at first but slowly warmed up to it overtime. Eventually it became and item that we played with daily and really helped him understand the concept of a baby. Once his brother came on the scene he became obsessed with playing with it and would imitate us and "take care" of his baby. It was super cute!
Link: https://www.amazon.com/JC-Toys-Baby-16-inch-Washable/dp/B074B2NPTH/ref=sr_1_11?crid=3BO9OKGGRF95K&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RH4YlCVhLfzd2_0iBmDKWebXmiXd4UqVEVs57qXDSMNEtERz_yXk9NQ12dxZgOqsPFajM8PO2Gzy9ZFKI_b-Go_k0l-OOPXbOyb_SCf6XAKwdrEjDJ9sPvRncpEHDlGNvIoSo32v_ShZRZtmw7TzbqydcHdna8wGaFeII7d2jjmDwGqshmtA48JvsiTjtMKwYJFRyH0SPFFsBOGYttmXILhGfpYF1YHxRsrn_Xt0hy0UktusfKS6YfoRBeAM5nrNhm1d_6NiH-QRpTUNbJx4Nk6BWSqN3DcMxmTHDn5rhZU.Hkxd376UldzcTlu37-fdNHiJPdOHiI7komtsb6KwXTM&dib_tag=se&keywords=toddler+baby+doll&qid=1720408649&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=toddler+baby+doll%2Ctoys-and-games%2C160&sr=1-11
5. Race car track
I've seen different versions of this all over. I wasn't quite ready to commit to hot wheels and everything that goes along with that but I thought this would be a good introduction to play cars. He really likes experimenting with putting the cars on different levels and watching them go. The only thing that I didn't consider was the cars for this particular set are small and I am worried about his little brother putting them in his mouth. This will have to be a supervised toy once his brother is on the move. But overall we like it and it's really fun.
Pro tip: play with this on carpet so that when the cars shoot out they don't go as far and immediately get lost under your couch
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Belleur-Toddler-Vehicle-Cognitive-Socializing/dp/B08K91N1CN/ref=sr_1_14_sspa?crid=394A8IYVLJX2Z&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.c80hQ8ybqhYCI0yy29dIFOjnaNYp99cxBuMprLDiM3tPimD4cl_GUaCMOM5rgUYvdhdq97ommCbh1ZrRUnRCxd01GnjeOfR8TAB5gbyYaqugrMsDIEJ7a9KgqDhfg654RB2KnxfE60gXglbMZnAsicyVval0DtDWlUUVXWwNoDdFLjQxpvyR8mZtbYThVXj2ZytoKPd9gfElOsaV0H9HP63LiC-xFHQZN0OZpdsoIAT-B2hc-i5Ap7bZ_B_BFtcb7XNV53A3lmfEuaOuTQ5hSE4xyuri8dZK6KxLgH_j36M.XLAJJinwpcOrOIze-OMmM5Sx2AVaWfasCkb01amrSOY&dib_tag=se&keywords=race+car+track&qid=1720408719&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=race+car+track%2Ctoys-and-games%2C162&sr=1-14-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1
6. Mega Blocks
My husband is literally dreaming of the day when we can get Legos for him but for now I thought it would be fun to get some mega blocks as a "intro to legos" set. Pro tip with these that I quickly learned- they come in a giant bag. I took out a few pieces (roughly 15) and put them in a small basket for him. I also purposely only selected the 1 and 2 piece blocks instead of the bigger pieces. Right now he just has the dexterity to put 1-2 pieces together. He loves when I build small towers for him and then he gets to take them apart. By only allowing him access to a small amount it makes the mess way more manageable- other wise he would just dump out the whole bag as I quickly learned at Christmas. The other unexpected lesson that came from these is that they are a good toy to teach cleaning up. After he takes all the pieces apart and throws them on the floor we make a game of him picking them all up and putting them in the basket. It's translated to different toys as well.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/80-piece-Building-Toddler-Storage-Toddlers/dp/B007GE75HY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RDPR4TWXJA2V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VZppwUl6SlBZ8qByT6Trls8s7FQGbvPjakG7_kJs0oq65DBW3CoXO5rHbPPQ3rzpfqgr5OUNcR0lpZM-stxlhLPCNpuxX-G4NSohfR-vCq_vIFmkYDCsdl98tj5b7sPGBjUseQrwadpIgUTF5B42Mq7dHkDMPxMOnHQOUM1ILmoVGg3SUAGQFpMpzMP5KvkTWQ2ohcALK5hLmF5mT-eCEzbuF5A8RrgM7sJx3X4QMYAurMdxHS7jZl0iSRsx77IKQwYkSKZJzp6EJX0It7YIIo-BL3T5jXYp2spbsAZ81DM.8_TlqK5WaFmqUFYS8jEUuSOGejIumwXDIzVXzRT484E&dib_tag=se&keywords=mega+bloks&qid=1720408828&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=mega+blocks%2Ctoys-and-games%2C162&sr=1-1
7. Musical Instruments
My toddler is obsessed with music and I found this small musical instrument set on Amazon that he got for christmas. This was another toy that I did a "controlled release" we only gave him 2-3 musical instruments at a time and would rotate them through. This helps with the noise control but also the clutter. He has had so much fun making new sounds and the tiny baby maracas crack me up.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/LOOIKOOS-Instruments-Percussion-Preschool-Educational/dp/B0B45XM2YN/ref=sr_1_8?crid=LDHHUGX9OZN7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.X6EsMWTBWoHWlfCT25oAVmZ6Ca9zNykeRfY7-9H4jLBW_YhjfpFtVY8FTkcE7HZ9Di9kOt_yufhaE7dF85ST1tyrfC6NL07I8Ev46gCluBgy4kmWpijmtoOihIGjjH5yoavAdkph4grytTSZx-z4m8Vd02hriXi31WTzSJfO5JTkmn9J2gTvUH3LpCcJNCKjJAwzvknrwMcWKFr-aaByf2Oq_cePh6Lr83jCEPV3hEdTn2pnk1JOLJbmSBmOqLTa-RI8jgUn1OcCSiAMscwLb3AukxVodEc55tydDYlA4Rg.Pt_2H98Dtbmswb9Uq0t4t9M8ShBDFu165cUubp8fm2E&dib_tag=se&keywords=toddler+musical+instruments&qid=1720408875&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=toddler+musical+i%2Ctoys-and-games%2C159&sr=1-8
8. Pull Toys
Now that he is a confident walker he loves pull toys. These ones we technically had already but I noticed at this age has been when he plays with them the most. He loves running around the house and pulling the string.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-3205-Frolicking-Multicolor/dp/B07B8XG9CS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=IVW246ZF011R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vlgN7CniYxbBqlnaT16qzEHHO3C2qVrMjWI4v9WTNaz5sZj8sZFkaAmJEM9C621Bw8t6UcTZEz2IFv-gUJwlUtHQ-Y4aZ7R0oOfSTbgJzQvAC2wsDsGvZScrZy1_ZMULqmFgF_njRre5hVCBhBr6Jk9-zkHFswgF2kLx5QT6U-95n6nsU9mLWOsFmESKl2uqee1y0rUSQP2DxoYwcalRRnSQ5eyy5pMmTIBFPDL6Bxq7nP6sZ0XIRPpL0eakIiE0318cXqVXDmThsd_v52SGzG-Ryzw9c2wvxioDoMnhKno.hYnLas2kUJij52KmwYq9tKB7Y4m4ZFTIZjOnbgY8imM&dib_tag=se&keywords=melissa+and+doug+pull+toy&qid=1720408970&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=melissa+and+dough+pull+toy%2Ctoys-and-games%2C159&sr=1-2
9. Books
Right around 15 months there was a light switch moment for our toddler where he discovered how great books are. Honestly I love it and encourage it because I love books and I was a little sad once he started moving around 8-9 months and could care less about books. Board books are huge at this age and he loves to sit down and page through books as well as have me read them to him (over and over and over).
If you need some ideas here is a list of our toddlers favorite books at 18 months.
Little Blue Truck- the original and then his grandma has gotten him all the seasonal ones as gifts over the year. Very cute for boys and girls. Really good for teaching animals and sounds
Pout Pout Fish- a big favorite in the house. Mostly because my husband's spirit animal is pout pout fish
Mr Brown Can Moo- Classic Dr Suess book- teaches sounds
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom- One of my favs from childhood- helps teach alphabet
The Napping House- My husband hates this book but my toddler loves it- it's very repetitive
The Very Hungry Catepillar- classic book. Our toddler loves the holes and loves touching all the food on the pages
Polar Bear Polar Bear what do you hear?- or Brown bear brown bear what do you see
Bear Snores On
"That's not my..."- There are a ton of these- they are fun because they are touchy feely books
There's a Bear in my chair!
10. Lift the flap/First Word books
Technically I didn't get this for him for christmas but he has become obsessed with these books right at the 18 month mark. They are the "100 first words" or baby's first words books. My neighbor gifted these to me with a bunch of other books but he just started showing interest in them now. I love that he can go and get these off his shelf and "read" them to himself. These can occupy him for a minutes for me to go to the bathroom or get something else done. He loves to look at the pictures. Sometimes I will sit down with the book with him and actually "read" the words- but I have to admit it's a bit boring for me so I don't do it super often- I prefer to read something with a narrative.
11. Rocking Horse
This was a christmas gift for him that I wasn't planning on getting but it appeared on our local "buy nothing" site and I thought it was cute so I got it. He was terrified of it at first but now he loves it. It is a little large in our small house and he doesn't spend tons of time on it so if space is an issue you may want to skip it but it is fun to see how much fun he has rocking on it.
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