Gifts for toddlers: when it's not Lego, Playmo or Brio you're after
19.12.2023
Translation: machine translated
Do you often end up with toys from the same brands under the Christmas tree? In this article, I'll show you a few alternatives.
The four-year-old pulls his shoulders up and sighs: "I just need Hot Wheels, Mum," is the answer to the question of what Santa might bring. "Nothing else?" I follow up. "But maybe Brio." That's all he can think of. Now I sigh.
Does it always have to be the same thing? The Lego storage boxes are so full that even mini bricks no longer fit in them, the drawer with the Brio trains only closes with tricks and as for the Hot Wheels cars: I've stopped counting them.
Of course, it can also be a new Lego set or the five hundredth toy car. But there are some great toys for young children that don't come from the top dogs.
The ice cream shop from Melissa & Doug
The ice cream parlour from the American wooden toy brand Melissa & Doug was under our Christmas tree last year. We, or rather my sons, had discovered it at a friend's house in the summer. Every time the children visit us now, it's a hit. I already know from friends' parents that they are also giving the ice-cream shop to their children for Christmas this year. Your child can use it to put together ice cream cones and cups with different scoops and sauces. There is also a menu card. The only downside is that the dollar notes are made of pure paper and have long since broken. So laminate them if you can. Melissa & Doug also makes other lovely wooden toys. For example, we have a farm puzzle that always goes down well.
The ice cream parlour from Melissa & Doug is currently only available for Swiss customers. This ice cream trolley is available in Germany.
Plashing fun
My two- and four-year-old boys are always happy about unusual bath toys. We particularly like a marble run for the bathtub, which the kids can rearrange again and again. The (washable) bathtub crayons are also emptied faster than they would like. And books that can get wet are just as much fun.
Note: The marble run is currently only available in Switzerland.
Gifts for the night
Most children are afraid of the dark and are therefore excited about products that bring light into their dark nursery. Does your child already have stars on the ceiling? Or a cuddly toy that projects them?
German customers can alternatively order these stars.
Come play with me
A parlour game is usually something you will enjoy for a long time. Haba's "Obstgarten" or "Tempo, kleine Schnecke!" from Ravensburger are games that you can give to children from the age of two and which, in my experience, will be enjoyed again in the years to come.
Creative toys
If your child likes Lego in principle, there are many other toys that stimulate spatial thinking and imagination: With magnetic building blocks, for example, there are virtually no limits to creativity. Magic sand makes a mess, but is a lot of fun for children. And crafts never go out of fashion anyway.
Reading aloud
Children love books. When I take a look in our overflowing bookcase, in addition to classics such as Tiptoi or the audio colouring books, "Good Night Gorilla", for example, has been particularly well received in recent years.
Toys for the ears
If you don't have enough noise in your child's room yet, musical instruments suitable for children are an option. You can combine sport and singing on a music mat: It makes noises when the children step on different surfaces
What are you putting under the Christmas tree for your children? Let me know in the comments.
Cover picture: Anne Fischer
A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.
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