Choosing holiday gifts for young children can feel overwhelming especially when every store aisle sparkles with flashing lights, loud sounds, and trendy characters. But the best toys for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are actually the simplest ones. Research consistently shows that open-ended, hands-on play supports brain development far more than toys that “do the playing” for the child.
This guide will help you choose meaningful, developmentally supportive gifts that children will love and that you can feel confident giving. Many of these categories are already used daily at Big Hearts, Little Hands , so your child may recognize and enjoy similar play at home.
Toys That Encourage Active Play
(Gross Motor Development)
Young children learn by moving. Toys that invite climbing, jumping, pushing, pulling, and balancing help strengthen muscles, coordination, and confidence. At Big Hearts, Little Hands , toddlers love using push toys, soft climbers, and balls during indoor and outdoor play. If your child gravitates toward these in class, they will love similar items at home. Examples include:
- Soft climbing blocks
- Ride-on toys
- Push carts or doll strollers
- Balance beams
- Balls of all sizes
Why these toys matter: Active play builds neural pathways, supports early motor planning, and boosts problem-solving skills. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes that physical play is essential to healthy development because it promotes brain growth and executive function.
Open-Ended Building Toys
(STEM + Creativity)
Blocks, magnetic tiles, wooden planks, stacking cups, and LEGO® Duplo-type bricks allow children to create without limits. At Big Hearts, Little Hands , building centers are used daily. Preschoolers often collaborate on towers, houses, and imaginative worlds. If your child talks about “building with friends,” consider adding more construction options at home. These toys support:
- Spatial reasoning
- Math skills (sorting, patterns, symmetry)
- Early engineering and problem-solving
- Creativity and imagination
Why these toys matter: According to the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, open-ended building play is one of the strongest ways to strengthen executive functioning like skills children need for focus, impulse control, and flexible thinking.
Pretend Play Materials
(Social–Emotional + Language Development)
Dramatic play allows children to practice life skills, experiment with emotions, and strengthen language. At Big Hearts, Little Hands , dramatic play centers rotate monthly from kitchens, vet clinics, grocery stores, and more so your child may already be familiar with many of these themes. Great pretend play categories include:
- Play food and kitchen tools
- Doctor kits
- Dress-up clothes
- Dolls and doll accessories
- Tool sets
- Puppet theaters or simple hand puppets
Why these toys matter: Zero to Three reports that pretend play fosters emotional regulation, perspective-taking, and advanced language skills by encouraging children to use storytelling and negotiation.
Toys That Support
(Fine Motor Skills)
Fine motor development prepares children for handwriting, buttoning clothes, feeding themselves, and eventually school readiness. At Big Hearts, Little Hands , children frequently use puzzles, beads, tweezers, and playdough. If your child enjoys these tabletop activities, similar toys at home will reinforce the same skills. Useful categories include:
- Lacing toys
- Playdough tools
- Peg boards
- Large beads for stringing
- Shape sorters
- Simple puzzles
Why these toys matter: Fine motor manipulation strengthens the small muscles in the hands, wrists, and fingers. Research from Zero to Three highlights that early fine motor tasks also support early math and cognitive development.
Books and Storytelling Materials
(Literacy + Brain Development)
Books are one of the most valuable gifts you can give any child. At Big Hearts, Little Hands , children enjoy circle-time stories, puppets, and songs. Reinforcing these routines at home builds positive literacy habits. But consider pairing them with:
- Mini plush animals
- Story sequencing cards
- Felt board sets
- Simple audiobooks or read-aloud recordings
Why these toys matter: Reading to young children strengthens vocabulary, comprehension, emotional literacy, and early brain architecture. The AAP states that shared reading is one of the strongest predictors of later reading success.
Sensory Play Materials
(Exploration + Brain Wiring)
Sensory play is natural, calming, and essential especially for toddlers and preschoolers. At Big Hearts, Little Hands , sensory play appears in every classroom: water tables, rice bins, finger painting, instruments, and tactile materials. Sensory-supportive gifts may include:
- Kinetic sand
- Water play materials
- Playdough or clay
- Sensory bins
- Textured balls
- Musical instruments
Why these toys matter: The American Occupational Therapy Association notes that sensory play helps children process and regulate the world around them, supporting attention, behavior, and emotional development.
Simple, Real-World Tools
(Montessori-Inspired Practical Life)
Children love meaningful, real tasks. At Big Hearts, Little Hands , children regularly help with snack prep, table wiping, and organizing. They LOVE being helpers so similar items at home often turn chores into fun. You might gift:
- Child-sized brooms or cleaning sets
- Gardening tools
- Kitchen helpers and step stools
- Pouring, scooping, or sorting sets
- Buckets, spray bottles, or dustpans
Why these toys matter: Montessori education emphasizes “Practical Life” tasks that build concentration, responsibility, and independence. Research shows that purposeful, hands-on activities strengthen executive functioning and early confidence.
Gifts That Encourage Calm
(Emotional Regulation)
Children learn emotional skills through experience. Big Hearts, Little Hands uses calm corners and quiet spaces in each classroom with many children find comfort in soft seating, books, and sensory bottles. Helpful calming-focused items include:
- Cozy reading tents
- Weighted stuffed animals
- Glitter calm-down jars
- Soft blankets or sensory pillows
- Simple mindfulness or feelings books
- Why these toys matter: According to the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, developing emotional regulation in early childhood affects lifelong mental health and resilience.
Choosing Toys That Play With Your Child, Not For Them
The best toys for children ages 0–5 aren’t the flashiest or the newest. They are the ones that:
- Encourage imagination
- Invite exploration
- Build motor skills
- Expand language
- Support independence
- Strengthen curiosity
As you shop this December, remember: the goal isn’t to fill the playroom instead it’s to fill childhood with rich, meaningful play that supports lifelong learning. If you’d like help choosing a toy based on your child’s interests at Big Hearts, Little Hands , your child’s teacher would be happy to share what they love most during the school day.