I was going through our Amazon wishlists, and checking out what the kiddos might like from our favorite small shops, and I realized I’ve spent probably an insane amount of time researching the best toys. I thought there might even be a few other parents out there who could benefit from my love of great toys. So, I decided to make a list to shapes! These toys are some favorites we own and love, combined with my extensive internet scouring of the best and most exciting real toys that I think my own children would like (and maybe your children too)!

Since I have an almost 2 year old, almost 4 year old, freshly 6 year old and a sweet babe on her way, my toy list reflects that age range. I’ve divided it into age groups that make sense based on the way we currently group developmental stages, and the transitions I’ve seen my own children make in their interests and play capabilities. Without further ado, my top picks for gifts, up to date for the Holiday Season 2020.

Baby (0-18m)

Natural Rubber Rainbow Ball (Amazon)
Skwish Ball Toy (Amazon)
Bell Cylinder (Amazon)
Multi Texture Ball Set (Amazon)
Object Permanence Box (Amazon)
Pop Up Toy (Amazon)
Rainbow Play Silk (Amazon)
Bead Grasping Toy (Bella Luna) (Amazon)
Fairy Mobile Kit (Bella Luna)
Tactile Blocks (Rose and Rex )
Rainbow Nesting Bowls (Bella Luna) (Amazon)
Ring Stacker (Etsy)
Push Toy Duck (Amazon)
Bird Pull Toy (Amazon)
Pounding Bench (Amazon)
Touch and Feel Cards (Amazon)

Books

Toddler (18m-3)

Toys And Puzzles
Woodpecker and Worm Magnetic Toy (Amazon)
Car Ramp (For Small Hands) (Amazon) — still popular here!
Large Knob Puzzle (Amazon)
GreenToys Vehicles (Amazon)
Shapes Puzzle (Amazon)
Magnification Blocks (Amazon)
Nesting and Sorting Garages (Amazon)
Block Cube Puzzle (Amazon)
Doll House Dolls (Bella Luna)
Circle Fraction Puzzle (Amazon)

Games
Roll and Play Game (For Small Hands)
Button, Button, Bellybutton Game (Amazon)
Grocery List Game (Amazon)

Books
My First Snow Children Book (Amazon)
All The World (Amazon)
Hands Can (Amazon)
What’s Hiding In There? Lift the Flap Nature Book (Amazon)
Gerda Muller Seasons Collection (Amazon) We’ve had these since Cookie was small and adore them (and all of Gerda Muller’s other books as well)

Music
Wooden Drum (Amazon) (Bella Luna)
Maracas (For Small Hands) (Amazon)

Art

First Stamps (Amazon)

Preschoolers (3-5)

Books
A Treasury of Children’s Literature (Amazon)
Barefoot Book of Brother and Sister Tales (Amazon)
A Poem for Every Night of the Year (Amazon)
In Town All Year Round (Amazon)
Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature (Amazon)

Illustrated Treasury of Grimms Fairy Tales (Amazon) We’ve enjoyed this book for nearly 2 years now. Most of the stories are retold in a non-scary way. However we save them for around 4+ when our kids show a natural interest in fantasy.

Crazy about Cats (Amazon) Apple is really into lions, tigers, cheetahs, and really all wild cats. He loves his fluffy house cat too. This one is for all the little cat lovers out there. I’m sure any readings would be abridged at this stage, but the illustrations look great and I know we could enjoy it for a long time.

Practical Life
Glass Butter Churner (Bella Luna)
Butter Paddles (Bella Luna)
Garden Tools (For Small Hands)
Wheel Barrow (Amazon)

Toys and Puzzles
Hands Around the World Puzzle (For Small Hands)
Spinning Top (For Small Hands) — all three of the kids love this!
Hape 5 Layer Human Body Puzzle (Boy| Girl)
Life on Earth Matching (Amazon)
Space Exploration Matching (Amazon)
Connetix Magnetic Tiles
Marble Run (Amazon)
Tap and Tack (Amazon)
Grimms XL Rainbow Tunnel (Nova Natural)
Singing Marble Tree (Nova Natural)
Wooden Barn (Amazon)
Animal Figurines: Schleich (Amazon) (Many local feed stores also carry Schleich)| Ostheimer (The Wooden Wagon) (Bella Luna)
Color Matching Puzzle (Amazon)

Games
Tiny Polka Dot Game (For Small Hands) (Amazon)
Orchard Game (For Small Hands) (Amazon)
Yoga Garden Game (For Small Hands) (Amazon)
Wildcraft Game (For Small Hands)
Create a Story Cards (Amazon)
Listening Lotto: Outdoor Sounds (Amazon)
Animal Soundtrack (Amazon)

Stem/Science
Code & Go Robotic Mouse (Amazon)
Very First Magnet Kit (Amazon)
Pocket Microscope (Amazon)
Two Handled Magnifier (Amazon) (For Small Hands)
Basic Balance Scale (Amazon)

Art Supplies
Lyra Triangular Colored Pencils (Amazon)
Liquid Watercolors (Amazon)
Beeswax Candle Making Kit (Amazon)
Peg Loom (Bella Luna)
Stockmar Modeling Beeswax (Bella Luna) (Amazon)
Play Dough Rolling Pins (Amazon)
Glitter Washi Tape (Amazon) (My kids love sparkly things and really love tape!)

Animal Stencils (Amazon)

Music
Boomwackers (Amazon)
Tibetan Singing Bowl (Amazon)
Tom Drum (Amazon)
Melody Harp (For Small Hands)

Early Elementary (6-9)

Books
An Illustrated Treasury of Hans Christian Anderson (Amazon)
The Julia Rothman Collection: Farm Anatomy, Nature Anatomy, and Food Anatomy (Amazon)

Practical Life
Garden Tools (For Small Hands)
Grain Mill (For Small Hands)

Toys and Puzzles
Magnetic Human Body Puzzle (Amazon)
Biodiversity 500 Piece Puzzle (Amazon)

Double Sided Animal Kingdom 100 Piece Puzzle (Amazon)

Science/Stem
Human Body Model (Amazon)
Metal Bodied Kids Microscope (Amazon) (Cookie got a microscope for her birthday, it’s plastic and doesn’t seem super durable, but shes been really enjoying it)
Prepared Slides for Microscope (Amazon)
Beginner Telescope (Amazon)
Snap Circuits Jr (Amazon) (Cookie got this for her birthday and LOVES it)

Games
US Geography Bingo (Amazon)
Kingdomino (Amazon)

Art Supplies
Wooden Multicraft Loom (For Small Hands)
Oil Pastels (Amazon)
Sunprint Kit (For Small Hands)

Gross Motor
Yoga Pretzels (For Small Hands)

Stocking Stuffers
Rainbow Catcher (Nova Natural)
Storybook Flashlight (Nova Natural)
Wooden Kaleidoscope (Nova Natural)
Spinning Tops (Nova Natural)
Music Box (Nova Natural) (For Small Hands)
Wooden Kazoo (A Toy Garden)