14 Gifts for Kids 0-2 Years

By Brianna

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Proven Picks for the Littles on Your List

​When shopping for the holidays, simply walking into a store and hoping to find good ideas for the little in your life can get overwhelming fast!  There are so many toys available in early winter, and the malls and stores are packed with people.  Likewise, shopping online can get a bit harried, too.  You’re being inundated with ads everywhere from your inbox, to your social media account.  You can certainly pick the most adorable clothes or toys you come across, but you might be disappointed by how little they get used after the wrapping paper has been discarded.

As you're shopping for presents this year, don’t be afraid of getting toys or books that are a little bit of a reach for your favorite littles. Rather than watch our kids play with everything until January, and then never touch any of it again, we opt for things that we can watch them grow into throughout the year, and hopefully enjoy for another year or two to come. This is a list of toys and products you can expect to put some miles on.  Everything is at least useful, and hopefully beautiful as well.  Let’s take a look.

no. 1
​Brianna's Pick: Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Stack & Roll Cups 

This set of stacking cups is one of Monkey's favorite toys.  You can stack the cups into an interlocking tower, or into one big ball, or five balls of different sizes.  The simple design of this toy obscures its several modes of play, which also makes it a great toy for the long haul.

no. 2
​Ariel's Pick: Baby Einstein Take-Along Tunes

​The Baby Einstein Take-along Tunes is still a favorite in our household. While Bean used to love simply pushing the button and watching the lights, now she has graduated to dancing and even singing along. Or at least I think she is singing along – sometimes it is hard to tell. Featuring seven lively melodies from Chopin to Mozart to Vivaldi and more – this has remained a favorite from 6 months to 18 and counting.

no. 3
​Brianna's Pick: Rockabye Baby Albums

​A few years ago, I was looking for story time music and a baby shower gift at the same time.  That search yielded the delightful surprise that is the Rockabye Baby! collection. They take iconic rock music and translate it onto baby-friendly instruments like xylophone. These albums walk the line between parody and cover so well, you won’t know if you’re enjoying it ironically, or in earnest.  Great pick for new parents, new baby, or even as a white elephant gift!

no. 4
​Ariel's Pick: The Boppy

The Boppy is a versatile donut shaped pillow that has a variety of uses. I originally bought it for breastfeeding, but it has come to fill a great many needs I could not have anticipated as a new mom, from propping up my book while I was pumping, to corralling a wobbly baby new to sitting-up. Most notably? It is surprisingly comfortable for couch naps. It cradles your head in such a way that sometimes I was actually able to sleep while the baby was sleeping.
​Brianna’s Two Cents: I second Ariel’s discovery that the Boppy is secretly the best pillow for couch crashing.

no. 5
​Brianna's Pick: Water Wow Pads by Melissa & Doug

If you are a fan of Imagine Ink or Magic Pen activity pads, let me introduce you to their brilliant little sibling, the Water Wow pads by Melissa & Doug.  Like the others, the details hidden on the page can only be revealed by the pen that comes with the pad.  Unlike the others, however, the pictures soon fade away, letting kids use the same pad repeatedly.  The best part is, there is no weird ink in this pen or on the paper.  The whole effect is achieved with water, which you put in the pen.  The pads come in themes that can be educational, fashion-based, or even religious.  A great quiet activity for any little who likes to color, and is safer than even non-toxic crayons and markers (because it’s just water).
​Ariel’s Two Cents: Yes yes yes! Bean loves these. We have one in each car as our go-to restaurant entertainment. But be forewarned, Bean quickly discovered that she can suck the water out of the pen, so don’t be surprised if your little does the same. Good thing it’s just water!

no. 6
​Ariel's Pick: Baby Einstein Activity Jumper

​The Baby Einstein Activity Jumper is how I got anything done without a second pair of hands. A 360 degree experience featuring twelve different toys, this jumper was a hit from the time Bean could sit up to about the time she started walking. Even once she grew too tall, she still loved standing at the toys and playing! Apparently they did not get boring. The jumper features five adjustable height settings to grow with your baby. But my favorite features were the detachable rings to add additional toys or the tray that was perfect for attaching suction cup toys to keep it new and exciting.

no. 7
​Brianna's Pick: Baby Lit board books

The board books by Baby Lit are really a really cute gift for a little, with fantastic design that will appeal to adults.  They paint classic stories in very broad strokes, offering kids vocabulary words they are unlikely to encounter in everyday life.  For Christmas, The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol would be a great choice.  
Ariel’s Two Cents: I second Brianna’s love for the Baby Lit board books. Last year we gave Bean The Jabberwocky and Alice in Wonderland, and she continues to love them both!

no. 8
​Brianna's Pick: Uncle Goose Blocks

I just gushed about the greatness that is anything made by Uncle Goose.  Blocks are a classic and classy choice as a gift for any little.  To learn why we recommend these blocks in particular, read my review here.
​The Chanukkah blocks are an affiliate link, but the others are not.

no. 9
​Brianna's Pick: John Deere Massaging Corn Teether

​Some teethers are a waste of money.  The First Years John Deere Massaging Corn Teether is not.  It’s one of my favorite things.  First of all, it’s this adorable, smiling corn.  And it’s a teether, with a hard plastic handle perfect for little hands, and a soft coating on the “corn” to encourage chewing.  When baby really chomps on the corn, it vibrates, which is both soothing and exciting for them.  A great teether that my kid actually used.

no. 10
​Ariel's Pick: Honeyed Pacifier Clips

​The Honeyed Pacifier Clips have been hands-down my most repurchased item since Bean was born – both for myself and as a gift. They are made of a stain resistant satin ribbon that is easy to either wipe off, hand-wash or throw in the laundry along with everything else. After more than a year of hard daily use and frequent trips through the washing machine there is minimal discoloration and little rust on the clips.

no. 11
​Ariel's Pick: Calming Vibrations Soother Elephant

Unfortunately the vibro owl that my daughter loved from Carter’s has been discontinued. But this Calming Vibrations Soother Elephant from Fisher-Price is comparable! Vibrations are soothing for young babies. In fact, they were my secret weapon as a young mother. But rather than relying on the vibrating feature of a crib or bouncy seat, I opted for a plush toy instead for portability. Plus, when she grew out of needing/wanting vibrations to go to sleep, she still loved the soft squishy owl. It was comforting just by itself!

no. 12
​Brianna's Pick: Monkey Around Board Game

There are board games for kids as little as two!  I was so delighted when Grandma Monkey gave Monkey Around to our little Monkey.  We’re big into gaming of all kinds, and we were so excited to introduce our favorite hobby to our little.  Best of all, she likes this non-competitive game, too.  If you’re Gamer Aunt/Uncle, or know a family of gamers with a toddler, this is the home-run you’re looking for this year. Be sure to check out other games by Peaceable Kingdom, too.

​no. 13
​Brianna's Pick: Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon

​The Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon is another toy I recently reviewed.  It’s great for beginning walkers, and will be fun through several stages of development.  Its price point as the second most expensive thing on this list means it’s a fun choice if you’re looking to splurge for the holidays. Read my detailed review here.

​no. 14
​Ariel's Pick: Circo Grey Wipeable Changing Pad Cover

​The Circo Grey Wipeable Changing Pad Cover is brilliant! The cover features a vinyl strip down the center of the pad where most poo-explosions occur. So if you are having one of those days and changing out a stained cover is the proverbial straw breaking your back, wipe it off and move on!​ Non-affiliate link.

It can be challenging shopping for people who don't really have hobbies yet.  Wandering around the baby and toys sections gets overwhelming fast.  If you use our list as a guide, you're sure to pick a great gift that will get a lot of use.  

Parents, what was the best gift your kids ever got when they were under three?  If you were buying for a niece/nephew or a friend's kid, did you ever knock it out of the park?  

If you found this list (or anything else on our site) to be useful, come back for more!

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