2024 gift guide for babies, toddlers, and mamas (and grandmas, too!)
We know the holiday season can be overwhelming, especially with so much noise about what you “should” buy and the infinite number of options available.
We DO want to offer thoughtful suggestions you can feel good about while also reducing the pressure to buy more than you need. We hope you’ll view these recommendations as just that - recommendations!
Because we are speech-language pathologists, people often ask us for gifts that help encourage talking and language development.
The truth is, no specific toy gets toddlers talking — it’s the simple things parents do at home during everyday activities that helps. And that’s exactly what we teach you in our TalkToddler Course. Educating yourself is priceless.
If you’re looking for something educational for your toddler, we recommend our Songs+Stories membership (it’s honestly great for all kids!). It’s intentional, slow-paced content that engages kids without overstimulating them. It’s perfect for parents who are intentional about what their kids learn, listen to, and watch.
That being said, we’ve put together a list of some of our favorite items for babies, toddlers, and mamas (+ grandmas) too. We hope you’ll enjoy!
Gifts for babies
Your baby will love stacking the rings. We also love looking through the hole in the ring to say “peek a boo!” Plus, it looks super cute on a shelf.
This visually-pleasing outdoor or indoor swing is a gift your baby is sure to love! The bobble additions are brilliant AND you can throw the canvas part in the washing machine—so smart!
A great way to prevent slipping while practicing pulling to stand and taking first steps! Super cozy and we love this brand.
We love this sweet, hooded rabbit towel in particular because it’s a great size—they can grow into it as they reach toddlerhood. Plus, nothing is cuter than a freshly bathed babe! 😭 😍
The sweetest dolls you ever did see.
The quality of these play kits are unmatched! Lovevery truly knows what's important when it comes to early childhood development. We think the play kits make such a great gift from grandparents as well! Use code WEEGIFT for $12 off.
Parade Jammies with 2-Way Zipper
You need 2-way zippers in your life #IYKYK. These pajamas are sooo good!
Buttery soft. Try their sheets, pjs, wraps…you can’t go wrong with Solly Baby!
TalkBaby by Wee Talkers
This fun and doable course is packed with essential tips and easy-to-apply strategies to support your baby’s early communication. Plus, enjoy 15 engaging songs and rhymes to sing together, making learning fun and memorable. Grab gift certificates here.
Click the link, and you’ll see. It’s precious. (and bummer, this community has already sold it out— this is a similar option!)
We love this sweet set of books for little hands! Plus, the author is a fellow speech-language pathologist, so you know it’s good for early language. This is currently on pre-order but it will be out before the holidays!
Tubby Todd Body Wash and Lotion
Once you’ve used Tubby Todd, it’s hard to use anything else! These products look and smell amazing, and they’re a huge help for babies with sensitive skin.
Such a beautiful soft book with peek-a-boo flaps you're baby will love!
The cutest developmentally appropriate meal time set up for learning to eat!
STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS FOR BABIES:
For stocking stuffers for babies, we’re big fans of gifting the practical items—the things you probably need to buy anyway, but aren’t as boring as diapers. This is the best teether that doesn’t fall out of their hands. We love these light-weight books that babies can’t rip. This is go-to lotion for little ones (it’s magic ✨). You’'ll be so happy to have a reusable pouch that’s easy to clean. And this sweet lovie will make their stocking even cuter.
GIFTS FOR TODDLERS
Katie's 3 year old rides this one—it has been in the family for over 9 years and it's still in great shape. Balance bikes are a great way to help your little one be a successful, early bike rider! You can start around 18 months.
Chunky puzzle pieces are perfect for little hands. These are great for introducing your toddler to puzzles.
At Katie’s house, this rocketship has been through four kids (and survived)! It’s so good for developing pretend play + so many language opportunities!
We LOVE toddler standers for helping little ones participate in the day-to-day tasks in the kitchen. This stander is aesthetically pleasing, so well made, and even folds up when you want to tuck it away. It’s a beauty.
Taking something off your plate and finding high-quality, engaging screen time for when you need a few minutes to yourself is TRULY the gift that will keep on giving! With a Songs + Stories membership, your family can access a huge library of storytimes and songs and rhymes classes every month, all led by speech therapists. It’s something they will love, and you can feel really good about. Gift cards here.
Crazy Shape Magnetic Building Set
Katie’s had magnet blocks in her home since her oldest was 18 months old (he turns 8 soon!). They’ve held up SO well and are often in the toy rotation. This set of magnetic building blocks come in tons of different shapes, but they all stick together really well, so kids can build allll kinds of things—and practise their constructive play skills.
Our kids have have all loved dress-up clothes, and we feel like it’s something they come back to again and again for years. We also love the rainbow playsilk for open ended play. They can be anything from a super hero to a queen. Use the link above to get a discount on these super high quality, heirloom pieces.
Such a fun way to encourage pretend play for little ones. It’s perfect for teaching body parts and playful expressions like 'yay!', 'ow!', and 'ahhh' (when you stick your tongue out). Plus—a little parent hack—it’s one of our favorites for low-energy days. Just lie back and let your toddler take the lead as the doctor while you play the patient!
There is something about taking a toy or material and putting it in a sensory table, that makes kids gravitate to it! We love that this one can be “closed” and doubles as a little table for them to sit or stand.
Ahh, the play kitchen. Our #1 go-to toy for speech therapy and our own kids! In short: we’re here for all of it! We love this one because it’s super simple. No buttons to push to make noise or unnecessary bells and whistles. Your toddler gets to do the talking and exploring.
A fantastic screen-free gift for toddlers! The Tonie Box is an audio player that uses small, figurine-like characters to connect to the top of the device. It’s incredibly simple to use, with no buttons or screens—just place a Tonie on the box and the magic happens.
These Play Kits make the perfect gift! A+ all around! Opening them is just a delight and you and your child will both be thrilled to have this gorgeous box of developmentally appropriate toys. Use code WEEGIFT for $12 off! We’ve never seen a code this good!!
Love to encourage creativity but not a huge fan of mess? First of all, same. And second of all, you’ll love these! Kwik Stix are super fast-drying paint sticks with vibrant colors little ones love. They’re easily one of the most used items in our craft closet! We love to use them on cardboard boxes (upcycling win!) or roll out a big sheet of paper and let our toddlers go.
Whether you live in rain or just need a quick pair of boots to throw on for the backyard, we really like these for little feet!
Need a super intentional gift?! This Pinhole Press book is perfect and the quality is amazing. What toddler wouldn’t love seeing photos of themselves and people they love in a durable book?! Use code WEETALKERS to get 25% off your board book purchase.
STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS FOR TODDLERS:
If you’re in need of some stocking stuffer inspo, here’s a few things we love to gift. A darling little wooden cars or kid safe nail polish for when they’re feeling fancy. These are nice to pull out when you need to make bath time more fun, a tonie box figure or yoto card, or a flashlight that makes everything more exciting. Little wooden people or animals to mix and match with Magna-tiles or blocks.
GIFTS FOR PRESCHOOLERS
These are just the cutest! They are a staple in our home. Use code WEETALKERS20 for 20% off.
Carly’s girls have been obsessed with these for years. They allow for a lot of open ended play and mix well with other toys. And we find them so adorable that we don’t mind them spread all over the floor 🤪
These are simply magical ✨ We love a toy that supports imaginative play! Dress up as a fairy, a bug, a dragon, and more! Their big playsilks are also amazing for open ended play. Use the link above to get a discount! A bunch of their items are on major sale right now for Black Friday!!
Our go-to for kids water bottles. It has a COVERED straw! Or you can choose not to drink from the straw and drink out of the spout. The world is your oyster.
Maybe it’s just us, but we wish the world looked a little more like the Happy Folk Hotel. Toddlers LOVE putting things in and taking them out. The play opportunities with these adorable wooden people are endless.
These are not cheap, but we are not lying when we say it is SO WORTH it. Katie has had the same set of Magna-Tiles for nine years and they’re stillllll going! And they grow with your child. When they’re 12 months, they can just explore how they stick together, and by three years old, they’re building magnificent creations!
You might wonder if your child is old enough for something like this, but we totally think they’ll love it and that you’ll be surprised at how capable they are!! Plus, it’s a fun thing to do together. It’s not super messy, comes with lots of color options, googly eyes, and sculpting tools.
Taking something off your plate and finding high-quality, engaging screen time for when you need a few minutes to yourself is TRULY the gift that will keep on giving! With a Songs + Stories membership, your family can access a huge library of storytimes and songs and rhymes classes every month, all led by speech therapists. It’s something they will love, and you can feel really good about. Gift cards here.
These giant floor puzzles are a preschooler’s dream! We love that they don’t use standard straight borders.
A wonderful screen free entertainment option, the Yoto Player is an audio device that plays content from physical cards. With its pixelated display (a bit of a retro vibe!), and simple button interface, Yoto allows kids to rather independently explore a library of content. We love both the mini and the full size!
We love this game because you play as a family and all work together to accomplish the same goal. It’s always a hit!
Such a great toy for pretend play! But watch out, preschoolers tend to overcharge you 🤪 We love this particular cash register because it’s simple and not super noisy.
There’s something irresistible about a toddler-sized backpack! This one is ready to be stuffed with all the ‘essentials’—like a random rock, a craft box pipe cleaner, that piece of trash you wish they hadn’t picked up, and, of course, a bouncy ball.
Your preschooler will have so much fun with this timeless toy. All aboard! 🚂
We are obsessed with this brand new product that makes helping build your toddlers early literacy skills a breeze! Learning through play for the win! Use code WEEREADING for 10% off.
STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS FOR PRESCHOOLERS:
There are so many fun stocking stuffers for preschoolers! Here are a few things we include year after year with our own kids: This drawing tablet is so nice to have at home or on-the-go. Our kids love these—minimal mess, lots of fun! These blow up wubble balls, are not quite balloons, but not quite balls—see for yourself! Wikki stix are a go to for creative little minds. If you’re looking for something practical, we’re pretty obsessed with these water bottles for kids. Or these mini magna-tiles for something to do while waiting at a restaurant or doctor’s appointment. And throw in this little counter clicker thing—kids LOVE pushing the counter to see how many red things they can find, how many toys they cleaned up, or how many cars they have in their basket.
Gifts for moms
Or the special woman in your life — grandmas, aunts, friends, teachers, etc. — all who care for kids. Hiii dads, we love you too, but you’re not as easy to shop for! (although, these slippers might be nice?). If you have some good suggestions though, drop them in the comments below.
The to-go mug of our dreams! The Carter Move Mug has all the practicality and reliability we’re looking for in a travel tumbler, without all the fuss. It’s durable, well insulated (hellooo hot coffee, even after hours on the go), leak-proof, and ready for all of your adventures. And an added bonus? There are sooo many fun colors to choose from!
Cute tennis shoes are basically essential. These are fun!
Do your kids wake you up in the morning, or do you use an alarm clock? We’ve been through both phases, but on the rare days we can get up a bit before they do, it makes a world of difference (if the stars align 🤣). This clock is perfect for winding down at night and waking up gently in the morning—a truly lovely start to the day! We love the one for kids, too. The are on major sale for Black Friday right now!
The cactus fruit scent is heavenly. It’s a great styling cream!
Unlock a spa-level glow at home. Your winter skin will be so thankful!
So cozy and the colors are 👌. Treat yourself!
This is one of our most used items. They are just so handy and nice! We love being able to pop them in to listen to an audio book or podcast.
Such a treat if you’re a reader!
The most beautiful, intentional memory book we’ve ever laid eyes on 😍 Even if you didn’t start from the beginning, Kept makes it super doable.
Katie got these for around the house last year and didn’t take them off all winter. So cozy! Carly is eyeing this pair.
The most perfect mug. This lovely company was affected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, so they could use even more support this season!
We love anything made by Walker Goods, and this toiletry bag is no exception. Plus, the color selection is just perfect.
The sweetest, personalized gift to adorn your fridge! We are big fans.
STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS FOR MOMS:
Whether you fill your own stocking or want to pass on a little list of ideas, here are some things we love. A milk frother adds a little delight to your morning coffee. We’re paper and pen girls, and these pens are our very favorite. This little envelope wallet is so nice to throw in your bag for keeping together all the passes, memberships, and important receipts. Relax and enjoy this matcha coconut blend. We love this for a little face glow. And our winter chapped lips really love this lip mask. We also love this for lips!
We put this list together just for fun. There are a some affiliate links in this post, which means that we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you in advance should you wish to use them!