10 Holiday Gift Ideas for Preschoolers

The holidays are here and it’s time to start putting together your list for the preschooler(s) in your life…but where to start?! Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find ten fun holiday gift ideas for preschoolers from ages three to five years. These gifts will be sure to help that little learner have fun and develop new skills all at once. Of course there are tons of fun toys out there for preschoolers, so I hope this post will help you get started as you dive into the world of gift giving! Find out even more toy ideas for preschoolers by clicking here.

And if you’ve also got younger kiddos to shop for as well, be sure to check out my holiday gift ideas for babies and toddlers!

gift ideas for preschoolers

1. Beginner multi-piece puzzles-Challenge those hands and eyes as they work together to flip, turn, and slide pieces around in order to make them fit together.

2. Easel and supplies- Engages kids’ creative and sensory side while developing strong muscles in the arms and hands to help prepare their bodies for writing. The best easelshave chalkboard and whiteboard surfaces, with the ability to attach paper over them. Some of my favorite easel supplies include dry erase crayons(they are AMAZING!), colored chalk(break into small pieces to encourage age-appropriate pinch grasp, learn more here), finger paint, washable paintpaint cups with brusheseasel paper, and of course an art smock.

3. Pretend play sets- Ideal for this age group and great for developing symbolic play, fine motor, social, and language skills. Some examples include kitchen sets (the Melissa & Doug Corner KitchenLittle Tikes Deluxe Wooden Kitchen and Laundry Center, Little Tikes Deluxe Wooden Kitchen and Laundry Center, pretend food to cut, etc.), doll houses, doctor/vet set, and costumes for pretend play.

4. Tricycle- Coordinate those legs and strengthen that core to support the development of fine and gross motor skills!

5. Bouncing toys- Beat cabin fever during the cold months by giving kids a chance to move and jump while staying inside the house. Great for sensory seekers. Go-to bouncers include mini trampoline with handle, hippity hop ball, and Rody the hoping horse.

6. Lacing beads- A classic in fine motor development.

7. Gymboree bubbles- Best bubbles on the planet. Five times more bubbles with each blow of the wand, and they float for minutes on end. Lots of developmental benefits to playing with bubbles (find out here). Fun for preschoolers, but also perfect for toddlers and baby play groups as well!

8. Fine motor games- Strengthen those little hands as they prepare to become writers! Some of my favorite fine motor games for preschoolers include Ants in the PantsHi Ho Cherry-O, Hungry Dog/Monkey/Bunny, Lite Brite, and Pop Beads.

9. Books- Bring books to life and enhance preschoolers’ reading comprehension by asking them questions and involving them in the story. Check out books with rhymesstories, and silly ideas.

10. Play dough kit with accessories- Sensory, fine motor, language, and imaginary play all in one. So many options to choose from: Creations Caddy, Fun Factory, basic rollers and cutters, big barrelPrettiest Princess Castle, Dr. Drill and Fill, Star Wars kitSesame Street Lunch Box Fun, Cake Making Station, or simply a big pack of colors.

*Many of the links in this post to recommended products are affiliate links. That means if you click them and wind up purchasing the product not only will you get a great product your child will love, you’ll also be helping Mama OT pay back her grad school loans!

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Enter to win a free ERGObaby carrier!

Did you know ERGObaby is giving away four baby carriers at the end of this month? That’s less than two weeks from now!

Baby carriers are great because they allow you to keep your hands free and maintain close contact with your baby (and even breastfeed) while carrying him or her in a position that’s fairly ergonomic, which means it won’t put too much stress on your back. Though I haven’t personally used ERGObaby carriers (I’d never heard of them til after I’d become comfortable with my carrier of choice), I know many parents who have used them and I’ve only ever heard good things. The ERGObaby carriers are cool because you can wear your baby on either your front or your back, and they can be used from newborn to 45 lbs. They do tend to run on the pricey side though, so getting one for free is kind of a big deal!

So how do you enter this giveaway?

Follow these steps for the chance to win a free ERGObaby carrier:
1. Login to Pinterest and follow Ergobaby. If you don’t have a Pinterest account, request an invite here.
2. Visit their Baby Registry Board and comment on the Pinterest Bundle of Joy Contest pin with your due date.
3. Re-pin one of the four Bundle of Joy Carriers onto your Baby Registry Board and tag with the hashtags: #bundleofjoy #ergobaby
4. Re-pin the Pinterest Bundle of Joy Contest pin.

That’s it!

Four winners, who complete all four steps above, by Monday, July 30, 2012 at 8pm PST, will be chosen at random and each will win one of the new Bundle of Joy Carriers! The contest is open to U.S. residents only. If you want to go straight to their Pinterest page to get things started, do so by clicking here.

Visit ERGObaby’s website at www.ergobaby.com to learn more about their products, or watch their one-minute video demonstrating their baby carriers in action by clicking here.

Best of luck to all you expectant moms and dads out there!

. . . . .

Photo credit for images 1 and 2.

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Where can you find the best baby toys?

Parents and caregivers often want to buy new toys for their little babies but, man!, are they ever expensive! Before heading out to an overpriced baby goods store, try rifling through your kitchen cupboards first. You’d be surprised by the hours of entertainment you’ll find there, especially for young ones (around 6-12 months) who are interested in learning about the way sounds work and how things fit together.

It seems to be a law of the universe that babies automatically prefer toys that either A) aren’t supposed to be toys (e.g., coffee mugs, electrical cords, zippers, adults’ shoes) or B) are common household items. Give babies a brand-new store bought toy that lights up and sings and dances for them and, more often than not, they will still go for the common household item. Am I right?

Here are a few examples:

1. Empty water bottle filled with rice. Use a plastic water bottle (not a plastic soda bottle…it’s a texture thing) and add a few tablespoons of uncooked rice. Voila! Homemade rattle that baby can shake and chew. Try a mini-sized bottle for a space saving rattle you can take with you on-the-go. I’ve never seen anyone have problems with the cap coming lose or holes forming in the bottom of the bottle but, obviously, always check to make sure the cap is secure and the bottle itself is intact. Safety first!

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2. Plastic bowls. Cereal bowls work great, but mixing bowls of different sizes work even better! Play with them on their own or add a few little balls or other toys for baby to practice skills such as grasping, releasing, transferring, banging, mouthing and, of course, wearing as a hat (can you say “pre-dressing skills”?)!

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3. Cooking pot filled with small toys. This is great for learning how to engage in “container play” and it’s also an easy way to introduce basic vocabulary related to spatial concepts such as open/close, in/out, and on/off. If your floor space allows for it, add a bit of water to the pot so your little one can splash around and drop toys into the water. Be sure to only fill the pot with toys safe for your baby such as rings, baby cups, balls, plastic baby spoons, books, and teething toys. No uncooked pasta or beans yet. That comes when they’re a little older and know not to put everything in their mouth!

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If you have your heart set on buying some toys for a baby you know and you just want a little help figuring out what to buy, then you’re in luck.

Next week will be all about TOYS here on MamaOT!

I will be publishing three separate posts in order to discuss my favorite toys for kids from 0-1 years, 1-3 years, and 3-5 years. Get excited, and subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss out!

Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you here next week!

 

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