I apologize if this question has been asked, but the site wouldn't allow me to search previous questions right now. I have a 2-year-old niece/godchild for whom I would like to buy a fun Christmas gift. I am out of touch with the current toddler toys or popular gifts because my kids are teenagers. She doesn't really need anything. I have already purchased a couple of board books/picture books for her because I love books. My dad and my grandma are already giving her money so I would like to give her something fun to unwrap. I used to sell Discovery Toys so I have high quality, educational toys that I've passed on to her. The price range can vary. Although she doesn't really need anything, part of my thinking is passing on the Christmas spirit my late mom, her grandma, radiated. She was born during my mom's final hospitalization and my mom got to meet her only briefly by Skype. My mom was Mrs. Christmas and was the type to overindulge her grandchildren with gifts, cookies, etc. I don't want to overindulge, but I do want to find something fun or special for her to open and to celebrate the giving aspect of Christmas.
I love these ideas! Thanks! I had been thinking about the possibility of a doll. Ever since she was born I've been looking forward to buying her an AG doll, but I thought I would have to wait until she was older. I didn't know about Bitty Baby. (Our family loves Legos, but I have already passed on to her our Duplos.) She has a toy kitchen, but I don't know if she has a shopping cart. I am supposed to babysit her tomorrow and will check out her kitchen supplies.
Toddler shopping cart (some come w/plastic veggies & food items)
A doll she can hold/pretend feed etc.
DreamLight for her room
Toy stroller so she can push her doll around.
A cute, cuddly stuffed teddy bear.
Edit: you can, also, include a personalized ornament w/her name on it.
Fun to look back on as she gets older.
I want to say, you are very thoughtful to keep your mom's holiday spirit alive.
How about a very soft, cuddly animal and if possible, a storybook about that same animal? You might not find these as a set but might have to do some searching. (There are sets out there you can buy together, too, but you might or might not find one that appeals to you--some tend to be a bit, well, "Hallmark-ish" for my taste and the books aren't the best quality.)
For instance, my daughter got a gorgeous, extremely soft and huggable rather realistic little bear (not too large) a few years back, from the toy company Ditz which does terrific animals. I can see pairing that toy with a kid's book about a bear. There is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by the fantastic Eric Carle, or "Bear Stays Up for Christmas" by Karma Wilson (Wilson also wrote the adorable "Bear Snores On" which your niece would love too).
You get the idea. A cuddly cat could come with a cat book. Or you can get her any (or several) of the books about cat character Skippyjon Jones (hilarious, and your bookstore will know what you mean when you ask for it). There's a Skippyjon stuffed toy out there somewhere, I'm sure, though he's an odd-looking fellow! Skippyjon may be a bit "old" for her, for another two or three years, though. It might be more fun to make your own pairing!
If you live close by, then be sure you give her the gift in person and sit down and read her the books right then and there!
You can never, ever have too many books, from birth onward for the rest of your life.
One other thing: Please be sure to gather, now, as many photos of your mom as you can. Make scans, make both paper and electronic versions. Start a photo album of grandma with your own captions explaining the pictures in a kid's terms. Then give her that -- in a few year's time, not at two. Keep adding to it. Maybe make it a gift in late elementary school when she can better understand it. It will be invaluable and you and your sibling(s) can all have those photos as well.
I got my two year old niece a bilibo and a book. Also check out fatbrain.com. They have an age scale for presents.
Here's some that might work
-Squigz
-magnatiles/magformers
-wooden toys
I'm thinking at 2 you would be good with pretty much anything Fisher Price. They have lots of family type play things and are good for those little hands.
Kitchen type toys are good too...either the kitchen itself or the food items to play with, maybe a shopping cart?
Added: YES to an ornament. My kids get a new one every year and they love to look back at the things they have gotten over the years that represent their interested of the time. They will also have a nice collection of ornaments when they get older and have their own trees.
My daughter loved the big Lego blocks at that age. It was fun watching her try to put them together. It kept her busy for a while. She also had a shopping cart with play food. She would sit her doll in the front of the cart where she usually sat when shopping and she would take all of the food out and put it back in. This was entertaining too. There are lots of educational toys she will like. Look on Toys R us website under her age group to get ideas. Have fun shopping.
A soft body baby doll with some out fits and a bottle. She will love it. If some one else could get the toy crib and stroller she will play for years.
American Girl bitty baby
Is there something of meaning to your late mom that would be a good gift? A favorite holiday book, for example?
Does she live in winter states? Or sunshine states?
If you really want something original and fun why not google child care supplies and find an easel, indoor that's sturdy (4 legs not 3) or outdoor that hooks on the fence, a reading nook pillow to go along with the books, finger painting supplies, a doll house for little people toys, a little tykes 2 step slide that's built like a cube and not a triangle, a bounce ball they sit on that has a ring to hold on to, a Swedish exercise ball just her size, and so much more!!!
I made a reading nook in my child care center that is still a great memory for those kids. I got the idea out of the Mailbox Curriculum books for preschoolers.
I got a hard swimming pool from Walmart, around $10, and I put it in a corner. I filled it with pillows and blankets and added some wall lights by it but put is soft white 60 watt light bulbs in them. This way they can kick back and read and fall asleep if they want to.
My 2 yo loved her "Baby" - a Nenuco baby doll that she got from Santa (Santa ordered it from Amazon). She and "Baby" are still inseparable (she's now 4). I got her the one with the sleeper cradle.
I've never met any 2 yr old (boy or girl) who didn't love a stuffed teddy bear (or some other stuffed animal).
These things are cute:
A tea set is great for this age. Melissa and Doug make a great one. My daughter loves pretending to pour things in cups.
Here's the link on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Sunny-Patch-Butterfly/...
Best,
T. Y
well as long as shes got enuff toys-try going with savings bonds-my ex inlaws did that for both my kids-bday,xmas,easter,etc etc so by time they turned 20 they had nice lil nest eggs to fall back on-or open her own savings account.in yours n hers name only..plan for her future.
