8 Engaging Toys for Christmas

Finding just the right toy for your child can be so difficult. An engaging toy that encourages learning and will last as a kid uses it over and over again is not easy to come by! Here are a few toy ideas for kids 2 and up that can help bring a little joy this coming Christmas morning.

1. Snap Dinos/Bots

Brand: Lakeshore

Kids have to match the two parts of the buttons to create dinosaurs or robots. It is great fine motor practice and is fun for a wide range of kids. A great building toy.

2. Ice Cream Shop

Brand: Melissa and Doug

There is something magical about this toy. It is so engaging! Kids can use the scooper to click ice cream scoops out and then build them on top of each other to make huge cones.

3. Magnet Animals

Brand: Lakeshore

There are many more sets you can buy, but these animals are my favorite. The magnet limbs connect to the magnetic body. Kids like making animals correctly or making their own unique animals.

4. ABC Eggs

Brand: Coogam

There are also color-matching/shapes-matching eggs. Tyson loves to pretend to crack them open. This toy helps kids with letter recognition, puzzle logic, and fine motor skill.

5. Christmas Present Theme

Focusing on one type of toy or having a theme can help make Christmas day really fun without being too expensive. Multiple Lego, Duplo, or Magnatile sets can be really fun. You could also get lots of construction toys, train sets, cars with tracks…There are endless possibilities based on your child’s interest, but keeping to one type of toy can make Christmas Day playing more fun. Coordinating gifts to siblings to encourage them to play together on Christmas day is another fun way to incorporate a theme.

6. Create and Design Drill Kit

Brand: Lakeshore

This toy is so great for a variety of ages. An older kid can use the pictures and create patterns using the grid (a great STEM activity), while younger kids are still really engaged just by drilling in the screws.

7. Colorful Screen Drawing Board

Brand: Kidwill

This is hands down my favorite airplane/church/doctor's office toy. Tyson loves scribbling on it and then pressing the button to make everything disappear!

8. Stalking Stuffer Theme

The first year I was in charge of filling stockings I was shocked at how much candy it took to fill them! Now I try to have a theme for my stockings of a lot of small things. Last year I did all bubbles (fun bubble bath stuff, bubble guns, and a bubble wand). You could do all craft stuff (smelly markers, stickers, small notebooks, origami paper), digger toys and Pompoms, movie night snacks, notes to a scavenger hunt for their Christmas presents, pokemon cards, and toys or any other theme that goes with your child's interest.

Related Questions

What toys are helpful to encourage learning?

I like to notice the brands of toys that my child especially likes or finds really engaging. Certain brands do better at teaching skills important for later years. Lakeshore is one of my favorite brands for educational toys.

What should I get my kids for Christmas if they already have everything they need?

Finding the perfect gift can be stressful and difficult. When kids already have more stuff than they need, giving a child the gift of a new experience can be a really fun way to help build lasting memories with them.