T’is the season for purchasing gifts. And if you have a kiddo on your shopping list, it can sometimes be challenging to know what to buy.
But don’t worry, we at Reconnect Health Centre have got you covered with pediatric physiotherapist approved toys!
With years of buying for our own kiddos, and also wanting to provide gifts that encourage developmental growth and physical activity, we’ve created a list of our tried and tested favorites!
A reminder that while we’re showing you Amazon links for ease of reference, it’s worth doing a bit of quick research to see if there are options to support local small businesses when you can.
So peep our fave gift ideas for the little ones in your life!
Infinno Water Mat
This gift is a hoot for the new baby on your list! We’re all too familiar with the tummy time struggles, but having this fun mat for them to look at and interact with makes doing their exercises less painful. This is super fun, plus it’s light and portable for that trip to Grandma’s.
Suction Wonder Wheel
We love this toy! It’s great if you’re in a restaurant, or need your little one preoccupied while they’re in their high chair. Help your baby develop their fine motor skills with different colours, textures, and patterns while they’re entertained. Check out our link for the Suction Wonder Wheel.
Squigz
There’s nothing we love more than endless hours of open-ended play! These Squigz suction to each other effortlessly, so your child can create anything their imagination comes up with. These have always been a hit, and they don’t leave any messes behind, which is a major consideration in our shopping.
Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic Tile Toys
If you haven’t already hopped on this band wagon, it’s time to jump! Magnetic Tiles are the coolest 3D toys that encourage your child to create for hours. Great for teaching geometry and sharpening their imagination, they’ll be learning without even knowing it.
Shapes Bean Bags
Learning colours and shapes for wee ones. Who doesn’t love that? We love these bean bags!
Tummy Time Floor Mirror
Keep baby entertained with this fun mirror while they strengthen their back & neck muscles. The high contrast colours (and of course their own reflection!) keep them focused while they do their exercises.
Oball
This one is a classic for a reason! Oballs are super lightweight, pliable, colourful, and shaped for tiny hands and fingers to grasp. Super budget-friendly and a great size for their stocking, baby can roll, shake, or chew on this without worry. We’ve purchased these for years, for every little one on our list!
Foam Rocket Launcher
If you want to WOW your preschooler or young child, this is the ticket! This 2 pack rocket launcher lets your kids go head-to-head to see who can launch their rocket the highest. It comes with 8 rockets in total, so when one goes missing (we’ve all been there…), it’s no sweat! We love toys where kids can have a friendly competition, or team up and play together.
Ergobaby Carrier
This is the queen of all baby carriers. Don’t let the sticker price scare you off. We understand it’s a lot up front, but it’ll be everything you need and will have you covered until your new addition is nearly ready for kindergarten. It covers all the positions your baby wants to be in, is breathable for those sweaty hikes, and intentional about being ergonomic for baby’s delicate hips.
Light Up Magic Wand
How fun are these?! We can already hear your kiddo’s giggles with all the spinning colours of this wand. This would also make a super fun birthday gift.
RoboTime Baby Push Walker
We love this wooden Baby Push Walker. It’s a two-in-one toy, acting as both a push walker, to help with global movement, and is filled with wooden blocks, to help develop motor skills. Who wouldn’t love this Robotime Baby Push Walker?
Kid’s Snow Shoes
It wouldn’t be a gift guide from Canadians without some outdoor winter equipment! Winter can feel long, but a great way to really enjoy it is to get outside! These aluminum snow shoes are light weight and come in a ton of colours and sizes, so you’ll certainly find one that your kids will enjoy.
We love watching all the kiddos in our lives enjoy these gift options, and we’re always on the hunt for things that help them spend more time outside, use their imagination, and keep play open-ended. And not buying items that drive everyone else in the house crazy is a huge factor in our purchasing (looking at you, noisy toys!).
Remember that killin’ it in the gift buying department isn’t the reason for the holidays, and it’s certainly not a reflection on you as a parent. Buuuut, it’s always nice to get a few ideas when it comes to the younger ones on your list.
Is there anything we left out? What are your go-to gifts for young kiddos?
Looking for more advice from a pediatric physiotherapist? You can always book a session with our pediatric physio!
* We use affiliate links in this post. When you use our links to purchase items, we stand to receive a small portion of that purchase. We thank you for your support!
ReConnect Health Centre
