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The ultimate gift guide for toddlers

Kids ages 1 to 3 who are walking but not ready for preschool are learning and developing rapidly every day. They’re curious and love toys that teach them new things or let them complete tasks (sometimes over and over). These toys and books will make any toddler overjoyed to unwrap.

No-mess art is a dream come true for parents, and kids will love drawing all over this polyester and nylon mat. When a toddler uses the special pen filled up with tap water they can draw on this magical mat that makes colors appear where they draw. When the water dries in 3-10 minutes, the color disappears and it’s ready to be reused. The back of the mat keeps the table or floor beneath it dry and there’s no paint or ink to spill. Use it inside or outside and at home or on the road and just roll it up to store when not in use.

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This is a really smart gift that doesn’t take up space like a toy but is still a fun game. The 20 double-sided sturdy cards ask toddlers to find household items like books and buttons and do a simple activity when they find it like say its shape or put it on their head. It’s the kind of activity that keeps toddlers busy indoors with tasks they feel proud of accomplishing.

This six-piece set will inspire hours of pretend play and practices just the skills parents would love their little ones to learn. Kids love to imitate what they see their parents doing around the house and now they have their own mop, broom, duster, and dust pan to clean just like big kids.

This toy will keep toddlers busy matching colors and shapes while they develop fine motor skills, sorting and matching skills, eye-hand coordination, independent play, and memory. Each egg is just 6 centimeters tall and the egg carton is 30 centimeters long so this compact set packs a lot of punch in a small space.

This padded board book is a classic every toddler needs. Point to the pictures and say the words aloud, like “dog,” “ball,” and “chair.” Instead of getting a toddler to sit through a whole book, use it as a learning tool to point and repeat for as long as the attention holds. Kids will love the bright colors and recognizable objects from their daily lives.

This is a top-of-the-line gift that can be used from 9 months old to 5 years old. Adjust it as a child grows from infant trike to steering trike to learn-to-ride trike to classic trike. At first the rider is strapped in with a three-point harness with a parent steering and the child with a canopy and a footrest. The parent steering, footrest, and canopy can all be removed over the years until a standard red tricycle is left. Kids and parents will love this one!

Don’t worry if a stuffed animal gets sick, now there’s a doctor in the house! This 24-piece veterinarian play set comes with a plush dog and cat and toy favorites like a play stethoscope and thermometer. It all comes in a tote bag for storage and toddlers will look adorable pretending to check off items on the included mini clipboard.

This sweet book has a wonderful message. Read out loud about what kindness is and show kids the colorful illustrations with diverse children. With starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal, this book is sure to be a hit.

Editors' Recommendations

The 10 best books to add to your nursery shelf
Reading To Baby

When you have a baby on the way and you are planning out their nursery, you have their crib and their rattles and baby toys. But one spot not to neglect is their bookshelf. Reading to your baby has proven benefits and will help them in the long run. With so many options out there on the market, how do you find the best books for your baby? We have compiled a list of some of the best baby books to add to your baby's bookshelf for when your little one makes their grand debut!
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
This is one of the most beloved books to read to babies. Its repetitive words help reinforce baby's speech. This fun book has lift-the-flap portions of the book, so when the baby gets a little bit older, they can have even more fun with the book. It's no wonder that it's been a popular book for babies and young ones for over 50 years! It focuses on colors and animals, so it is a great first book to put on their nursery shelf!
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
"When A told B, and B told C, to meet them at the top of the coconut tree," a lot of fun happened! This book leans much on rhyme and will have your little one clapping along to its catchy sayings! The bright colors will catch their eye and keep their attention as you read throughout the book.
Jane Foster's Black and White
Black-and-white images help to give a boost to your little one's eye development. That is what makes this book such a good idea to keep in their nursery! Weaving in lovely illustrations in black-and-white images, this book will keep your baby enthralled and excited as you read to them.
Moo, Baa, La La La!
Sandra Boynton is known for her quirky illustrations and funny books, making this a natural that baby should have this book! It is a funny and silly book that you can read with baby, and it is sure to elicit a smile or a giggle when you make the funny animal sounds that accompany the illustrations in this book!
Where is Baby's Belly Button?
Little ones will have a blast on this lift-the-flap adventure! This interactive book allows your baby to learn where certain parts of their body are, all while written in rhyme. It is definitely a classic to keep on the shelf.
The Pout-Pout Fish
Poor little pout-pout fish seems pretty gloomy and glum, and despite his friend's best efforts, he is still pretty pouty. That is until one special friend turns his frown upside down! Your baby will love the colors and fun illustrations throughout the book, and the best thing about it is it's a book that can grow with them. For example, when they are ready to learn to read, this is a great book for them to start with!
Look at You!
Did you know that it is a proven fact that by 5 months of age, babies can recognize other baby's faces? This book is full of baby's faces that your little one will love to look at! It even features a mirror on the last page so that baby will be able to look at their own reflection at the very end of the book!
First 100 Words
This book is great to start reading to your baby early on! With 100 words, accompanied by bright and stimulating pictures, this book will help to develop your child's vocabulary in a fun and imaginative way!
TouchThinkLearn: ABC
With its beautiful clean lines and modern look, this is not your average learn-your-ABCs-book. There are die-cuts and fun things to touch and feel for baby to learn all about the alphabet.
Goodnight Moon
An absolute beloved classic, this book features simple sayings and is illustrated so beautifully. It is the perfect book to read to your baby when they are all fed, bathed, and ready for their bedtime.

All of these books would make a great addition to your baby's burgeoning library. Some are classics and some are new, but all of them are the best of the best.

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This $50 blanket is baby’s best go-everywhere option
Baby smiling under a blanket

Whether you’re a new parent outfitting your nursery for the first time or you’re looking for a replacement baby blanket for another that you’ve discovered your baby just doesn’t quite like or doesn’t meet your needs, finding a good baby blanket is easier said than done. You want something durable, that’ll last, but also easy to clean, preferably machine washable. 
Finding the perfect baby blanket

The perfect baby blanket — no matter who you are — will likely offer you a few key features:

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Make sure you have these 12 things before you give birth
postpartum supplies pregnant woman packing hospital bag

You have a cute homecoming outfit for Baby all picked out, the chicest stroller money can buy set up and folded in your trunk, and a room full of half-put-together nursery furniture just waiting for Baby's big debut. You are ready -- well, sort of. The countdown to labor and delivery is on, and while your nesting instincts may be in overdrive, you'll also want to ensure that you are set up to successfully navigate the postpartum challenges ahead. Now is the appropriate time to scoop up the essentials you might want or need at the hospital and your home to ensure that the postpartum-recovery process is smooth and pain-free -- well, as much as possible.
While many soon-to-be moms talk about packing a suitcase for the hospital, we advise having three separate bags ready to go. You will want to have some favorite creature comforts to help you get through labor and delivery (lip balm, headphones, etc.), you'll need the basics for Baby, and, separately, you should have products for recovery within reach. While stocking all of these items is important, we are going to devote this must-have list to postpartum essentials for moms -- because we want you to know what to expect from your body once Baby is born and understand how you can prepare for any and all aches, pains, and potential scenarios.
So grab a pen and paper, and get your postpartum checklist started. You will want to make sure you have these 12 things before you give birth.

Disposable underwear and/or pads
If you've typed the question, "what supplies do I need after giving birth?" into a Google search bar, you are not alone by a long shot. And if you are surprised to learn that disposable underwear is at the tippy top of the must-have list, all we can say is: Welcome to the new moms' club!
Yes, disposable underwear are about as sexy as they sound. And, regardless of whether you have a vaginal birth or C-section, you'll be going through these paper panties rather speedily; believe it or not, you'll learn to love them. As your uterus contracts, you will bleed as if you are experiencing a heavy period. While the hospital will have some flimsy, disposable pairs on hand, we recommend finding an option that's a bit thicker, offers more absorbency, and features a higher waist in case you have a C-section incision scar to work around.

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