A Guide to Making Holiday Wish Lists

It’s that time of year again and the holiday shopping has begun early this year! While I am not creating specific gift guides (you can find previous gift ideas here) I thought it might be helpful to share how I plan out my holiday shopping for the kids (now 2 and 4 years old). Keep in mind, these are all just ideas, not an indication of the number of gifts one should give or receive. :)

What is fun AND functional? While our family typically emphasizes play in our holiday gifts, sometimes the kids’ favorite presents aren’t toys at all. Rather, they are the most excited about functional items and tools. This year’s big ticket items for the kids will likely be suitcases for the kids as we begin more travel this coming year. I’m also eyeing a rain gauge, hammer and tool kit, and a new houseplant for the kids to take care of. 

What are their unique interests? Just because I think a toy is exciting or beautiful doesn’t mean my child will! It helps to think about what our children are most engaged and interested in. S spends a lot of time constructing, so I’m looking at adding these blocks to our collection. D spends a lot of time creating art so I’ve added a spirograph to her list. They both are deep into pretend play, so a joint gift might be this doctor kit.

What can we expand on? - Holidays are also a great time to add pieces to a larger collection. This can be a great way to give meaningful toys without adding to the clutter. For example, we typically add one or two wooden animals to our favorite Holztiger collection and trains or tracks to our Brio set each Christmas. Other collections to add to each year could be Lego/Duplos, Magna Tiles, or Grimms wooden toys. 

How long will it be enjoyed? With both kids in school part-time, a lot of what they do at home is open-ended play. With these types of toys, I look for materials that will last a long time, both in terms of durability and enjoyment. I look for toys that grow with the kids, and can be played with in a variety of different ways. Examples in our home have been Sarah’s Silks, our play Ice Cream set, and wooden blocks.

Who do we want to support? As much as possible, I try to support local and small shops when holiday shopping. These shops also always offer new inspiration and ideas. Some long-time favorites of ours include: Heirloom Kids, Montessori in Color, Natural Playbox, Birch Street Goods, and Mirus Toys. A couple larger favorite online source for holiday shopping are For Small Hands and Kido.

What experiences would they enjoy? Holidays don’t have to be about toys. It can be really fun to gift children experiences to look forward to! Some ideas include tickets to a children’s show/performance, a special day out with just you, a music or gymnastics class, or tickets to a special zoo or kids museum exhibit.

I hope this helps those of you who are still working on your children’s holiday wish lists or considering gifts for friends and relatives! Happy Holidays!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, you won’t pay anything extra, but I will get a small commission, which helps keep this blog going. Thanks for supporting Montessori in Real Life!

A Montessori-Inspired Holiday Gift Guide

Now that Halloween is over, it’s time to start looking forward to the holidays! I always *try* to get my holiday shopping done early to make it easier to enjoy the more festive parts of December. So, I decided to get this list out on the extra early side, for the early bird shoppers like me! If nothing else, you can at least start your lists early. :) I’ve created short gift guides for four age groups, from young babies to older toddlers. Because these gifts will likely be enjoyed for many months, I don’t get too specific with ages.

These gift ideas are more Montessori-inspired toys than classic Montessori materials. I think it’s fun to get a bit more creative when it comes to holiday gifting, especially for family and friends! If you’re looking for classic, specific-by-age Montessori materials for an infant or toddler, check out The Montessori Guide! The Montessori Guide would also make a wonderful gift for a new or expecting parent in your life. Other great non-traditional gifts include: museum or zoo memberships, music classes, photo books, or kid-magazine subscriptions such as Highlights or National Geographic. Without further ado, here is the Montessori-ish holiday gift guide!

Younger Babies

Black and White Activity Pad - This mini play mat is perfect for tummy time. The black and white contrasting pictures appeal to new babies’ eyes, and the sensory features (squeaking, crinkling, teething) appeals to babies of all ages!

Bird Felt Mobile - This is a gorgeous mobile to place above your baby’s movement area or changing station! It is so calming and bright.

Wooden Animal Rattles: These are beautiful, natural rattles/teethers that would make a perfect gift for a new baby in your life.

Rainbow Fabric Ball: A fun textured ball that is easy for a baby to hold and offers a variety of different textures and sounds!

FanFan the Fawn: This is a variation of the classic Sophie Giraffe. Babies just universally love to gnaw on these things and they are the perfect size for their little hands.

Sensory Tumbling Toys - These look really sweet for a baby who is starting to rotate on their tummy or sit up. Each one rolls around a bit, and one has a mirror, one with a soft fabric, and one has beads that rattle. These are definitely on our list for S.

Eggs in Cups - This is more of a traditional Montessori toy, and babies just love putting the egg inside of the cup. I like that this one comes in a set. This is especially fun for a new sitter!

Older Babies

Pull Toy Shape Sorter - As your baby begins to crawl and then walk, they will likely love both pulling and pushing. This fun pull toy doubles as a shape sorter too!

Ball Racing Toy - This is a fun, smaller version of the classic ball tracker, which is always a baby and toddler favorite. Such a fun one to do on repeat! Bonus: it’s double sided. This is definitely on my list for S but I am sure D will enjoy it too.

Elephant Stacking Rings - I love the bold colors of this classic stacking ring. Would be such a cute addition to your shelfie. :)

Jumbo Knob Puzzle - These large knobs and simple 3-piece design make a great beginner puzzle for babies or young toddlers. They will enjoy these friendly, familiar animals as well!

Musical Wobbler - Babies will delight in the cause and effect of this little Penguin. As they wobble and turn him around, he makes a little music. This is a great one for enticing your baby to reach a bit further or scoot towards it!

Montessori Imbucare Boxes - These are a classic Montessori material, but this is the first I’ve seen of an interchangeable lid. Such a fun idea! Imbucare boxes are a hit for babies and toddlers alike.

Wooden Vehicles - These are perfect for your new scooter or crawler. These fit perfectly in small hands and are fun to zoom and chase around the house! I think I’ll add a couple of these as stocking stuffers for S.

Younger Toddlers

Sensory Play Scoopers and Tongs - Sensory play is great for this age group, but it can be tough to find the right tools for scooping and pouring. This beautiful set is made from natural wood and provide tools for transferring all kinds of sensory materials.

Animal Sorter Truck - I like the fun variation on a shape sorter, with the added bonus of being an open-ended toy for older toddlers as well. Busy toddlers will enjoy wheeling their truck full of animals around the house!

Wooden Scooter Bike - This is another favorite among active toddlers, and a great beginner scooter bike (before graduating to a balance bike). Can be used indoors or out!

Musical Instruments Sound Puzzle - I like to include one musical toy in each list, and these puzzles provide a musical reward through each piece! I love that this puzzle provides accurate sounds of each musical instrument, making it educational too.

Hammering Toy - Toddlers love to hammer, and this one is wonderful because it can be done on repeat, over and over. Your toddler simply has to flip the board over and do it all again.

Giant Nesting/Stacking Cubes - These are great for combining fine and gross motor movements, and look so beautiful too. Toddlers love building giant towers, and this one will be as tall as them!

Wooden Balance Rocker - We have had one of these for a year, and it is a source of endless entertainment. It can be a slide, a bridge, a rocker, a balance board, or whatever else your toddler imagines.

Older Toddlers

Beginner Jigsaw Puzzles - Once your toddler moves beyond knob puzzles and can put together simple 2-piece jigsaw puzzles, this is a nice challenge . I like that each puzzle has a slightly different number of pieces and the finished animals are so sweet.

Magnification Blocks - These blocks are a great intro to science for toddlers. Not only does each block magnify (2x) any object your toddler can find, but they can be stacked and used like normal blocks too.

Sort and Stack Cylinders - I’ve been eyeing these for a while, so they are definitely on D’s Christmas list! I love that they can be nested, stacked, and sorted, and provide both closed and open-ended work.

Light Box with Geometric Solids - This is another one on D’s list. Light boxes provide endless fun with various natural and colored materials. I especially like the look of these geometric solids on the light box!

Xylophone - Xylophones are fun for babies and toddlers of all ages, but older toddlers can actually get the hang of making different sounds from different keys. This toy may make noise, but hopefully it’s a pleasant one!

Ceramic Tea Set - A tea set that is both beautiful and functional. Toddlers love to pour and serve snack, and now they can do so in style. Hopefully you’ll be invited to tea too!

Roll n Play - This is a favorite cooperative game for children of all ages. It gets toddlers moving and talking and laughing! This makes a fun first family game.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of these links, you won’t pay anything extra, but I will get a small commission, which helps keep this blog going. Thanks for supporting Montessori in Real Life!