Need gift ideas for your mobile and active baby? This holiday shopping guide is kid-tested & approved and will keep your baby-to-toddler busy for a long while!
Updated: October 1, 2020
What Makes the Perfect Toy?
While clearly not the greatest hardship of being a new mom of twins, one thing I found frustrating from the start was trying to pick out toys for my little guys. I was frustrated because:
A. Would they like it? and
B. For how long would they like it?
It just seemed like a crapshoot. And for a double-income family that became a single-income family after I became a SAHM, there was no room for waste.
So, my criteria for a good toy was
They had to play with it for more than 5 minutes (I know, I set the bar high, right?),
They had to play with it for more than 5 days.
It wouldn’t break within the first 5 days.
Durability, longevity, and a long shelf-life were what I was looking for.
It’s Possible to Hit the Jackpot for Baby Toys
Amazingly, we hit the jackpot quite a few times, and mostly by accident. Some were gifts to us; some were hand-me-downs (which we gladly accept). But looking back, last December, my boys were almost 9 months old, and I can remember the toys they received. For most of these toys, my boys played with these until after 2 years old, some until after 3 years old! A whole year – or more – of fun? That is definitely a big bang for the buck and a win in my book.
While knowing all kids are different, let me share some fan favorites of my two expert toy critics. These toys are ideal for babies for are just being to crawl and be mobile, all the way through 24 months, when they are still learning to get their sea legs under them.
Note: Often, the manufacturers update and produce a newer version of the same toy. I’ve included the most recent versions, which might vary slightly from the ones my boys had. But they are the same toy, just the new model.
Holiday Shopping Guide for Mobile Babies {9-24+ Months}
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Bigger Toys
1| VTech Sit to Stand Learning Walker
My boys loved all the gears and sounds and buttons when they were younger. Once they got a little older, they pulled themselves up and walked around with it. Now, they love running around the house with it and crashing it into everything!
The boys LOVE this toy!. They love pushing the buttons and hearing it make all the other noises. Now – you guessed it – they love running around the house and smashing it into doors, walls, furniture – and each other! We have two of these because they both loved it so much. They play with this toy every. single. day.
(Update: My boys were STILL running crazy with this toy past 3 years old! Worth its weight in gold! )
3| Fisher Price 3-in-1 Bounce, Stride and Ride Elephant
If Fire Truck Mickey is too boyish, try the elephant. This is a good unisex choice. My boys have this one and like this one just as much! They love bouncing on the seat!
4| Bright Starts Around We Go 3-in-1 Activity Center Zippity Zoo
We got a LOT of use out of this one. When the boys were first learning to walk, they LOVED zipping around! It was honestly one of the cutest things to watch. While they were cruising, they loved going to the table, pulling themselves up, and playing with all the activities. Once they didn’t want to be confined anymore, we took the chair off, and now it is just an activity table they still love playing with!
5| Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Home Playset
I cannot say enough great things about this one. My boys discovered an older version of this one while in the church nursery, and I knew we had to get it for them. They LOVED opening and closing the door, going in and out. We set ours up in the corner, so behind the door is a little fort of sorts. They love bringing pillows in through the door and having their own little baby-man-cave! They play with this one every day, too!
6| VTech Smart Shots Sports Center
We’ve gotten a lot of life out of this one also. I love that it grows with them. At first, they just liked the lights and music and gears. Now, they love putting balls (and blocks and stuffed animals) through the basketball hoop. Once they get coordinated enough, they will have themselves a just-right-sized soccer goal. VTech for the win!
(Update: Again – boys are 2.5 years old and still going strong with this one. Now, they love counting as they put the balls in the hoops. The toy actually counts it off with them, so it’s perfect for learning reinforcement! This toy seriously grows with them!)
7| VTech Sit to Stand Alphabet Train
My sister gave us this toy after her kids were done with it, and thank God! This is another fan favorite. She said her kids loved this one for a long time, and I think ours will, too! At first, again, it was just the lights and buttons and sounds. Then, they learned to drop the letters through the train shoot and watch it come out in the caboose. Then they learned to snap the letters in the boxes. They like to flip the pages and look at the pictures. Eventually, they will match the letters with the words and pictures in the book. A great one to grow with them! Still going strong with this one!
(Update: They played with this one up until they were almost 4 years old! )
Smaller Toys for Mobile Babies 9-24 Months
8| Melissa and Doug K Kids Pull-Back Vehicle Set
Oh my goodness. We take these out first thing in the morning, and they keep coming back to these cars all day long! Not only are they super-cute, but really fun! Once they learned how to pull back the cars (well, back-and-forth, back-and-forth, back-and-forth – same effect), it’s so fun to watch them shoot across the room, crash into something, bounce off and go in another direction. When we go out, this is a toy we always bring with us to keep them busy!
From day 1, the boys loved this cute little guy. At first, they would just drag him around the house by the string, along with pushing buttons and seeing lights. Now that they have learned how to feed Dino, it keeps them busy for a long while. As they get older and understand more words, they will actually be able to feed Dino what he is asking for! (Healthy foods, of course!)
10| Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Smart Stages Crawl Around Car
I went to a friend’s house, and she had this car for her little girl. My boys fought over this all morning long! We have the Bright Starts Baby Light and Colors Driver, (which they also love, by the way – and it’s a great option if you don’t want to get something this big), but something about getting in and out of the car (you know, that open/close-door-thing) was so fun for them! My boys love this one!
(Update: They played with this one up until about 3 years old!)
11| Little Tikes Light and Go Activity Baby Playset
This is another great exploratory toy for kids! So much fun and it can really expand and grow with them as they develop. This one gets consistent amazing reviews over the years!
12| Kiddey 3 Piece Kids Play Tent, Cubby-Tunnel-Tepee
My boys have always loved crawling through things, hiding in and under things, and they’ve gotten a kick out of this! This one grows with them for a long time. Who doesn’t like a secret hideaway – especially one where you have to crawl through a tunnel to get there? I also bought some ball pit balls to add to the fun! This was a hit well past 3 years old!
The 4 Bs: BLOCKS, BALLS, BUBBLES and BOARD BOOKS
You can’t go wrong with the four Bs: BLOCKS, BALLS, BUBBLES and BOARD BOOKS (5 Bs?). My boys will play with these all day long as well, and any kind you choose will likely be a hit.
Here are a few tips:
- Get your bubbles from Dollar Tree! Super-cheap and they work great! (Not the ones in the 3-pack, but the ones that are $1 each).
- For board books, grab a few that have lift-up flaps – they keep my boys busy for a long while, and they get so excited seeing what is under the flap.
- Most blocks will be a hit, but when they are littler, try the Melissa and Doug Soft Blocks. They are a great introduction and have pictures and all sorts of learning activities on them; they will definitely grow with your littles.
Hope my little guys’ picks will help you out! There are still 10 shopping days until Christmas – have fun!
More Gift Inspiration
If you have others besides babies that you are shopping for, you can check out these other gift guides – with items for everyone on your list, people of all ages!
Holiday Gift Guide for Little Boys, Ages 2-4
12 One-of-a-Kind Gifts That Are Guaranteed to ‘Wow’
20 Best Subscription Boxes for Kids
20 Essential Oil Gifts that Your Crunchy Friends Will Love
Comments? I’d love to hear them! And tell me what I’ve missed? What are your kids’ fan favorites?
The go around zoo toy! The Gears! The Cars! Love them all!
My boys seriously LOVED all of these – and still play with many of them – over a year later! Definitely worth the $ for it!