Looking for Montessori-friendly holiday gifts your little one will love?
Keep reading to find the perfect gift for your toddler! 😊
Think open-ended toys like wooden blocks, play silks, or beeswax crayons. Practical life materials for your little helper like a learning tower, pouring cups, or child-friendly tools. Toys for active toddlers like a Pikler triangle, balance board, or musical instruments. And tons more, too.
Let’s go!
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Quick tips
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- Limit gifts: Your toddler doesn’t need more than 8-10 toys total (and less than that is fine, too!)
- Cut clutter: Before the holiday craziness hits, go through your child’s things and toss/donate/sell as needed
- Do it yourself: If your budget is tight, consider DIY-ing a few gifts (like a discovery basket, sensory bottle, or coin box)
- Share experiences: Gift a membership pass to somewhere your child loves like the zoo, aquarium, or museum — or sign your little one up for a fun class!
- Gift independence: The holidays are a great time to invest in practical life materials like a learning tower, wooden knife, or apron for your little one
Best Montessori Holiday Gift Ideas for Toddlers
Check out my top Montessori-inspired picks for little ones below, from practical life materials and movement toys to puzzles, blocks, and more…
1. Sous-Chef Toddler Tower (Sprout Kids)
A great option for your little helper. Make it easy for your child to help out with simple jobs like rinsing veggies, kneading dough, or wiping down the kitchen counter.
Made with beautiful, durable birch, this step stool is safe and sturdy, easy to assemble, and adjustable to keep up with your growing child.
2. Mini Cutter (Etsy shop Piccalio)
Child-safe wooden knife, perfect for basic food prep and cooking activities.
Made with solid ash wood with an easy-to-grab handle, this knife can help your little one slice soft foods like fruits, veggies, cheese, and bread. Great for cutting playdough too!
3. Montessori Toy Subscription (Monti Kids)
Monti Kids isn’t just toys: It’s a complete learning program for little ones 0-3.
If you want to share high-quality, authentic Montessori materials with your child — and get access to resources to guide you along the way — this is a great option.
4. Practical Life Activity Set (Etsy shop MamaPsPlaceLLC)
Toddlers love “real world” activities like working with tools!
This set includes three (child-friendly) practical life activities: Screw board with screwdriver, geoboard with rubber bands, and hammer with clay and pegs.
5. Pikler Triangle Climber (Etsy shop LilyandRiver)
This sweet and simple Pikler triangle is one of the most popular climbing toys for toddlers. Pikler triangles help children stay active, build gross motor skills, and gain confidence. They’re also tons of fun!
Available in a variety of colors, with optional accessories like a slide, ladder, or rock wall.
Find more ideas: The Best Pikler Triangles for Your Little Climber
6. Scooping & Transferring Set (Etsy shop simplytoplay)
If your child loves transferring activities — scooping, pouring, and more — they’ll love this set of wooden tools.
Includes a variety of scoops and bowls, plus a set of tongs, for all kinds of practical life work.
7. Crochet Sound Eggs (Etsy shop BabyToyStore)
Set of crochet sound eggs, perfect for matching games and sensory play.
Babies and young toddlers can shake or toss the eggs to make different sounds. Older toddlers and big kids can challenge themselves to sort sounds from quiet to loud or pair matching eggs.
8. Musical Instrument Set (Etsy shop LittlePlayKit)
Little ones love making music! This high-quality set of instruments is a great way to children to explore the world of music at home.
Includes 11 child-friendly, wooden instruments like maracas, bells, a tambourine, and more.
9. Rainbow Play Silks (Etsy shop LittleRavenToys)
Play silks are one of my favorite open-ended toys. They’re great for tossing up in the air, dancing, playing peek-a-boo, blanketing a baby doll, and so much more.
This set includes six hand-dyed silks in vibrant rainbow colors.
10. Root Veggies Puzzle (Etsy shop AllAboutKidsStore)
Lovely hand-painted root vegetable puzzle. A simple way to learn more about plants and where food comes from.
The leaves are even magnetic, allowing little ones to take apart each vegetable and put it back together again. Too cute!
11. Toddler Play Kit (LOVEVERY)
If you want fun and unique toys for your child — without having to do all the research yourself — these Montessori-inspired play kits are a great option. (Many families describe them as “the only toys you’ll ever need.”)
Kits include learning materials like a lockbox, play sink, or puzzle, plus board books with real photos. Available for little ones 0-3 years old.
12. Cute Toddler Apron (Etsy shop LittleBoatsDesigns)
Does your toddler love helping out in the kitchen? This sweet linen apron is a great gift idea for your little sous-chef.
Available in different colors and patterns, with or without a pocket.
13. Wooden Shape Puzzle (Etsy shop ChickadeesWoodenToys)
This versatile puzzle helps little ones explore early math concepts like shapes, size discrimination (big vs. small), matching, sorting, spatial reasoning, and more.
Handmade with easy-to-grab chunky puzzle pieces perfect for small hands.
14. Spooning & Tonging Set (Etsy shop BirchStreetGoods)
Transferring objects from one bowl to another is a classic Montessori practical life activity. This set is a great place to start!
Includes two beautiful rope bowls, a wooden spoon and set of bamboo tongs, plus Redwood cones and your choice of felt balls for spooning and tonging.
15. Wooden Balance Board (Etsy shop TreeSounds)
Fun and versatile balance board, perfect for active toddlers. Balancing, rocking, sliding, and more — there are tons of ways to play!
This model is sleek, durable, and safe for little ones and older children, too.
16. Natural Wooden Block Set (Etsy shop SouthBendWoodworks)
A high-quality set of wooden blocks is one of the best things you can gift your child. They help little ones develop problem-solving skills, spatial reasoning, perseverance, motor skills, creativity, and so much more!
I love this set, which includes 29 handmade blocks in a variety of shapes and sizes.
17. Wooden Bus & Passengers (Etsy shop ODEAStoys)
Cute beech wood bus with passengers. A great gift idea for toddlers who love all things on wheels.
18. Simple Floor Bed (Sprout Kids)
This sweet and simple floor bed is a great option for little ones. Safe, sturdy, and adjustable, perfect if you’re looking for a bed to grow with your child. Assembly is quick and easy too!
Available in crib, twin, and full sizes.
Find more ideas: Best Montessori Floor Beds for Toddlers
19. Personalized Name Puzzle (Etsy shop BusyPuzzle)
A wooden name puzzle is a fun gift for toddlers! Help your child learn how to spell their name and build fine motor skills through play.
Choose your favorite color scheme, knobbed vs. regular puzzle pieces, and optional add-ons like a rainbow, dinosaur, or rocket ship to create a puzzle your child will love.
20. Make Your Own Doll (Etsy shop ThimbleandTime)
Adorable custom dolls for little ones.
Choose from a variety of skin tones, eye colors, hair colors/styles, clothes, and accessories to create a cute “mini-me” for your child. Girl and boy dolls available.
21. Diverse Children’s Book Subscription Box (OurShelves)
Want to share high-quality, diverse stories with your child but don’t know where to start? This quarterly book subscription box could be just what you’re looking for!
Includes books featuring all kinds of children and families from around the world, including POC, LGBTQ+, and more.
22. Cooking Together Kit (Monti Kids)
The perfect kitchen set for little ones. Includes ten visual recipe cards just right for little chefs, along with a wooden recipe stand and all the cooking tools your toddler needs.
Stainless steel mixing bowls, mini pitcher, and cooking utensils; silicone cutting board and crinkle cutter; spreading knife, tongs, and more!
23. Stockmar Crayons (Etsy shop FromJennifer)
Made with a bit of beeswax, stockmar crayons are more durable and vibrant than regular crayons. Some reviewers call them the best crayons they’ve ever used!
They’re safe, non-toxic, and extra fun to color with. Available in sets of 8, 12, 16, or 24 crayons.
24. DIY Kaleidoscope Kit (Etsy shop BobRShopKidsStore)
This is a unique gift idea for toddlers. Work together to fill your kaleidoscope with whatever you’d like: Flower petals, shells, beads, and so on. Then explore all the interesting shapes and designs you can create.
When you’re ready to switch things up, you can easily swap out the materials inside for more fun.
25. Woodland Stuffed Animals (Etsy shop ThimbleandTime)
These soft woodland animals are perfect for little ones. Each animal is lovingly designed and handcrafted to encourage imaginative play (and cuddling!)
You can choose your favorite animal or, if you prefer, get a set of 2-6 of your choice.
26. Hedgehog Peg Toy (Etsy shop BusyPuzzle)
A sweet and simple fine motor toy.
Pegboards, like this cute wooden hedgehog, help build hand-eye coordination, concentration, and spatial reasoning. Your toddler can explore colors, matching, and counting as they play too.
27. Color Sorting Quilt with Matching Beanbags (Etsy shop ChickadeesWoodenToys)
If your child loves matching and sorting, this color block quilt is a fun and versatile) gift idea.
It comes with ten matching beanbags, perfect for quiet color sorting activities and active movement games alike.
28. Little Gymnast Balance Beam (Etsy shop LilyandRiver)
This low balance beam, designed for children 18 months through 8 years old, is a great option for active kids.
A fun way to encourage physical activity and boost gross motor skills, like balance and coordination, at home.
29. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Lacing Toy (Etsy shop wedartby)
The perfect companion to the classic story. Lacing toys help build hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and concentration.
30. Matchstick Toy (Etsy shop CatsCraftsToys)
A fun and simple posting activity for toddlers. Great for color sorting and fine motor practice.
31. Wooden Alphabet Magnets (Etsy shop Allwoodenbiz)
If your little one is showing an interest in letters, these hands-on alphabet magnets are a great option.
Made with natural beech wood and polished for safety and durability.
32. Montessori Placemat & Utensil Set (LOVEVERY)
Are you looking for a practical gift your little one can use every day? This Montessori-style mealtime set is a great option.
Includes an easy-to-clean silicone placemat, set of stainless steel utensils, and organic cotton napkin (with special stitching to help your child practice folding!)
33. Set of Montessori Toys for Toddlers (Etsy shop HeirloomKidsUSA)
This gorgeous set of wooden toys has been thoughtfully designed for children 12-18 months old.
Includes a vertical ring stacker, horizontal ring stacker, circle puzzle, three shape puzzle, bunny pull toy, shape sorter, and peg size discrimination toy to support your child’s development.
34. Balancing Stones (Etsy shop HappyLittleFolksShop)
Balancing stones, also called Tumi Ishi blocks, are a fun and unique toy.
By stacking and building with these interesting blocks, children develop spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills.
35. Natural Wood Circle Puzzle (Etsy shop MamumaBird)
This gorgeous wooden puzzle is handmade using several kinds of wood, making for a rich sensory experience for little ones.
A high-quality heirloom toy that your one- or two-year-old will love.
36. Montessori Toddler Wardrobe (Sprout Kids)
Does your child love picking out their own clothes? Are you looking for ways to support their need for independence and autonomy?
An accessible, child-friendly wardrobe makes for a great gift! I love this simple and adjustable birch option.
37. Glow-in-the-Dark Dinosaur Backpack (Etsy shop daintybean)
For little ones, using a backpack to carry around a few belongings — like a water bottle, snack, and board book — can be fun and empowering.
This sturdy, machine washable backpack with a cool glow-in-the-dark design is a great option.
38. Wooden Screw Toy (Etsy shop WoodenEducationalToy)
This sweet and simple fine motor toy is a great gift for toddlers. By twisting and untwisting, children strengthen the muscles in their fingers, hands, and wrists.
(For more fun, you can even use this screw toy to crack nuts or acorns!)
39. Beautiful Pouring Cup Set (Etsy shop naturalplaybox)
These wooden pouring cups, designed for little hands, are perfect for transferring activities.
Build fine motor skills and focus while exploring scientific concepts like space, volume, and movement.
Happy holidays!
♡ Meg
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