The CSH festive gift guide 2023: for curious and creative toddlers

I can’t quite believe it’s December in a couple of days! I’m kicking off my series of festive gift guides for 2023 with one focused on curious and creative little ones.

This was mainly an excuse to have a good dig around and find some ideas for my own two and a half year old daughter. It’s a tricky balance between wanting to celebrate the excitement of Christmas but not wanting to welcome in too much stuff that they don’t really need. I’ve picked a selection of gender neutral toys and accessories which will appease the design conscious parent while also providing joy for little minds.

I know my daughter is really into imaginative play at the moment, so anything that is a mini version of an adult activity will go down a treat – such as a mini cafe, a tea set or a hairdressing kit. She also has a very caring nature and is always looking after her baby doll. We absolutely love the Yoto mini player and use it everyday to listen to nursery rhymes. We’ve already bought her some new cards, including one focused on Beatles songs and another on Brazilian music. She is also obsessed with a set of wooden blocks that we have – there’s so many ways they can play with these, whether building towers, or as she does, making pretend ‘farms’ to put her animals in. I found some great things in Flying Tiger too, including a £15 dollshouse and bargain set of mini kitchen utensils.

Everything is under £60 and in fact it’s the Yoto player that is the most expensive pick. All my other finds come in at mostly under £20.

I hope there’s something here for the little on in your life, or simply some inspiration for creative toddler play!

1. Badabulle Safari toddler backpack, £19.99, Amazon [Ad – affiliate link]
2. Rainbow colours bracelet making set, £16.95, Etsy [Ad – affiliate link]
3. Liewood Bolette mini doll, £9, was £18, Cissy Wears
4. Yoto Mini + kids screen-free audio player, £59.99, Amazon [Ad – affiliate link]
5. My Botanical press flower press, £18, Kidly [Ad – affiliate link]
6. Wooden coffee shop, £40, John Lewis & Partners [Ad – affiliate link]
7. Copy the Monkey memory game, £4, Flying Tiger
8. Wooden sushi set, £12.50, John Lewis & Partners [Ad – affiliate link]
9. Under the Canopy alphabet shape puzzle, £23, was £27, Kidly [Ad – affiliate link]
10. Wooden toy tea set, £29.95, Trouva [Ad – affiliate link]
11. Play kitchen set, £5, Flying Tiger
12. Djeco doll, £40, Kidly [Ad – affiliate link]
13. BIG metal suitcase with Plus-Plus joining bricks, £37.99, A Little Find
14. Wooden dollhouse, £15, Flying Tiger
15. Maileg baby girl and boy twin mice in a matchbox, £24.30, Trouva [Ad – affiliate link]
16. My Feelings Bingo, £18.99, Magma
17. Dogs – Best in Show: A Trump Card Game, £8, Magma
18. Kids long sleeved t-shirt, £17, Arket [Ad – affiliate link]
19. Electronic train set, £25, Flying Tiger
20. Personalised crayon set, £7.95, Etsy [Ad – affiliate link]
21. Twin marker pen set, £15, Flying Tiger
22. Sunnylife travel jumbling tower, £20, Trouva [Ad – affiliate link]
23. Inspire My Play silicone building blocks base mat, Amazon [Ad – affiliate link]
24. Moulin Roty small tool box set, £36, Kidly [Ad – affiliate link]
25. Wooden hairdressing set, £25, John Lewis & Partners [Ad – affiliate link]
26. Touch, Think, Learn ABC, £18.99, The Design Museum Shop

[An affiliate link means I earn a small commission on any potential sales, it does not effect the price for you]