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Every year my Best Gifts for Toddlers & Preschoolers list reflects this age group’s innocence, curiosity, and their ability to see the world as a wondrous place. Well before I started teaching elementary and now middle schoolers, I loved spending time with toddlers and preschoolers as an undergraduate psychology major, then through my graduate studies, and finally as a mother. Kids this age have a pure view of the world, brazen honesty, and bring you into their world through imaginary play.

The best gifts for toddlers and preschoolers help them develop social and emotional skills while fostering a love of learning. Kids between the ages of 2-4 need gifts that will let them explore their curiosities, figure out the world through play, and tap into their imagination while exposing them to beginning math and reading skills and also fostering social and emotional growth.

You’ll see that that this year I’m not including tech gifts like I sometimes have in years past. There are great products that combine real world play with brilliant technology to foster imagination and teach skills through play but because it’s natural for this age group to be drawn to screens like moths to flame, hold off. Enjoy the moments of unplugged together time as long as possible because there’s plenty of time to incorporate screens to promote meaningful learning in a fun way later on.