2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Toddler & Preschooler

If your kid insists on sleeping with a million stuffed animals and loveys, they're going to go crazy for this ingenious quilt that has built-in pockets for storing their beloved little creatures. The Tuck Me In quilt comes with a stuffed animal and the packaging it arrives in even transforms into a small puppet theater! If fairy tales aren't their thing, there's also a trucks- and diggers-themed quilt.

To buy: Sago Mini Tuck Me In Quilt, $80

The perfect first board game to introduce to little kids, the adorable Yeti sits atop a bowl of plastic spaghetti that players have to carefully remove, strand by strand. Just be careful not to drop Yeti into the bowl!

To buy: Yeti in My Spaghetti, $10

Whether you happen to be expecting a second child and want to get your first used to having a baby around, or just want to encourage some nurturing traits, these amazingly lifelike dolls move, talk and play just like a real baby would. Little ones can spoon-feed her, bottle-feed her and even "teach" her new words by playing with her. Trust us, they'll be obsessed with playing peekaboo with their sweet new baby.

To buy: Luvabella Doll, $90

If you've got a little one obsessed with Ryder, Chase, Skye and the rest of the "Paw Patrol" gang, look no further. Standing at an impressive 2.5 feet tall, this interactive tower has a rotating periscope, lights and sounds from the show, and a large twirly slide that sends the included Paw Patrol characters down to save the day!

To buy: Paw Patrol Lookout Tower, $100

What little kid doesn't love playing pretend restaurant? This adorable double-sided diner has both a kitchen side—with a fridge, oven and drink dispenser—where kids can prep the meals and the restaurant side where they can serve their mini customers, complete with a small jukebox!

To buy: Star Diner Restaurant, $155

Duplo is the perfect introduction for toddlers and preschoolers into the world of Legos. Not only will it help them practice their hand-eye coordination, but tots will love serving mini pizzas from this colorful set.

To buy: LEGO Duplo My Town Pizzeria, $24

If your child has a super active imagination, look no further than this brilliant puppet theater that can easily be attached to any doorway in your home. It has tie-back curtains and lots of little pockets to store all the puppets your budding director can manage.

To buy: Off Broadway Doorway Puppet Theater, $39

There's nothing kids like to do more than try to copy Mom and Dad, so why not get them their own little "laptop" to practice their ABCs on? The Leaptop can even be programmed with your child's name so it can start helping them learn how to spell it themselves. Genius!

To buy: LeapFrog Leaptop, $25

For wannabe bakers, this 11-piece set is a dream come true. It includes a mixer, bowl, sliceable wooden egg and butter, loaf, cake pan, pretend cake-mix box, cake pan, wooden knife and a recipe card for endless imaginative play time.

To buy: Melissa and Doug Cake Mixing Set, $18

That's no ordinary stuffed animal you see! In a few quick steps, it transforms into a hooded sweater. And when your kid is done wearing their sweater, they can just turn it back into their favorite cuddle buddy. So smart, right? There's a wide variety of stuffed animals, so every kid in the family can have their favorite type.

To buy: Cubcoats, $50

Little fans of Disney Junior's "Doc McStuffins" will go gaga over this feature-packed nursery where they can take care of their baby dolls using a "laptop," stethoscope and baby scale to care for their patients. They can even rock the doll in a cradle or baby mobile to help it go to sleep.

To buy: Doc McStuffins All-in-One Nursery, $63

If you've got a budding scientist on your hands, this talking microscope will be right up their alley! While it functions as a real microscope with 5x zoom, the real fun comes in when wildlife expert Bindi Irwin shares kid-friendly nature facts while kids look at the included slides. There's even a quiz mode for older tots!

To buy: GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope, $43

This adorable placemat may be as much a gift for the parents as it is for the toddler. The silicone BPA-/phthalate-/PVC-/VOC-free mat will not only protect your table from the inevitable spills, it's designed to keep little ones occupied, thanks to the four washable markers it comes with that they can use to color the cute characters. It's super easy to fold and toss in your purse to take with you. And it even has a cutout in the corner so you can easily hang it to dry!

To buy: Zoli tokiMATTIES Placemat, $25

Your favorite swaddle brand has just released a new line of crazy soft and cozy pajamas just in time for the holidays. They come in a variety of prints so cute it'll be hard to pick just one! Sizes range from 12 months to 4T.

To buy: Aden and Anais Pajamas, $25

Got a little superhero fan in your life? Be the first to match a character five in a row to be the winner. Preschoolers will love seeing some of their favorite heroes and villains, like Batman, Superman and the Joker on the colorful game board. There's also a "Despicable Me" version if that's more your child's speed.

To buy: DC Comics Top Trumps Match Game, $20

We love the idea of gifting a subscription box where something new and cool shows up every month throughout the year, and this year, the Little Feminist Book Club takes the cake. Perfect for any strong young kid (it's not just for girls!) in your life, these monthly themed activity boxes come with a book where the main character is a strong female or person of color, hands-on science and art activities that relate to the book, and family conversation starters to help even the smallest member start thinking about important topics like diversity and inclusion. The boxes start shipping February 2018.

To buy: Little Feminist Book Club, $18/month book only, $33/month book + activities