25 Practical Non-Toy Gifts for One-Year-Olds and Toddlers

We are all looking for practical non-toy gift ideas for one-year-olds and toddlers these days, because the truth is, we all could use less stuff. I will share with you 25 practical gifts you can give a young child for any special occasion that they will use and love.

Practical Gifts for the Child to Use

My favorite type of gift is a practical gift! It is an easy way to introduce new skills to young children. These useful gifts will be a wonderful way for your one-year-old or toddler to participate in day-to-day tasks around the home! Gifting a child with things they will enjoy using regularly are the best non-toy gifts, here are 6 of my favorite.

Child-Sized Kitchen Food Cutter

A great gift idea is a safe, child-friendly kitchen knife that allows your child to participate in real food preparation. Giving your child the opportunity for a “snacktivity” is such a simple and meaningful way to involve them in daily life. They will love slicing bananas, cucumbers, or tomatoes — honestly, just about anything! If you’re looking for kitchen tools that are safe but actually work, I’ve linked our favorites here.

Best Kitchen Tools for Kids

Wooden Chopper: Perfect for beginning cutting work.

Kitchen Knife and Tool Set: This is the set that I have for our twin boys, and they are effective and safe kitchen tools that I can offer to my young toddlers through elementary school!

Pitchers for pouring their own water

A great non-toy gift is a child-sized pitcher! Young toddlers love to do things themselves, and this pitcher provides them with that opportunity. Having the opportunity to pour from a pitcher is a great way to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. If you don’t want to have your child use a glass pitcher, a stainless steel milk frother pitcher is a great option.

Window washing kit

Young kids love to be helpful. You could make a little window washing kit. Include a spray bottle, a microfiber cloth, and a squeegee. Remember, with a gift like this, you will need to model and show them how to use these things! For more ideas on practical life activities for young toddlers, check out this post!

We have been loving using Branch Basics in our home for cleaning windows and all sorts of practical life activities. Get 15% off a starter kit using my link.

Child-Size Broom

An easy way to get your housework done is by allowing your child to participate as well. Give them a broom that is their size. This type of gift will make them feel considered and appreciated. Another great option is a handheld dustpan and broom.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Small Potty

Odds are toilet training is right around the corner. Gifting your child a small potty could be a great way to get them excited about the new skills they are about to work on! Here are my favorite potty training essentials.

Step Stool

A step stool may be the best thing you could gift your child. It may not look fun at first glance, but just think of all of the things they can become a part of using a step stool. I think it could very quickly become the most fun gift your child receives because it allows them to be more independent, which is what every toddler really wants. Our twins will lug their step stool around the house so they can see and be involved in everything.

There are so many step stools out there, so how do you even choose? No worries, I have you covered with my list of the best step stools for a Montessori home.

Bird Feeder

A perfect addition to your outdoor area would be a bird feeder. Kids of all ages like to observe and notice birds. Your child will have a great time watching all the beautiful birds visit their bird feeder. A great outdoor practical life activity is filling a bird feeder with bird seed.

Practical Non-Toy Gifts the Child May Need

Clothes

We all need clothes, and it’s likely your child is growing into a new size or entering a new season! A new pair of pajamas is always a fun gift, especially to wear on Christmas morning.

Water Bottle

There’s something about a water bottle or cup with a straw that instantly makes drinking water more exciting for kids. Choose one in your child’s favorite color to make it feel extra special — it’s a simple but thoughtful gift for any occasion. You could even pair it with a fun ice tray mold so they can make their own ice cubes to add to their bottle. The added step of preparing their drink themselves makes it more engaging and meaningful — and I’m sure it would spark even more interest in staying hydrated!

Beautiful or Fun Hook for Entryway

Finding a fun or beautiful hook for the wall so your child can hang up their coat can be a wonderful way for the little people in your life to be independent and have a special space for their things. By preparing a space for them to hang their coat they will be able to independently hang items like their coat, backpack, or an umbrella.

Mirror

Having a mirror in the bathroom or in your child’s bedroom where they get dressed can be fun for them. They may begin using a brush or comb on their hair, and a mirror will help them work on that new skill. This mirror is wonderful becuase it can be used both horizontally and vertically, making it perfect for all ages.

Alarm Clock

They make alarm clocks that change colors to help your child know when it is time to get up and when it is time to sleep. This can help with those early morning wake-ups, and it would be a great option for young toddlers as well as kids of all ages. With this particular alarm clock, you don’t need to know how to tell time because the colors and display face communicate the time of day in a more general sense.

Piggy Bank

Your child may enjoy a piggy bank, especially if they start to get money on special occasions. A piggy bank is a great place for them to keep that money.

Non-Object Gifts

Set up a Savings Account

Setting up a savings account may be a great gift for a one-year-old because they probably won’t understand why they are getting gifts anyway! You could add to the account every year on their birthday! Better yet, start an investment account in your child’s name.

A Special Experience

Children crave quality time with their parents, caregivers, or close people in their lives. Some of my favorite past gifts were those when I was given the opportunity to go and do something with someone I love. It is a wonderful way to connect in a more special way with a child. You could take a special trip to the zoo or out for ice cream. It can be simple, but it will feel special to both of you!

Subscription Boxes or Memberships

Subscription boxes can be a nice way to go because it sends you developmentally appropriate toys and activities without too much thought behind it. KiwiCrate has subscription boxes for all ages. Their Panda Crate is for ages 0-24 months. This crate, in particular, includes sensory toys that children of this age love.

You often can get memberships to your local children’s museums or get season passes to an amusement park. This could be a fun way for the entire family to spend time together.

Gift Cards

If you just aren’t sure what to get your child you could get them a gift card to a store you like and then take them on a special outing to let them choose a new pair of shoes or a new book that they want!

Larger Items

Learning Tower

A learning tower is a very practical, non-toy gift idea and a perfect addition to your kitchen. It will allow your toddler the opportunity to join you in doing some of the daily tasks in the kitchen! Check out this blog post with the best learning towers. This is probably my number one recommendation for parents or grandparents who want to start getting a child more involved in the work happening in the kitchen.

Yoto Mini Audio Player

The Yoto mini is a screen-free audio player that can play audiobooks and music. It is a child-friendly way to allow easy access to books and music without something too “techy” for that age child. You can even create your own audio cards based on the stories your family enjoys!

Update: Since our boys (3 years old) have stopped napping, their Yoto players have been used daily and are one of my favorite things we have in our home! They are simple to use and offer such a variety of things to listen to, making the transition to no naps not so challenging.

Water Table

All children seem to love playing with water! A water table will provide your child with so much fun and a great way to cool down a little on a hot day, as well. You can even use a water table with other sensory objects like sand, rice, or beans!

Balance Bike

A balance bike is a great and practical non-toy gift idea for a child around 18 – 24 months old! Once your toddler is beginning to walk, it may be time to consider getting them their first balance bike.

Sleeping Bag

If your family is an outdoorsy family that likes to camp, you could get your little one a sleeping bag. Find one in their favorite color and plan a special outing where they get to use it. This sleep sack sleeping bag is a great, safe way to bring your little one on an outdoor overnight adventure while maintaining safe sleep habits!

Functional/Purposeful Toys

Dress Up Clothes

Maybe your child isn’t ready for whole dress-up outfits, but consider dress-up accessories that they could play with. They may enjoy their own apron, hats, or sunglasses. All these things can be fun ways to encourage imaginative play!

Board Books

By 7 months old, babies begin to show interest in books. Having some quality board books is great! I enjoyed finding some of my favorite books as a child and getting those for my children, so nostalgic! Board books make for a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer!

Musical Instruments

What better gift than some musical instruments? Did you know that rhythm and tempo are great ways to encourage language development? These musical instruments from Melissa & Doug are high-quality and are the perfect size for little hands. We also love this xylophone and pat bells.

Check out this blog post with all of the best instruments for toddlers and young children.

Photo Album of Family Members

Creating a photo book with pictures of close family members and friends can be a fun thing to keep on your bookshelf in the living room for your child to continue to recognize familiar faces and learn the names of the members of their family.

Opportunities to Give Gifts

You may be looking for the perfect gift to give during the holiday season or for a first birthday. Whatever the occasion, these are 25 of the best practical and non-toy gift ideas that you could give to a child! There are so many other options besides kids’ toys when it comes to giving gifts. Most of the time, the unique gifts are the best gifts to give and receive!

Recap List of 25 Non-Toy Gifts

1. Pitchers for pouring their own water (Glass)(Stainless Steel)
2. Window washing kit (spray bottle & squeegee)
3. Child-Size Broom (Handheld broom and dustan)
4. Small Potty
5. Step Stool
6. Bird Feeder
7. Clothes
8. Water Bottle
9. Beautiful or fun hook for Entryway
10. Mirror
11. Alarm Clock
12. Piggy Bank
13. Set up a Savings Account
14. A Special Experience
15. Subscription Boxes or Memberships
16. Gift Cards
17. Learning Tower
18. Yoto Mini Audio Player
19. Water Table
20. Balance Bike
21. Sleeping Bag
22. Dress Up Clothes
23. Board Books
24. Musical Instruments
25. Photo Album of Family Members