I seriously look forward to shopping for holiday gifts for our little one, and often find myself buying her toys that I myself loved as a child. Ever on the strict budget, I try to make sure we get her toys that will grow with her, and not the type that will offer her temporary gratification (plus, our apartment is small, so storage space is always an issue).

This will be my daughter Jo Jo’s third Christmas, and each year shopping for her gets more and more fun. For the past two years, she was somewhat out of the loop regarding presents. She didn’t know what she wanted, and my husband and I were somewhat reluctant to go all out for her since she didn’t really know what was going on. This year, shopping for her has been so much more fun because she is really loving toys and I have a really good idea of what she’s into.

If you have a little one to shop for this year and haven’t yet hit the stores, or if you just need some good ideas of gifts for different age groups, read on.

Ages 0+

My theory is that you really can’t go wrong with this Baby Whoozit by Manhattan Toy. We had two of them when Jo Jo was a baby, and she LOVED them. The Whoozit has been extremely popular over the past few years (pretty much since it was featured in an episode of Sex and the City), and what’s not to love? It is soft, colorful, funny looking and features a variety of textured appendages for a baby to play with. The nose also has a squeaky in it and lifts to reveal a mirror beneath it. Another great thing about this toy is that it has a velcro loop, making it possible to attach it to a crib rail, bouncy seat, stroller or baby carrier.

The Winkel was one of Jo Jo’s favorite infant toys. This lightweight rattle features plastic loops that are easy for tiny infant hands to grasp. It also makes a great teether if you stick it in the freezer.

Ages 1+

Every little kid needs a place to do activities. I love this
Table and Chair Set from Lillian Vernon because it features unisex colors and storage bins under the tabletop. We plan to put this in our kitchen to replace Jo Jo’s high chair, thus giving her a place to sit and have snacks as well as do art projects and help with the cooking (the girl loves to mix!)

Melissa & Doug manufacture a variety of great wooden children’s toys and these blocks are no exception. Blocks are a great toy for toddlers to grow with. We got this particular set last Christmas and they continue to be a huge hit in our house. At first Jo Jo liked having us stack blocks so she could knock them down. Over the past year, I have enjoyed watching her learn to play with them in different ways. Now she stacks and smashes on her own, and eventually I imagine that she’ll begin to build her own little cities.

JoJo has loved herLeapfrog Fridge Phonics Magnets for over a year now. They’re great for teaching letter recognition, but also the phonetic sound that each letter makes.

This style of puzzle is the next step up from a basic board puzzle because each piece is the same shape and requires matching of patterns and colors.

Ages 2+

JoJo is really into the Barbie Jam-With-Me Karaoke Keyboard. She loves that she can make her own music, but mostly she loves that she can speak into the microphone and distort her own voice. There is also another version that you can hook up with a MP3 player.

Ages 3+

I had this same bank when I was a little kid and couldn’t get enough of keeping track of my change savings. It’s a great toy to teach kids the value of their money. All that change really does add up!

Ages 6+

This potholder making kit is one of those toys that I fondly remember from my own childhood. It’s such a fun activity for kids to make something that is actually useful.

And fret not, if you don’t want to fight the crowds, it isn’t too late to order online and have your gift arrive in time for Christmas!