We recommend this fabulous collection of top-notch toys that are guaranteed to delight the toddlers on your holiday list. Many of these top selling toys have won prestigious toy and parenting awards based on quality, creativity, educational value and/or entertainment value. All toys have also received outstanding consumer ratings.

Tips for selecting toddler toys:  Toddlers are on the go and bursting with energy! They want to move, build and explore. Choose interactive toys that encourage more independent play. These highly recommended toys are perfect for this unique age group and their budding imaginations. For toys more suitable for younger children (birth -2 years) please see Top Holiday Toys For Babies.

1..LEGO Duplo Ultimate Building Set – 71 Pieces  Award winner! Colorful tub of building blocks for little fingers 18 months-5 years. Award winning toy provides hours of creative fun! LEGO also has a tremendous selection of building sets to delight children of all ages and interests. See Little Ones Special Feature: The Wonderful World of LEGOs. For additional suggestions see toy category: Building Sets & Creative Design Toys

2. Pacific Play Tents See Me 6' Tunnel Pacific Play tents & tunnels are the leaders in playtime FUN!! Children absolutely LOVE this 6 foot play tunnel made from the finest quality 70 denier nylon and sturdy steel construction. Padded inner wires protect little knees plus the tunnel collapses flat for storage. Perfect for active toddlers! This tunnel connects with other Pacific Play Tents/Huts for additional adventures. Check out the entire line of Pacific Play products.

3.Corolle Special Feature Baby Doll Lila – 17" Doll Multiple Awards Winner!  Precious interactive baby doll for ages 3+. Gently babbles, giggles, cries and sucks on bottle. Baby accessories included. Sure to become a favorite playmate! Unbeatable Corolle doll quality. For additional suggestions see toy category: Dolls, Dollhouses, Dress Up & More!

Madame Alexander My First Baby – Powder Blue, 12 Inch Award winner! Adorable, super soft baby doll perfect for tiny hands ages 1-3. Made of washable, baby-safe materials. Award winning first choice for little mommies! One of the few dolls available for children under 3 years of age.

4.Little Tikes Shopping Cart – Yellow/Red Sturdy shopping cart will provide hours of rolling fun. Features a deep basket for groceries, a folding seat for dolls or favorite toy to ride along, and storage underneath. Perfect size for little shoppers. Ages 2+.

5. Melissa and Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set Multiple Awards Winner! Fun for little bakers! This creative play set lets children bake and decorate 12 wooden, sliceable cookies with 18 toppings. Cookies store in a dough tube. Set includes cookies, toppings, wooden toy knife, spatula, cookie sheet, and oven mitt. Ages 3+. For additional suggestions see toy category: Let’s Pretend Toys For Girls & Boys

6.  Melissa & Doug Deluxe Folding Medieval Castle Award winner! Sturdy solid wood Medieval castle. Opens fully and folds for storage with detailed Medieval accents. This awesome castle includes 3 poseable play figures and has a working draw bridge, trap door, courtyard, turrets, dungeon, staircases and more! Fantastic toy will inspire hours of imaginative play! Ages 3-9.

7.Melissa & Doug Deluxe Puppet Theater It's showtime! This quality wooden puppet theater is incredibly entertaining and boosts performer's self-esteem. Features sturdy construction, non-tip base, roomy backstage, velvet curtains, chalkboard, clock with movable hands and detailed designs. A childhood treasure for years and years of imaginative play. Ages 3+.

8.  Play-Doh: Fun Factory Super Set  Award winner! Winner of the Creativity Award, this Playdoh set includes over 35 cutters, design tools, an extruder machine, and 5 Playdoh colors. Hours upon hours of imaginative fun!

9.Cranium Hullabaloo Award winner! A high energy game perfect for the toddler- preschool age group. Kids listen for commands that make them move, jump and dance on colored shapes and pads. Encourages listening skills, color & shape recognition and lots of giggles & fun! A little hard to find in stores, but well worth the hunt. They'll love it! Ages 4+.For additional suggestions see toy category: Board Games & Card Games for Young Children (Toddler-Preschool)

10.My First Games Set (Set of 4 Classics) Award winning board games!The ideal set of "first" games for non-readers! Set include the 4 following classics: Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Memory Game & Hi Ho Cherry-O! Young children practice matching, colors, counting skills and more while having fun. Ages 3-7.

Electronics:

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet (Green) Award winner! The LeapPad Explorer is our top holiday pick for preschoolers age 4+. The LeapPad is a highly educational personalized learning tablet that has a library of 100+ games, apps, digital books, video and flash cards. This sturdy tablet also has a built in camera and video recorder so kids can edit and share video and animation. The great news is that the LeapPad also works with Leapster Explorer games. You can't beat this type of fun, interactive learning that reinforces skills and concepts in reading, math, science, geography, art, music, language and more.  The LeapPad Ultra eBook feature builds reading comprehension and expands vocabulary at 3 different levels. Best of all, LeapPad automatically adjusts app levels to match your child's individual pace and progress. It's a wonderful investment that promotes learning and guarantees fun! Available in green or pink.

V.Reader Animated E-Book System  Multiple Awards Winner! Bring reading to life with the all new V. Reader. It's a perfect choice for pre-readers and early readers ages 3 to 7 years old. Young children can practice important core reading skills while having fun with this incredible and durable touch screen learning machine. Children see the words and illustrations, hear the story recited, and interact with the story by touching the screen to learn and do more. See Little Ones V. Reader toy review. For additional suggestions see toy category: Electronic Learning Toys

LeapFrog Text and Learn Award winner! Like a blackberry for kiddies! Practice letter names and sounds while having fun. Exchange text messages with your puppy pal Scout, play educational games, check your agenda, view the browser, dance to music and more. Features 3 learning modes, a qwerty keyboard and the ability for parents to connect online for customized learning ideas. Kids will LOVE this toy! Ages 3-5.

 LeapFrog Scribble and Write  Award winner! Little fingers can practice the formation of letters and shapes with this fun learning machine. The child-size stylus along with screen lights make it easy for kids to draw simple pictures, shapes and eventually upper & lower case letters. Amusing learning games reinforce letter formation. A great way to teach writing skills. Ages 3-5.

LeapFrog Chat and Count Phone  Award winner! Babies are fascinated with phones! This baby-proof phone combines both learning and fun. Press the number buttons to count on the screen along with baby's animated pal Scout, or press the music button to hear songs about counting. Trade calls and voicemail with Scout, or enjoy 15 other fun phone activities. Includes online learning ideas for parents. Pretending to be a grownup has never been so much fun! Ages 18 months+

Also seeToys For LIttle Fingers (Toddler) for our complete selection of recommended toddler toys.

  Books For Toddlers 

Children's Educational DVDs & Music CDs.

Little Ones "Twelve Weeks Before Christmas"  Holiday Toy Series: This holiday series is designed to help parents and grandparents make smart choices by featuring outstanding/award winning "toys that teach," accompanied by reviews which highlight and explain the educational benefits and specific skills children receive from these types of toys.

Visit www.littleones.com for our selection of  Great/Award Winning Children's Books, Little Ones Recommended Toys & Gifts,  Birthday Theme Parties  and Baby Basics, along with teacher tips, parenting articles, family fun and much more!

If you haven't done so already, Subscribe Now to receive our weekly Little Ones articles via E-mail.