If you know your little one is going to get a lot of toys from other people this Christmas, it makes sense to get them something more practical rather than adding to their toy box stash. Here are our top suggestions…
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A bed: Toddlers usually sleep in their cot or in a cot bed, however sooner or later they will need to transition to an adult single bed. This is a sensible investment as it will see them through until they leave home, if you take care of it now and they continue to do so once they are able. A bed guard will ensure they don’t fall out and you can start the big boy/girl bed process before the year’s out.
A potty: If your toddler is ready to be potty trained and is showing all the right signs, a potty is a worthwhile investment as you will be needing one in the near future! The more fun the design, the better as they are more likely to do their business on something that is emblazoned with one of their favourite characters.
A wardrobe: Babygrows happily live in drawers, however once your toddler starts to wear tops and trousers or dresses- these really need to be hung up to help the creases drop out.
If you don’t have a wardrobe for your little one, this could be a useful Christmas present to keep all their garments organised and clearly displayed, making it easier for you to dress them in the morning. Children’s wardrobes tend to be cheaper than adult versions and if you are working to a budget, you could always pick one up on Facebook Marketplace or eBay.
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A toddler chair: If your toddler has a habit of climbing all over you on the couch, or sitting on the floor while you watch TV, it might be time to invest in their own chair, so that everyone knows where their ‘spot’ is. You can get these in different colours and designs to fit in with whatever phase your little one is going through and to make it more appealing for them to sit on.
Clothes in the next size up: Unless you know that people will be buying your toddler clothes for Christmas this is something you are going to have to get anyway so why put it off? Better to be prepared for their next growth spurt than finding out one day that they don’t fit into any of their clothes anymore.
Shoes in the next size up: It’s staggering how quickly a toddler’s feet grow, so having a backup pair of shoes in a bigger size makes good sense. Chances are you will put them to bed one night and the next day they will have grown out of their current pair so it’s best to be one step ahead (pardon the pun).
Underwear: If you are planning on potty training your toddler soon after Christmas, underwear is a must. Lots of it too, as they will be very accident prone and you will need to change their underwear several times a day while they are training. The more fun, the better so aim for ones with their favourite characters on them as they will want to wear these more than something neutral.
RELATED: Female First's top practical stocking fillers for babies
A baby won’t remember what they got in their first Christmas stocking so their first year is an opportunity to buy some items that are useful rather than buying things just for the sake of it. Here are our top suggestions... to read more click HERE
