These are really nice suggestions.

I just want to give a shout out to Sweetwater as a company. My kids are guitarists, and we've made several purchases from them . . . truly excellent customer service!

You mentioned eeBoo...that reminds me that beautifully illustrated cardboard puzzles are a nice gift for toddlers to Pre-K. We had a bunch of Crocodile Creek floor puzzles in little suitcases and an eeBoo "match mothers and babies" puzzle. I enjoyed helping my toddlers do those puzzles.

This is a great list!

Fixed the links I hope, sorry!

I feel like people are often asking for gift recs for young kids. These are my picks for luxury gifts. It’s not that they’re all so expensive, it’s just that they’re more expensive than similar products so a parent might not buy them for themselves. To me, that makes them great gifts at different price points.

Stabilo Woodys:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C5Q5VNM
These are thick so they’re easy to grip, they mark beautifully, you can use them with water, and they last forever. Expensive, but great. I would say 1.5+

Play silks
https://www.sarahssilks.com/collections/playsilk-sets-summer-sale/products/playsilks-primary-set-of-5
This is a Waldorf thing, and of course there are synthetic versions. The real ones are a great splurge. I’ve put them in the washer and dryer, but probably best to hang dry for longest lifespan. imo these are fun for babies as soon as they can sit up for peekaboo etc and they stay fun for years. Plus, they fold up small when you’re not using them.

Remo buffalo drum:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BuffaloDrum14--remo-buffalo-drum-14-inch-by-3.5-inch
Necessary? Of course not. But you can listen to someone banging this for an hour straight and it remains almost pleasant. It has a nice rope handle on the back and a very sturdy mallet. 2+

Micro scooters:
https://microkickboard.com/
These are worth it. They’re all called “micro” but you want the “mini micro” for little kids and the “maxi micro” for slightly older. 2+

Eeboo watercolors:
https://eeboo.com/a/search/watercolors
I don’t profess to know why these are so much nicer and the colors so much more harmonious than the $4 crayola version, or if that should make these $20. I just know if someone gives them to you, you’ll enjoy them. 3+

I feel like people are often asking for gift recs for young kids. These are my picks for luxury gifts. It’s not that they’re all so expensive, it’s just that they’re more expensive than similar products so a parent might not buy them for themselves. To me, that makes them great gifts at different price points.

Stabilo Woodys:

These are thick so they’re easy to grip, they mark beautifully, you can use them with water, and they last forever. Expensive, but great. I would say 1.5+

Play silks

This is a Waldorf thing, and of course there are synthetic versions. The real ones are a great splurge. I’ve put them in the washer and dryer, but probably best to hang dry for longest lifespan. imo these are fun for babies as soon as they can sit up for peekaboo etc and they stay fun for years. Plus, they fold up small when you’re not using them.

Remo buffalo drum:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BuffaloDrum14--remo-buffalo-drum-14-inch-by-3.5-inch
Necessary? Of course not. But you can listen to someone banging this for an hour straight and it remains almost pleasant. It has a nice rope handle on the back and a very sturdy mallet. 2+

Micro scooters:
https://microkickboard.com/
These are worth it. They’re all called “micro” but you want the “mini micro” for little kids and the “maxi micro” for slightly older. 2+

Eeboo watercolors:
[url]https://eeboo.com/a/search/watercolors[url]
I don’t profess to know why these are so much nicer and the colors so much more harmonious than the $4 crayola version, or if that should make these $20. I just know if someone gives them to you, you’ll enjoy them. 3+