top of page
alicegray

Holiday Gift Guide for Families with Babies & Toddlers 0-5

Updated: Dec 15, 2022

Updated for 2023


It's here! Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®'s list of favorite items for babies and kids ages 0-5. We've curated a list of items we love for play, travel, day-to-day, reading, and music. Our guide is parent-tested and Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®-approved. Find the perfect toddler and baby gift ideas for the holidays, and come back to this list for gift inspiration on any occasion.



Now, let's dive in! Browse by category:

  • Toys, Learning & Fun

  • Travel/On-The-Go

  • Practical Items for Day-to-Day

  • Bilingual Books for Children

  • Musical Toys & Instruments

  • Mi Casa Es Tu Casa® Music Classes! Want to reduce the amount of "stuff" in the house? You'll never go wrong by gifting an experience and precious time to bond with your little ones! Scroll down to the bottom to learn about our offerings which go from $25 gift cards to a full enrollment!

Using the links in this list helps our small business. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases

 

Toys, Learning and Fun gift list for babies and toddlers
In our Toys, Learning, and Fun gift list, you'll find some of the same toys from our bilingual music classes at Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®. Our gift guide is full of Montessori toys and other toys that foster independence and imaginary play, as well as STEM toys that promote creative problem-solving.



Babies

box with hold in the top and a ball object permanence box for toddlers and babies

Why We Love It

This simple, Montessori toy helps baby develop hand-eye coordination, concentration, and their sense of object permanence: the concept that when something is out of sight, it's still there even though you can't see it.


For different shapes and grasps, there's also the Object Permanence Coin Box for babies.




Babies

montessori toy set for babies with shakers and reindeer toy

Why We Love It

We have this same adorable Montessori toy set for babies in our studio at Mi Casa Es Tu Casa® to play with before and after music class, and it's a hit. Babies love the sounds, textures and moving parts.






Babies

red round easy grasp rattle

Why We Love It

Babies, even 3 months old, can hold this rattle, a satisfying milestone for both baby and parent! It comes in teal too and also different shapes for practicing new grasp.






Babies


wooden activity center for babies with bead maze and shape puzzles

Why We Love It

So many Montessori activities for baby to do in this activity center: animal sorter, number slot maze, matching puzzle, bead maze. Babies will enjoy colors, movement, and shapes. Toddlers will be able to work with number recognition, shapes, and pattern matching. A great gift for growing brains.






Babies

product photo of wooden baby gym with rainbow and animal rings


Why We Love It

This sweet little baby gym uses Montessori materials and is easy to fold up and put away when not in use. Infants can lie down under the soft clouds and wooden rings while older babies can sit up and play with the swinging toys.








Babies

product photo of soft activity cube for baby

Why We Love It

This soft learning cube, with crinkle paper inside, is full of interesting textures, tabs, ribbons, and flaps for baby to pull and explore. The high contrast patterns are developmentally appropriate for baby's eyes, and don't be surprised if you catch your baby smiling and flirting with that little elephant!






Babies


product photo of soft ring rattle set with barn and farm animals

Why We Love It

These fabric rattles are easy to hold because of their ring shape, and they come with a little farmhouse where they can "live." Baby will be delighted to see these farm animal friends when they come out to play. The set comes with a baby-friendly mirror. This is also a fabulous set for our upcoming Spanish music classes!




Babies, Toddlers


product photo of melissa and doug latch board


Why We Love It

This activity board gives babies and toddlers plenty to look at, explore, and figure out. They practice dexterity and problem-solving as they navigate loops, latches, hooks, snaps, and sliding locks.






Babies, Toddlers

smiling toddler walking with radio flyer push walker

Why We Love It

This push walker will keep baby very busy loading things up and moving them to other parts of the house. Activities like this are so good for concentration and coordination. The wagon, thankfully, has "resistance clickers" which keep it from moving too fast and slipping out of your little walker's hands.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


little boy with rainbow shirt concentrating and putting top on rainbow stacking toy
product photo of colorful rainbow stacking blocks


Why We Love It

You may have seen this bright, colorful rainbow stacking toy in our studio. This is a great toy for using curvy lines to make bridges, towers, squiggly roads, and more. For a rainbow stacking toy with more arches, see this set of 12.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Names charlotte and jackson in wooden name puzzle
baby hand placing the letter C in a wooden name puzzle

Why We Love It

Custom order any name from Fat Brain Toys through Amazon. The very smallest fingers can start picking up letters and matching them to the name board. You'll always get proud smiles from kids who complete their own name puzzle.




Toddlers

Toddler girl smiling and riding green balance bike


green infographic showing the 3 stages of tricycle balance ike





Why We Love It

Depending on who you ask, the way you introduce bicycle riding to your kid can make a huge difference in their success. For very young toddlers,

we love starting out with this simple, adjustable trike/balance bike (it’s modular!). Little ones gain confidence, understand how their weight affects the wheels underneath them,

and they can store treasures in the little “secret” seat trunk!




Toddlers, Preschoolers

product photo showing all the parts of play-doh kitchen creations set

Why We Love It

Kiddos love (and thrive!) when having their own space with correctly-sized furniture for their play, crafts, activities and snacks. This lightweight toddler table and chair set gives them autonomy and fosters independence. This particular set has two added benefits: 1) a double- sided table top - you can flip between a blackboard or a whiteboard; 2) built-in storage boxes under the tabletop and chairs.




Toddlers, Preschoolers

product photo showing all the parts of play-doh kitchen creations set

Why We Love It

Play-Doh is just as fun for kids today as it was when we were all little. This kitchen set lets any imaginary chef cook up a storm with its noodle machine, cheese grater, and ravioli & bowtie pasta molds!








Toddlers, Preschoolers


product photo of melissa and doug magnetic dress-up set
product photo of melissa and doug magnetic dress-up set

Why We Love It

Kids can switch the clothes out on these wooden dolls with magnetic outfits. We’re not just talking skirts and sweaters. Julia and Joey’s closets are filled with uniforms that transport them into different worlds. They can be doctors, superheroes, astronauts, pirates, chefs, artists, and more. There’s also the human anatomy set!




Toddlers, Preschoolers

Little girl standing on curvy board in livingroom

Why We Love It

This balance board is such a simple concept. But the product description says it all: “It can be a slide, seesaw, tunnel, boat, rocker, table, balancing board, stepping stone, racetrack, lounge chair, puppet, teeter popper, soccer goal or bridge, fitness equipment, endless possibilities of free and creative play.” We love toys that leave room for our kids to use their own creative minds.






Toddlers, Preschoolers


Rocket made out of colorful magnet building tiles

castle, star and rocket made of colorful magnetic building tiles

Why We Love It

There's a reason these tiles can be found at almost any children’s museum. They engage children, challenging them to recognize and sort shapes in order to fit them together and build entire worlds. It’s a fun, satisfying STEM activity for any age. We suggest going with sheer quantity over quality. The more you have, the more you can create.



Toddlers, Preschoolers


product photo for wooden toy ikea kitchen


Why We Love It

Kitchens are the hearts of our homes, and a well-built play kitchen is the toy kids will come back to for years to come. This play kitchen is the one we have in our Mi Casa Es Tu Casa® studio and a hot spot for before and after music class. Match the realistic kitchen with these realistic stainless steel toy pots, pans, and utensils.










Toddlers, Preschoolers


product photo of wooden fruit and veggie toy set with wooden knife cutting banana

Why We Love It

These wooden fruits and veggies make a satisfying “chop” sound when your toddler slices through the Velcro that holds the pieces together. The smooth, wooden knife is a safe way to satisfy your little one's desire to slice and chop. You can "cook" along side each other!




Toddlers, Preschoolers


Product photo with hand of child using paint stick shows the different colors that come with the set



Why We Love It

Parents are not always up for a big involved painting session. We like that kids can experiment with these vibrant paints without making a big mess in the house. These paints are non-toxic, washable, and don’t require much set-up.







Toddlers, Preschoolers


Little girl wearing rainboots jumping in puddle
Green Lonecone rainboots with shark pattern

Why We Love It

Always have a good pair of rainboots on hand. Kids need to get outside in all weather, not just those perfect sunshiny days, and rainboots make that possible! We love any boots that have handles so your kid can slide them on independently. If you go with Lonecone boots, you get your choice of fun patterns, easy-on handles, durability, and comfort.




Toddlers, Preschoolers

Product photo of sidewalk chalk showing bucket and chalk

Why We Love It

Most sidewalk chalk comes in cotton candy colors. Those chalks are nice for rainbows and clouds, but if you want to really get into chalk art, you’ll need a range of rich, dark colors. Adding this level of color depth opens up a whole new creative world for the outdoor artist!




Toddlers, Preschoolers

product photo of mini bush and dustpan set for toddlers

Why We Love It

Part of the Montessori method is fostering independence in even the youngest children. This mini brush and dustpan is made for toddlers to be able to hold on their own and make a real difference when it’s time to clean up.







Toddlers, Preschoolers


product photo of zig zag wooden city ramp racer with red and blue cars sliding down


Why We Love It

We love this wooden ramp racer for both the pure fun it provides and the skills it builds behind the scenes. As toddlers watch their cars race down the ramp, their eyes practice tracking, an important preliteracy skill.












Preschoolers


product photo of Zingo game shows contents of game



Why We Love It

Building words with letter blocks and attaching them to meaning using flashcards is a great way to build literacy....in Spanish! Get it here.








Preschoolers


legs and feet of kids playing with red and blue EZ stepper stilts


Why We Love It

Another simple but inventive way to have fun. While your kids pretend to be giants, they are also developing gross motor skills. Cup stilts are an excuse for your little one to be silly and a way to keep them busy.









Preschoolers


boy and girl having fun riding GOMO balance bikes pink and blue


Why We Love It

For older toddlers and young pre-k kiddos, this GOMO balance bike/scooter is a great next step. No pedals on this bike, but also no training wheels! This means they're still learning and testing their own balance. At this age it’s so fun to move, and the GOMO can be used as either a balance bike or a scooter.






Travel / On-The-Go Title for Holiday gift list for babies and toddlers
Holiday travel plans may be different (or not existent) this year, but everything in our gift guide for Travel / On-The-Go, still applies. Whether you're strolling around the block, going for a hike, taking a bike ride, embarking on a road trip, or staying in a cabin in the mountains, there's something in this list for every parent.



Babies


Baby sitting up in Guava Lotus travel crib


Why We Love It

We love this travel crib for its backpack carrying case as well as its easy, one-click set-up and simple break-down. It’s non-toxic, and, bonus, the side zip allows for nursing or soothing at night.










Babies


Mother looking down at sleeping baby in Boba wrap baby carrier

Why We Love It

Whether you’re out running errands or doing chores at home, baby wraps keep your infant safe and snug against your body. Especially during COVID, if you’re wearing your infant out on a walk, it’s nice to have your tiny one against your body with the ability to cover their little head. Once you master how to tie this wrap, it becomes natural, and the Boba baby wrap is made with 5% spandex which allows for some stretch and movement.




Babies

product photo of blue cynebaby infant stroller

Why We Love It

For the newest member of the family, this stroller is comfortable, versatile, and easy. We love that it allows parents to face baby toward or away from you. Mid stroll, you can switch the direction of the seat and shade structure depending on where the sun is. It's light, stylish, and more affordable than similar products.




Babies, Toddlers


product picture of upsimple diaper backpack in light pink and gray

Why We Love It

We like diaper bags that can be worn as a backpack because it distributes the weight on your shoulders. Plus, this nice-looking bag has a shoulder strap, handle, and extra loops for hanging over a stroller or shopping cart, so carry it however you want! It also comes with a charging port for your phone, plenty of space, and side zips so you don’t have to fish for things from the top.





Babies, Toddlers

Dad and baby smiling while dad is carrying baby in ergo 360 baby carrier on front

Why We Love It

There are a lot of great baby carriers out there, and a lot of not-so-great ones. We think the Ergobaby is one of the most supportive, versatile, comfortable baby carriers. For a hike, a stroll, or around the house. Start with the infant insert, and then remove it when baby is big enough.



Babies, Toddlers


Baby in fast table chair looking over shoulder at camera eating snack at table

Why We Love It

We love the convenience of this “high chair,” which fits onto the side of most tables. But we also love that it brings baby close to the family in a way that stand-alone high chairs can’t. This baby chair is long-lasting and easy to use. Travel with it, or use it at home every night.







Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers

Mother smiling at child as she buckles children into bicycle seats wearing helmets

Why We Love It

There are a lot of options out there for bicycle seats. We’ve done the research for you. Our favorite is the Thule Yepp Maxi rack mount. It’s comfortable, shock-absorbent, and adjustable. It holds up to a 40-pound kid, so it works for 9 months to 6 years. We like that the seat comes in bright colors and has built-in reflectors for visibility. Slide it off if you’re biking solo, or click it on if you’re taking your kid for a spin.


Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers

Product photo of white LectroFan sound machine

Why We Love It

Cheap sound machines tend to break, costing you more in the end. We like this mid-range priced ‘Lectrofan sound machine, which offers 10 fan sounds and 10 kinds of White, Pink, and Brown noise. If you didn’t know that noise came in different colors, get with it. Happy sleeping!





Toddlers, Preschoolers



Product picture of black BOB stroller

Why We Love It

We love that this all-terrain stroller is lightweight and durable. It’s designed to give a smooth ride to your kiddo whether you're on a nature trail or in a city street, and it folds up nicely for storage and travel. We tested this stroller to the limit when we lived in Korea for a year and traveled the country without a car! Its been 6 years and our Bob is still intact!




Toddlers, Preschoolers



Little girl playing with melissa and doug magnetic pattern blocks

Why We Love It

This set comes with a carrying case and is easy to pull out in the car or lay on the floor at a friend’s house. Little ones can practice shapes, colors, patterns, and fine motor skills.









Toddlers, Preschoolers


Green travel case with complete marker set for kids. Case opened and case closed.


Why We Love It

Every parent needs this travel marker set! Good for the car, airport, or stroller. The travel case doubles as a lapboard so your tiny artist has a surface for drawing. The case helps kids keep track of their markers while using them, making clean-up simple.





Practical Items for Day-To-Day Title for Holiday gift list for babies and toddlers
In our gift guide of Practical Items for Day-To-Day parents will find things they'll use regularly. Some items, like the waterproof mattress protector, will "save the day" at nap time when there's an accident, while others, like the comfortable glider for your nursery, will save your back after hours of rocking, Each of these gift ideas is something any parent of young babies and children will be glad to have.



Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers

product and box for nosefrida baby nasal aspirator

Why We Love It

You've probably heard of the NoseFrida, and for good reason. When faced with tears and frustration due to a stuffy nose, it’s the best way to get your baby breathing easy again. While the method, which relies on suction from a parent, may make some of us a bit squeamish, it's actually the most hygienic snot sucker out there. Watch this video to see what we mean.



Babies


Why We Love It

Wondering when to start brushing your baby's teeth? The answer is, before they appear! If you make a routine of brushing their gums after every feeding, they will get used to it and be ready when their teeth come in. It is also very important to allow your child to see YOU brushing your teeth too every day. Remember we always lead by example!

finger toothbrushes for babies with 3 colorful caps

This simple but ingenious little toothbrush, designed for tiny teeth and gums, helps parents start oral hygiene habits early, The brush fits over an adult’s finger, and the soft bristles help ease baby’s discomfort during teething.




Babies, Toddlers

Baby nursery with gray rocking chair and foot stool and baby items around

Why We Love It

As much time as we spend reading, rocking, and soothing our kids, we deserve to be comfortable. We love that this baby glider allows you to put your feet up, and that the ottoman glides with you when you’re rocking. It's quiet, smooth, and plushy.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


White forehead thermometer with green strip at the bottom

Why We Love It

It’s more important than ever to have a good, reliable thermometer. We all know why. This one saves a record of previous temperatures so that you (and your doctor) can refer back if you need to.


This awesome thermometer also allows you to assign the temperature measured to a specific name so you can have a record of every member of your family! To use it, simply place it the middle of the forehead and move it across to the other side. That's it! We got ours 7 years ago and it is still working like a charm!



Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Blue whale-shaped cover for bathtub faucet

Why We Love It

This cute whale cover protects your kiddos from bumping their heads against the faucet in the bath. Simple, but brilliant!




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Hands stretching the corner of a sheet over a mattress

Why We Love It

This is the kind of gift that may not be the first thing that crosses your mind. But in the middle of the night, when accidents happen, you thank your lucky stars you have one. A must have for new parents! We love this mattress cover because the terry cloth top makes it comfy and masks any plastic sounds when your baby is moving around.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Hands stretching the corner of a sheet over a mattress

Why We Love It

We love this 18in x 24in waterproof pad for the same reason as the mattress protector, with the added benefit that, because of its smaller size, it can be used on bassinets, baby bouncers and rockers, changing tables (for when those diaper changes go wild!), playpens and cribs and toddler beds. For pet parents, this is a great solution for puppies not yet housebroken or elderly pets.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Colorful foam matt for kids with letters of the alphabet

Why We Love It

These foam squares are a blessing for babies just learning to sit up. Better to bump your head on this mat than on a hard floor. The squares are removable, which makes the mat a versatile option for a child’s room, the living room, or even for traveling. We know parents who use the squares to sleep on when camping!






Toddlers, Preschoolers


Little boy flushing his training potty and smiling

Why We Love It

For toddlers aspiring to be big kids, this training potty is as official as they come. It has a handle for "flushing," and looks like a mini version of a grownup toilet. It's just their size and has a hidden place for storing wipes.









Toddlers, Preschoolers



Toilet with potty training seat with light blue ladder

Why We Love It

When kiddos are ready to start using the big potty, a seat like this one, with a no-slip ladder and handles, allows them to be more independent in the process.




Toddlers, Preschoolers


Glowing nightlight globe with smiley face with stars projecting on wall and ceiling

Why We Love It

Bedtime can be stressful. Parents will do anything to make it a positive experience for our little ones. This night light projects stars and other shapes on the ceiling (with different color choices. Hint: avoid blue at night!), bringing a sense of both wonder and safety into the room. And because it’s cordless, it can go anywhere in the room—it also has a shut-off feature which helps preserve batteries.

We use one during the quiet calm part of our music class and it is always a hit!


Toddlers, Preschoolers


Glowing nightlight globe with smiley face with stars projecting on wall and ceiling

Why We Love It

Every modern parent knows it is healthy and recommended to involve children in daily household activities like cooking, and cleaning. The problem is, the world is designed by adyta for aduts and most places are unreachable for little ones. This toddler tower allows your child to safely be at a level where they cal help prepare their own meals and discover the joy of cooperating in daily activities ad a valuable part of the family. It will empower them and give you a peace of mind. Bonus: It can turn into a little chalk desk!



Toddlers, Preschoolers


Glowing nightlight globe with smiley face with stars projecting on wall and ceiling

Why We Love It


Movement is key for development of the body and the mind! Now that our options are limited due to covid, this climbing triangle is a great gift to allow children to develop confidence, spacial skills, and body strength. And if your child enjoys it, you can always add some accessories like this slide/ramp or this challenging cylinder. We recommend you start with the triangle first, make sure your child feels computable and conquers it and then consider adding the accessories in the future for two reasons: it can be overwhelming for a little one to have a big complex challenge and second, you want to keep your child active, interested and challenged instead of pouring the whole thing at once and not allow for proper exploration of the skills needed for each part fo the challenge.




Toddlers, Preschoolers and up!


Glowing nightlight globe with smiley face with stars projecting on wall and ceiling



Why We Love It

"This one seems like a silly one but the Wet Brush Brush Pro Flex Dry has saved me many times with my son's long hair. After 3 years of hearing about it, I finally got it and now I'm a believer!" says Laura Bruce, Mi Casa Es Tu Casa® founder and director. This brush contours the scalp from comfort and its flexible bristles are great at detangling hair with ease.






Bilingual Books for Children Title for Holiday gift list for babies and toddlers
Reading to your children promotes language learning! In our gift guide for Bilingual Books for Children, we've rounded up books we love that are bilingual, or easy to find in both English and Spanish. You'll find books that foster baby's socioemotional development, books that represent Hispanic culture and tradition, books about family, books that are playful, and books that start conversations around social consciousness. For more book ideas, see our full list of bilingual books, and our list of diverse books about equality and consciousness.


Bilingual Books for Babies

Book cover of bilinugal baby board book My Face Book

Why We Love It

It's been proven that babies love to look at faces. And they really love to look at faces of other babies. Sadly, COVID-19 has made this particular joy more difficult. This is a special board book full of faces from around the world of babies expressing different emotions.










Book cover of bilingual baby board book Where's the Baby

Why We Love It

This board book leads parent and baby through pages of peek-a-boo. Lift the flap and discover where baby is hiding. In English we say "peek-a-boo!" when we find baby. But in Spanish we simply say, "Alli está"el bebé!


Interactive books like this foster a love of reading early in children.







Book cover of 10 little fingers and 10 little toes bilingual book

Why We Love It

The rhyming in this book lands beautifully in both English and Spanish. It's a poetic read filled with beautiful illustrations of babies from all over the world. The singsong-y refrain at the end of each page brings home the point of the book: No matter how different we are, we are also the same. We all have diez deditos de las manos and diez deditos de los pies




Bilingual Books for Toddlers



Book cover of children's book Nochecita by Yuyi Morales

Why We Love It

In Yuyi Morales' book Nochecita, Mother Sky and Little Night are both the backdrop and the main characters as mother and baby play hide-and-seek while getting ready for bed. In a rare combination of talents, the dreamy and dusk-color illustrations were lovingly done by the author herself.








Book cover of Press Here by Herve Tullet

Why We Love It

Press Here, New York Times Best Seller by Herve Tullet, is an interactive book that inspires wonder and silliness in its audience. It's best when parents can give the reading performance their all: sound effects, funny faces, peeking ahead at the next page in surprise, shaking the book, and really making the child believe that when they tap the yellow dot three times, it makes three more dots appear on the next page!



Press Here was originally published in French, but can now be found in nearly every major language. Here we have it in both English and Spanish.



Book Cover of Pio Peep traditional Spanish nursery rhymes

Why We Love It

Pio Peep is a book of poetry and traditional songs from around Latin America. This version comes with a CD, which will help non-Spanish speakers learn the melodies and rhythms. You'll recognize traditional songs like "Un Elefante," and "Asserín, Asserán" from music classes with Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®. The colorful illustrations tell their own, playful stories for children to absorb.





Book cover of Lola Goes to School book
Book cover of Lola Plants a Garden book

Book cover of Lola Goes to the Library book Spanish version

Why We Love It

Author Anna McQuinn has created a character in Lola that finds wonder in the everyday. In one book Lola goes to the library, in some others, she reads stories, starts school, and plants a garden. She's always lovingly guided by her parents, and gets to share her interests with her friends. These are comforting, down-to-earth books, sentiments we owe our children right now. All of the Lola books are translated into Spanish.


Bilingual Books for Preschoolers




Why We Love It

This story, by Arree Chung, introduces the concept of prejudice to the very smallest of children. Red, Yellow, and Blue live in harmony until one of them decides they are better than the rest, and the neighborhood becomes divided. It's a sad world until, one day, some of the dots start thinking for themselves. Find the Spanish translation here!






Why We Love It

This beautifully illustrated book by Lupe Ruiz-Flores, tells the story of a little girl who is excited to perform a Mexican folk dance on stage at school. It reflects the experience of so many children growing up in Texas, where Mexican culture has strong roots. We love anything published by Piñata Books, which are nearly all bilingual.





Book cover of The Day the Crayons Quit book

Why We Love It

In this hilarious book by Drew Daywalt, a little boy named Duncan sits down to color but finds that all his crayons are on strike. They're tired of being pigeon-holed and used to color in the same things all the time: Red is tired of coloring hearts, fire engines, and apples. Green is sick of all those trees, dinosaurs, and frogs. Each crayon color dedicates an entire, heart-felt essay to Duncan, guaranteed to get a giggle out of your little one. The Spanish translation can be found here.





Book cover of La Luz de Lucia book

Why We Love It

Lucía is the youngest in a family of lightening bugs. She wants nothing more than to go out with her family at night to light up the forest. But when she's finally allowed, she comes up with all kinds of excuses to stay home. This is a colorful, kind, and patient story about how family can help children work through big emotions.


Originally written in Spanish by Margarita del Mazo, the English translation is easy to find.




Musical Toys and Instruments Title for Holiday gift list for babies and toddlers
Music is what we do. It's what we love. And we put this guide of Musical Toys and Instruments for babies and toddlers together with our whole hearts. We want you and your children to be able to explore music and musical sounds in the same way that you do when you're in music class at Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®. For even more about the benefits of music on childhood development, see our post on Musical Milestones.


Instruments and Musical Props We Use Often


Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Colorful egg-shaped maracas musical toy for babies

Why We Love It

Maracas/egg shakers are another must for little one's musical collection. Just like drums, they allow children to get instant feedback from their beat and adjust! Maracas are always present in our baby classes and toddler classes. You will find MANY options online but beware, most of them are not safe! When buying maracas, make sure it is a recognized brand like BB or LP. You can get one or a package of 6 colorful egg shakers at a lower price here.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers



Why We Love It

Wood Rhythm Sticks are simple, but there is a wealth of uses and benefits in having them handy. While keeping the beat, your child will practice hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. The instant feedback it provides will support listening, coordination and rhythm (in music and language!). Multisensory by design, they can be used with songs, musical games and for early phonics activities.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers

rainbow colored silk scarves displayed in a circle


Why We Love It

Everyone should take a break in the middle of the day to dance around with colorful silk scarves. If you’ve taken classes with Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®, you know what we’re talking about! When they're not dancing with them, little ones like to sort them, wrap their babies in then, and wear them as hats, bows, and capes...the fun is endless.




Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Colorful xylophone for children with stand and color-coded musical sheets

Why We Love It

These A D resonators are a favorite at every age! They are finely tuned to allow your child to develop a keen ear for clear and accurate pitch. And their sound is beautiful.

While baby can explore the set as they wish, starting at 9 months, a second set for the parent is wonderful resource for modeling musical behavior and "call and response" musical games.



Other Top Picks for Instruments and Musical Toys


Babies

Smiling baby sitting up and holding rainmaker musical toy


Why We Love It

We love this beaded rainmaker for its soothing rain sound and the controlled flow of the beads through the shaker. It's easy to grasp, making it a great first musical toy for baby.






Babies, Toddlers

Little girl playing with a pound and tap musical toy

Why We Love It

We love this well-build musical toy as an introduction instrument for its durability, and creative design. Kids can “pound” the balls through the holes so that they land on the xylophone and tickle the keys as it slides out the side. But they can also pull the xylophone out and use their mallet to play the notes (great for playing along in our online music class!).






Babies, Toddlers

pound and tap bench for toddlers with slide out xylophone and shape toy

Why We Love It

This musical toy is one step up from the Pound & Tap Bench from Hapes, It has the same features plus a shape and number organizer for little fingers and blooming brains. Create positive associations with musical play. Made with non-toxic paints and real wood.






Toddlers, Preschoolers


Colorful xylophone for children with stand and color-coded musical sheets

Why We Love It

This xylophone is great for “big kids.” The xylophone sits on a raised stand, giving your musician the feeling of being in front of something important. The color-coded keys coordinate with simplified sheet music—kids can read the colored dots to play favorites like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."







Toddlers, Preschoolers


Father and daughter playing musical instruments at home


Why We Love It

It's easy to find plastic, bright-colored, poor-quality musical instruments for kids. What's more difficult is finding quality, kid-friendly instruments. This comprehensive, eco-friendly set offers 9 wooden instruments from around the world. The instruments reflect the look of ones kids might see in the hands of professional musicians, and kids can be taught to preserve and care for them. We consider a set like this the perfect match to follow our music classes for babies and toddlers.



Toddlers, Preschoolers

Ukuleles for kids with a travel case and color options

Why We Love It

We love this choice of ukulele for kids. The starter kit comes with a gig bag, pics, a tuner, and extra strings. We want to teach our children to care for his/her instrument, but at this price, it can take a few bumps, so kids can feel free to experiment.





Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers


Why We Love It

From babies to big kids, you can never go wrong with a good drum! At Mi Casa Es Tu Casa® we make sure to include our REMO® drums in our music classes as many times as possible because they are such a great resource for musical development and coordination.

Large Remo drum for children with colorful design

Drums allow children to get instant feedback from their rhythm and to feel the vibration in their bodies when the grownups play with them. This is our #1 recommendation for musical instruments!


Remo drums are more expensive than 'toy drums' out there, but are also a lot more reliable and make a professional sound to train little one's ear to high quality music. Remo offers professional and sturdy drums that will last you a long time. Little kids can even stand on the drums without a problem!




Music in Spanish for Babies & Toddlers

Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers and up!



Why We Love It

Mi Casa Es Tu Casa® has 2 public albums, both available for purchase. Canciones de Cuna is our very own lullabies CD. Tarde de Juegos is our collection of songs great for movement and play. Not only are both well-knwn and loved by our families and babies, but they are BOTH Latin Grammy nominated!


At Mi Casa Es Tu Casa® we go above and beyond to produce the highest quality of music for our families. Our grammy-winning producer has worked with people like Armando Manzanero and Cristina Castro amongst many others and brings the same high standards to our family music!


You will not go wrong with the sweet notes and deep felt messages of love in these discs!



Gift precious musical & bonding time!

With Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®'s Gift Cards!


If you prefer something that will leave a lasting impression and be a life-changing gift, give the gift of precious time and music with Mi Casa Es Tu Casa®!


The best reviewed parent-child music and language class with over 100 five star reviews in Yelp, Facebook and Google! You can't go wrong with this gift!


You can purchase a gift card here for any of our class options:

  • at-home membership for special time in Spanish on demand with your little one

  • magical time at our studio in Austin, TX

Moms and babies dancing and singing in bilingual music class

Did you know you get credit for every friend that enrolls in our classes?

If you are an enrolled family, log in to your account, then click on "My Account" and scroll down to the line that says "referral code and referral URL" to find your unique referral link and coupon code! Share the link or the code with your friends so they can get a $15 discount and you also get a $15 credit in your account when they enroll!


 

Alice Gray is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas. She has attended classes at Mi Casa es Tu Casa® since her daughter was 2 years old, and is a big believer in the benefits of early childhood movement, music, language, play, and connection.

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page