It is never too early to start your holiday shopping…or at least the brainstorming part of it, right? Your house is going to be flooded with so many new toys, in only a matter of weeks, and this thought overwhelms me already. While the bright lights and noisy toys are fun, and kids seem to enjoy them, I love some good old fashioned open play toys – where the toys don’t do the talking, but your little one does.

This is a list of 10 toys for your toddler this holiday season that don’t make noise, and bonus points because ALL can be found for under $40 and on Amazon (so when your brainstorming turns into panic because you still need gifts and the holidays are here – I have you covered!). At the time of writing, most of these were also on sale with extra coupons to add. Happy shopping!

1. Wooden Puzzles

Puzzles in general are a really great way for your little one to work on hand eye coordination and problem solving. Wooden puzzles are built to last, so any investment is worth it in my book. Amazon offers this wooden puzzle in a few different styles – various animals, shapes, more vehicles, etc. It might be worth picking out one or two styles, for your child to enjoy now and also grow into for months to come!

2. Car Ramp Toy

I love this, it is simple enough to encourage independent play but complex enough to keep your little one engaged. There are enough cars, ramps and parking spaces for 2 children to play together – an excellent opportunity to practice sharing! The toy itself doesn’t make noise, but I bet your child will be “vroom vroom-ing” their way through hours of endless play.

3. Quiet Books

This is such a great way to stimulate the brain, practice real life skills, and encourage independence. I love the idea of a quiet book, and it is especially perfect for on-the-go, as it easily can fit in the diaper bag. Amazon offers a few different color options in this particular style, but there are also other quiet books available for very reasonable prices.

4. Doctor Kit for Kids

Pretend play is hugely important for your toddlers development. There are so many benefits to engaging your little one’s imagination, and allowing them to be creative in their own way. I like this doctor kit because it includes all of the essentials, and it also comes with a white coat and a hat – dressing up while playing adds another dimension of fun, that I just know your little one will absolutely love!

5. Pet Vet Play Set

As mentioned above, pretend play is so important for your little one! It improves language development while encouraging creativity. There are so many different options out there when it comes to pretend play, so really you can pick anything you want, depending on your child’s interest.

I love this vet kit though, because not only does it come with its own stuffed animals, your little one can carry the vet care over to their hundreds of other stuffed animals. (A gift that keeps on giving they say) I also like the idea that being a vet encourages compassion for animals, and working with a team to care for someone else.

6. Picasso (Magnetic) Tiles

I assure you this isn’t the “quietest” toy on the list, because I have never seen a child be quiet while building with magnetic tiles, I can guarantee this is a gift that will be a huge hit. Blocks are fun and have so many benefits to your child’s growth and development, but add in the magnetic factor and play is brought to a whole new level! Children are only limited by the capacity of their imagination when it comes to this toy, as you can build and rebuild over and over again.

7. Bath Toys

This holiday season don’t forget about all of the fun and learning opportunities that can happen in the bath! I like the bath toys that can easily suction to the wall, and allow for some vertical play (as opposed to the toys always being on the ground for your little one to interact with). There are some really elaborate and engaging options out there, and while those are also great options for the bath, you will be surprised how much the phrase “less is more” relates to bath time toys.

8. Sensory Fidget Tubes

 I’ll admit, this is an unconventional find on a holiday gift guide list and it might not be on the top of your “must haves” for your little one this season, but just hear me out. I love sensory toys for children. The idea of flipping the tubes upside down and watching the glitter or colors fall to the bottom works a part of the brain that often isn’t worked at this age.

Your child will be encouraged to concentrate, and while it won’t be perfect, he/she may even sit still and focus on something for more than 45 seconds. I love that some of the tubes have fidgets included, and I think this would be a great introductory toy as you begin to navigate how to discipline your little one (think “time out” but more of a sit-here-calmly-and-watch-the-glitter-fall sort of style).

9. Matching Eggs Learning Toy

Children always love to play with what adults have. My daughter has hundreds of toys, but nothing seems to bring her as much joy as walking around with my car keys. Your child sees the groceries you bring home, and these safe to play with eggs are a nice way for your child to be like mom, but with the added bonus of color and shape matching, problem solving, language development, and more! If you have a play kitchen already, these would be the perfect addition to the fridge! No play kitchen? No problem – still a great educational, but engaging toy for your little one.

10. Animal Bean Bag Toss Game

When I look for toys for the holidays, I like to purchase things that we can play with now, but also enjoy for years to come if possible. This bean bag toss game is exactly that – for a younger toddler, this might be putting bean bags in and out of the nets for now, but for an older toddler he/she might understand the concept of how to play the game a little bit. Something like this is also great for outdoors in the warmer weather, but works in a corner of a room somewhere indoors too.

This holiday gift guide was developed by a toddler mom, for a toddler mom, and with a budget in mind. Any toy I can find that works now and works in the future, is a win for me! I hope you found an idea or two that ignites the same excitement for you as well. Here’s to wishing you and your families a wonderful holiday season!