Holiday Gift Guide for Travel Babies and Toddlers

Before I even had kids I knew that I would want to immediately immerse them in the world and teach them about other cultures. But, then I had kids and realized that when they’re so young, that’s kind of hard to do. So, I had to keep it simple.

Now that they’re a little older I do believe some of the early input they had has helped shape them today. It’s awesome.

Below you’ll find some of my favorite gifts for babies and toddlers that are centered around learning about other cultures and destinations around the world. Some of these didn’t exist when my kids were little. They’re still great though. These make great introductions to the world for kids. And they’re beautiful and enjoyable enough that the parents will like it as well.

Please note that many of the links below are affiliate links. But all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Awesome board books for cultural travelers

Board books with a travel slant are one of the best ideas for baby and toddler gifts this holiday season. Here are a variety of options to consider:

BabyLit board books are perfect for the traveling family who also love literature. These classic tales are boiled down to basic concepts in beautifully illustrated pages. Some options include Paris’ Les Miserables (for the child to be introduced to French), Canada’s Anne of Green Gables (to introduce children to the vocabulary of places), and Massachusetts’ Little Women (introduces kids to fun playtime topics).

All Aboard board books showcase travel topics using destinations. Books introduce travel vocabulary via the sites of some of the world’s most scenic places. Examples include learning about cities through All Aboard! New York, discovering landscape with All Aboard! California, or enjoying the wildlife in All Aboard! National Parks.

The Good Night series shares the most popular sites in a given state (or city) in a tone similar to the classic Good Night Moon. It is also an awesome souvenir that can be found in gift shops around the United States. In fact, I was at a souvenir shop earlier this year when the owner told me he runs into many people (not just parents) who like to collect these books. Imagine a bookshelf filled with books from places the child has visited. While you can find many of the state options here, there are also some Christmas-specific options that would be fun. For example, Good Night North Pole and Good Night Christmas.

Click here for more awesome toddler board books.

Amazing toys for the travel inclined babies and toddlers

Block-based toys are great to help kids develop fine motor skills. I also like them because they grow with the kid. The following sets lean to cultural understanding. So get them now to develop those motor skills, but watch how kids learn about other cultures as they continue playing with them year after year.

One of my favorite block sets for kids is the World Village Playset. This set includes pieces and activities aimed at teaching children more about China. The 30-piece set has a companion piece with buildings to help enhance the experience.
Uncle Goose blocks are special. Their variety of themed blocks can be, pardon the pun, the building blocks for teaching kids new concepts from the beginning. Some travel-related blocks include French or Spanish blocks. But, other fun ones are Christmas and Constellation blocks.
Kids can easily see the similarities and differences between other cultures with the Melissa and Doug Children of the World Floor Puzzle. This puzzle features kids representing 12 countries in traditional clothes and next to their flags.

Click here for more development motor skills toys gift ideas.

A subscription box for little ones who love to keep on learning

In our family, we often give subscriptions during the holidays. It used to be solely magazines. However these days a subscription box service is the way to go. Little Passports was one of the original aimed at children and one of my favorites. They deliver age-appropirate international focused packages in your mailbox monthly. As you can see in the image above, the toys are perfect for toddlers and the stories guarantee quality time with parents throughout the year. Here’s more information about Little Passports. I recommend purchasing a Toby plush animal to give on Christmas with a note explaining how the subscription service works. (Read my full review of Little Passports.)