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2021’s Best Halloween Toys and Gifts for Toddlers

Halloween is a fantastic holiday for children of all ages, including those over the age of eighteen. Still, toddlers can struggle with the idea of leaving their home for the night to ask strangers for candy. Many parents have handled last-minute Halloween meltdowns and wondered how they could have prepared their child for trick-or-treating.

Familiarizing your toddler with Halloween traditions, sights, and sounds long before the big day is an excellent way to prevent trick-or-treating jitters. While movies, television, and chats can help, a toy or gift may be the better, more long-lasting option. Most toddler toys have some kind of educational or developmental benefit, and Halloween-themed toys and gifts are no different.

If you’re looking for something to help your child face their fears, embrace the spooky season, and remember their Halloween, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best Halloween toys and gifts for toddlers, as well as some critical things you should consider before making a purchase.

Best Halloween Toys for Toddlers

Choosing Halloween toys a toddler doesn’t have to be a complicated experience. To make things a little easier, we’ve compiled a detailed list of the best Halloween-themed toddler toys and their pros and cons. We’ve also added product links to make shopping a breeze.

UMU Pretend Play Food Halloween Wooden Pizza Set

Perfect for enjoying a Halloween feast

Food-related play can help foster interest in the culinary arts, in addition to helping children develop their motor, social, and creative skills. This spooky wooden playset features Halloween-themed dishes, pizza, and candies that feature kooky jack o’ lantern faces, friendly ghosts, and smiling skeletons.

Each slice of deep-dish pizza has two magnets on either side, allowing the pieces to snap together to form a whole pie. Kids can practice their pizza-cutting skills with the wooden slicer that comes with the kit and even add their own pumpkin pepperonis. Unlike plastic toy sets, this wooden collection is sure to stand up to years of playtime and prove a favorite every October.

Melissa & Doug Monster Bowling Game

You can’t strike-out with this plush bowling game

It’s only too easy to sit your child down with a tablet and let them explore all of the child-friendly apps their heart desires. Still, while this practice might keep kids entertained and reasonably quiet for hours at a time, it doesn’t necessarily encourage fitness or strengthen complex motor skills.

The Melissa & Doug Monster Bowling Game is an excellent reprieve from hours spent staring at an electronic device. It consists of five unique ‘monster’ pins with colorful hair, funny faces, and soft-to-the-touch bodies. They’re incredibly easy to set up, and when you roll the included plush bowling ball, they’re super fun to knock down. This bowling set is goofy, exciting, and great for developing minds.

Halloween Projection Flashlight

Keep the monsters at bay with this fun flashlight

Oops! Looks like this toy is sold out.

Whether your little one needs some extra light while trick-or-treating, or they simply want an illuminated buddy to help scare the monsters away, this flashlight does the trick. By rotating the uppermost ring, kids can switch from a regular flashlight to a fun image projector. There are six unique light designs from which to choose, including a blue witch and a gray ghoul.

While glow sticks only last for a few hours before dying down, and don’t emit much light, this flashlight can last for years and provides a very bright light. This is a great toy for tots that often find themselves feeling afraid of the dark, and it comes with several Halloween masks for weeks of spooky playtime.

JOYIN Halloween Bingo Game

A ghoulishly fun game for the whole family

Bingo is a fantastic game for developing minds. It teaches basic matching, referencing, and social skills. These amusing Halloween bingo cards feature cartoonish monsters, pumpkins, and basic Halloween phrases. Whether your toddler is beginning to learn their alphabet or read full sentences, this game can help them read and speak more fluently.

Pairing this game with some candy treats is sure to get any kid interested in playing. Besides, even though this game set contains small candy corn markers, these tiny pieces are made of non-toxic cardboard and paper. So, if your tot manages to start chewing on a bingo marker, it will get soggy and begin to fall apart. That means that this toy is very low on the danger index.

Make A Pumpkin Stickers

All of the creativity of pumpkin carving, but none of the mess

Every kid looks forward to their first pumpkin-carving session. Still, toddlers are too young to be working with sharp tools, and parents often struggle to find a safe alternative. These stickers are an ideal solution to this annual issue, as they allow children of all ages to create their own pumpkin with fun stickers.

Each sheet comes with a peelable pumpkin, several sets of facial features, and tons of room for creativity. This is an awesome tool for gauging emotions as well, as kids can make their pumpkin as silly or as serious as they’d like. You can even engage your child’s social and creative side by asking them to name their pumpkin. Once your child has a name for their creation, you can post their new orange buddy on the fridge.

Max Fun Halloween Bean Bag Toss Game

An affordable option for endless spooktastic entertainment

Bean bag tosses are an endless source of good times for kids and adults alike. This hangable toss game is affordable, easy to use, and great for all ages. Featuring three distinct (and hungry-looking) jack o’ lanterns, this Halloween game will have your children playing and competing without tablets, phones, or video game consoles.

To use, simply hang the banner in any outdoor or indoor area. Be sure to clear any breakable objects from behind the banner before handing out the bean bags. While this game is exceptionally safe, it’s important to analyze the bean bags before play to ensure that the bags aren’t ripped or torn. Bean bag filling can be hazardous when ingested, but these bags are sewn tightly to prevent any harmful snacking.

Skoolzy Educational Pumpkin Memory Matching Game

Superbly designed matching game that helps teach emotional development

Emotional intelligence is something that is often ignored by toy manufacturers, which is a real shame. Fortunately, Skoolzy released a Halloween matching game that helps children develop a better understanding of their emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It’s challenging to find a game that helps to teach a child empathy, but this silly pumpkin-matching game fits the bill.

With a dozen different emotions to learn, mimic, and discuss, this set of cards is sure to have you and your child connecting, learning, and having a ton of fun together. The only downside to this unique card game is the cards themselves. They’re thin enough to disappear beneath furniture, rugs, or tiny hands. However, you and your tot could count them out before and after playing to practice counting and keep the set intact.

Best Halloween Gifts for Toddlers

A great Halloween gift for a toddler is one that grows with them. Stuffed animals, practical treasures, and spooky critters are all fantastic options. Still, the best gift for your toddler is one that brings a smile to their face for many years to come.

GUND Monsteroo Beeper

Soft, cuddly, and ready to fight the monster under the bed

One of the best things you can do with a child who is afraid of monsters is to show them that monsters can be just as soft, cuddly, and cute as their favorite teddy bear. GUND’s Monsteroos collection is an excellent trove of friendly plush monsters, and ‘Beeper’ is one of the sweetest of little creatures you could ever hope to find.

With orange, furry antennae, and overlong arms, this fuzzy green friend is built for hugs, kisses, and late-night trips to the bathroom. Beeper can be a friend, a confidant, and a security guard for toddlers who fear the monster lurking in the toilet, the closet, or under the bed.

Toddlers are sure to fall in love with this toy’s softness. There isn’t a single hard plastic component, and even the eyes are sewn of thick, hardy fabric. Thanks to this monster’s kind smile and durability, it could easily become any toddler’s favorite toy or best friend.

Pumpkin LEGO Storage Head

Perfect for your little LEGO enthusiast

LEGO has been entertaining children for almost 90 years, so it should come as no surprise that they’ve created one of the most practical Halloween gifts of all time. This jack o’ lantern LEGO head is great for storing LEGO pieces, or anything else! The upper portion easily lifts off to reveal a bucket-like interior.

If your little LEGO-lover is just getting started with their brick collection, this spooky head is a great way to help them keep their toys out of the carpet (and away from bare feet). In addition, each LEGO head is stackable, so you can continue purchasing different ones until your tot has a LEGO storage totem pole. That’s pretty cool.

Plush Halloween Pikachu

If you’ve gotta catch them all, then you’ve gotta have Halloween Pikachu

Pikachu is one of the most beloved fictional characters of all time, and it’s no wonder why. With his adorable smile, impeccable sense of style, and friendly nature, this Pokemon is not only Ash Ketchum’s favorite, but the world’s. When you give your little Pokemon trainer this Halloween Pikachu doll, they’ll feel confident enough to become a Pokemon master.

Besides, it’s always nice to go trick-or-treating with a valued friend, and this plush Pikachu is perfectly sized for under-the-arm toting. In addition, this soft fellow is cute enough to become a year-long friend. It’s an excellent gift for any Pokemon fan.

Pumpkin Sensory Chew Necklace

Stress-relief and comfort are only a pumpkin necklace away

Oops! Looks like this toy is sold out.

Parents of autistic children are often challenged to find toys and gifts that are appropriate for their child. This chew necklace is a great place to start. Textured, reasonably inflexible, and made of skin-soft silicone, this sensory necklace is perfect for chewing, touching, or holding. The holes for the jack o’ lantern’s eyes are perfectly sized for tiny fingers, and this chewy pumpkin is never out of reach.

When attached to the cord necklace, this gift becomes a constant source of comfort for the wearer. In addition to helping children with autism find relief during moments of panic or confusion, this gift makes a great tool for teething tots.

ValeforToy Halloween Toy Set

Mouth-safe creepy-crawlies for those learning to walk

While some kids are frightened by creepy-crawlies, bats, and spooky Halloween creatures, others embrace the scary spirit and gravitate toward those spine-chilling delights. If you’ve got a toddler who loves to collect bugs, play with ooze, or get messy, these stretchy toys might be a fantastic gift option.

The ValeforToy Halloween Toy Set comes with four food-grade props. There’s a black bat, a giant centipede, a gray rat, and a brown tarantula included with the set. Each critter is safe for tiny mouths, and incredibly soft. Letting your tiny one play with these traditionally freaky friends can help them overcome fears and enjoy a little scary fun.

Aurora Taddle Toes Maurice Monster

The friendliest little monster in the whole world

Maurice Monster is an incredible little creature. Though he may only be about 10 inches tall, he could make a big difference in your little one’s life. His calm smile, soft felt teeth, and big striped feet are sure to charm any child. While this Taddle Toes plush might start as a Halloween gift, it’s likely that it will become a year-long friend. Not only is this tiny blue monster insanely cute, but it’s also wonderfully soft.

Though the eyes are made of hard plastic and the body is filled with plastic beads, it’s unlikely that these components will become a danger. Every seam is sewn tightly to prevent choking and accidental ingestion, and the eyes are locked onto the body of this friendly monster. Sadly, this little guy is not machine-washable.

Fun Express Plush Monsters

Pocket-sized creatures of all shapes and sizes

Sometimes less is more, but every once in a while, more is more. That certainly seems to be the case with the Fun Express Plush Monsters. Each one is uniquely designed, brightly colored, and small enough to fit neatly into tiny palms. While these Halloween gifts do suffer from variable threading (some plushies have loose threads upon arrival), they’re also an incredibly cute gift or toy for kids.

However, because these plush monsters are incredibly small, and some may have a few loose threads, it’s important to keep an eye on your toddlers while they play with these strange creatures. Still, they’re a unique gift that is sure to bring a smile to your little one’s face.

Things to Consider When Buying Halloween Toys For a Toddler

There are a few essential factors to consider when choosing a toddler toy or gift. While budget is an important aspect to keep in mind, developmental stages, interests, and safety are also crucial factors to contemplate.

Developmental Milestones

Children aren’t born with many skills or abilities, which is why the first several months of parenthood are often described as being a sleepless, thankless time. Parents often rejoice when their child begins to reach developmental milestones like sitting up, walking, speaking, or learning how to use the toilet.

Still, parents may not know that toys engage a child’s brain and body, allowing them to increase their mastery of certain skills. For example, walkers promote improved motor skills, dolls and action figures can foster a greater sense of imagination, and simple puzzles can heighten cognitive development.

It is important to gauge a child’s developmental progress before purchasing a toy, as some products may be too advanced or too remedial, resulting in a disinterested child. If you’re buying for a relative or friend’s child, be sure to ask their parents about their current skills and developmental status. It’s also a fantastic idea to inquire about the child’s interests.

Interests and Passions

Even extremely young children can show an interest in a specific subject, television show, or genre of music. Most toddlers have a favorite character or song, and they aren’t afraid to let you know about their interests. Paying attention to these constantly-changing passions is crucial to choosing a gift that your child enjoys.

Fortunately, there are a lot of options for parents. For example, there are thousands of dinosaur-related toys for developing paleontologists. Some may foster cognitive development, while others focus on social skills or motor skills, but it’s likely that a child who is interested in dinosaurs will enjoy the toy because of its theme. However, always be sure that the toy or gift you’re considering is both safe and appropriate.

Safety

Every day, hundreds of young children are negatively affected by unsafe toys. In 2016, over 170,000 children were admitted to the hospital after receiving toy-related injuries. Many of these injuries are sustained from swallowing small parts. Board games are notorious dangers to tiny tots, as they often have very small plastic or metal pieces.

Be aware of any small parts that your preferred gift or toy contains. If possible, try to ensure that these small parts can be removed without making the item non-functional. If that’s not possible, it may be wise to keep an eye on your toddler while they play. You can remove the small items when they are done playing, and keep them in a safe location.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to Halloween toys and gifts for toddlers, there are several spectacularly spooky options from which to choose. Each one encourages developmental growth, lends itself to a pre-existing interest or passion, and is safe for tiny hands and fingers.

Your toddler is growing fast, so be sure to make this upcoming Halloween a holiday they’ll remember forever by investing a heartfelt gift.