Gift Ideas for a 19-Month-Old Boy (With a Budget)

I love the idea of buying books too. I have three boys (4,3, and 3 mo) and we can never have enough good ones.

My boys LOVE Thomas trains and there is now a set for 18 month+ kids called Early Engineers. With Christmas coming up, there has been a lot of sales, especially on the Early engineers sets (new sets for as low as $8 or so). I like the trains that don't move or make sounds because it forces them to use their imaginations and works on their fine motor skills when they have to push them around the tracks. My oldest got his first train at a bit younger and still wants to play with them day and night.

Also maybe a riding toy like a fire truck or a car would be fun at this age. Good luck!

PS: I totally agree with the other moms - $40 is very generous, but especially with young kids you can get a great toy for a lot less:). He's very lucky to have such a sweet aunt!

I too think $40 is too much to spend :) You may have more nieces and nephews in the future, think about what you think you'd spend if you had more to buy for. I spend about $15 on each of my 7 nieces and nephews... it adds up!

Plus, toys for that age are very reasonable.

I say board books about cars and tractors, little people farm stuff. Balls are also good toys for that age, there are some great ones with texture (bumps on the outside) that are easy to hold. Kids that age like to put stuff into other stuff, so a toy that has doors to open is fun too.

J.

I love Mechanicmama's advice on getting a book or books. Books are expensive and I LOVE when my best friend buys my son really cool books. Look for something indestructible (My son had O. with foam pages that had truck tire tracks at that age) and durable!

Or if he doesn't have them, a bag of mega bloks is a cool gift that will grow with him.

You're a sweet auntie!

My son LOVED the "chunky" cars at that age. Because he is so young, I wouldn't spend more than $15-$20. He will outgrow these toys pretty quickly! When my son was this age, we took him to the toy store and watched what he was drawn to... bought it and put it away until the holidays. He LOVED the corn popper push toy, soft blocks and board books!

He wouldn't know if you got him something or not at this age... Realistically speaking.

Depending on how many people you plan on purchasing for, I'd say (if you want to appease the family because your nephew won't know either way) get a book. My son (2.5yrs old) LOVES books. We sit and read every evening.

Check out my Christmas Toy Guide full of great ideas for kids toys this year as well as what you will spend. I have many gift ideas that will fit your budget.

http://www.ittakesavillagedallas.com/It_takes_a_village/B...

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I have had good luck finding wooden tractors and trucks at a local craft show. Don't overlook these shopping options, as you can often find things that are made much better than the mass-marketed toys at reasonable prices, plus you know that you're supporting local craftsmen...

Wow! $40 is really generous. Toys are cheap for his age group, so I'd save some of that $ for when he's older and wants video games. My son is going to be 18 months at Christmas, and I know he will love those Wheel Pals cars. They are made of a soft plastic and have faces on the front, and they fit just perfectly into toddler hands. He will love carrying a couple of those around.
Books are also great. Kids love all the pictures of new things in them, but they ruin them fast at this age, and they're expensive for parents to keep buying. My son really likes several board books that are shaped like cars: I Am A Firetruck, I Am A Dump Truck, etc... I got them on Amazon.
Ask what your nephew is obsessed with right now. My son is crazy about clocks, so his aunt is getting him a toy clock. He'll go nuts when he sees it!
Honestly, less is more with kids this age. They get overwhelmed. Give him a cool toy he'll like, a book, and maybe ask his mom if he needs any clothes.