A Gift Guide for Your Little Valentine!

For our family, Valentine’s Day is all about little traditions—decorating the house with hearts, writing sweet notes, and planning fun surprises. It’s a special holiday spent showing my little valentines just how much they’re adored! This year, I’m excited to include VTech toys in our celebration. What better way to share the love than with thoughtful gifts that inspire joy, learning, and imagination?!

As a parent, I appreciate that VTech toys are designed to be both fun and educational. They grow with my kids, supporting developmental milestones and offering new ways to play as they age. From helping a baby take their first steps to encouraging a toddler’s imagination or inspiring a big kid’s creativity, these toys support kids at every stage of growth!

Below, I’ve put together a gift guide featuring some amazing VTech toys that are sure to make your little one’s Valentine’s Day extra special. Whether you’re shopping for a curious toddler or a tech-savvy big kid, there’s something here for everyone!

Baby’s First Valentine’s Day (6-12 months)

Bright Lights Soccer Ball 

Babies will love this huggable soccer ball and its interactive features that teach colors, opposites, and numbers! Little ones will enjoy touching the crinkly hands or squishing the soft ball. The ball plays cheerful music and sounds whenever it’s shaken or rolled, encouraging movement. As your kiddos grow, they’ll love to roll it, crawl after it, and eventually kick the ball as they build their gross motor skills.

Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker

This grow-with-me toy was a favorite of all three of my babies and remains one of my go-to gifts! It transitions from floor play to walking, providing endless learning and fun! The detachable activity panel engages little ones with light-up buttons, spinning gears, and sound effects that teach shapes, colors, and animals. As they grow, the adjustable, 2-speed walker builds confidence and strengthens gross motor skills.

Bonus Valentine’s Day Activity: Tie heart balloons to the walker. Babies will enjoy watching them float, and older walkers will love zooming around with their balloons in tow! (An adult should supervise balloon use.)

Toddlers in Action (12-36 months)

Prance & Rock Learning Unicorn

This magical unicorn transforms from a rocker to a ride-on toy, combining gross motor play and imaginative fun! Twinkling lights and playful music encourage pretend play in Adventure mode while Learning mode focuses on introducing colors.

Drop & Go Dump Truck

Perfect for little builders on the go! This interactive truck teaches numbers as toddlers drop colorful rocks into its bucket. Colorful buttons play melodies and phrases that teach tools and colors. It’s great for developing fine motor skills, practicing counting, and having fun with pretend play.

Bonus Valentine's Day Activity: Set up a scavenger hunt! Hide small heart shapes or treats around the house for your little ones to find and load into their truck!

Click & Count Remote

Toddlers will love this toy that looks just like the household TV remote! This interactive remote provides plenty of role-play fun while also teaching numbers, colors, and shapes. Kids can "surf" through nine channels, including news and weather, to spark imagination and introduce real-life concepts. Its sing-along songs and sound effects add extra entertainment!

Preschool Playtime (2-5 years)

Call & Chat Learning Phone

This interactive smartphone toy provides endless imaginative play opportunities as kiddos pretend to call their friends and family, explore letters and numbers, and play 10 engaging games and "apps."  My kids especially love chatting with the phone’s fun voice-activated friend! They can even personalize their play experience by choosing a ringtone and making a phone book with up to five phone numbers.

KidiBeats Drum Set

Your little musician can rock out and learn with the VTech KidiBeats Drum Set! Using kid-friendly drumsticks, kids can tap the four different electronic learning drums. The fun sounds (choose from regular drums, animal noises, silly sounds or DJ voice) and flashing lights make every drum session exciting, keeping little ones entertained for hours!

Little rockstars can drum freestyle or follow light-up patterns to explore letters, numbers, and music. Beyond fostering a love of music, this toy sparks creativity and supports fine motor skill development, hand-eye coordination and early learning concepts.

Sing It Out Karaoke Microphone

Little performers will love this kid-friendly microphone! With 15 sing-along songs like, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Old MacDonald," kids can sing along to their favorites or press a button to remove the vocals and perform solo! To add even more fun to their performance, this interactive microphone features a voice changer, color-changing lights that flash along to the music, and cheers and applause that play right from the microphone. Whether they’re singing solo, performing for family, or hosting a mini concert with friends, this kid-sized microphone guarantees hours of entertainment!

Bonus Valentine's Day Activity: Connect via Bluetooth to your own playlist and have a family karaoke night featuring love songs!

Big Kids and Beyond (3-8+ years)

KidiZoom Smartwatch DX4

This super-cool smartwatch is the ultimate kids’ tech accessory! With a premium metal body, two high-resolution cameras, and a large touchscreen, this award-winning smartwatch combines style, functionality, and endless possibilities for fun and learning.

Kids can explore their creativity by snapping photos and recording videos using the dual (front-facing and selfie) cameras. The built-in composer app lets them create their own music, while the music player allows them to enjoy their favorite songs. My kids love the exciting movement-based games that encourage active play.

As a parent, I love knowing that this kid-friendly smartwatch balances entertainment with practicality. I love that they can practice telling time, utilize the routine-building app, and enable distraction-free school mode.

Whether capturing memories, staying active, or showing off their favorite creations, this smartwatch is an exciting device kids will love!

KidiZoom Camera Pix Plus

Your mini photog can explore their curiosity and creativity with this easy-to-use, kid-friendly camera! With a 2.0-megapixel lens, 4x digital zoom, and a 1.8" screen, kids are able to capture fun photos and videos. It features creative tools like special effects, panoramic capabilities, and photo frames. We love the animation maker that lets them combine up to 100 photos to create animations. Built-in games offer even more entertainment!

Bonus Valentine's Day Activity: Use the camera to create special photo and video valentines and connect via a USB to a computer and send to family and friends!

This Valentine’s Day, share the love with a gift that nurtures your little valentine’s imagination and supports their development. Whether it’s a baby’s first steps, a toddler’s pretend play, or a big kid’s creative adventures, these thoughtful toys are designed to grow with your child at every stage. Nothing says “I love you” like helping your child explore their world, achieve milestones, and discover the magic of learning!

Jessica Grant highlights a joyful and creative childhood, motherhood, and home through her Instagram @jessicagrant14 and blog, JessicaEtCetera.com. With a background in preschool education and now a mom to 3 young children, Jessica enjoys sharing all kinds of fun including crafts, DIY, and learning through play with the goal of creating a magical and memorable childhood!

Win the Holidays! My Cool Toys Gift Guide

With three kids—ages 10, 8, and 4— our house is always filled with so much fun and excitement during the holidays! From decorating our tree to baking cookies (and inevitably eating way too much frosting), every moment of the season feels magical. My absolute favorite part is watching their little faces light up when they unwrap a special gift. Each year, I put a lot of thought into gift giving and love choosing gifts that introduce or foster interest in a hobby, inspire creativity and imagination, or teach new skills. As they get older, I definitely have had to level up my gift-giving game as the “coolness factor” has also become a major consideration when I am looking for their holiday gifts.

VTech has always been one of my go-to brands for holiday gift-giving, and I love that their products just keep getting cooler as my kids get older! Whether it's tech gadgets, creative toys, or something to keep them active, I love finding gifts that spark joy and keep them engaged and entertained long after the holidays are over.

Here are some of the most awesome gift ideas that are sure to be winners this holiday gifting season!

1. VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch DX4 (Recommended age: 4+ years)

   
   

The VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch DX4 checks all the boxes to make it one of the coolest tech gadgets for kids! It has a high-resolution, easy-to-navigate screen and a ton of kid-friendly features like dual cameras, movement games and challenges, music, and schedules for their day, just to name a few. But what I really appreciate about it as a parent is that its features encourage kids to move, stay active, and explore the world around them. Whether they’re snapping selfies, playing games, or setting reminders for themselves, it’s a perfect blend of fun and functionality.

I know that this full-functioning smartwatch is going to be a big win for all three of my kids! My video-game-loving 8-year-old, Ethan, will be absolutely obsessed with the augmented reality movement-based game where he can search for and collect monsters in the real world. My oldest, Harper, will love the ability to snap selfies and personalize photos and videos with fun special effects and filters. My youngest, Josie, who marches to her own beat, can listen to 20 built-in songs or compose music of her own using instruments and fun sound effects! They can pair their watches to play a treasure-hunting game together or make greeting card messages to send each other.

2. VTech Kidi Star Drum Pad (5+ years)

Drumroll, please! If you’ve got a future rockstar in your family, this is the ultimate gift.  The VTech Kidi Star Drum Pad gives kids the opportunity to jam along to more than 30 built-in songs, show off their skills with a drum solo in free-play mode, or even connect to their own music and rock out with their favorite songs.

My little guy has wanted to learn how to play the drums for a while now and is going to love all the interactive features of this electronic drum pad. I think it’s so awesome that he can even switch it to Coach mode to learn new drumming techniques like beats, fills, and more in a fun and interactive way. It also includes three games, like “Chase the Light”, which helps kids develop rhythm and coordination, and makes practicing newly learned skills even more fun!

3. VTech Kidi Star DJ Mixer (5+ years)

Next on my list of the coolest toys this season is the VTech Kidi Star DJ Mixer. If your family is like ours and loves a living room dance party, this one’s for you! With 15 built-in songs and over 2000 sound combinations, the DJ Mixer lets kids create, save, and play back their own musical mash-ups. They can even add their own lighting effects!

My 10-year-old, Harper, and all her besties are currently in their songwriting era, inspired by their favorite pop star, of course. With this mixer, they will be able to compose their own sample tracks, add sound effects, and really get creative with their music. I can’t wait to be invited to their living room performances!

4. VTech Hoop Madness Basketball Hoop (3-6 years)

   
   

For the little athletes in your life, the Hoop Madness Basketball Hoop is the coolest way to play basketball! The electronic backboard keeps score and cheers them on as they play—so cool! There are three engaging games to choose from, including ones where they can practice trick shots, shoot when the correct number or shape appears, and race against the buzzer to make as many baskets as possible. It is sure to keep my active little ones engaged and entertained.

What I love most is that the hoop is height-adjustable (2.8 to 3.9 feet), so it works for all three of my kids. My youngest can work on her jump shot while also playing a game that helps her to learn shapes and numbers, while my older two are going to love the competitive 2-player games. It’s perfect for active indoor play, and the fact that it flips up when not in use is a huge bonus for saving space.

That’s A Wrap on the Coolest Gift Ideas!

As my kids get older, I love seeking out the coolest gifts that reflect their growing personalities and interests, whether it’s a tech gadget that keeps them entertained and engaged, musical toys that fuel their passion and creativity, or games that keep them moving and having fun. These VTech® picks are just a few ideas to help you win the holidays while bringing joy, excitement, and endless fun to your home this season! Happy gifting!

Jessica Grant highlights a joyful and creative childhood, motherhood, and home through her Instagram @jessicagrant14 and blog, JessicaEtCetera.com. With a background in preschool education and now a mom to 3 young children, Jessica enjoys sharing all kinds of fun including crafts, DIY, and learning through play with the goal of creating a magical and memorable childhood!

Listen Up! Foster a Love of Music with my VTech & LeapFrog Gift Guide

As a mom of four, I know that music is a huge part of our family’s life. We play music constantly in our home, and I’ve always encouraged my kids to express their creativity through rhythm and song. We even have a dedicated “music zone” in our playroom, where each kid can explore different instruments and sounds. My 14-year-old daughter loves to sing, and my 8-year-old, Lia, participated in her school’s first talent show this past spring! Our monthly family karaoke nights are legendary, filled with giggles, impromptu dance moves, and sometimes even a little sibling band competition.

I’m always on the lookout for toys that can help foster this love for music, especially for my younger kids, and VTech and LeapFrog have some fantastic options. Here are our family’s top picks for music-loving toys that make great gifts for budding musicians!

 

Interactive Storytime for the Little Ones

VTech Animal Rhymes Storytime (9-36 months) The Animal Rhymes Storytime is a perfect introduction to music and rhythm for my littlest ones. This interactive book combines adorable animal friends with catchy nursery rhymes. The textured tabs on each page encourage fine motor skills, while the light-up buttons introduce colors, animal names, and cheerful melodies. I love how portable this toy is—it even has a little handle, so my twins can carry it around and bring the music wherever they go!

Animal-Themed Musical Instruments

VTech Zoo Jamz Giraffe Piano (1.5-4 years)

The Zoo Jamz Giraffe Piano is an absolute hit in our house! With this cute giraffe, my twins can learn to play along to 20 songs as the keys light up, introducing them to basic sheet music concepts. Plus, this isn’t just a piano—it also has violin, xylophone, and saxophone sounds. They love switching instruments mid-tune for their own remixes. The built-in microphone lets them sing along, and with DJ sound effects, they feel like little music producers. This is usually their go-to for our family karaoke nights—watch out, world!

VTech Zoo Jamz Doggy Xylophone (1.5-4 years)

Another favorite in our music zone is the Doggy Xylophone. My twins love creating their own music by tapping the colorful bars, and it’s great for developing hand-eye coordination. This adorable xylophone also offers three modes: free play, learning sequences, and song play. They enjoy pulling it around and jamming wherever they please. It’s so cute to see them get excited and even try to teach each other the songs they learn. Little do they know they’re already developing some serious music skills!

 

Jazzy Sounds and Colorful Maracas

LeapFrog Learn & Groove Jazzy Saxophone (18-60 months)

Hey, cool cats and kittens, let’s jam with the Learn & Groove Jazzy Saxophone! This colorful, light-up saxophone has become a staple in our music zone. The kids absolutely love playing with Jazzy Cat, the adorable character who guides them through saxophone sounds, bass, clarinet, accordion, and even jazzy meows! My twins also enjoy the two double-sided music cards, which let them play popular songs. They can blow into the mouthpiece for silly sound effects, and the bell lights up in fun colors. It’s the perfect way to introduce young ones to music!

LeapFrog Learn & Groove Shakin' Colors Maracas (6-36 months)

Our little ones can't get enough of the Learn & Groove Shakin' Colors Maracas. One maraca has colorful shaker beads, while the other has a light-up dome that changes colors and plays fun sound effects. With three play modes, these maracas introduce colors, numbers, and music, making learning and playing seamless. The kids love adding rattling sounds to songs, counting from 1 to 10, and pressing the buttons to hear colors and instrument names. These maracas are a hit during our family jam sessions, and it’s fantastic to see them learning while they play!

Drum Kits and DJ Mixers

VTech KidiBeats Drum Set (2-5 years)

For our little percussionists, the KidiBeats Drum Set has been a game-changer. It comes with three drum pads and a cymbal, each lighting up and playing different sounds. With four modes, including Letters, Numbers, and Follow Along, this drum set offers more than just rhythm practice—it’s also educational! Lia loves jumping in and playing along with her younger siblings, showing them the different rhythms she’s picked up. It’s a wonderful way for them to bond over music.

VTech Kidi Star Drum Pad (5+ years)

The Kidi Star Drum Pad is a fantastic way to let my kids explore their inner rock stars! With 20 different drum-style sounds, including rock, marching band, metal, and jazz, this drum pad allows them to experiment with various musical styles. They can play along with over 30 songs or tap out a drum solo, and then hit the record button to capture and replay their performance. Lia loves connecting her favorite tunes via Bluetooth and jamming along with the beat, either through the built-in speaker or with headphones for solo practice. The Drum Pad also includes three fun games and a Coach mode, which helps the kids sharpen their drumming skills in a playful way. It’s incredible to watch them create their own rhythms and drum up a little creativity!

VTech Kidi Star DJ Mixer (5+ years)

Lia is absolutely obsessed with the Kidi Star DJ Mixer. After her talent show debut, she’s been eager to learn more about music and DJing, and this toy is perfect. With a DJ turntable, built-in songs, and endless sound combinations, it lets her create mash-ups and add sound effects. She even connects her favorite tunes via Bluetooth and mixes them with the DJ sounds. It’s so rewarding to see her build confidence and experiment with her own style—she may just be our family’s future DJ!

 

Karaoke Fun for the Whole Family

VTech SuperSound Karaoke (14+ years)

Now, this one is for my 14-year-old daughter, who loves to sing! The SuperSound Karaoke, available at Costco, has taken our monthly family karaoke nights to a whole new level. She loves connecting her phone via Bluetooth to stream her own music or tuning into the FM radio. The mic comes with fun voice-changing effects, so she can harmonize, add an echo, or even make her voice sound robotic! With its 40-watt speaker, party lights, and a range of vocal warm-ups and games, it adds a festive vibe to our living room concerts. We all take turns singing along, but she definitely steals the show with her vocal skills. This karaoke machine has become a favorite for both solo practice and our family jam sessions.

Portable Recording Fun for Toddlers

LeapFrog Let’s Record! Music Player (18-48 months)

For our littlest performers, the Let’s Record! Music Player is a delightful way to encourage singing and creativity. This toy allows kids to record up to 30 minutes of their own voice or silly sounds. It also features ten learning songs that teach about letters, counting, and animals, along with ten classics like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and even soothing lullabies. And here’s a fantastic feature—adults can stream music from their own devices via Bluetooth, letting kids explore music beyond the built-in tracks. It’s perfect for those moments when my twins want to be the stars of the show!

Bringing Music to Life with VTech and LeapFrog

For our family, music isn’t just a hobby; it’s a way for us to connect, express ourselves, and have a ton of fun. With these toys from VTech and LeapFrog, I can nurture my kids’ love for music in a way that’s engaging and developmentally appropriate. Whether they’re drumming along, mixing beats, or just exploring new sounds, these toys have become a staple in our music zone—and in our hearts. If you’re looking to inspire your little ones with the joy of music, these picks are the perfect place to start!

Karen is the mom behind Mamma Bear Says, a family and creative brand empowering parents to live their most authentic and creative lives. She is a mom of 4, including twin toddlers, and loves to share her tips, tricks, and stories of all the good, the messy, and the chaos.