Babies and toddlers are curious little beings and you want to keep them entertained. Not only that, but you want to encourage their curiosity and keep them learning at the same time. So, how do you do that? It’s important to provide your baby or toddler with toys that encourage them to explore the world around them. We have selected different educational toys that will help your child develop a wide range of skills.
The best educational toys for babies and toddlers will help your child discover the world around them. Whether your child explores different textures, colors, or noises, playing is crucial to their development. We have put together a selection of toys for babies and toddlers so your little one can develop a wide range of motor skills and other aptitudes.
We looked at different toys for babies and toddlers and selected educational toys that will keep your child interested while encouraging interactive play. Here is how we chose our recommendations and ratings:
Here are some recommendations to consider if you are shopping for new toys for your baby or toddler.
This mobile is a great first toy for a newborn. It’s easy to clip it to your child’s crib, and your baby will enjoy looking at the ocean animals attached to the mobile.
You can turn the mobile on for a slow spinning motion that will soothe your newborn. There are different sound effects, including music and phrases.
You can use the timer to have the mobile spin and play music for a few minutes to help your newborn fall asleep. Your baby will enjoy reaching for the cute animals and looking at the lights projected onto the wall or ceiling when you turn the mobile on.
We recommend this quality teething toy because you can refrigerate it, but it won’t get too cold. The toy features different keys attached to a plastic key ring, so your child has different textures to explore and chew on.
Your little one is going to love shaking and rattling the keys. They will want to nibble on the keys to help with the pain and discomfort of teething, but you can introduce this toy before your baby starts teething since it’s still fun to interact with.
We like these keys because your baby can easily grab them, they are colorful and stay cool a long time if you refrigerate them.
We recommend that you get an activity gym to encourage your baby to move around. This Baby Einstein floor gym is a great option because it’s very versatile.
There are different elements included. The floor gym comes with balls and different toys that you can hang on the bars of the gym.
We like this baby gym because it will grow with your child. There are different ways to set up this floor gym and you can add and remove toys as needed. You can also fold the sides to restrict your child to the floor gym.
Your baby can start playing with this activity gym by laying on their back and reaching for the toys attached to the bars of the floor gym. As your baby gets older, they can spend some time on their tummy and learn to crawl toward toys.
Overall, this baby gym is a great way to help your child develop a wide range of motor skills.
This simple toy is important for your baby’s development. It’s a set of eight cups that your baby can stack.
We like this educational toy because your little one will benefit from figuring out how to nest and stack the cups. This toy encourages your child to compare sizes and will help them understand how objects relate to each other.
We like the colorful design of these cups and the fact that they don’t contain any toxic materials. Let your child interact with these cups or use them to teach them how to count and recognize colors.
This walker is a great toy for encouraging physical activity. The four wheels provide your toddler with a sturdy base as they figure out how to walk. Your child is going to enjoy using this walker to stand up or have fun pushing it around the house.
We recommend this walker because it will help your child find their balance. This toy is perfect for helping your child strengthen their leg muscles and they will be walking by themselves in no time.
The front of the walker features a removable panel with several elements your baby will enjoy interacting with.
The front panel of the walker includes a toy phone, some buttons and wheels, piano keys that play music, some rollers, and a few shape sorters. We also like the light-up buttons. The front panel invites exploration and includes several elements your child can interact with. We like how the different elements require your child to use different motor skills.
The walker also has different built-in songs, phrases, and sound effects. Your baby will have to push different buttons to activate them.
This set of 12 eggs comes in a plastic carton. Your toddler will have fun getting the eggs in and out of the carton and taking them apart.
The eggs open to reveal a colorful interior with pegs. Each egg has a different color and a different number of pegs.
We like this toy because your toddler will want to figure out how to take the eggs apart and put them back together. They will need to match colors and count pegs to get the eggs back together.
Your child needs to use their fine motor skills to pull these eggs apart and put them back together. This educational toy is a great introduction to counting and identifying colors.
We love this activity cube and all its different elements. It’s a large wooden cube with bright colors and cute illustrations that will appeal to your toddler.
Your child will find a shape sorter on one side of the cube. The toy also features some cogs and wheels your child can turn, a clock with colors and numbers, and some sliding buttons.
Your toddler will have to use different movements and motor skills to interact with all these different elements. The top of the cube has two bead maze tracks. We like the large beads that your child can easily grab and slide along the maze.
We recommend this activity cube because it invites your child to discover the different elements. We like the bright colors and the fact that this toy will keep your child entertained for a long time thanks to the different activities.
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Play-Doh is a must-have educational toy for your toddler. Your child is going to love the texture and want to explore this set and the different accessories included.
Your toddler will have fun squeezing the Play-Doh and feeling its texture and gradually learn to create different shapes with it. It’s a great way to help your child develop different fine motor skills. Play-Doh will help your child develop their creative side as well.
This set comes with four different colors of Play-Doh and different accessories, including a plastic knife, rolling cutter, shape cutters, a roller, and some embossing tools. We like this selection of accessories because they encourage your child to create and find different ways to interact with the Play-Doh.
This Minnie ride-on toy is a great way to encourage your child to be active. Your little one is going to enjoy riding around the house and can use this toy outside as well.
We like the Minnie design because it’s colorful and your child will probably recognize this character. There is a steering wheel your child can hold on to and some back support to make the ride-on toy safe to use.
A ride-on toy is a great way to help your child develop their leg muscles and their balance. Your child will figure out how to move each leg independently to steer the ride-on toy. Your child can also use the back support to push the ride-on toy around and learn how to walk.
There are different interactive elements on this ride-on toy. Your child can honk the horn, push different buttons to hear some sound effects and get some lights to flash, and play with the rollers and a toy phone. The ride-on toy also features a clock.
We like the sturdy design of this ride-on toy and the many interactive elements that will appeal to your child.
Here is what you need to know about selecting toys for your child as they go through different developmental stages.
Look for simple toys that will appeal to your baby thanks to their bright colors and soft textures. Toys that make sounds and music are a great choice.
You can introduce toys as early as six weeks. Crib mobiles will entertain your baby and help them relax before nap time. Baby rattles are another great option for a first toy. Your baby will learn to grab their rattle and enjoy the sounds.
Introduce more toys with different textures and ways to interact as your baby develops their motor skills. Activity mats and plush toys are must-have items as your baby grows up.
Make sure your baby has access to teethers. Their teeth will appear around their sixth month and a teether is a great way to relieve pain and discomfort.
You can introduce more interactive toys once your baby starts sitting up. Your baby should start sitting up on their own between four and seven months of age.
Their coordination will improve and they should be able to start playing with balls, building blocks, push and pull toys, pop-up toys, squeaky toys, and musical instruments. Always look for toys with bright colors, rounded edges, and make sure your baby has different textures to discover.
The best educational toys for babies between nine and 12 months are the ones that stimulate physical activity. A floor gym or jumper with an activity table will keep your baby entertained as they figure out how to crawl and walk.
Your child will grow rapidly between 12 and 36 months. They will develop emotional, cognitive, and social skills at a fast pace and playing is crucial for this development.
Introduce new toys often and give your child plenty of options to choose from. Your toddler will probably like being able to switch from one activity to another once they lose interest in something.
Your toddler needs toys that will challenge them. Look for toys that encourage your child to figure out different ways to interact with it. Building blocks, bath toys, and nesting cups should keep your toddler busy.
You can introduce toys that encourage creative thinking so your child can develop their problem-solving skills. Puzzles and shape sorters are great options to explore.
Playdough is another great way to keep your toddler busy. Your child will love the texture of playdough and will stay focused on this activity as they figure out how to create different shapes.
You can also introduce activities that will help your child develop their imagination as they get older. Two or three-year-olds will love playing with dress-up games, art sets, and pretend playsets. Your child will want to mimic the things they are seeing around them through these activities.
Your toddler needs plenty of physical activity. A ride-on toy is a great way to keep them active, but they should also have access to outdoor toys if possible.
Choose age-appropriate toys for your baby or toddler. Look for toys made by well-known brands that put safety first.
Pay attention to the weight of the toy and make sure your child will be able to grab it and interact with it with their current motor skills. Always choose toys that are bigger than your child’s mouth.
Look for potentially toxic materials on the label. Stay away from phthalates when shopping for plastic toys.
Make sure there are no small removable parts that your child could ingest. Get rid of broken toys, and avoid toys with strings and cords. Supervision is also important when your baby or toddler plays.
There are a lot of options to consider when shopping for the best educational toys for your child. Introduce plenty of different toys to keep your baby or toddler interested and help them discover new things!
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