Keeping a toddler busy and entertained can be challenging. It’s important that your child has access to plenty of toys they enjoy interacting with. The best toys for toddlers will help them improve their motor skills while having fun. Toddlers grow up incredibly fast and acquire important life skills through playing, which is why they need toys adapted to their age.
We looked for the best toys for toddlers and assigned ratings according to these criteria:
We have put together a selection of some of the best toys to keep your toddler busy and entertained.
Your toddler is going to love watching these toy cars race down this wooden track. This toy features four stacked race tracks and four sturdy toy cars.
Your child will love the cute and colorful design of the cars and will have a blast watching them tumble down the race tracks.
We like this versatile toy because your child will enjoy watching the cars go down the race track by themselves but they will also want to hold onto the cars and have them drive on different surfaces.
We recommend this race track because of its sturdy wooden design. You don’t have to worry about the cars coming apart.
We recommend that you introduce age-appropriate musical instruments. Toddlers can benefit from playing with musical instruments because making noises is an important part of their cognitive development.
This drum set is ideal for developing motor skills and help your child develop an appreciation for music. We like this drum set because it’s very accessible. Your child will enjoy making music by simply hitting the different drum pads.
As your child becomes more familiar with this toy, they will figure out how to play different rhythms. This drum set features three different drum pads and a cymbal with different sounds.
There are buttons your child can push to hear different sounds and melodies. The built-in sounds and beats are fun to interact with and your child can play along with them.
There are different built-in modes for this drum set. You can activate the free play mode to see how your child interacts with the drum set, use the follow-along mode for structured play, or use the letters or numbers mode to help your child acquire these basic concepts.
We think this drum set makes a great interactive toy that will provide your child with new challenges as they get older.
Bath time should be fun. Your toddler is going to love this fishing bath toy and the cute figurines that come with it.
The toy includes a fishing pole with magnets. Your child can use it to catch the three figurines that float.
We like this toy because it will keep your toddler busy and entertained during bath time and your child will even look forward to taking a bath thanks to this toy.
Fishing for these toys is a great way to develop hand-eye coordination since your child will have to align the magnets to catch the cute little characters.
We recommend this bath toy because of its cute and rounded design and because it’s very easy to clean.
This toy is a fun take on the classic stacking cups. Toddlers are fascinated with figuring out how objects fit together, which is why they enjoy playing with stacking cups so much.
We like these stacking cups because each cup has a different color and a large number on it. Your child can have fun stacking or nesting these cups and will gradually learn to recognize the different numbers and understand how the numbers progress.
These stacking cups come with an animal toy that your child can squeeze to hear a squeaky sound. It’s a fun addition to the classic stacking cups since your child can place the animal inside of the smallest cup or stack it on top of the cups.
We recommend this toy because it’s versatile and will help your child understand how objects fit together while introducing them to colors and numbers.
We like this activity desk because it will encourage your child to focus on some fun activities. It’s a great introduction to sitting at a desk, which is something your child will have to do once they start preschool.
Your child is going to love having their own desk. We like the sturdy plastic design and the legs that will prevent the desk and stool from tipping over.
There are many different ways to interact with this desk. The top of the desk features a toy phone and different buttons your child can push to hear sounds, music, and phrases.
There is an LED screen that displays different shapes, numbers, and letters as your child interacts with the buttons and other elements. We like the built-in phrases that suggest ways to interact with the desk.
You can also open the desk to reveal some storage space and a chalkboard where your child can draw. We like this versatile activity desk that encourages your child to play quietly and focus on different activities.
We love this small RC car because it features simple controls that your toddler will easily understand. Your child can use the controlled shaped like a colorful steering wheel to control this toy.
The controller features a soft antenna and two buttons. One button makes the car go forward while the other causes the car to turn and go backward.
Your child might only be able to make the car go forward at first but they will eventually learn to go around obstacles. You can have fun setting up a small obstacle course or a maze with your toddler and make the RC car go through it.
We recommend this RC car because of its cute and colorful design and because controlling the RC car is a great way to encourage your child to develop their spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.
This set of 15 puzzles encourages your child to learn how to recognize different animals. Each puzzle includes two pieces with the head and tail of an animal.
Your child needs to correctly identify the two parts of each animal to get the pieces to fit together. We like these puzzles because of the cute illustrations and because they require your child to think about what each animal looks like and to identify the pieces that will fit together.
These puzzles are great for developing problem-solving skills and for learning the names of different animals.
This fun outdoor toy will keep your child entertained since there are different ways to play with it. Your toddler can climb on one side thanks to the holes and textured surfaces, go down the slide, or play with the small basketball hoop.
We like this outdoor toy because of its safe design. There are rails to prevent your child from falling off the toy. We recommend this outdoor toy because it’s a fun way to encourage your child to be active.
Your child will have to use different motor skills to climb onto the toy, go down the slide, and play with the hook. Keep in mind that you should supervise your child as they interact with this toy.
This fun bath toy will make bath time more exciting while helping your child develop their hand-eye coordination. This mini-basketball set comes with three balls and a hoop.
You can attach the hoop on a shower wall or the side of a bathtub thanks to the suction cups. Your child will have fun throwing the balls and seeing if they can get them through the hoop on the first try.
We recommend this bath toy because it will make bath time a lot more fun and your child will learn to develop their hand-eye coordination to get the balls through the hoop. This mini basketball set is a great introduction to sports!
Choosing the best toys for toddlers can be challenging because there are so many options to choose from. Understanding how your child can learn from playing will help you choose the right toys.
Playing is how your toddler interacts with the world around them. Focusing on toys helps them develop their concentration and make sense of things.
Toddlers start looking for connections between objects. They need toys with different pieces that fit together and toys they can take apart and put back together. Matching shapes, stacking cups, and solving puzzles will help your toddler form these connections.
Grabbing and manipulating toys allows your child to improve their motor skills. As your toddler gets older, you will notice that their coordination improves and that they can solve puzzles that require more precision.
Toddlers need to use their senses to explore the world around them. Provide toys that appeal to different senses. Look for toys with different textures, bright colors, and let your child play with interactive toys that make noises or musical instruments.
Toddlers will start mimicking what they see. Mimicking helps them develop social and language skills. Provide toys such as toy phones so they can mimic the behaviors they have observed.
Playing also helps your toddler develop important social skills. Toys that encourage your child to take turns are a great way to build these skills.
Let your toddler explore and choose which toys they want to interact with. It’s important to provide new toys regularly, but let your child choose what they want to play with.
We recommend that you rotate toys regularly. Your child should have different options to choose from, but having too many toys in front of them can prevent them from focusing on an activity.
When you introduce a new toy, wait and see what your child does with it. Your toddler will probably notice an aspect of the toy first and inspect it to determine how they want to interact with it. If your child isn’t interested in a toy, introduce it again later.
You can show your toddler how to play with a toy, but give them a chance to figure it out by themselves first. You can show them how to stack blocks or cups, or roll a ball and encourage them to do the same.
Encouragements are a great way to guide your toddler as they play. Encouraging your child will foster a sense of accomplishment, for instance when they complete a puzzle.
Comment on what your child does and ask questions when they play. These interactions will help your child learn new words and develop their language skills.
Play dates are a great way to help your toddler develop social skills, but don’t worry if your child isn’t playing with others. Toddlers often prefer to play side by side and acquire their first social skills by sharing toys rather than playing with another child.
You can turn playtime into a structured activity by using simple requests to guide your child. You can suggest ways to interact with toys or guide their attention to a toy. Make sure there is a balance between structured and unstructured play.
Check the recommended age range when shopping for new toys. A toy that appeals to babies might quickly become boring for a toddler.
You know your child better than anyone. Pay attention to the type of toys they seem to prefer and look for similar products.
Look for toys that will keep your child interested by providing different ways to play. Some toys appeal to your child with their tactile aspect and will keep them interested by providing new challenges.
The colors and design of the toys you choose are very important. Bright colors and age-appropriate designs will make your child want to pick up a toy and figure out what to do with it.
You might be tempted to choose high-tech toys with plenty of buttons, lights, and sounds. These interactive toys provide educational value if they actively engage your child.
However, some interactive toys have so many features that your child will want to sit back and let the toy perform. Interactive toys aren’t necessarily bad, but it’s best to choose toys that require your child to use their problem-solving skills.
You should have a better idea of what kind of toys you can look for when shopping for new toys for your toddlers. Remember to look for variety and introduce new toys regularly!
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Featured image source: amazon
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