The 5 Best Toys for Toddlers (That They Will ACTUALLY Play With!)
Let’s be honest once you have kids, all you want to do is spoil them and make sure they are happy right? I bought my daughter everything I could because not only did I want to make she she had everything she needed, but that she was happy. Plus there is just SO much to choose from when it comes to babies and kids! There are so many different types of toys and toys that will use different development techniques as well!
As I bought my daughter different toys as she grew up, I found a bit of a pattern. Through all these toys I was able to pinpoint the favorites that she is always asking to play with. Here is what I came up with:
I found that when it came to water tables (any of them really) my kids were 100% in and would spend at least an hour entertained. However, if sand was introduced as well, that was a game changer for them. It would be hours of play and fun (and a few refills of water and/or sand!). This was great for their sensory skills, as well as their motor skills. I found it really provoked their creativity and imagination to come through as well. If I REALLY wanted to turn up the fun, I’d throw in Crayola Color Bath Dropz! These always made it THAT much more exciting!
2. Little Tikes Go and Grow Lil Rollin Giraffe
Any type of Ride-On toy, where they can express independence, or show “I can do it myself”. Basically anything that has the ability to go fast, is a winner. These show children the mechanics of what they need to do to manipulate toys, to do what they want (ie: “if I push with my legs harder, I can go faster”). For bigger items like a tricycle, my husband tied a rope around the front of it and would pull it, whilst showing our daughter where to put her feet to pedal, and hands to turn. My daughter still has hers and she’s school-aged, still zipping around the house in it, clipping my heels.
3. ANY Type of Cozy Coupe
We got something like this for each of our kids for their 1st birthday. It was they “Big” gift and they STILL play with them outside and switch between the two. Whenever they go outside in the summer they want these out and it’s so great for them to play with, together or separate. At this age I found that the more LIKE you they are, the more fun they have! “Mommy and Daddy have a car and now I do too!“. Another great aspect of this is that if they have siblings, cousins, or other littles in their life they can play together! Always fun to watch kids race in them…VROOM!
4. Melissa & Doug Wooden Chef’s Pretend Play Toy Kitchen
Any kind of play kitchen will do. Like I said above, toddlers love to do things that you do! The great thing about this toy is that there are so many accessories that you can get for it. I made my daughter one for Christmas (you can find my DIY here), and when asked for ideas from our friends and family of what they could get her, I said they could add to the kitchen! It was a great overall gift that kept giving, which made the kitchen so much more fun! We added things that I do a lot of. For example, baking items like a cake making set which includes a mixer (Melissa and Doug have a great one you can find here). I honestly cannot say enough good things when it comes to this toy, it helps them develop in so many ways from understanding concepts like making food and how to do it, to recognizing food, which in turn helps with speech!
5. Backyard Discovery Sweetwater All Cedar Wood Playhouse
Playhouses are SO MUCH FUN for kids! I even remember hen I was a kid, my parents built my brother and I one and we LOVED it. We used our imagination all the time in it, playing all the games! (cops and robbers, etc.) A lot of my favorite memories were in that playhouse! The great thing is that playhouses don’t just need to be outdoor, you can bring them indoors, you can also buy (or make!) a table and chairs to go with them to create a “restaurant” – there are so many options and ways they can use their imaginations! Again, same as with the kitchen, you can get so many accessories for them, build off of them etc.!
These are just items I have found have been really big influencers with my kids! I found these items really helped with their development, from learning how to do basic motor skills to speech to learning to share and play together as well. Keep in mind that each child is different, and beautiful in their own way – mine prefer physical activities, and some may prefer to color or have books! My kids STILL play with all the above items and I don’t see them disappearing anytime soon! I hope this list helps with your decision making on some great toy options!
With love,
J.
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