Looking for the best toys for toddlers? Well look no further because I have you covered. A toddler is considered a child ages 12 months to 36 months. Having raised four boys through the toddler stage (my youngest is 3 1/2 now), I have seen many toys come and go through our house. These toys are the best of the best!
Criteria for being included on the best toys for toddlers list:
- The toys keep the interest of my kids. Nothing is worse than when you are given a toy and your child plays with it for a few minutes, sets it aside and never plays with it again. These toys have all been tried and tested in our home and have been played with over and over and over.
- The toys encourage creative, open-ended play. I love toys that allow kids to build, explore and use their imagination. These toys do just that. There are no specific instructions to them which leads to lots of creative and imaginative play.
- The toys encourage development. Play is so important to kids. It’s how they learn about the world around them. From colors to shapes to senses to counting to interacting with others, these toys have an educational component and encourage development beyond the toy itself.
- The toys are ones kids can grow with. These toys are all great for toddlers in the sense that they are safe to play with, but many of these will be excellent toys as they move into preschool age and beyond!
- The toys are gender neutral. These toys are excellent toys for toddler boys or girls. They are gender neutral, which is great if you have a family with boys and girls or just want gender neutral toys in your home.
In addition, these toys will all make great toddler gifts if you are shopping for that perfect holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah) or birthday gift.
Best Toys for Toddlers List – Gift Guide
Note: Our list of the best toys for toddlers are listed in no particular order and may contain affiliate links.
Play Kitchen
A play kitchen is a must-have. Even though I have all boys, it has been one of the most played with toys in our home. My boys all loved to prepare pretend meals and serve them to us and each other. This toy has given us hours of open ended play. I love this set by Hape because it’s easy to assemble ( a key component as we’ve had sets that were VERY difficult to assemble) and it comes with all the utencils and food! I also love that everything is made of solid wood which will allow it to last for a long time. The price point is also good ($88) versus some sets that can get into the mid hundreds. Get this kitchen set here: https://amzn.to/2MMSFDv.
Shopping Cart
This shopping cart has been in our house for years and still gets played with! It goes nicely with the kitchen set, although my boys like to use it to carry around all kinds of toys from their playroom. It’s also fun, because their favorite stuffed animal can ride around in the kids seat. It’s by Melissa & Doug and is made of a sturdy metal frame so even after all the years of wear and tear in our house, it still looks brand new (a major accomplishment). Get the shopping cart here: https://amzn.to/2Phlt8P.
Wooden Starter Blocks
Wood blocks are great for helping kids learn spatial reasoning and fostering imagination. They help kids grow by stimulating the natural learning process and teach them about shapes, quantities, spatial dimensions and much more! I ove this set from Haba for its simplicity and sturdy design. This set will last for many years. My boys still love to build with blocks like these. Sometimes, when my kids get upset, I send them to play quietly with blocks independently. I find that it helps them relax and gets their minds off whatever was frustrating them. Get this set here: https://amzn.to/2K1dxIrcks
Nesting Blocks
Nesting blocks are so great for many reasons (problem solving, patience, sorting from largest to smallest) and all my kids have enjoyed them as toddlers. I love the fact that they can be stored in one small cube, but when stacked are taller than the child. This set of nesting blocks from Wee Gallery are adorable. I love the minimalist black and white design and the adorable woodland creatures featured on the blocks. They also feature numbers 1-10 to introduce toddlers to number recognition and counting. Get a set of nesting blocks here: https://amzn.to/35kquVW
Stack Up Toy Cups
I got these cups when my first son was born and we still have the same set that has been heavily played with by all my kids. These cups each have a small, unique hole in the bottom which makes them perfect for water play (aka in the bathtub). There is something about these cups that my kids just loved fitting them together and I love how compactly they store. They are also brightly colored and have numbers on the bottom so they are great for color and number recognition. Get a set of stack up toy cups here: https://amzn.to/2NhazgI.
Alphabet Magnetic Tiles
Magnetic tiles may be my all time favorite toy. I always say, if the house was burning down and I could grab one toy, this would be the one. They are note only one of the best toys for toddlers, but one of the best toys for preschoolers and elementary aged kids. My kids have played with magnetic tiles from age 1 and the amount of creativity, building and open-ended play is simply unmatched. I was recently introduced to this set from PicassoTiles that have letters printed on the tiles and I was in love! Now not only are we building and creating with these tiles, but we can use them for letter recognition and simple spelling words as our toddlers grow! Get a set of alphabet magnetic tiles here: https://raisingdragonsshop.com/products/picassotiles-27-piece-alphabet-set-magnet-tiles
Wooden Puzzles
Wooden Puzzles have always been a favorite of mine and my kids. Melissa & Doug makes the best wooden puzzles, in my opinion. We have many of them, but these are some of my favorite ones that can grow with them. I love this fish one the best! It’s great for teaching toddlers about colors as well as the problem solving of getting the pieces to fit into the hole properly. Melissa & Doug puzzles are so sturdy, they have lasted through all my boys and look almost brand new, making them one of the best toys for toddlers! Get the fish wooden puzzle here: https://amzn.to/2Nh8X6I.
LEGO Duplo Building Bricks
Building bricks are a must have and LEGO Duplo are simply the best! Not all bricks are created equal. The quality of LEGO really shows in these larger blocks and you will not want to go for an inexpensive set, especially for toddlers who still put things in their mouths. I love this set for all the bright colors and the ability to create freely and build lots of different object like fish, flowers, animals and vehicles! Get a LEGO Duplo set here: https://amzn.to/2pdyMN2
Pound and Tap Bench with Xylophone
This compact little work bench has so many activities packed into one small toy, it is a must-have! My kids have all loved tapping the colored balls down into the holes and once they fall through the hole, they make a lovely musical sound as they roll down the xylophone! Then each ball hole is outlined in a color and allows for them to learn colors and how to match the correct ball with the correct color. The xylophone can also be removed and played separately by tapping out sound with the hammer. It’s also great fun for them to replace (and then remove) the xylophone from the slot (almost like a little puzzle.) This toy is one that has stood the test of time and made it through lots of wear and tear! A definite winner! Get a set here: https://amzn.to/2PljJvA
Wooden Pair Blocks
These colorful, wooden blocks are relatively new to our home, but I just love them! They teach toddlers about two halves making a whole and feature cylindrical, triangular and cube shapes in three different sizes and color variations. I also love when toys look beautiful to store, and these are so pretty, they can proudly be displayed on a shelf or dresser until they are ready to be played with again! Get the blocks here: https://raisingdragonsshop.com/products/haba-perfect-pairs
Tea Set
Having all boys, I would never have thought a tea set would make my list, but this set from Green Toys is perfection! We were sent a set to try out and immediately my toddler got to work, pouring water for everyone and serving us tea. I love that this set is gender neutral (very hard to find!) and it also goes well back to our kitchen set. Boys and girls love water play and a tea set is a great water play activity. This set still get played with regularly by my preschooler which is why it makes my list! Get a tea set here: https://amzn.to/2Jk6l6L
Jumbo Cardboard Blocks
These jumbo building blocks take imagination to the next level! They allow kids to build giant structures like castles, houses and cars and then (the best part) knock them down!! They are somewhat bulky so you will need a large storage container to keep them in, but the amount of imaginative play they create makes them worth finding a corner to store them in! The blocks are made from a study cardboard and are flat when opened, but are super easy to put together by just folding them and tucking in the tabs. It only took a few minutes to get them all set up. Get the jumbo blocks here: https://amzn.to/365riw1
Wooden Train Set
A train set is a must have in your toy collection and makes a great toddler gift that will get tons of use now and in the years to come. For young toddlers, you can start with just playing with the large tracks and once they’re past the mouthing stage, add in some of the trains, trees and smaller parts. The tracks work like a puzzle and are great for toddlers to try to fit together. I love this set because it comes with tracks, trains, buildings, tress and people. So many possibilities for creative, imaginative play! Get the wooden train set pictured above here: https://amzn.to/2Jte6r4
Fat Brain Dimpl
This colorful, simple sensory toy is somewhat new on the scene, but is an absolute must-have. It features 5 vibrant silicone bubbles built into a plastic frame. The bubbles can push and pop through the frame allowing for a simple. colorful sensory activity. This little toy can be easily toted around in your bag and pulled out to entertain little ones when waiting in line or at the doctor’s office. This toy encourages fine motor skills, sensory exploration and cause-and-effect learning. Get the Dimpl https://amzn.to/2QhOgdV
Pet Vet Toy Doctor Kit
And last, but definitely not least, this pet vet doctor kit from B. toys by Battat has been one of our most loved and used toys which qualifies it as one of the best toys for toddlers. We have an older version, but this version has all the same functionality. Not only can kids play doctor and vet (which they love to do), the genius of this toy is the small, lockable compartments. My kids absolutely love filling the little rooms with small animals or figurines, locking the doors, and then opening the doors and taking their little friends out. The problem solving and fine motor skills involved in finding the right color key, then lining it up correctly to get it into the lock, then turning the key to lock the door, is a complex process that take some practice. They all needed help at first, but once they mastered it, they were so proud of themselves and have repeatedly gone back to this toy over and over as they grew. My almost 4 year old still plays with this toy frequently. Sometimes it’s a hospital, sometimes a house, sometimes a jail. I love all the imaginative ways they use this set! Get the pet vet doctor kit here: https://amzn.to/31OeRSa.
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We hope you like our list! Let me know what you think. Is there anything missing you would add? I always love learning about new, awesome toys!
Educational Activities for Toddlers
Be sure to check out all our educational toddler activities here: https://www.raisingdragons.com/category/by-age/under-2/
Some of our favorites are: