Toddlers (1-3 year olds) are such fun! They are growing, learning and developing so quickly and they just love to explore the world around them through play!
Choosing the best toys for the toddler years (and beyond) is all about looking for toys and activities that offer lots of opportunities to practices important skills, and toys that foster hands-on learning as children play. This collection of our favourite toys for toddlers will not only keep your toddler engaged but also contribute to their overall development.
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Young children learn best through play, and toddlers are right at the beginning of this learning journey. The toys, activities and opportunities for play you offer your toddler are fun and important ways to shape their learning development in all areas, and they are a great way to bond and have fun with your toddler too!
We’ve included all our favourite toys for toddlers on this list, toys that my kids have loved and played with at home for many years, and toys that I’ve used in my work as an early childhood educator too. Many of these toys are perfect for toddlers, but will also grow with your
How to Choose the Best Toys for Toddlers.
Choosing Safe Toys for Toddlers.
The most important thing when choosing toys for toddlers is safety.
Check to make sure the toys you choose for your toddlers meet safety regulations in your area and that they are strong enough to withstand vigorous play without breaking, .
Here are a few important safety concerns to check:
- Toys should be large enough not to pose a choking risk. All toys, and pieces of toys, should be at least 3 cms (1¼ inches) in diameter and 6 cms (2¼ inches) in length.
- Toys made of fabric should be flame resistant or flame retardant, and washable.
- Paint on all toys should be lead free.
- Art materials should be non-toxic.
- Check that there are no small parts, like eyes or wheels, that could come loose and no parts that could pinch skin.
- Toys should not have strings longer than 18cms (7 inches)
Choosing Developmentally Appropriate Toys for Toddlers.
When choosing toys for your toddlers think about their age and stage of development. Think about the skills they have right now, and the skills they are just beginning to work on. Also think about the things your toddler does over and over and see if you can find a toy that meets that need – eg: if your toddler constantly splashes in the sink or bath, choose a water table so they can splash, experiment and learn about water outside.
Young toddlers, aged 1-2 are rapidly developing their gross motor skills so lots of safe opportunities to practice walking and climbing is perfect for this age. They are also working on lots fine motor skills – picking up and manipulating objects, scribbling with a crayon, and practicing self care tasks are all great activities for young toddlers. At this age language skills and cognitive development are exploding so offer lots of opportunities to talk, sing and listen, and lots opportunities to explore with their senses and be exposed to new things. Young toddlers also begin to show interest in other people at this age, but they are usually not ready to play with someone else, so offering multiple items so that sharing is not an issue and they can play next to another child is often a great idea.
Older toddlers, aged 2-3, continue to work on all the skills above as their cognitive abilities expand and the begin to learn simple concepts such as colors, size, and more . More complex imaginative play begins at this age and they are able to engage in creative thinking and problem solving. Their fine motor skills advance, and they may begin to draw recognizable shapes. Gross motor skills also improve, and they need lots of opportunities for climbing, jumping, running, and pedaling tricycles. Socially, toddlers begin interacting more with peers, and this is a good time to begin to practice sharing, taking turns, and to navigate simple social situations.
Toddlers of all ages still have pretty short attention spans and most are not ready for complex cooperative play. Toddlers still need a lot of adult supervision and interaction, but with the right toys you can begin to work on extending independent play.
Choosing Open-ended Toys for Toddlers
An open-ended toy is a toy that can be used in many different ways.
For example –
A jigsaw puzzle that has one right way to complete is a ‘closed toy’
A set of wooden blocks that can be used to make a tower, or lined up to make a fence, or a single block could be a pretend phone, is an ‘open-ended toy’ because it can be used in lots of different ways!
There is a place for more closed toys when it comes to toddler play, but choosing mostly open-ended toys has so many benefits.
Open-ended toys encourage creative thinking, imagination and problem solving, they are the best option for your toddlers’ development. Open-ended toys also grow with your child and can be used by children of various ages and stages. This makes them great for your budget and perfect for sibling groups as they will still be played with years after you buy them.
Our Favorite Toys for 1-2 Year Olds
These toys are perfect for young toddlers (aged 1-2) but many of them are also great for older toddlers and preschoolers, and some of them will even be played with for many many years to come!
These are all toys my own kids have loved, but please take into account your individual child, their abilities, stage of development and specific needs, and safety when selecting toys for your toddlers.
- Gross Motor Climbing Toys
Young toddlers need lots of practice climbing and moving, if you have the room try one of these indoor climbing toys for toddlers. If you don’t have the room head to the park, or just get outside as often as you can. - Blocks
While we love a good set of wooden blocks, these large foam blocks are a good, safe, option for young toddlers that will also be enjoyed by older kids. Don’t forget to sing some of these building songs while you play! - Dress-ups
You don’t have to buy new or fancy costumes, collect some of these simple dress-ups for toddlers from thrift stores and grandma’s closet! - Nesting Toys.
You could choose a set of nesting cups (you can also use these for water or sand play) but we love our wooden nesting rainbow because it can be used in so many ways (with blocks, for imaginative play etc). For a young toddler choose a large set with thick pieces. - Dolls
Toddlers LOVE playing with baby dolls. Whether you choose a soft doll that is easy for little hands to cuddle, or a more realistic baby doll, or one that is completely plastic so you can wash your baby (this is a great first water play activity for toddlers!) there are so many great dolls to choose from. - Trolley or Push Toy
Toddlers love to cart things around and a sturdy wooden trolley or push toy is a great way to carry blocks, baby dolls or anything at all. Choose something that is weighted so it doesn’t tip easily, that is the right height for your child, and that has lots of space to fill it with items. My kids loved a wooden trolley like this one. - Cars and Wheeled Toys
Toddlers will love anything with wheels that they can push along or zoom around. Simple wooden cars are a great option as are some basic trucks. Set up a piece of cardboard as a ramp and have fun rolling the cars down, or take the trucks out to the sand pit or dirt patch. - Sensory Play Toys
Sensory play is great for toddlers, just make sure it is taste safe! Start by getting a container for sensory play – a Little Tikes basic water play table is great for toddlers or a more sturdy water tables will last a lifetime, or just use a plastic container you have at home. Toddlers love water or sand play, and playdough is also great if your toddler is ready to not eat it. Try some of these easy sensory play activities for even more ideas. - Ride on Toys
Ride on toys are great for gross motor play both inside and outside. Choose a sturdy ride on toy that is the appropriate height for your child. My kids love their wheelie bugs for inside and a basic push along trike for outside - Art Supplies
Young toddlers are just becoming interested in drawing and mark making so the best art supplies for 1-2 year olds are a big roll of paper and some large soft crayons like Honey Sticks or Triangular Crayons. Read more about drawing with toddler here.
Out Favourite Toys for 2-3 Year Olds.
All of the toys in the list above for younger toddlers are great for older toddlers too! The toys on this list are a little more challenging and perfect for toddlers ages 2-3, but many of them are also great for older children and many of them will even be played with for many many years to come!
These are all toys my own kids have loved, but please take into account your individual child, their abilities, stage of development and specific needs, and safety when selecting toys for your toddlers.
- Pretend play toys
Older toddlers start to be interested in more complex imaginative play so pretend play items such play food, a tea set, a play kitchen, dolls, dress-ups, or even a doctor set will get lots of use now and in the future. - Simple Construction Sets
Wooden building blocks are a fabulous open-ended toy that will last for years, but 2-3 year olds will also like construction sets with large pieces that fit together easily. Sets such as Duplo, Mega Bloks, or Bristle Blocks are all good options. - Animal Figurines
Animal figures are a great budget friendly toy that can be used in so many ways and for many many years. Start with the animals your toddler is most familiar with – farm animals or zoo animals are both good options to start your collection, or add some dinosaurs if your child loves them! - Art Supplies
As your toddler gets older they will become more and more interested in art and creativity so now is the perfect time to add some basic art supplies such as, thick markers, triangular pencils, washable paint and large brushes, and maybe even an easel if you have space. - Fine Motor Toys
Older toddlers are usually really working on developing all those important fine motor skills so it’s a great time to get a few toys that focus specifically on those skills such as threading sets (find more ideas for threading activities here), peg boards, sorting toys (you’ll need to check these pieces for size if you have a child who still puts things in their mouth) and simple puzzles. Lots of these toys also work on specific cognitive skills such as colours, patterning, matching etc. - Bikes and Scooters
We’ve found bikes and scooters are a great way to get toddlers outside and moving! A simple two wheeled balance bike is a great option, as well as a pedal trike (this one converts to a balance bike too), or even a scooter for those toddlers who are already great at riding.
More Fun Toddler Activities and Ideas.
If you are looking for more fun things to do with your toddler check out these activities, ideas and suggestions for living with toddlers, or try one of the activities below?
