Toddler Toys (the ones they'll always play with!)

We always get asked for Toddler Toy recommendations (it's a daily question in our Toddler Facebook Group). While there is an overwhelming amount of choice, I always recommend some very similar items. Here is a great list of Toddler Toys (the ones they'll always play with!) Here is a great list of Toddler Toys (the ones they'll always play with!)

THE BEST TODDLER TOYS THAT THEY WILL ALWAYS PLAY WITH

These toddler toy recommendations stem from my time as early years educator and as a parent too.

It's easy to spend a lot of money on toddler toys that rarely get played with, that take up a LOT of space, or that are just plain annoying (I'm sure I'm not the only one that removes that batteries and say they broke right?).

If you want to shop directly from Amazon then you'll love my list of Toddler Toys (the ones they'll always play with!) HERE (it's a shoppable list - easy to share with family and friends too!).

Toddler Toys (the ones they'll always play with!)

Skoolzy Butterfly Color Sorting Toys

Any kind of sorting toy is a great toddler gift and it's one that be used in so many different ways. I recommend this one as it comes with the toy tweezers (great for fine motor skills), you can use it for counting and for color sorting too. This is available HERE on Amazon.

Toddler Toys (the ones they'll always play with!)

Little Tikes Easy Store 3' Trampoline

BEST toddler toy ever! Ok it's not really a toy but it will save your sanity, especially if you live in a small house and don't have much of a backyard. You can easily move it, it folds down for storage and best of all it might just tire them out for nap time! This Little Tikes Trampoline is available HERE on Amazon.

Melissa & Doug Safari Wooden Chunky Puzzle

Toddlers LOVE puzzles which makes them a great gift idea. Now it doesn't have to be this particular puzzle, but I do recommend the Melissa & Doug brand of puzzles as they are educational and great quality too - you can see the full range HERE.

People often get confused about which type of puzzle to buy for which age, but the trick is to slowly progress. Start with the puzzles like these ones with easy grip handles, then progress to the chunky ones pictured below.

Then work towards puzzles with more pieces like these ones.

You can find the puzzle pictured below HERE on Amazon.

VTech Go Smart Wheels Park and Learn Deluxe Garage

Toddler love rolling and dropping items and they also love cards and trucks. Any toy that allows them to do this will be a bit hit. I like the VTech garage as they make quality toys ad there are lots of other great Vtech toys that can be used to with it.

You can find this one HERE on Amazon.

Playskool Poppin’ Pals Pop-up Activity Toy

These toys are called cause and effect toys and help with an important stage of toddler development. Toddler toys like these allow your toddler to explore what happens when they do something.

When they touch the pink button the lion jumps up. If they touch the green button the elephant pops up. While these are quite simple toys, I guarantee a toddler will get so much use out of them. They're also easy to take with you if you're travelling.

This pop up toy is available HERE on Amazon.

Wooden Puzzle Shape Sorter

This shape sorter is another inexpensive toddler toy that will get played with over and over again. The toy can be used to learn colors, shapes, numbers (can you count how many yellow shapes there are?). There are fine motor skills involved in placing the shapes on the pegs, and they are sorting while they are doing it. This simple toddler toy ticks so many educational boxes!

You cand find this shape sorting puzzle HERE on Amazon.

Toddler Musical Instrument Pack

Toddlers love music and a music pack like this one is a great toddler toy that they will use for many years. There are many studies like this one that promote the benefits of music for baby and toddler development.

Toddlers love to shake, bang and tap the various intruments. It's a great toy to get out when they have playdates too.

This toddler musical instrument pack is available HERE on Amazon.

Melissa & Doug Playful Pets Hand Puppets

Puppets are a great way to encourage speech and language develpment. Use them for pretend play, to sing nursery rhymes or to put on a show! You'll notice almost all early years enviroments will have lots of puppets and they're perfect for at home too.

I love this set from Melissa and Doug which is available HERE on Amazon.

Get Ready Kids Farm Animals Plush Puppet Set

Ok, I know we already mentioned puppets but I couldn't resist adding these ones too - every toddler loves a Farm theme!

You can find these ones HERE on Amazon.

Master Workbench Pretend Play Creative Building Set

If you have a toddler that love to build things (and take things apart too) then this Workbench Pretend Play is a great toddler toy idea. It's one of those bigger ticket items that they will keep coming back to for many year.

You can find this workbench HERE on Amazon.

KidKraft Toy Kitchen

A toy kitchen is always a great toddler toy idea - great for pretend play. There are so many different ones to choose from - I like this one as it fits nicely in a corner space but you really need to find one that's suitable for your area.

I really like the KidKraft range of toy kitchens and you can find this one HERE on Amazon.

Kids Kitchen Accessories Set - Cuttable Play Food

If you're going to have the play kitchen you'll need the pretend food! There are lots of options out there, but they can get quite expensive. I like this set as it comes with lots of items without a crazy price tag.

You can find this play food set HERE on Amazon.

KidKraft Deluxe 5-Sided Wooden Activity Cube

An activity makes a great toddler toy, and this one is great for fine motor skills, letter recogntion, and counting. It's a fun toy that you'll find they play with from many years.

You can find the KidKraft Wooden Activity Cube HERE on Amazon

LEGO DUPLO My First Number Train

Toddler love trains and they love blocks so there's a good reason this Duplo train is always a Christmas best seller. Great for learning numbers to ten and colors too.

You can find this one HERE on Amazon.

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube - Classic Wooden

Did you have one of these when you were a kid? I remember these from when I was young and it's another toy that is always found in an early years setting. Great for sorting and shape and color recognition, I highly recommend a cube sorter.

You can find this one from Melissa and Doug HERE on Amazon.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pounding Bench Wooden Toy

This is another toddler toy where I've yet to meet a toddler that didn't love it. Use the hammer to hit the colored pegs. A great way to get out their frustrations too! Use it to learn colors (can you hit the red peg?) too.

You can find this Pounding Bench HERE on Amazon

Mega Bloks First Builders Big Building Bag

Best toddler toy ever! Honestly, a bag of Mega Bloks will be the best money you ever spend. There are so many ways to play with these. Build them (obviously), sort them, play with them in the bath, count them, and set up a scavenger hunt with them - honestly the play ideas are endless.

You can find this Mega Bloks Building Bag HERE on Amazon.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set

Similar to the Mega Bloks, you'll get so many play hours out of this building set. With 100 pieces, you'll find you're toddler still playing with these when they're at school (my 8 year old still gets this set out occassionally).

You can get this 100 piece Building Block set HERE on Amazon.