Best Educational Toys for Toddlers
If you are ready to learn about the best educational toys for toddlers, stay tuned because we have what you want.
We tried to choose toys that offered little ones a good time but also taught them something in the process.
The toys we chose are great at keeping kids entertained, won’t break your budget, and are perfect for both boys and girls. All of the toys you see here today are highly rated by other parents/grandparents who bought them for their loved ones.
So, let’s not waste any more time, let’s dive in and get to these awesome, fun toys.
#1 Lydaz Bubble Mower
What Is It? What Does It Do?
This is a fun toy that will have your toddler mowing the lawn right along with you. Or, he or she can simply push it around as they pretend to cut the grass.
The little ones will enjoy the sounds it makes, just like a real lawnmower. The bright color makes it easy for you to always keep an eye on them as they walk around the yard or the park.
The fact that bubbles come out of the mower is another wonderful addition to this toy. Kids love bubbles, and they may even want to know how the toy can do such a thing (knowing how something works).
They will love to be active as they play with this toy. Mowing the lawn using a push or reel mower is a strenuous task, but good for you as it promotes physical activity and walking.
This toy helps teach kids that physical activity is good, and encourages them to keep playing so they can see more bubbles and hear more of those cool mower sounds.
It’s great for boys and girls alike, too- everybody has to mow their lawn, regardless of gender.
Brand Info
Lydaz is a cool company that is focused upon making toys that promote fine motor skills in kids. They combine what parents like with the stuff kids want.
For example, one of their toys includes a dinosaur racetrack and a toy car. Young kids love cars and watching them go fast, but they also love dinosaurs. This gets kids two things they really love.
Meanwhile, parents love that the kids develop an interest in cars and dinos, both of which are important to know about, especially from a STEM standpoint.
Such is the same with this toy lawnmower. Lydaz’s goal is to teach kids but still enable them to have fun. That is exactly what this toy mower does: it helps kids imitate a task they will likely be doing themselves as they get older.
It teaches them to hold onto a bar and walk at the same time, which is a fine motor skill. You can also have them walk in straight lines just as you would mowing a real lawn, which further promotes fine motor skills.
What We Liked
- Comes in unisex colors, which teaches kids that mowing the lawn is a task EVERYONE can/should do
- Puts out bubbles, which keeps kids even further entertained
- Improves the fine motor skills of kids, and encourages them to be active
- Requires only 3 AA batteries
- Plenty of other favorable reviews from parents
- Lightweight and easy to put in the car or carry to the park for play
- Parents noted the sounds were not too loud.
#2 My First Microscope
What Is It? What Does It Do?
If you want to encourage STEM learning in kids, here is the best way to go about it we’ve seen. It is an excellent microscope that comes in a toddler size and helps kids magnify things they’d like to see up close to 8x their normal size.
The focus knob is chunky and great for small hands to hold. You can put anything you’d like to see up close under there: a rock, a piece of food, or even a seed can be placed under this microscope and be given a closer look.
The microscope functions just like a real one. You can look forward to non skid feet, a sample tray, and an LED light, which grants you the ability to see things in a better light.
This is an excellent gift that’s great for young girls or boys alike. It’s very reasonably priced, so even parents on a budget can afford a nice toy their child can learn from.
It also makes a great gift for a curious grandchild, niece, nephew, or godchild.
Parents should also know this special toy took home the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal, Toy of the Year, and Parent’s Choice Silver Award.
Even though kids may not be in school due to the pandemic, they can still learn about the world around them, thanks to this microscope.
Brand Info
Educational Insights is a company devoted to getting kids out there and learning about the world around them. They make binoculars, microscopes, and even a telescope for young explorers.
They also have designed walkie talkies that are great for small hands and even an ant farm.
Needless to say, this brand is all about helping youngsters foster a love for the STEM fields at an early age. The toys are all crafted of durable plastic, feature bright colors, and of course, have plenty of favorable ratings from other parents.
The toys are also very reasonable in price, so parents don’t have to break the bank in order to get their kids learning.
What We Liked
- The toy comes in a unisex color scheme. Pink is available if desired.
- The price is very reasonable for what you get.
- Kids will learn how to focus a microscope and how to get a clear picture of what they would like to see, which is good for helping them develop attention to detail.
- The microscope has non-slip feet, so toddlers (who are known for being a bit clumsy) won’t have to worry about sliding it off the table.
- The reviews were very good, at 4 out of 5 stars.
- Kids will become naturally curious about the world around them.
#3 Reading is FUNdamental as they say…
…which is why we wanted to feature the great Reading Headstart program. It’s not exactly a toy for kids, but they will still have a great deal of fun with it, and you will love how they grow in their reading ability.
Best of all, it is designed for use by kids aged 2-14. Even some teens struggle with their reading, so this is a fine program to use right in the privacy of your own home. Kids don’t have to feel embarrassed or like they are slowing down the class; they can learn at their own pace.
Imagine your child returning to school after the lockdown ends with a newfound confidence in reading!
They will have a lot of fun working with you using the program’s fun tools, which include a variety of worksheets, printable flashcards and fun passages they will enjoy reading but not get bored of.
It’s a bonus if you are able to print these resources out on a color printer because they are all designed to be bright and capture kids’ attention.
That can be a reality with this top-notch program. It costs just $1 to begin but will be a $37 monthly charge after.
#4 VTECH Touch and Learn Activity Desk
What Is It? What Does It Do?
This is a play desk that will have your toddler enjoying their own “work from home” experience, just like Mom!
This cool desk has a total of five activity pages the little ones can use to stay entertained for hours. The desk is loaded with engaging and educational content.
There are also extension packs that may be purchased separately, and boost the curriculum your child learns from. However, the desk in and of itself is a great learning tool for kids.
For example, spelling skills are learned via the LED display screen that highlights the keystrokes your child makes. There is even information on how to draw basic shapes that kids can learn from.
The desk is multipurpose for your child’s learning needs. For instance, you can transform the desk into a chalkboard, which is great for kids’ fine motor skills as they write letters, numbers and make drawings on the chalkboard.
You can also turn it into an easel for your little Picassos. There is also storage space perfect for putting art supplies like crayons and colored pencils away after playtime is over.
There is also a pretend telephone on the desk as well as a music player, so your little one can hear some tunes while they work. There is also a progress button that parents can listen to to get updates on how their child is doing with the activities.
Brand Info
Vtech has been in the game since 1976, and they are the world leader in electronic toys geared toward children aged from infancy to 10. Interestingly enough, they also manufacture residential telephones.
The toys Vtech makes bring learning and fun to life, combining real-world technology with items kids can learn and grow from. They care about making their items in a way that is sustainable and less taxing on the environment, too.
Vtech is worldwide, having offices in Hong Kong, Germany, US, and Canada. They are heavy on research and development when it comes to all facets of their products, especially what kids like and how they can best learn while still having fun.
What We Liked
- It helps kids learn about sitting at a desk, working, and using tools many adults use in their daily jobs.
- Great for converting based on what your child would like to do: artistic kids can draw, kids that love numbers and letters can sit at the desk and interact, kids can also use it as a place to color and read books.
- Comes in “frustration-free packaging”- you can just pull it out of the box and go.
- It only uses 4 AA batteries.
- Vtech is a trusted name in kids’ toys, and with a nearly perfect rating from other parents, this is a toy your child is sure to love.
- Toys can be easily wiped down with a disinfecting wipe to ensure safety when playing with siblings, playmates, and relatives.
#5 Kidzlane Count & Match
What Is It? What Does It Do?
It is a fun egg carton toy that kids will just love to hold and play with. It’s great for pretend play such as shopping at the grocery store or market but is also a great STEM toy.
It’s basic in nature and won’t frustrate little ones by being overly complicated. It’s a rare unicorn of a toy; it’s got perfect five-star ratings on Amazon, meaning other moms, grandparents, and caretakers have found it to be a great product.
Kids will love picking up these fun toy eggs, sorting them out, matching them up by the corresponding pegs, and identifying the eggs’ numbers.
The toys help kids improve dexterity in their hands, boost motor skills, and learn how things work.
The toy is made of durable plastic, features a 90-day warranty, and is easy to store. It is easy to clean the toy, which you can simply scrub with soap and water or wipe with a disinfecting cloth.
It’s great for teaching kids how to keep track of their toys, too. They will want to make sure all 12 eggs are back inside their carton before putting the toy away for the day.
Two options of this toy are available; you can choose between the Shape Matching set or the count n’ match set. Both will help your kids learn and grow while they play.
Brand Info
KidzLane focuses a lot on making active toys for kids to enjoy. Their brand focuses a lot on getting kids up and moving around, and learning through fun activities such as singing, dancing, moving their feet and running around.
Their product page features fun bubble toys, musical toys, and even blasters for kids to enjoy in the backyard or the park. Categories are broken down by skill set- “Scientific Kidz,” “Classic Kidz,” and “Pretender Kidz” are just some of the categories you will find when shopping for their store.
All of their toys are made of quality material; some you will find are made of plastic whilst others are made of wood. They are all very colorful, well-constructed, and appealing to young children.
What We Liked
- The toy has a perfect five-star rating on Amazon- heaps of other parents, grandparents, teachers, and others found this toy helpful.
- Easy for little hands to grasp and pick up, take apart the eggs and put them back together.
- Promotes kids taking care of their toys- they will want to have all 12 eggs in their carton.
- Kids can also pretend to play with the eggs- shopping, cooking, pretending to check the eggs as you do in the market to ensure they are not cracked.
- Two styles of the eggs are available for purchase; one focuses on shapes and the other on numbers.
- This is a unisex toy and fun for boys and girls.
#6 Spike The Fine Motor Hedgehog
What Is It? What Does It Do?
This is a cute and friendly looking hedgehog that will immediately attract and keep your toddler and his/her friends entertained for hours while they enjoy picking out and putting back in the colorful quills.
This is great for kids that need to work on building their fine motor skills up. The quills or pegs are chunky and easy for little fingers to grasp.
It’s ideal because kids can learn colors as they pick up the pegs. Each of the spaces for the quills is also numbered, which makes it easy for kids to learn about numerals and what they look like.
This toy is ideal for bringing to playdates and preschool, too. The hedgehog helps kids learn colors, is easy to store, and is made of plastic, which can be cleaned with soap and water or wiped with disinfecting wipes after the day is done.
Once your playtime is over, you can take out the quills and put them inside Spike’s back, which is a space saver. This toy is great for helping kids recognize colors and build their fine motor skills by having them place the quills in Spike’s back.
Brand Info
For over 30 years, Learning Resources- the brand behind this and other great toys, have been providing kids with toys that both entertain and educate.
They’ve been featured on popular television shows and publications like Good Housekeeping and Good Morning America. Their mission is to create toys that build real-world skills, encourage kids’ natural curiosity, and create understanding about the world around them.
Their toys are designed to be made of high-quality materials and are built to withstand the wear and tear kids put on their toys.
What We Liked
- The pegs/quills store easily in the back of the hedgehog.
- The toy can be cleaned easily, which is critical, considering the current pandemic situation.
- Kids of different ages will find different ways to play- 4-year-olds could make a pattern or arrange colors, while a 12-month-old might find it fun to simply grab the quills.
- It is a simple toy that won’t frustrate children
- Teaches important skills like color recognition and counting, plus keeping track of toys
- The toy makes no noise, which is great for moms that want a little quiet time.
As we round out today’s list….
We wanted to also inform you of a great reading program for kids. Reading is SO important, and the better your child becomes at this critical life skill, the better they will do in school, at the workplace, and in their personal life, too.
Reading is an enriching hobby and a necessary skill. Imagine if you could not read- it would be like living in a world where every sign is written in a foreign language.
Knowledge is power, especially with reading. Your child will have a great time learning this skill when you try out the Children Learning Reading program.
It just takes 15 minutes each day with your toddler-aged at least 2 years old, and you can have them learning basic sight words and eventually reading kids’ books all on their own.
Aside from the program itself, there is a good helping of bonuses that come with the program, including info on how to reduce kids’ screen time, which many parents are concerned about, especially given the lockdown most areas are under.
The program has a 1-time cost of $39 at the time of this writing, a small price for a lifetime of success for your kids.
Conclusion
We hope this article about the best educational toys for toddlers has been helpful for you.
For this particular article, we found toys that mimic real-life tasks such as mowing the lawn, working with numbers, working at a desk, and seeing things through a microscope.
These toys are designed to help your toddler have fun, mimic what the grown-ups are doing, and of course, learn important motor, sensory, and math/science skills through playtime.
These toys are all reasonably priced and save for two of them, do not make a lot of noise (great for busy moms who want their kids to have fun without lots of beeps and buzzes). They will provide your little one the chance to learn important skills but also smile and play.
They encourage thinking and physical activity, which will help your toddler grow into a well-rounded and healthy youngster and eventually, an adult.
Have fun during this precious time with your toddler, and all the funny and cute moments that come with being a parent. It really flies, so enjoy it!
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