Toddler Toys

Toddler toys provide much more than entertainment. When toddlers engage in play, they are actually engaged in work. It is through play that toddlers develop an understanding of how their world works. Toddlers need to explore, discover, experiment, imitate, and create in order to build complicated schemata about their environment.

Toys for tots do not have to involve numbers or letters to be educational. A toddler is learning when he attempts to sweep the floor with a five dollar child-sized broom. Choose toys that are engaging to your little one, that allow him to manipulate his environment, to model others, and to discover and practice his ever-changing capabilities. Below is a list of fun and educational toddler toys:

• Sorting Toys - Toddlers love toys requiring sorting. Barnyard Sorter by Imagix was Child Magazine’s choice for the Best Toy of the Year Award. Children sort adorable animals by shape into a cloth barn. Toy includes textures and sounds and is machine washable.

• Make-Pretend Toys - Toddlers are experts at making pretend. Baby Einstein 4 Puppet Collection are adorable hand puppets perfect for pretend play. Puppet play is also a fun way for toddlers to develop eye-hand coordination and fine-motor skills. Toddlers enjoy manipulating puppets on their own, but are also fascinated by watching an adult tell stories using hand puppets.

• Stacking Toys - The German Stacking Tower is a bright, well-made stacking toy that will delight any toddler. Toddlers love to stack and crash objects and doing so is a great way to develop fine motor control.

• Pre-puzzles and first puzzles - Simple puzzles are another excellent choice for developing fine motor skills in toddler-aged children. Jigsaw Jungle offers an excellent selection of peg puzzles and simple two-piece puzzles with charming illustrations that would appeal to any toddler.

• Ride-on toys are especially interesting to toddlers who are full of energy and a desire to move. Toddlers do well with riding toys that they can push with their feet rather than ones that need to be moved with peddles. Toddlers also love rocking riding toys. Riding toys that include a steering handle for Mom are especially popular with toddler travelers. Mobileation offers a wide selection of sturdy riding toys for toddlers.

• Bath Toys - Toddlers usually love water and can spend long stretches of time playing in the tub. An excellent bath toy is the Noah’s Ark Bathtime Activity Station. To keep bath toys from becoming moldy, they should be removed from the tub and dried thoroughly after each use. Toddlers must always be supervised by an adult while playing in water.

• Dolls - Both male and female toddlers enjoy playing with dolls. When choosing a doll, look for those made specifically for children aged three and under. Little ones especially enjoy dolls that allow them to practice snapping, lacing, buttoning, and zipping. Off to School Sidney by Battat is a great I-Can-Dress doll.

• Books - Books should always be an integral part of any toddler’s toy collection. Choose sturdy board books, concept books, and classic story books to fill your toddler’s bookcase. Toddlers will become increasingly more willing to explore books on their own or listen to read-alouds the more they are exposed to books and stories. Visit Toddler Books to find an extensive list of recommended toddler books.

Toddlers love to play! The above is just a sampling of the excellent fun and educational toddler toys available today. Choose toddler toys that engage your child in age-appropriate activities like running, jumping, pulling, pushing, stacking, sorting, creating, making pretend, and imagining. Once you have chosen a few of these toddler toys, get down on the floor and join in!

• What Makes a Good Parent
• Authoritative Parenting
• 3 Parenting Styles
• Bible Trivia for Kids
• Trivia Questions For Kids

• Disney Princess Coloring Pages
• Teen Birthday Party Ideas
• Pros and Cons of School Uniforms
• Children's Birthday Cake Ideas
• Kids' Hair Styles

• Kids Floor Puzzles
• Kids Ride-on Toys
• Horse Toys
• Transformer Toys
• Riding Toys