I hate to admit it – but we’ve wasted a lot of money on toys that were a complete bust.
I’m talking hundreds of dollars!
We’re not proud of it but as a couple of work from home parents who also homeschool, we were in serious need of toys that actually kept our toddlers entertained while we worked.
So, as I clean out our basement this new year and prepare boxes of toys for donated, I feel obligated to share the 10 best toddler toys that my kids actually played with!
These are the toys the kids reached for again and again and some, they still even play with today.
The best toys for toddlers and preschoolers are the ones that hold attention, grow with your child, and don’t end up forgotten at the bottom of a toy bin two weeks or even two days later!
Let’s get started.
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What Makes a Toy Great for Toddlers?
Before we jump into the list, here’s what I personally look for when choosing toddler toys:
- Open-ended play – there’s no “right” way to play with these toys
- Supports development – things like fine and gross motor skills as well as imaginative play
- Durable – because toddlers are not gentle. This is one of the reasons I stopped buying dollar store toys!
- Easy to rotate and store – less clutter means better focus for everybody
- They’re part of a set – I made a commitment to stop buying one off toys a few years ago and its been a life changing experience. I’m speaking about things that don’t belong to a particular category – for instance, a dollar store play lunch set or collection of small animals and things like that. Instead, we’d rather spend more money and grow a collection of toys that our kids will actually continue playing with. I’ll get more into that below!
10 Best Toddler Toys: That Kids and Parents Both Love
1. LEGO DUPLO
LEGO DUPLO was one of my kids favorite toys for nearly a decade so, I have no hesitations about this recommendation!
Unlike traditional smaller lego set, these bricks are perfectly sized for little hands so toddlers can build freely without the frustration.
Parents will love the fact that these are a larger and safer option for kids who like to taste everything too, haha.
Because some kids love putting things in their mouths – my youngest was one of those for a long time!
Why we love it:
- Enhances creativity, problem-solving, and spatial awareness
- Easy for toddlers ages 18 months to 4 years old
- Grows with kids as they enter preschool and early homeschool years
- Fun for older siblings to engage in playtime with their younger siblings!
Parent tip: Start with a basic brick set like this one before adding themed packs. Open-ended play always wins!
I also strongly recommend a base plate like this since it’ll keep yours kids’ creations standing up rather than toppling over.
Base plates let kids lock in pieces as they build.
2. Foam Climbing Blocks
If your toddler loves to climb furniture (ask me how I know), foam climbing blocks like these are a game-changer!
They’re especially helpful for indoor play during winter or rainy days.
My youngest started trying to walk at around 10 months old so they were a great option for her to safely explore and play.
My older daughter (who was just under 5) at the time loved these too and would set up little courses for the two of them to play on.
Why they’re worth it:
- Encourages gross motor development
- Builds confidence through safe movement
- Perfect for burning energy indoors
- Big kids love them too!
We loved our foam climbing blocks for exploring, forts, barricades, obstacle courses – you name it.
You can check out my full review of our foam climbing blocks here.
3. Play-Doh
Play-Doh is a classic for a reason.
It’s simple, inexpensive, colourful, and has a wide array of uses.
I actually still use it for our homeschool time too!
My youngest daughter creates letter shapes with it while I teach my oldest new concepts.
Why it works so well:
- Strengthens fine motor skills
- Encourages creativity and sensory play
- Easy to refresh with new tools instead of new toys
- There are a ton of fun colors and sets to build upon
Like I said in my introduction, purchasing toys that are part of an existing set is important to continue use of old pieces.
Kids love that their old toys can grow and be used with new ones.
We’d recommend getting a big set of doh like this and then expand with fun cookie cutter types shapes or a restaurant themed pack.
Both of my kids still love to use the restaurant one at 5 and 8 years old and we love that they’ll play restaurant with one another while mom and dad work.
Sometimes I will place an order from my laptop too though – you have to try the fries, lol!
More homeschool ideas for young kids:
- Free Double Sided Printable Alphabet Flashcards for Toddlers & Preschoolers
- Free Printable PDF Preschool Alphabet Worksheets
- 30+ Low Prep Alphabet Activities for Toddlers & Preschool Aged Kids
4. Little People Play Sets
Little People toys are wonderful for pretend play and storytelling which is something toddlers gravitate towards anyways.
An occupation set like firefighters is a great option for kids who love to role play while a farm house is a great option for those that love animals.
This is my oldest and youngest, one would act as the people and the other loved being the animals!
Why toddlers love them:
- Chunky figures are perfect for small hands
- Familiar themes like farms, houses, and animals
- Encourages language development through pretend play
- They’re big enough that kids could take them for a car ride (without worrying about losing them!)
- This is a great toy for sibling play with a wider age difference
5. Scribble Scrubbie Pets
Full disclosure: both of my kids are still crazy about these things!
Scribble Scrubbie Pets offer a fun blend of pretend and sensory play, especially for toddlers who love water.
Kids can color their pets with washable markers and then erase them by filling the little bath tub that was provided with the set with water and scrubbing them with the provided scrubbie brush.
There’s usually two to twelve markers and one to twelve characters depending on the size of the set.
As you grow your collection, there are a ton of fun color options to decorate all sorts of different pets with.
This toy one of my top picks on this list because 7 years later, the kids are still playing with them.
And even when they’re not coloring their scrubbie pets, they still use them for imaginary play games.
Pro tip: get a tray like this if your child will playing with these at the kitchen table!
It’ll be a lifesaver for spills and keep prevent coloured bathtub water from colouring your table.
The kids’ hands will have a little color on them from the markers just like when they color but it comes off pretty easily after a couple of good hand washes.
Why they’re a hit:
- Washable pets toddlers can scrub and decorate over and over again
- Encourages nurturing and responsibility (they need to put the lids back on markers so they don’t dry up! I have a designated cup for scrubbie pet markers so the kids know where those particular markers need to get stored)
- Works well with water tables and sinks
These are always a favorite during warmer months in our house.
The girls love to play with them outside!
Then we just hose the kids and their pets down, haha.
6. Wooden Trains & Tracks
Wooden trains are the type of toy that will grow with your child.
Toddlers start with pushing trains, and before you know it, they’re building full track systems!
Why we love them:
- Encourages problem-solving and sequencing
- Durable and timeless
- Easy to expand as kids grow
- Another great toy for kids with a wider age gap to bond over
Sets like this are one of those great investment toys if you’re trying to buy fewer, better toys or want to build upon existing sets as the years go by!
More tips for new moms:
- The 20 Minute Toddler Bedtime Routine That Changed Our Lives
- 52 Free Alphabet Coloring Pages for Toddlers
- Best Morning Basket Routine Ideas to Start Your Day
- Top Productivity Tips for Work at Home Moms
7. Bath Cups & Water Toys
Sometimes the simplest toys really are the best toys!
Bath cups turn everyday bath time into playful learning.
My kids could have spent hours transferring water from one of these cups to another.
We also got them one of these for bath time so they could build little circuits.
Bath time is a great opportunity for parents to decompress too – you can enjoy watching your kids play as you read a book or just hang out.
Why we keep these around:
- Teaches cause and effect
- Helps with hand-eye coordination
- Inexpensive and easy to store (we used one of these things so we could easily rinse off the bubble bath that lingered on toys after)
- Helps kids who hate bath time (and getting their hair washed) to actually enjoy the play time involved with baths
8. Chunky Puzzles
Chunky puzzles like this are one of the best first puzzles for toddlers!
They’re simple, durable, and incredibly satisfying for little learners.
My girls both loved reciting the alphabet and making letter sounds as they put this one together.
This number one is also a great option to teach young kids early math skills.
Puzzles like this are super easy for small hands that aren’t yet able to put together a traditional puzzle with more finicky pieces.
Why they’re a must-have:
- Supports fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- Encourages early problem-solving skills
- Easy for toddlers ages 1 to 3 to manage independently
These are great for quiet play while you’re working on your laptop or teaching an older sibling.
I’d always tell my little one that this was her school time and she loved having her own special little routine too.
9.Water WOW! Books
Water WOW books are one of my favorite quiet-time toddler activities!
They feel magical to little ones and they’re completely mess-free.
There’s no messy ink to worry about since the little refillable water pen applies just a tiny bit of water to each page as kids brush them.
My girls loved the farm, underwater, and jungle books.
Why parents love them:
- Reusable water coloring pages that dry in the perfect amount of time (kids won’t get frustrated that pages are drying before they’re finished colouring)
- Strengthens fine motor control
- Perfect for travel, appointments, or quiet play
- Can be used over and over again!
These were always in my bag when we’d have appointments or long outings with big wait times.
10. Yoto Player (Screen-Free Audio for Toddlers)
Yoto continues to be one of our favorite quiet-time and rest-time tools even today.
Both of the girls love listening to Granny Edith’s bedtime stories so there’s no fights about when its time to go to sleep either.
This audio player gives toddlers independence without screens, which I absolutely love and kids can simply switch a card to change the stories or songs they want to hear.
There are a ton of Disney options, independent creators, Christian content, and even music cards – we’re loving the Beatles and Breathe right now.
And you can even create your own cards too!
Why Yoto works so well for toddlers:
- Simple, kid-controlled design
- Encourages listening skills, imagination, and independence
- Grows with your child from toddler years through elementary
- Can be used on the go
For toddlers, we suggest:
- Music cards
- Short stories
- Bedtime audio and calm routines (5 minute stories like these are great!)
Mom tip: Yoto is also wonderful for rest time when your toddler isn’t napping anymore but still needs a calm reset.
Shop the Best of Yoto:
- Yoto Player
- Portable Yoto Mini Player (this is the smaller portable version that we have at home)
These are our top Yoto card choices for toddlers:
- Paw Patrol Pup Pack 5 Stories
- Disney Classics Collection (includes Dumbo, Little Mermaid, Pinnochio, Frozen, Sleeping Beauty, and 101 Dalmatians)
- Yoto Starter Pack for Little Kids (This one includes sleepy stories, preschool songs, drawing prompts, and other music)
How I Rotate Toddler Toys (So Everything Feels New Again)
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that fewer toys out at once leads to better play- and less clean up time for mom and dad!
I keep some toys stored away in the closet upstairs and others downstairs for when we need to work here and the kids will be with us.
This:
- Reduces overwhelm
- Encourages deeper focus
- Makes old toys feel new again
And as I said before, sticking to certain sets and themes means your kids will continue to play with old toys when they get new ones too.
Because from my personal experience, I’ve found that one offs are the first to get buried at the bottom of the toy box!
Final Thoughts: Simple Toys Create the Best Play
Toddlers don’t need elaborate toys to learn and thrive.
The toys on this list are ones that we have owned and personally recommend because they were the ones our kids actually played with!
All of the toys here encourage imagination, movement, and independence without constant adult direction or intervention!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by toy clutter or are unsure what’s worth actually buying (trust me, I know there’s a lot of junk out there), start with just one or two of these classics.
I hope that your kids love these fun toys and play with them for as many years as mine did.
Happy play time, friend!
– Nikki
