[This post features PR samples]
Toddlers are highly receptive to learning new things; They're sponge like and have a huge desire to lean. Mine finds wonder in absolutely everything at the moment! It's during this age that children reach many of their developmental milestones. Helping encourage their development is often a worry for parents, but an easy way we can help is by providing educational toys for toddlers.
It's never too soon to start your toddler on their learning journey. Starting early is great, but also keeping it fun and engaging is imperative. At toddler age learning is all about fun, discovery and learning through play. With the help of Jaques of London I've put together a list of the best educational toys for toddlers to get you started.
Jaques currently have 15% off if anything on the list catches your eye. Their amazing range of educational toys cater through various different ages, all of which can be easily filtered on their website. The toys can conveniently be differentiated between toys for 4 year olds and those for younger ones for example, ensuring you have something age appropriate for your childs development.
Top 10 educational toys for toddlers.
1. Shape sorters.
A shape sorter is great for helping your toddler recognise and memorise a range of different shapes. They also help develop your toddlers mathematical and fine motor skills. The exercise of precise hand movements additionally establishes hand eye coordination, which is an essential life skill for your little one.
2. Tumble towers.
Tumble towers are excellent educational toys for toddlers as they help develop key life skills. This game helps develop patience, concentration and resilience, especially when the tower tumbles. The development of fine motor skills from stacking individual pieces will further help for things in later life such as learning to write.
3. Hoopla
Ring toss or hoopla helps enhance precision, improving your toddlers accuracy as they learn to aim. It can also be a collaborative game which promotes communication and developing social skills.
4. Threading beads.
Threading beads have multiple developmental benefits for toddlers. Precise hand movements help improve hand eye coordination and fine motor skills. They're also an exploration toy which helps promote independent play and imagination.
5. Learning clocks.
A kids learning clock makes a great educational toy for toddlers. The Jaques of London clock features numbered shapes which each fill a specific slot on the face. Multiple learning opportunities are available with this toy as on the reverse side of the shapes are images of different animals. Furthermore painted on the inside of the shape slots are corresponding images of what each animal eats. Your toddler will learn to recognise numbers, animals, colours and food chains as well as learning the time.
6. Alphabet puzzles.
Although teaching your toddler their ABC's may not be a priority at such a young age, an alphabet puzzle can be a great addition to their toy collection. It will help with letter recognition as well as exploring and memorising different colours. Alphabet puzzles are a sure fire way to give your toddler an educational head start.
7. Play food.
Play food is a great way for promoting your toddlers imaginative development. It teaches toddlers how to identify with the adult world around them whilst also encouraging healthy eating habits. Reducing fussy eating in toddlers can be such a battle, if it can be helped even slightly through educational toys we're onto a winner.
8. Activity mazes.
Activity mazes are full of educational benefits for your toddler. They promote colour and shape recognition whilst also helping learn basic numeracy skills. As they're a hands on toy, activity mazes have great sensory benefits for your toddler. Moving beads along the track and following their movements develops your toddlers sense of touch, sight and sound.
9. Easels.
Encouraging creativity can be one of the most fun but also educational activities for your toddler. Letting them explore their imagination through the use of different art forms lets your toddler be initiative and independent, a great skill for later life.
10. Seesaws.
Unleash your toddlers imagination through playtime with seesaws or balance boards. Fine motor skills will be tested and encouraged as they figure out different ways items can be balanced upon a board.
What do you think are the best educational toys for toddlers? Is there anything on this list your little one would love?
Hi Claire,
I think that all of the best learning (at any age!) is learning that is fun. If it's something that we enjoy we are far, far more likely to remember it than something that is dull and boring. So, combing play and learning with childrens' toys seems like a great option.
Out of interest, where do you stand on learning through computer games?
All of these toys look so good, both in terms of encouraging curiosity and developing fine motor skills. We were a big fan of wooden toys when Flora was a toddler, they look good, feel good, and last. She went to a Montessori nursery and they were advocates of wooden toys and sensory baskets too. Lovely round up, Claire! x
We use a few of these toys with the parents and their babies who come to visit the place I work and they're so good in terms ofhelping development x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Love a shape sorter here! I've been sorting out all of J's old toys and cleaning them ready for E to play with too xx
We use most of these for our little. Great suggestions.
I need to dig out the clock though and start learning with that.
Thank you for the threading beads idea. I will look into that.
Love your picks - I am all for toys that have a purpose and for learning. I buy this kind of thing for my neice and nephew and even if they aren't overwhelmed when they open them, they always end up being their most played with toys!
Rosie
Oooh these toys look absolutely incredible!
I love shape sorters! We have some now but Leo is still a bit too young for them. and I'm going to get that clock to teach him how to tell the time at some point 🙂
I love educational toys and these look so colourful and fun too!
I didn't realise until I started working with children, just how many toys have an educational purpose, and I love it!
I love all the wooden shape sorter toys, super great for kids, better than the plastic crap and they look cute too!