Picking the best toys for kids can be overwhelming, with so many choices out there. As an occupational therapist specializing in early childhood development, I have a different perspective on the value of toys and their ability to help children grow. I would like to share my top toy picks that are fun, educational, and will help improve your child’s fine and gross motor skills and speech-language abilities.
Three Tips for Choosing Toys for Kids
- Buy toys that need to be manipulated in some way
- Buy toys that do more than one thing
- Buy toys that have a learning aspect to them
My Favorite Toys for Kids
Computer/Electronics
- Ipad / tablet (educational games and apps)
- Hooked on Handwriting
- Fisher Price Computer Cool School
- Phonics Word Master-Hooked on Phonics
- Ultimotion Sports
- Fisher Price Digital Arts & Crafts Studio
- V-Tech Learning Laptop
- Nitro Notebook
- Boogie Board Writing Tablet
- Touch Table Advanced
- Spiderman Computer
Games
- Cootie
- Don’t Break the Ice
- Mickey Mouse, etc. with 8 games
- Toss Across
- Bulls Eye Ball
- Battleship
- Creatures and Features
- Connect Four, Connect O Round
- Blokus
- Boggle
- Uno
- Scrabble Jr.
- Mastermind
- Hungry, Hungry Hippos
- Elefun
- Hi-Ho Cherry-O
- Cariboo-Treasure Hunt Game
- Flippin’ Frogs Game
- I Spy Games
- Operation
- Hangman
- Jenga
- Scramble
- Perfection
- Trouble
Manipulatives
- Knex
- Stringing beads
- Imaginarium Arts/Crafts
- Erector Sets
- Puzzles/ Floor Puzzles
- Aquadoodle
- Lego Sets
- Shape by Shape
- Brick by Brick
- Barrell of Monkeys
- Tinertoys
- Play-doh Sets / Tools
- Lincoln Logs
- Mega Block Sets
- Magnetix
- Doodle Pro
- Model Magic Fusion
- Glitter Lava
- Crayola Sets
- Perler Beads
- Crafts Sets
- Mold n’ Play Soap Kit
- Melissa & Doug Mazes
- Moon Sand
- Doodle Bears
- Magnadoodle
- Pix O’s
All these toys follow the three tips and will keep your child engaged for hours! Two great websites to check for toys that are sometimes not found in stores are:
Happy gift-giving!
