child playing in the sandbox with toy car
When you were a child, you likely spent a lot of time outside, getting your hands dirty. These days, it can seem like every child is glued to screens. Devices can have harmful effects on children, so limiting time is crucial.
While tablets and computers can be great supplemental tools for children, it’s vital to get children using their hands and imaginations to play with toys.
If you’re not sure what the best educational gifts for toddlers are, be sure to keep reading to ensure you pick fun, educational, and beneficial toys for children to reap the benefits of.
1. Blocks
One of the most essential educational toys for toddlers, building blocks are extremely versatile!
While building and playing can help refine your child’s motor skills, they can also help your child expand their imagination. When the structures become more advanced, you’ll watch your child’s self-confidence grow.
Not only can children use blocks to build different structures, but the colors and shapes make for great matching and identifying games. You can have children group the blocks by shape and color to help them learn their basics.
2. Sensory Books
A popular trend, soft sensory books are great for quiet playtime. These larger felt or fabric books feature different activities on each “page.”
These books help children refine their motor skills, as they’ll need to flip, turn, pull, and manipulate the pages. Not only will they get to use their hands, but they’ll also become familiar with different fabrics and materials.
Standard activities include lacing string, velcroing clothes, turning clock hands, and “picking” fruit. The options for activities are completely endless!
If you’re feeling extra crafty, you can even try your hand at making your own sensory book for your little one! Though they may not understand the effort now, years down the line, they’ll appreciate the effort you put into the book.
3. Magnet Scenery
When it comes to choosing educational gifts for toddlers, encouraging creativity is vital. Similar to the activity books, magnetic scenery boards are a great way for children to use their imagination and let their ideas run wild.
These scenes feature different environments with various items, people, and animals that belong there. For example, you can find a beach scene with surfers and shells or a fantasy board with princesses and unicorns.
They’ll also be able to become familiar with different elements within each scene. For example, they’ll be able to identify animals and their environments or where various vehicles belong outdoors.
4. Flashcards
One of the best gifts for toddlers is flashcards. With colorful graphics and easy vocabulary, these are great options for children to start learning different nouns and verbs.
Not only are flashcards educational, but they also allow you to spend time with your child. You’ll be able to help your child identify the contents of the card and help guide them if they make a mistake.
You can make your own flashcards or invest in a toddler subscription box that comes packed with fun, unique, and educational content for your child to learn and play.
5. “Fishing” Games
If you’re looking to refine motor skills in a unique and fun way, you can invest in fun fishing games. These sets come with a “fishing pole” outfitted with a magnet as the hook to catch little fish.
These games help children refine their motor skills, as they’ll need to hone in on their hand-eye coordination in order to catch fish.
Another great way to learn about colors, numbers, and even letters. You can have your child catch a certain amount of fish, just the blue ones, or even write letters on the sides of the fish and tell children which ones to grab.
6. Puzzles
One of the most classic educational gifts, puzzles come in so many different styles and genres. Due to their bright colors and fun graphics, puzzles can help keep your child engaged throughout the activity.
Not only do puzzles require motor skills in order to place them in the correct spot, but you’ll also see your child work through problem-solving, critical thinking and become more confident in their abilities.
Whether children need to fit shapes into holes, simple four-piece puzzles, or foam choices, there are so many different options out there for your little one. You can even select options based on your child’s favorite cartoons.
7. Play Kitchen
If you’re looking for a great educational gift, a play kitchen is a great way to help get kids away from the screen and playing!
Not only does this encourage learning about different kitchen items like utensils, foods, and cookware, but they’ll also be able to imagine they are a head chef or cooking for their family.
While children can play by themselves, these kitchen sets allow you and your child to bond. Not only can you help them identify the different elements in a kitchen, but you’ll also be able to tell them how delicious their food is!
8. Instruments
Wooden instruments are some of the best educational gifts as they encourage your child to make noise and be loud!
Most of these are percussion instruments, as they are the easiest to use. These include drums, tambourines, maracas, and a wooden sounder. The different elements of instruments help expand their sensory processing.
Though this is a great educational gift, they are also fun to play with! They allow children to be loud and have fun, realizing they can create sounds all on their own.
The Best Educational Gifts for Toddlers
Buying for toddlers can be a challenge, as you’ll want them to actually use what they receive. While clothes can be cute, children grow quickly and educational gifts for toddlers can have a lasting effect on little ones.
Buying gifts doesn’t have to be stressful! As long as your child is learning, having fun, and expanding their horizons, that’s all that matters.
If you found this educational gift guide informative, be sure to check out the rest of our website for more great lifestyle tips and tricks.
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