Toddler Toys: Learning Through Play

Welcome to Toddler Toys!

We love shopping for toddler toys. After years of evaluating items purchased for the classroom based on educational merit and fun, it has become natural to apply those same guidelines to purchasing toys for our children: The first considerations is the Fun Factor. Is this something our children will enjoy playing with? Safety Factor (what could our twins or even cousins and playmates possibly do, that would pose any safety risk?) What Learning Activities could we do to interact with them while playing with this toddler toy?

Toys

All Time Favorites

The Learning Home

Other First Year Favorites

Check For Recalls

As a precaution, whenever you intend to make any toddler toy purchase, it is a good idea to make it standard practice to check for recalls.

These activities are meant to simply to take advantage of a child's natural curiosity and eagerness to learn at this age. It is designed to give you ideas for things to do with your child with toys you are likely to have, as well as introduce you to a couple you may not. We often hear parents say, "I don't know what to do with my child on those rainy days."

Tips and Suggestions

Be descriptive when you are talking with your child..This will help to build language, and develop meaning to words. Examples are: Using COLOR words (red, blue, rainbow, PATTERNS (striped, polka dotted, SIZE (small, big, huge), NUMBER/AMOUNT (2 bears, lots of balls), and TEXTURE (soft, rough)

Plastic baskets or bins are great ways to store and organize toys in an inexpensive way. You can also rotate toys easily this way.

As soon as they are able to drop things in a basket which they LOVE at this age, they can assist in straightening up. This teaches children it's just part of play time, which makes it much more enjoyable than introducing it as a chore later.