The age of a toddler is the age of discoveries – these are the years when many milestones, such as walking, forming sentences, socializing will be reached. However, one thing necessary to keep in mind is that each kid is different and will master those skills on his or her rate. That is very normal, yet parents still play an essential role in the process and can help their child reach these milestones easier and faster. The best way to do so is interactive educational toys or toddlers.
Tons of research has been done on how play-based activities facilitate cognitive development and proven its effectiveness. Integrating the learning process into the game makes it much more exciting and fun, therefore, much more engaging. Interactive toys help toddlers develop such necessary skills as analytical thinking, problem-solving, communication skills and motoric activity. So how to choose the right ones that will do all this and more? (Some of the links within this post are affiliate links of which I receive a small compensation from sales of certain items)
1. Toys for developing social skills
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Servin’ Up Fun Food Truck
Toys with many removable pieces will keep the toddler busy and engaged for long as well as improve motoric skills.
Such a toy is perfect for playing together with other children – it teaches them to cooperate and interact together.
It will develop the ability to analyze processes and specific tasks. Different learning levels integrated into the toy ensure that the learning level is tailored to the child’s skills.
Interactive educational toys for toddlers replicating real-life establishments, such as a food truck are a great way to get your child involved and explore practical activities. It can also improve social skills teaching the child how to communicate and respond to the world.
2. Toys for developing creativity
An interactive toy in the form of a mat is easily portable, which means it can be used at home when traveling or at a friend’s house.
The process of drawing – trying to replicate a form of an imaginary object – develops creativity and visual thinking as well as motoric skills as it requires hand-eye coordination.
A considerable benefit of water-based drawing is that it requires no maintenance as there is nothing to clean afterward. It remains exciting as the pictures disappear after minutes and, most importantly, it is safe and non-toxic for the child. Interactive educational toys involving artistic activities will help your child develop creative thinking improve color perception and teach the ability to control a pen.
3. Toys for developing motoric skills and creativity
A toy with many small parts requiring arrangement will keep the child engaged as there are endless combinations to do so.
Playing with small figures will significantly contribute to the development of the child’s motoric abilities.
Playing with figures will teach the toddler to create an imaginary narrative that will be acted out, an exercise for creativity and forming sentences.
An interactive house playset will improve the toddler’s motoric skills and creativity. Besides that, taking care of a house and its inhabitants will teach your child to create and enforce specific rules, triggering the sense of responsibility.
4. Toys for developing hand-eye coordination
Watch the frog lights up then hit it, The Whack-A-Frog is a great interactive toy that encourages kid’s development of concentration and hand-eye coordination.
Pounding the frogs with a hammer can help Improve hand dexterity and exercise muscle.
The toy features different game levels and music playing brings more fun and can keep kids engaging for hours.
Come with 2 soft hammers makes a fantastic 2 player game, ideal for developing parent and child interaction.
⇒Related Post: 7 Drawing toys for toddlers-Spark creativity, Mess free
If you have any questions please leave them below, I am happy to help you out.
Thank you for your sharing here. The house play set is a really cute one. I think my nieces would definitely love this. This toy set can spark their creativity, as well as their communication skill. Because this is also good for encouraging pretend play. My nieces are 4 years old. They always enjoy pretend play, such as toy kitchen, doctor set, etc.
Thanks for your comment. I also have 2 nieces and they also love the pretend play, very cute:). Kids like these fun stuff which can also help them to develop different skills.
As a toddler, so many things are new during that period. Stimulating the mind and gaining new experiences from educational toys are a great idea.
I like any toys that are safe, increase motor skills, and creativity. It has been a long time since I was a toddler and wow how the toys have come such a long way since then.
Thanks for sharing these absolutely wonderful resources.
Thanks Nate. Looking at these interesting toys does remind us of our childhood. And yes the safety should be the first thing to consider when choosing the toys.
Hi Lena
Great post on interactive toys for toddlers. I think it’s important for parents to have a variety of toys that will help their children develop. The toys you’ve chosen to share with us in your article are fantastic choices as it there are many benefits to each of them. I love the magic drawing mat, what a great idea. fact that the drawings disappear after 5 min is absolutely brilliant.
Toys have certainly come along way since my teenage children were toddlers.
Thanks for sharing
Tracy