Hooray! We made it simpler to buy toys that are educational and fun.
We spend countless hours researching and testing (with children, teachers and parents), and our criteria are simple:
- Teaches a fundamental child development skill
- Intentional
- Unique
- High-quality
- Expert and parent approved
Get ready to play smarter.
OUR FAVORITE TOYS
P.S. – In many instances, a toy fits under multiple child development skill categories. But to make things simple, we’ve organized toys into the development skill that would be distinctively developed.
Critical Thinking
Wooden Cash Register – Pretend, play and learn math
Three Little Piggies Game – Early intro to core executive functions
Sneaky Snack Squirrel Game – Strategy + socialization + fine motor skills
Goobi Juniors Construction Set – An essential for any STEAM curriculum
Gears! Gears! Gears! Space Explorers – Design, build, imagine
Cubetto Coding Toy – Take coding into the real world (and read this)
Domino Connectagons – Clever new take on a traditional game
Marbleocity Mini Skate Park – Real tinkering, real fun; or this and this? Choice is hard!
Trebuchet – Experiment with high-flying fun or with simple machines
Ski-Ball – Make and play a classic arcade came; double the fun
ZOOB RacerZ Car Designer – Build your own supersonic vehicle or monster
Circuit Clay Kit – Electrifying! Or the power of light, sound + motion
Gizmos and Gadgets Kit – The ultimate app-enabled invention
Volcano Lab – A chemistry adventure
Social + Emotional
PLAYMOBIL Hospital – Empathy, creativity, language and fine motor skills all in one toy
Wrap & Slice Sushi – A very grown-up dining experience; bonus points for building fine motor skills
Hot Cocoa Set – Tea time play that warms the mind and soul.
Make & Give Kindness Notes – We all could use a dose of this; this kit makes it so easy
Penny for your Thoughts Game – Beautifully illustrated communication cards; and these navigate social expectations
My Family Builders Dolls – Just like your child, just like your family; create your one-of-a-kind character
Royal Family Puppets – Work through big feelings with this character set
Feelings Friend – Make learning facial vocabulary fun
Dress-Me Sillies – Master everyday skills with these clever stuffies
Emotion Stones – For when you just can’t find the words.
Bonk Fit Punching Bag – For all those wiggles, tears and tantrums
Language + Literacy
Sign Language Blocks – A truly universal gift
Activity Tree – Bring the beloved Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to life
Alpha-Bots – Letters transform into robots; mind blown
Alphabet Rockets – Part puzzle, part phonics…all fun
Alphabet Go Fish – Learn letters with a classic game
ABC Alligator Puzzle – Found! Scoured the earth to find a simple (yet engaging) puzzle with upper and lower case letters
Pop & Wear Letter Beads – Letters can be Oh So Trendy; for the style icon
Pictolingua – (Beautiful) bingo with a twist
Learning Starter Pack – Robust play and learn system that develops memory, concentration, visual perception, logic, language and math skills
A-Z Magnatab (Lower Case) – Sensory-reinforcement makes learning lower case a little less tricky (say that three times!)
Letters to Me, When I Grow Up – Your child will thank you one day
Singing Machine – Belt out that inner voice
Cinema Lightbox – Put letters into context to strengthen letter identification
Creativity + Imagination
City Building Blocks – Thoughtfully designed blocks; and on a grander scale
Boxsets for every child (Tool Kit and Kitchen) – Ideal for on-the-go play; bonus points for easy clean-up
PLAYMOBIL Fire Station – There’s a hero in all of us
3D Medieval Castle Puzzle and Playset – Fun fact: 3D spatial skills are foundational for engineering and design
PLAYMOBIL Pharaoh’s Pyramid – Imagination + fine motor skills + history; so rare!
Dramatic costumes (Knight and Princess) and DIY Castle – Fantastical storytelling not included
Rocket Adventure Cape Costume Kit – A rocket on your back? Let your imagination run wild…literally
Dinosaur and the Pirate Movie-Maker Kit – “And I’d like to thank the Academy, my parents, my teachers, Plinkit….”
Magnetic Dollhouse – A dollhouse you design yourself; winner of just about every toy award
“Green” Dollhouse with Furniture – For the 21st century with real-world functionality
Space Center Playscape – Or for new frontiers in the 22nd century
Fairy House Building Kit – Comes with everything, even real branches, twine, shells, moss and glue gun
Bug World Collection – It’s impossible to stop gawking!
Microscope – Notice and wonder.
Fine Motor + Gross Motor
Safari Bowling Set – A fun way to develop hand-eye coordination and cognitive life skills
Workbench and Trolley – A wooden trolley in the shape of a truck with magnetic tools…say what?!
Super Saxoflute – Let your child create their own musical instrument; apologies now for the sweet “music” you’ll hear!
Flat Drum Set – For your rock n’ roll star
NeoTracks – Build bigger with this bendable, flexible car track system
Tap Tap – Next-level tangrams here and here tangrams
Magic Mini Excavator – Still unclear how this magic happens
Tecno Building Set – 3D open-ended mechanics and creativity
YOXO Robot – Mind-bending robot construction kits; plus these (based on da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man)
Color-the-Earth Kit – A beautiful way to learn about geography; we love this one too
Pegloom – Award-winning classic; or the simpler version here
Savvy craft kits (here, here, and here) hone fine motor skills for pre-writing
Pogo Jumper – Jump & squeak + balance & coordination
Spooner Board – Spin, twist, wobble…non-stop giggle
BONUS FUN
For those special occasions….
Wow Factor
Pretend Grocery Store – Don’t forget your groceries, cart and tote
Food Truck Playhouse – Next-level role play: menu, BBQ and gelato
EzyRoller – New take on a classic scooter
Playme Pat Bells – For your full band….bells, glockenspiel, accordion
Imaginology Kit – The ultimate discovery kit; winner of just about every brainy, creative award
Fun Trinkets
Pretend Play Props – World Traveler and Showtime Theater
Useful Routine Charts – Good Habits and Make My Day
Games Loved by Everyone – Sleeping Queens, Slamwich, Storytime Dice, Math Dice Jr., Q-Bitz Jr.
Create-A-Story Cards – Fairy tales, animal forest, robots
Monster Paper Puppets – Or robots, animals….or piperoids?!
Make-A-Mask – Or a crown
OUR FAVORITE BOOKS
Because “reading fuels the fires of intelligence and imagination” (Frank Bruni) and there are never, ever enough books….
