12 Super Fun & Educational Toy Ideas for Little Kids
When any occasion for gift-giving rolls around, I am always most excited about finding fun, darling, imagination-promoting toys for my littles.
Shopping for toys is one of my absolute favorite activities. I feel like I get to re-live childhood again, and I can’t wait for my babes to see their surprise. A lot of times I buy my kids toys I want to play with as well, so then I’m double excited.
In all my toy searches, my favorite toys have been “open-ended” toys.
Open-ended toys are toys that can be played with tons of different ways. They don’t just serve one purpose (think of a battery-powered toy that does just a few functions). They are great for the imagination and promote creativity. Examples include dress-ups, blocks, play Kitchen, dolls, etc.
As an adult, I find that open-ended toys are more fun for me too. And if I enjoy playing with my kids’ toys, I’m probably going to play with my kids longer and be more present in those moments.
I also have found that mom life is busy! Yeah, I know, understatement of the year. And toy suggestions from other moms have helped me a whole lot in finding super fun and educational toys for my kids without spending my life reading every Amazon review.
Are you in this boat too?
If so, have I got a treat for you! I rounded up 12 of my children’s very favorite and most played-with educational toys & books to save you time, energy, & help you find toys that are the bomb.com when gifting time rolls around.
Favorite Open-Ended Toys
1) Basket of Babies
These babies are so freaking cute. They are plush, cuddly, little, and soft. My baby girl loves these, and when older kids come to play, the basket of babies is always a hit. The diversity is awesome, and the little swaddles come on and off so you can mix and match!
2) Melissa & Doug Wooden Barn
This barn is so well-made and so fun. It opens, closes, and has cute little barn doors that also open and close, along with a little moveable wooden ladder and fence. While a couple of the animals are kind of weird looking (the pig looks straight out of George Orwell’s Animal Farm and the sheepdog is bright orange and blue for some strange reason) the barn is so cool and has so many uses. It also looks super cute left out. I typically leave it on my son’s dresser when it’s not in use and it looks like straight-up Joanna Gaines decor.
3) Circus Tent
My kids absolutely love this tent. It folds up pretty easily, doesn’t take up too much room, and is the perfect size for kids ages 1-5. It’s also pretty inexpensive as far as kid tents and teepees go. The kids play hide and seek in it, bring toys in, or just hang out in there.
4) Nugget Couch
The Nugget couch is definitely on the more expensive side and you may wonder why the heck 6 pieces of foam are so expensive. I get it, but hear me out. My kids play with their Nugget couch every. single. day. My baby loves it, my 4 year old loves it, I love it. It is ALWAYS a hit with other kids. The couch pieces can create a fort, ramp, tunnel, sitting space, even a bed. It’s so comfortable, so cute, and so very fun. It’s fantastic quality, made to be jumped all over, and the covers are washable. I can not recommend it enough.
5) Wooden Stacking Rings
My kids love these hipster stacking rings. It’s great quality, the colors are fun, and the rings can stack in any order. Additionally, the holes inside each ring are large enough for really small children to be able to enjoy this toy and start learning finer motor skills. It also looks like cute children’s decor if stored in plain sight.
6) Baby Lit Books - Classic Lit
Ever since I first laid eyes on these books (before having kids), I wanted them. They are adorable board books, each about a different work of classical literature. My kids love them and it’s a great first exposure to classic lit. I fantasize about one day having a tiny children’s library with little leather chairs and a little bookcase filled with these!
Our current family favorites are Les Miserables, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Little Princess.
7) TOWO Wooden Stacking Boxes
These simple stacking blocks are so fun! They are like Russian Nesting Doll blocks and their possibilities for play are endless. You can stack them into towers, make a staircase for toys, create a ramp for cars, use them as little houses, the options are pretty much infinite. They are sturdy and can endure rough play.
8) Corolle Baby Doll
When my baby girl turned one, I wanted to get her a sweet baby doll that she could play with, but also have as a keepsake. I found this baby doll at a boutique toy store and love it so much.
It’s made by Corolle, which is kind of the French equivalent of American Girl Doll. It is literally the CUTEST baby doll I’ve ever seen (can we please acknowledge that there are some real ugly ones out there?).
The headband is attached to the head so you won’t lose it, the baby smells like vanilla, the body is plush, and she’s the perfect size for small children to play with and hold. So well made. It is the most perfect baby doll I’ve ever seen.
9) Forest & Co Wooden Shape Puzzle
I think my kids would probably enjoy any puzzle with little knobs, but this is the one we have and it is a HIT. I leave it on a little shelf where they can reach and it is almost always the first toy to be picked up. I love how well-made it is, and the animals are darling.
10) Melissa & Doug Shape-Sorting Wooden Dump Truck Toy
Shape sorters are so good for kid’s motor skill development, and this one is triple the fun because it has little wooden people that sit in the front of the truck, the back opens up, and the kids can actually drive the truck. It is SO fun and definitely a favorite at my house. The kids are always battling to play with it when we pull it out.
11) Melissa & Doug Poke-A-Dot Book
Both my kids LOVE the Melissa & Doug Poke-A-Dot books. They make reading so fun and interactive. These books have saved me during long car rides or times when I needed the kids to sit still for an extended period. Each page has these little plastic bubble buttons for the kids to push. Think sturdy & safe bubble wrap meets a children’s cardboard book. It’s the perfect combination!
12) B. Toys Take Apart Airplane
This take-apart airplane and drill are so cool. Pretty much all of the airplane parts come off. The drill has three different bits and can drill clockwise or counterclockwise to put pieces in or take them out. The drill is fun by itself, as is the airplane. My son has loved this toy for years. It’s helped him learn motor skills, cause and effect, and it’s just fun!
Well there you have it, 12 of my very favorite fun & educational toy ideas for the littles in your life! I hope this will help you gain some time back and make gift buying even more fun. If this helps you, share this post with a friend who you think could also benefit! Happy shopping!
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