Why do children need educational toys?
Educational toys can help kids to develop all kinds of skills, from learning to hold objects to refining their counting. They help to ensure your child develops at the right pace for them, through play and discovery.
When should you introduce educational toys?
Every child develops at their own pace, so it’s best to introduce different types of toys as your child becomes ready for them. As long as a toy is safe for their age group, letting your kid play with it can be a great way to find out – if they’re not ready for it yet, they’ll likely get bored and come back to it later as they develop.
Best educational toys for under-ones
Is your baby starting to reach up and grasp with their hands? Then they’re ready to try out their first educational toys. Some of these are suitable for really young babies, while with others it might be best to wait until your little one can move around a bit on their own.
Mobiles
As well as looking cute hung above a cot or Moses basket, mobiles give your baby something to watch and wonder about. Most babies can’t see colour until they’re around three months old, so you might want to pick out one with high colour contrast or bold patterns on. As your baby gets older, mobiles are a great way to encourage them to practise reaching and moving their arms.
Play mats
Packed full of fun things to keep your baby engaged, play mats are worth looking into for babies who aren’t yet mobile or are just starting to wiggle and crawl. Most come packed with educational bits and bobs, from things to grab and poke to parts that make noise to help your baby learn about cause and effect. There are lots of options available, from different colours to washable and wipe-clean play mats to make cleaning up easier.
Play gym
Play gyms are the next step up from a play mat. They tend to take up a bit more space but include more elements for your baby to discover. You’ll often find hanging toys that move around, mirror parts to help your baby learn to recognise themselves and different textures for them to discover. Some play gyms come with fairly sturdy upright parts, which your baby can grab onto when they start learning to sit or stand.
Sensory toys
Looking for educational toys that need a bit less space? Sensory toys are packed full of colourful elements that crinkle, crunch, jingle and sparkle to help your little one to discover the world around us. While similar to play mats, sensory education toys are usually small enough that you can put them in a bag or stow some in the buggy for play and learning on the go. Why not pick up a few in different sizes and designs?
Best educational toys for 1- to 3-year-olds
If you’ve got a toddler, you probably already know how much they love to explore and try things out. Why not check out these toy ideas to help them learn as they play?
Books
Whether you choose the hardwearing board or soft fabric kind, toddler-friendly books can help your child to discover stories and pictures at their own pace. While toddlers are unlikely to pick up reading this way, getting them used to books as a fun part of playtime may make them more interested in reading for themselves as they get older.
Musical toys
Using instruments or toys that make music can be an exciting way to help your toddler play around with sound. Sure, you might want to take the batteries out sometimes or limit musical playtime to certain times of the day. But learning about noise and figuring out how to create different sounds from the same toy can really help your toddler’s development.
Building blocks
Building blocks have been known to keep smaller kids entertained for hours. Wooden educational toys are great for toddlers, as building towers helps develop fine motor skills, a key part of development. Many sets of blocks contain a few different colours to help your child to learn their reds from their blues. But they can be a fun way to get them thinking about counting too.
Duplo
A timeless classic toy, Duplo (or similar building-type toys) are popular for a reason – they can help to foster your toddler’s natural creativity. Sticking Duplo bricks together can also get your child to practise their fine motor skills. This can be a great next step for older toddlers who’ve enjoyed playing with blocks. Before handing over these colourful bricks for kids to get building, we’d recommend double-checking the set you have is age-appropriate so they can enjoy them safely.
Play-Doh
Want to help your child to play around with new ideas? Just like toys for building with, Play-Doh can encourage your toddler to get creative and think about different colours and shapes. By trying to create things they can see around them – whether it’s a rocket from a TV show or the family cat – your child is sharpening up their observation skills and their understanding of the world while they play.
Bead maze
Fun for toddlers of all ages, bead mazes can help your child’s development by getting them to solve a puzzle. Moving the beads along the maze is great for their fine motor skills and helps them to learn about cause and effect too. Plus, many bead mazes use lots of different shapes and colours for your child to learn about.
Best educational toys for 4- to 5-year-olds
Storybooks
Is your kid ready to start developing their reading skills? Every child is different and there are lots of options out there to help them to read independently or with help from a grown-up. Whether your kid is into diggers or mermaids, adventure stories or rhyming poems, they’re sure to enjoy developing their reading skills. Reading together can also help to refine your child’s listening skills.
Jigsaw puzzles
Figuring out which pieces go where can help with brain development, especially for reasoning skills and spotting patterns. Why not get a few puzzles with different numbers of pieces to help your child progress gradually? Jigsaws with colourful photos or ones that relate to your kid’s favourite stories or TV shows can encourage them to relate to the world around them.
Board games
Looking for toys that help children play well with others? Board games are a great educational toy option. They help kids to learn to cooperate with others. Lots of board games also teach other skills while they’re busy playing. Getting their head around counting out plastic money or trying to come up with a winning strategy turns all kinds of thinking into a fun activity.
Train sets
Setting up a train set or similar toy can get your child wondering about their surroundings. Challenge your child to get the track to go to all the places they want but avoiding the sofa. This helps to develop their brain and reasoning skills. Plus, it can get them thinking about the real world around them while they play.
Bikes and scooters
Learning to ride a bike or a scooter is a great way to help your child to develop balance. Both bikes and scooters can be great fun, especially when playing with friends. It’s worth making sure your kid has a bike or scooter that fits them. As well as ensuring they have things like a helmet to keep them safe. Why not check out our guide to the best kids’ bikes to find out what might work well for your child?
Toys designed to help with development are a great way to help your kids to learn through play. Why not browse Gumtree today to check out some of the best educational toys on offer?