15 Best Educational Toys for Kids

When it comes to stimulating and engaging the mind of an infant, nothing beats a high-contrast flashcard. These were specifically designed using colors that newborns and infants recognize first (including black, white, and red—and later vibrant primary hues). This comprehensive collection includes 80 double-sided flashcards meant to stimulate your baby’s brain development and sharpen their gaze.

Music is a great way to captivate children, especially when they can bang, tap, and make noise to their heart’s content. This wooden toy boasts all that and so much more. That’s all thanks to an 8-note xylophone, an integrated shape sorter, a hammer, and sensory learning blocks. It’ll entrance your little one with an assortment of musical notes and engage their mind as they puzzle through the wooden shapes.

Melissa & Doug is a go-to brand for parents on the hunt for toys that are engaging and educational. Case in point: This lacing beads kit, which comes complete with 30 primary colored beads and two laces. The relatively simplistic toy promotes open-ended play while helping your child work on their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

It’s no secret that young children have an impressively short attention span. Keep your little one occupied on your next drive or meal out with this Montessori-inspired busy board. The soft felt design includes four “pages” of activities geared toward developing fine motor skills. It includes zippers, shoelaces, buttons, belt buckles, and more. 

For parents who are looking to minimize clutter in their home, finding toys that satisfy multiple needs is certainly essential. This sit-to-stand walker from VTech is a favorite of both seasoned and newbie parents alike. That’s because of its ability to teach your child and help them develop physically at the same time. They can rely on the sturdy handle and wheels to practice their first steps, or instead sit in front of the panel to learn musical notes, animal noises, shapes, and more. 

As your child ages, they’re gaining more and more independence every day. So toys that help them gain confidence in day-to-day tasks are a great investment! This Melissa & Doug dentistry kit will take all the scaries out of their first visit and instead allow them to learn about dental care and imaginative play. Who knows—you may be raising a budding oral surgeon!

Striking a balance with screentime is top of mind for every parent, but with the Toniebox, that battle becomes a bit easier. Part educational device, part entertainment, this ingenious box allows your child to rotate through dozens of characters. It ranges from Disney favorites like Moana and Elsa, to characters from nursery rhymes. Your little one can listen to stories and sing along to their favorite songs. It fosters imagination and storytelling—all without a screen in sight.

It may seem counterintuitive, but open-ended play can keep toddlers engaged much longer than toys that have a distinct beginning, middle, and end. Magna-Tiles are a hit with a wide variety of ages (adults included!) thanks to their easy use and near-endless possibilities. With a single kit, your kiddos can sharpen their STEM and cognitive skills while building a castle, car garage, or whatever else their imagination dreams up. 

Sometimes, it’s the simplest toys that have the biggest impact. This engaging sticker book is easy to tote anywhere life takes you, from the park to a family vacation. And it will also keep your child busy learning and playing. Inside, they’ll find 12 open-ended scenes as well as over 500 stickers they can use to create their own world and flex their creativity.

One of the best ways children learn is by example, whether that’s mimicking the way you brush your teeth or how you mop the floor. This toddler-sized cleaning set will help them learn important real-world skills…and maybe even pick up a dust bunny or two. It includes a brush, broom, mop, duster, and dust pan.

For school-aged children firmly in the era of spelling bees and math tests, toys should focus on reiterating important teachings—without it feeling like an extension of class. This screen-free device reads the barcodes on each flashcard to encourage your little learner to identify and spell out each picture depicted.

STEM learning is a top priority for kids, especially with how fast technology moves these days. With this robotics kit, your tiny scientist won’t even notice they’re actually working on important skills, like entry-level coding, mathematics, and problem-solving. Depending on your child’s age, they may need a bit of help (it’s geared towards ages 8 through 12 years), but that makes for a great bonding experience.

Educational toys kids can play with solo are great, but ones that involve the whole family are even better. This twist on the classic Bananagrams game is geared toward early learners, with lowercase letters as well as prompts to practice sight words and manipulate word families.

Challenge your child’s logic and critical-thinking skills with this open-ended game that’s a twist on the traditional marble run. In the box, they’ll find 60 pre-made build challenges to work through that become increasingly difficult as they progress.