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Home › Articles › Play Time › Best Toys for Toddlers

Best Toys for Toddlers

What Toys Are Most Suitable for 2- to 3-Year-Olds?

By Keath Castelloe Low

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Don't be surprised to see your toddler imitating you! Dr. Mankowski explains that the early imaginary play of toddlers consists of imitating or pretending to do activities they watch their mother, father or siblings do. "Once learned, older toddlers will rely less on tangible objects or toys for their play and conjure up more complex scenarios with fewer props," she says.

Books Are Always on the List

Books are a wonderful tool for interacting with your toddler. Reading books together, talking about the pictures, singing and reciting rhymes – these activities help promote a child's language and cognitive development. Reading together is also a nice bonding time for you and your child. Hold her close in your lap and cuddle together as you read, sing and laugh together.

Dr. Mankowski points out that while parents should try to read to their children daily, books should also be available for self-initiated exploration. "Although children's play may seem monotonous or un-purposeful, allowing toddlers to initiate and direct play is an important piece of their self-discovery," she says. "Don't be afraid to join in to his or her play, but try to not dominate, take over or impart your own story line."

Toys to Avoid

Manufacturer's recommendations are typically reliable when choosing age-appropriate toys for your toddler – as is using good common sense. There are certainly toys and objects that may pose risks for your toddler. Toys should not have long cords or straps, loose or removable small parts, metal or sharp edges, easy-to-retrieve batteries and/or loose magnets. All of these can pose choking or suffocation dangers.

Toys can be an integral part of a child's playtime and learning. Never underestimate the power of play. Albert Einstein put it best when he said, "Play is the highest form of research."

What Do Parents Think?

"My son loves the toys that move and play music," says Kimberly Nee from Hillsborough, N.J. "He even has a Spider-Man that sings Itsy, Bitsy Spider and the Spiderman theme. He likes basically any toys that make noise."

Jessica Brockmole, a mother from Edinburgh, Scotland, says that her son and daughter continued to love their baby board books into their toddler years. In addition, they enjoyed lift-the-flap books and those with pull-out tabs. "Any book with silly rhymes and pictures of 'Uh-ohs' were fun," says Brockmole, whose children continue to have a love of books and reading.

Brockmole encouraged her children to explore with toys that nurtured their creativity. "They liked pretend play toys, where they could imitate Mommy or their older sibling," she says. She provided a variety of items for imaginative play – a small broom, pots and pans, lots of building materials like wooden blocks and cardboard bricks, etc.


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