When looking back at your childhood, you probably remember the favorite toys that you played with. There must be nostalgic images of classic toys for babies in your memory bank, delightful playthings that had bestrewn your play mat as a toddler. The toys children play with when they’re younger can leave a lasting impression. Toys teach children valuable life lessons, like how to be creative, how to problem solve, and how to work as a team.
As parents, you want the best for your child, and you want them to look back at their childhood with fond memories — many of which stem from the toys your child plays with. These five toys are the best for learning, having fun, and building lifelong memories.
Jigsaw puzzles
Jigsaw puzzles are among the most common toddler toys, dating back all the way to 1767 when European mapmakers pasted maps onto wood and cut them into small pieces. Today, jigsaw puzzles can be used for both entertainment and educational purposes. For example, there are jigsaw puzzles that, once completed, will show a beautiful illustration of the solar system or maybe the anatomy of the human body. If you’re interested in doing a jigsaw puzzle with your toddler, you can find them online for great, affordable prices.
In addition, there is always the option of preserving your completed jigsaw puzzle by framing it. That way, you and your toddler can remember your jigsaw puzzle adventure forever.
Train sets
Another classic toddler toy is the train set, which can inspire a toddler’s imagination at a very young age. Wooden train sets for toddlers are typically very affordable and are very easy to build and play with. The great thing about toddler train sets is that they typically have themes and require the toddler to use ingenuity to achieve a goal. For example, there are some toddler train sets that require the toddler to load the train car with medical supplies and transport the supplies so that people in another town receive help. This is a great concept that teaches the toddler problem solving as well as humility.
The other great thing about train sets is that they can turn into a hobby for the toddler as he or she grows up, serving as a creative outlet for the rest of their life.
Stuffed animals
Cuddly, animal-like pillows make for great children’s toys. The most popular stuffed animal for children is the teddy bear, but there are many other animals to choose from. Children can have a soft version of their favorite animal to snuggle with and play games with. When looking for the right stuffed animal, there are thousands of variations, with many colors and animals to choose from. Prices can fall anywhere from $10 to upwards of $200. These fluffy buddies teach children about companionship and comfort. When they look back at photos of themselves carrying their stuffed animal or find it in a box, they will remember the comfort they felt from holding it and the memories they made with it.
Cooking sets
Children love playing pretend, and it can be a great learning tool for them to learn about real-life situations like cooking. These sets include plastic food, silverware, pots, pans, and an oven with a stovetop — everything needed to make a full-course meal. You can find sets from $40 to $300 or more, depending on the amount of play food and utensils included. These sets allow kids to explore how to cook food by using smaller versions of kitchenware. Making meals for parents and friends is such a fun and memorable activity. Your child will look back and remember baking pies and making pizza with their pretend mini oven.
Pottery
When children are young, they have extremely high levels of creativity and can think of some really crazy ideas. Pottery for toddlers is a beautiful idea because it allows the child to put their imagination into a physical piece of art. The most standard way of creating a clay sculpture is through the use of a child’s pottery wheel, which can be found online for around $40 to $60. If you really want to give your child no artistic boundaries, simply buy a block of sculpting clay for $20 and some sculpting materials for $15, and just watch the magic happen.
All of these toys are great for your child to learn about life in an imaginative and entertaining way. Children can make the best memories by playing with these toys on their own or with friends or family. When your children grow up, they will remember the fun times they had playing and being a kid.
Editors' Recommendations
- Heads up, 7 up: What’s the game and how to play it
- Liven up family game night with these crowd-pleasing board games
- 11 fun games kids can play with just pen and paper
- Healthy extracurricular activities kids and teens should explore
- Baby play mat ins and outs: What age you should get one and the benefits for baby’s development
