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The 12 Best Developmental Toys for Babies, According to Parents

These toys keep babies entertained and help them gain skills simultaneously

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

VeryWell / Jaclyn Mastropasqua

The first year of a baby’s life is full of developmental milestones . As babies grow and change , they do their best learning through play . There are plenty of toys aimed at developing babies’ increasing skills and helping them build their muscles through movement . Adding a variety of developmental toys to a baby registry is a great way to get your baby off to a good start.

When searching for developmental toys for babies, it’s important to review the age guidelines to make sure the toy you choose is safe and suitable for little ones. Appropriate baby toys should be non-toxic, with no small parts or pieces or other choking hazards . It’s also important to consider that babies learn by exploring toys with their mouths and experimenting by grabbing, shaking, and dropping objects.

To find the best developmental toys for babies, we surveyed 875 parents to learn more about what toys their children play with , how they interact with them, and why they enjoy playing with them. We also reviewed guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on toy-buying tips and how to buy safe toys , along with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on developmental milestones. When reviewing dozens of developmental toys for babies, we carefully considered age recommendations, design, sturdiness, types of play, and value . We also had a pediatric neurologist from our Review Board review the contents of this article for accuracy in terms of what to consider before buying and other ways to stimulate development.

• How We Selected and Tested
• What to Look For

Why Trust Verywell Family

Best overall, sassy stacks of circles stacking ring.

Post is one size

Various textures

Smaller than expected

Why We Recommend It

Parents we surveyed highly recommend stacking toys for babies, such as the Sassy Stacks of Circles Ring Stacker, because they keep littles engaged and work on expanding their skills . The Sassy Stacks of Circles includes eight rings of different sizes and textures to help strengthen hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills and provide a sensory experience. We love how the toy’s post is one size , so kids can stack the rings in any direction without becoming easily frustrated. 

• Recommended Age: 6-24 months
• Needs Batteries: No
• Materials: Not listed

Best Budget

Baby einstein take along tunes toy.

Plays music

Has volume control

Requires batteries

For a great developmental baby toy for less, there’s this musical toy from Baby Einstein. Both a rattle and a little music box , it’s a great way to stimulate baby’s senses, and it’s a good size for little fingers to grasp. It plays seven different melodies , which are taken from pieces by Chopin, Mozart, and other classical masters. It runs on two AA batteries, and there is a handy volume control , too.

• Recommended Age: 3 months and up
• Needs Batteries: ‎2 AA batteries required (included) 
• Materials: Polypropylene

Verywell / Michelle Piccolo

Best for Newborns

Wee gallery jungle art cards for baby.

Wee Gallery

Stimulates baby's vision

Made of recycled card stock

Only 6 cards per pack

Babies slowly develop color vision approximately one week after birth, and until they fully see color, they see in black, white, and shades of gray. The Wee Gallery Black and White Flash Cards stand out and can help stimulate a baby's vision . A great interactive toy, parents can show baby the images while identifying the animals and talking about them. The cards measure 5x7 inches and are made of sturdy recycled card stock that has been laminated. There are six cards in all , which feature a lion, snake, monkey, parrot, bear, and tiger.

They’re perfect for throwing in the diaper bag for any time you want a little on-the-go entertainment , and they’re a great way to encourage  tummy time , too.

• Recommended Age: 0-1 years old
• Needs Batteries: ‎No
• Materials: Recycled card stock

Best Toy Ball

Sassy developmental bumpy ball.

Multiple textures

Helps develop grasp

Reports of thin fabric

This bumpy ball from Sassy is bright, colorful, and made of various textures to capture baby's attention and help them learn to grasp and eventually pass objects back and forth between their hands. It also rattles gently to further entertain and stimulate their senses.

• Recommended Age: 6 months and up
• Materials: Polyester, foam, plastic

Best Teething Toy

Manhattan toy skwish classic rattle and teether.

Teether and rattle combined

Helps develop fine motor skills

Not easy to clean

This developmental baby toy tops our list for its versatility and the simple fact that kids love it. The Manhattan Toy Skwish grows with your child; use it as a rattle and teether for infants as young as newborns and to help children develop fine and gross motor skills and recognize colors as they grow.

The  textured wooden beads and elastic strings are easy for babies to grasp and are perfect for introducing tactile, sensory play. Kids are mesmerized as the primary-colored beads move back and forth on the dowels and rattle . When the toy is squished, it always returns to its original shape. Plus, the wood's water-based finish is non-toxic and can be cleaned by wiping it with a damp cloth dipped in a bit of soapy water.

• Recommended Age: Newborn and up
• Needs Batteries: No 
• Materials: Wood

Best for Grasping

Oball shaker rattle toy.

Bright colors

Offers teething relief

Beads sometimes get stuck (difficult to hear rattle)

It’s a teether, it’s a rattle, and it’s a developmental toy that parents say babies go crazy for. There are two easy-to-grasp teething balls —one on each end—with a rattle filled with colorful beads holding them together. Newborns will be fascinated as you move it in front of them. As they get older, they can shake, rattle, and roll it themselves. When those teeth start coming in , they can find some relief by gnawing on it as well.

• Materials: Plastic

Best Wooden Toy

Haba color fun play gym.

Adjustable height

Easy to assemble

Lightweight (older babies may be able to pull it down)

If you’re trying to keep things simple and don’t want a pile of loud and bright plastic toys, this minimalistic overhead play gym from Haba is a good choice. Babies can use it while lying on a blanket or from an infant seat, where they can watch the cute frog hop as he’s pushed along the bar.

There are also beads at the bottom to encourage fine motor skill development , and more hanging elements can be added to the bar as you choose. It can easily be adjusted up and down to your desired height, too.

Best Playmat

Fisher-price deluxe kick & play piano gym.

Convertible; grows with baby

Music isn’t too loud

Smaller than it looks

Our pick for the best playmat for baby development is the Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick Play Paino. It’s a dynamic play mat that comes with four ways to play, three smart stages, and sensory activities . It’s also very plush , so your baby is comfortable regardless of what position they’re in.

This musical gym playmat is large and colorful. It has a repositionable toy bar with five activity toys that take babies from laying down on their back, to tummy time, to sitting up and interacting. It’s also easy to compartmentalize , so you can travel with it as well. The five repositionable toys are good for babies to teeth, suck, click, and rattle. The removable keyboard has five light-up keys as well to further stimulate the baby’s mind.

What we love about this toy is the "Smart Stages" technology. There are three stages geared toward your baby’s development. Level one is geared toward the baby’s senses by playing 20 minutes of different lights, sounds, and music for them to enjoy. Level two is focused on learning about animals and the accompanying noises that they make . The final level explores silly songs and numbers, colors, and shapes for the baby. 

It’s machine washable and comes in an easy-to-open and recyclable box. 

• Recommended Age: 0 to 36 months (gym) and 3 months and up (maracas)
• Needs Batteries: ‎3 AA batteries required (included) 
• Materials: ‎Plastic

Best for Tummy Time

Splashin'kids inflatable tummy time water mat.

Some sea animals move in water

Best to replace water after every use

This tummy time water mat is comfy, easy to use, and full of fun friends for babies to look at and try to catch. One of our writers used this exact tummy time mat with her son when he was a baby and loves how easy it is to use. Fill the middle of the mat with water and inflate the mat’s edge with air to create a soft landing for tummy time. Bright, colorful sea animals , including some that move, will catch a baby’s eye and keep them entertained. 

Best On-the-Go

Manhattan toy baby whoozit activity toy.

Soft with various textures

Provides sensory stimulation

Not machine-washable

It’s a bit crazy looking, but babies and parents alike love the Whoozit. While it comes in various forms, we love this 6-inch version that can be attached to a stroller or car seat. It provides sensory stimulation in abundance, and its bright colors and graphic patterns fascinate babies.

Various shapes in different textures make grasping fun for babies, and there’s rattling, squeaking, and crinkling when it's touched. A hidden mirror is even located under the red nose, so babies can see themselves in the reflection.

• Recommended Age: 0-3 years old
• Materials: Cotton velour fabric

Best Sensory

Sassy reversible soft sensory activity panels.

Large panels

Sewn-on handles; good for traveling

Bulky; hard to stand on its own

Sometimes sensory toys can be a great way for babies to integrate and promote new sensory experiences and regulate their emotions. The Sassy Reversible Soft Sensory Activity Panels is our pick for the best sensory development toy due to the multiple tactile elements, colors, and portability . It's a four-piece sensory toy that is filled with different fabrics and textures that are great for car rides and tummy time.

The panels can be used singularly, or you can velcro them together to create a book or panel format. Each panel side has a different sensory experience and activity, while the opposite side has black-and-white imagery that helps develop your baby’s vision. There’s also a sewn-on handle, so you can bring this toy wherever you go or attach it to a car handle or backpack when you’re on the go.

It’s primarily made out of satin and is easy to wash. Just wipe clean with a soft, damp cloth and then air dry.

• Materials: Satin, polyester fabric, and polyurethane foam

Best Playkit

Lovevery the senser play kit.

Comes with a parent guide

Designed for fine and gross motor skills

Ships every two months

Your baby is trying to figure out the world around them through their senses. When your baby is teething, feeling, and tasting everything around them, having toys built for their exploratory nature is important. Our pick for the best toy kit is the sensory play kit by Lovevery.

This developmental toy kit for babies comes with seven activities , including a spinning rainbow, magic tissue box, magic tissues (for the box), organic cotton rainbow ball, “Parts of Me” book , play socks, tummy time wobbler, and a play guide for your five to six-month-old baby. All of these toys play with different senses and are designed for this specific stage in your baby’s development which helps them gain confidence and strength.

This developmental play kit only ships every two months , so make sure you order ahead of time to take advantage of this stage for your baby.

• Recommended Age: 5-6 months
• Materials: Varies per item (organic cotton, cardboard)

How We Selected and Tested Developmental Toys for Babies

To select the best developmental toys for babies, we surveyed 875 parents, asking them what toys their kids love and how they play with them. We also asked parents to detail their favorite brands and why they continue to buy from them, whether it be price, the durability of the brand's material, or another feature. Next, we reviewed guidance from the AAP on tips for buying toys and toy safety, along with guidance from the CDC on developmental milestones for babies from birth to one year.

After reviewing guidance from the AAP, CDC, and parents, we researched dozens of developmental toys for babies, studying their design and features. We looked for toys that encourage social and emotional skills, physical development, and cognitive development, as well as toys that encourage sensory play and build fine and gross motor skills.

What to Look for in Developmental Toys for Babies

When buying developmental toys for babies, keep safety first in your mind by thinking large. If the toy can fit entirely into your little one’s mouth, it’s best to skip it as it then becomes a choking hazard. Be sure the toy is sturdy (no smaller parts can break off) and made of nontoxic materials that could lead to poisoning.

Milestones give parents and caregivers an idea of where their child should be developmentally. While all babies develop at their own pace, many toys can encourage babies to work on important skills. 

• Social and Emotional Skills : Babies love faces, and the Manhattan Toy Baby Whoozit 6-Inch Stroller and Travel Activity Toy lets them look at themselves in a mirror.
• Physical Development : The HABA Color Fun Play Gym encourages rolling over in both directions (tummy to back and back to tummy).
• Cognitive Development : Passing things from one hand to the other is an important thinking milestone. Babies can practice it with the Manhattan Toy Skwish Rattle and Teether Toy .

Types of Play

Providing toys that promote different types of play keeps babies engaged and helps them work on a variety of skills. While many toys offer multiple play features, these are especially good for specific types of play.

• Fine Motor Activity : Bright Starts Oball Shaker
• Gross Motor Activity : Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym
• Sensory Play : Sassy Stack of Circles Stacking Ring

Frequently Asked Questions

You might think the best toys for baby development are the ones that your baby can play with independently. But the best toys actually engage caregivers along with babies. Play-based interactions that are rich in language, pretending, problem-solving, reciprocity, cooperation, and creativity are the best way to help young children develop.

Toys that are easy to grasp and shake; play music; feature black-and-white shapes or colors; provide sensory stimulation with various textures, squeaks, and sounds; or encourage your baby to practice their fine motor skills can be fun to use with your baby.

As long as a toy is safe and age-appropriate, it will likely help a child grow and learn, especially if you participate in playtime with them. There’s no one toy that will ensure your child reaches their next developmental milestone. Instead, provide a small selection of toys that stimulate their senses and prompt curiosity, movement, and imagination.

Engaging with your baby while using facial expressions, gestures, and vocalizations can help with social development with no need for expensive electronic toys (which can actually detract from social engagement). Whether you’re playing peekaboo or patty cake, reading a book or stacking a few blocks, playing with your baby is the best way to stimulate their development.

Developmental toys are a great way to help stimulate a baby's mind as they reach new development milestones, and they range in price based on different factors such as the type of play that the toy stimulates (gross motor activity, fine motor activity, and/or sensory play), material, and the developmental stage that your baby is currently in. You can find great options for developmental toys from $5 to $100.

Katrina Cossey is a commerce writer, enthusiastic shopper, and devoted mom. She spent several years in broadcast journalism but found her true passion in writing about the best products for families, pregnant people, and kids of all ages. She’s researched thousands of baby products, toys, gifts, and more and personally tested many of them. In her spare time, you’ll likely find her in the beautiful outdoors of Oklahoma with her husband and 4-year-old son. The Splashin' Kids Tummy Time Water Mat was a big hit in Katrina's house when her son was a baby thanks to the swimming sea creatures and bright colors.

More Toys for Kids

When it comes to toys for kids, our team has you covered. The Verywell Family team of editors (who are parents or have nieces and nephews of their own) have tested, gifted, and personally recommend every item we feature. Find more of our top toy picks for every developmental stage and personality phase here:

• The Best Christmas Gifts for Kids
• The Best Tummy Time Toys
• The Best Active Toys for Toddlers
• The Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers
• The Best Toys for Toddlers
• The Best Educational Toys for Toddlers
• The Best Phonics Toys for Preschoolers
• The Best Toys for Learning Letters and Numbers
• The Best Musical Toys for Children of All Ages
• The Best Montessori Toys to Encourage Thoughtful Play
• The Best Sesame Street Toys
• The Best Outdoor Toys for Kids of All Ages
• The Best Dinosaur Toys
• The Best Toys for Fine Motor Skills Development
• The Best Toys for Independent Play
• The Best Snow Toys for Kids
• The Best STEM Toys for Kids
• Best Laptop Toys for Kids
• The Best Social Emotional Learning Toys
• The Best Robot Toys
• The Best Ride-On Toys
• The Best Cleaning Toy Sets
• The Black-Owned Gift Guide

American Academy of Pediatrics. How to buy safe toys .

American Academy of Pediatrics. Toy buying tips for babies & young children: AAP report explained .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC's developmental milestones .

Nationwide Children's Hospital. Infant vision birth to one year .

Healey A, Mendelsohn A, Council on Early Childhood. Selecting appropriate toys for young children in the digital era . Pediatrics . 2019;143(1):e20183348. doi:10.1542/peds.2018-3348

• Dec 13, 2023

The 20 Best Developmental Toys for Your Baby and Toddler

Updated: Apr 17

Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

The first few years of your child's life are full of rapid growth and exciting discoveries. During this important period their brain develops rapidly, laying the groundwork for future learning and cognitive abilities. As a parent or caregiver, offering kids the right toys is one important way to foster their development at each stage.

This article will explain the different ways that your child develops and discuss some of the best toys and learning games on the market that will encourage each type of development.

In this article:

Understanding your child's development

1. cognitive development, 2. motor development, 3. speech and language development, 4. social and emotional development, best developmental toys, what is an educational toy, cognitive development, motor development, speech and language development, social and emotional development, toddler toys, the takeaway.

This article is part of a series about the best developmental toys for kids.

Before we discuss specific toys, it's crucial to understand the four areas in which your child develops during the early years of their life: cognitive, motor, language, social, and emotional development.

Each domain plays a pivotal role in a child's growth and sets them up to reach their maximum potential.

Cognitive development refers to our brain's ability to understand, process, and learn about the world around us. As children grow and mature, they begin to understand and navigate the world in more complex ways, learning to solve problems, make decisions, understand abstract concepts, and think critically.

This process occurs from birth through a variety of experiences, such as interaction with caregivers and exploring toys and their environment.

Motor development involves the growth and changes in a child’s body, including physical abilities, coordination, and balance. Motor development is divided into two types:

Gross motor skills  refer to a baby's larger movements such as lifting their head, crawling, rolling over, sitting, and eventually walking.

Fine motor skills  involve the small muscles in the hands and fingers as well as those in the mouth, tongue, and jaw. It includes clapping, drawing, and even speech!

Fine motor development is dependent on the development of gross motor abilities. Your child must develop strength, coordination, and stability in their core and larger extremities before they can be capable of smaller, more intricate movements. 

Speech and language development is the process of building communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal (gestures and facial expressions).

It includes the following:

Acquiring vocabulary (both understanding and using words),

Learning how to put words together, AND

Comprehending others’ communication

Social and emotional development involves your baby's developing interactions and relationships with others, especially their relationship with you, which provides the foundation of social and emotional development.

It also includes their growing awareness and understanding of themselves and their own emotions.

With these developmental categories in mind, let's explore the best educational toys for your baby or toddler. These toys will not only help your child achieve developmental milestones and gain new skills, they're also fun!

But what makes a toy "educational"? First and foremost, an educational toy should engage a child's mind in an interactive way and offer a degree of autonomy that allows children to experiment, explore, and learn at their own pace.

A truly educational toy will expand a child's knowledge and develop specific skills, which can be anything from critical thinking and problem-solving to creativity and spatial awareness.

In fact, the best developmental toys help your child grow in multiple categories, especially if you play together!

Even though a newborn can't manipulate a puzzle and an 8-month old can't play pretend with a doll, toys are still an important part of helping them learn and grow.

Below, we discuss the best toys around that will promote your baby's development in each of the four development domains, although many have benefits across domains.

1. High-contrast toys

A newborn baby's eyesight is not yet fully developed in the early months. They initially have poor contrast sensitivity, meaning that they can more easily see high-contrast objects. As a result, baby toys with bright or high-contrast colors (such as black and white) and strong patterns tend to grab a baby's attention.

High-contrast toys also stimulate their visual senses, helping to develop their eyesight and enhance their focus.

Pathfinder Health recommends:

2. Books with textures

Books with textures encourage babies to explore, engage their tactile senses, and provide an opportunity to work on their visual and language skills as you read together. The different textures, whether they're fluffy fur or bumpy scales, enhance their sensory awareness.

Additionally, looking at books with their parents or caregivers helps to foster a baby or toddler's love of reading from the very beginning!

3. Noisemakers

By shaking and manipulating a toy that rattles or jingles, babies are not only improving their hand-eye coordination, they're also learning about cause and effect and beginning to understand that their actions have an impact on the world around them.

Playing with different noise making toys also develops a baby's auditory discrimination—the ability to recognize and distinguish between different sounds—which will later help them to understand language. Toys that make multiple sounds are particularly beneficial for this.

4. Tummy time mat

Tummy time is critical for infant development—it helps babies build neck, upper body, and core strength that will be essential for crawling, standing, and walking.

Placing them on a mat with entertaining images and other sensory items can help make tummy time enjoyable and encourage your little one to practice for a longer amount of time.

5. Stacking toys

Stacking rings and stacking cups encourage fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination . As your baby starts to grasp and manipulate the rings or cups, they gain strength and dexterity in their hands .

Additionally, a baby has to figure out how to fit the pieces together when stacking the rings. This develops their problem-solving skills and builds self-confidence.

6. Baby-safe blocks

Blocks are a wonderful way to build your baby's fine motor skills and hand eye coordination—just watch as those little fingers learn how to grip, stack, and maneuver the pieces.

Blocks promote other learning as well. Babies love to knock down block towers, which is a great way to teach them cause and effect. Building simple block structures with your baby is also a good way to begin introducing pretend play.

For babies, look for blocks made of softer materials, not wood. Also choose something that can withstand chewing—teething babies love to gnaw on block corners!

7. Push/pull toys

If your baby is standing but not yet taking independent steps, a push toy can provide support and encourage them to practice walking. Good push toys for an early walker might include a toy shopping cart, baby doll stroller, or wagon . Choose sturdy toys that have a wide base to prevent tipping.

For babies that can walk independently, pull toys offer an additional challenge. As a child walks and pulls a toy, various fine and gross motor skills work together—their hands grasp the string, their arms pull it along, and their torso and legs work to balance and take steps.

8. Interactive board books

Simple books with repetitive text, captivating pictures, and interactive features like flaps or textures are great for engaging babies and fostering their early language development.

Read with your baby from a young age. Even though an infant won't understand what you're reading, you can sit and look at books and read stories together to encourage their love of books.

9. Musical toys

When infants listen to music and musical instruments, they soon begin to recognize tonalities, melodies, and pitches, forming a strong foundation for language learning.

Furthermore, making music can even help babies with the cognitive and motor development needed to speak.

This is because playing instruments like drums or rattles helps develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and overall proprioception—the ability to sense the position and movement of our own body parts even when we can't see them. All of these are important in building strong oral communication skills.

10. Plush animals

Soft and cuddly plush baby toys offer comfort and security, aiding in the development of infants' emotional well-being and creating a sense of attachment.

Safety tip: For babies, choose stuffed animals without plastic parts that could become detached and pose a choking hazard (including plastic "beans" in the stuffing). Also wait until your baby is one year before putting plush animals in their crib for sleep.

11. Baby-safe mirror

Mirrors made of shatter-proof plastic are great toys for babies because they help them develop a sense of self-awareness. Looking at themselves in a mirror helps infants learn about their body parts, expressions, and movements, while also entertaining them with their own reflections.

Eventually, a baby will learn to recognize that face in the mirror as their own!

Developmental toys and learning games become even more important as your baby grows into a toddler and continues to refine their cognitive, motor, speech and language, and social and emotional skills.

Numerous studies  have shown that play is the most powerful tool for learning and development in young children.

Play allows toddlers to explore and experiment with their surroundings, develop problem-solving skills, and practice social interactions, among many other skills.

Some of the best developmental toys for toddlers include the following, by developmental domain.

12. Puzzles

Engaging in puzzle play helps to promote and enhance various skills, such as problem-solving, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness.

Moreover, puzzles are excellent learning tools, helping children learn shapes, colors, sizes, and pattern recognition.

Finally, puzzles encourage patience and persistence and provide a confidence boost when your child completes a puzzle.

Blocks are one of the best all-around toys for toddlers.

Blocks offer endless opportunities for creativity and imaginative play and help children to develop important cognitive, physical, and social skills.

By stacking and sorting blocks, toddlers practice visual-spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. They also improve their fine motor control as they grasp and manipulate the blocks.

Plus, block play is often a group activity, fostering social interaction, communication, and cooperation.

Blocks can be as simple as a basic set of wooden blocks, but also include countless variations such as Lego DUPLOs and magnetic tiles.

14. Matching games

Games that involve matching pairs of images on cards or tiles can be a great way for toddlers to enhance their memory and concentration skills.

Additionally, these learning games can introduce them to the idea of categorization and help improve their ability to visually discriminate between similar images.

15. Art supplies

Basic arts and crafts offer a variety of ways to encourage and reward your child's motor development.

Art supplies such as crayons, paintbrushes, and playdough let them practice fine motor skills. This, in turn, strengthens the muscles in their hands and fingers, leading to better coordination and dexterity .

Plus, using art supplies encourages creativity and self-expression, helping to boost their cognitive and emotional development.

16. Ride-on toys

Ride-on toys are the perfect tool to help develop your toddler's gross motor skills. As your little one scoots around, they strengthen their legs, gain balance, and fine-tune their coordination .

Moreover, ride-on toys offer an excellent opportunity for outdoor playtime, which helps boost their overall physical fitness.

17. Picture books

Reading to your child regularly (ideally every day for at least a few minutes) is one of the most important ways to nurture their speech and language development, as well as other abilities. That's why we include books in several places on this list!

Among many other benefits, reading builds their vocabulary, listening and comprehension skills, and awareness of language structure , all skills that they will use at older ages in school.

Choose books that are appropriate for your child's age and development—they may become bored and engage less with books that are too simple or too advanced for them.

For toddlers, board books filled with lively pictures and easy-to-understand text are a good choice. Preschoolers will begin to enjoy books with more complicated stories.

To learn more about the benefits of reading and for specific book recommendations to help with different skills, check out our article, "16 Benefits of Reading with Children."

18. Puppets

Puppets are wonderful tools that can help nurture communication skills and inspire imaginative play.

You can use puppets to make up stories and have engaging conversations with your child. Through these interactions, puppets can teach toddlers to express themselves creatively and positively .

Puppets also allow children to explore and engage with different emotions and experiences, developing their emotional intelligence and empathy.

You can even use puppets to create "social stories"–short, simple stories that are meant to help your child understand what to expect and how to behave in certain social situations. This is a great way to begin teaching foundational social skills.

19. Dolls and action figures

Dolls and action figures offer children the opportunity to engage in imaginative, creative play, as well as learn essential social and emotional skills.

Through playing with dolls, children learn how to express themselves, communicate, and empathize with others.

Dolls also help kids build confidence and independence as they take on the role of caregiver or parent.

20. Toy kitchen set

Play kitchens help children hone their fine motor skills as they pour, measure, and stir. They also offer children an opportunity to engage in cooperative play with friends or siblings, practicing sharing, teamwork, and communication.

A play kitchen does not need to be complicated! Kids love to play in outdoor "mud kitchens" made of some old kitchen tools and clean, empty food containers.

Carefully selected toys play a vital role in nurturing essential skills and sparking your child's passion for learning. By choosing toys that promote your child's cognitive, motor, language, and social-emotional development, you can create an enriching environment that paves the way for their future success.

This way playtime isn't just fun, it unlocks your child's potential during these crucial formative years. So, let's get playing!

American Academy of Pediatrics, The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children, Pediatrics (2018), available at   https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2018-2058

Bergen D. The Role of Pretend Play in Children’s Cognitive Development. Early Childhood Research & Practice. 2002;4(1).

Fisher EP. The impact of play on development: A meta-analysis. Play & Culture. 1992;5(2):159-181.

• Developmental Activities
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Engaging infant toys encourage new skills and help your baby hit new developmental milestones.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

In our list, we left out plush animals. You'll likely receive plenty of bears and bunnies as newborn gifts for your baby to love. Instead, our Good Housekeeping Institute parenting pros and early-childhood specialists focused on developmental toys that help with specific skills as well as toys that can be manhandled by your baby and that engage more than one of their senses. You'll be looking at the best gifts for 1-year-olds soon enough, but these are for the really littles!

Our top picks:

Best Overall Infant Toy

The first years stack & count stacking cups.

Best Value Infant Toy

Bright starts oball.

Best Infant Toy for 0 to 3 Months

Smartnoggin nogginrings.

Best Infant Toy for 3 to 6 Months

Melissa & doug flip fish.

Best Infant Toy for 6 to 12 months

Fat brain toys pipsquigz combo set.

Best Infant Toy for 10 Months+

Fat brain toys innybin.

Best Infant Sensory Toy

Creative kids pull along sensory box montessori edition.

Best Infant Teether Toy

Vulli sophie the giraffe.

Best Infant Toy Activity Mat

Lovevery the play gym.

Best Infant Tummy Time Toy

Sassy tummy time floor mirror.

Toys also give you and your child a chance to engage: you can chat about the toy, make a toy "talk" or just enjoy being silly with each other. "It is in this stage, before the first birthday, that children develop attention and initiation with play materials," Thomas says. So if your child points to a toy, grab it and hand it to them.

At the end of our list, you'll find more on our selection process for infant toys as well as infant play milestones that these toys can help your baby reach. If you need a clear spot on the floor for play, check out our best play mats . And for a baby who has great neck control and is ready to sit and play, you may also be interested in our favorite baby jumpers for activity-center play.

The First Years Stack & Count Stacking Cups

Cups nesting into each other is magic to a baby. And these colorful cups can do more: "Once an infant has developed the skill of grasping them, placing the cups on top of each other to create a tower is a great problem-solving and cause-and-effect form of play which is a precursor for so many skills later on," Thomas says.

You can use these to talk about colors and show your baby the raised numbers on the bottom of each cup. They can also double as tub toys, because holes in the bottom of each cup turn each into a little sieves. Plus, they have nearly 80,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.

These are age-graded starting at 6 months because a baby needs some dexterity and patience to try and stack or nest them. (Knocking them over will be easier!) And your baby is not going to be able to repeat colors or numbers to you until toddlerhood. Still, for pure value — you'll use these for years, your child can learn an array of skills from them and the set is less than $12 — these are hard to beat.

It doesn't get much more classic than a ball — but infants have trouble grasping any smooth sphere. Even plush balls and bumpy balls can be a challenge at first, when a baby is just getting control of their hand-eye coordination. The 4-inch, lightweight Oball has a mesh design with 32 finger holes practically guaranteeing that your young baby will be able to grab on , wave this around and revel in a feeling of accomplishment.

"The Oball can be thrown, rolled, squashed and passed from hand to hand," Thomas says. This colorful toy is not easy for a baby to gum as a teether but expect that they will try and mouth it. Note that it's not dishwasher-safe, you'll want to just wipe it down with a damp, soapy cloth. This is another infant toy that lasts and lasts — we have a staffer with a 4-year-old who still loves this toy.

One of the first things your newborn will do with a toy is track it with their eyes. Dangle these rings, made in eye-catching contrasting colors, and watch your infant learn to follow where they go . Shake the rattle and see if your newborn will turn toward the sound. These are the earliest forms of play!

Once your 3-month-old can reach for the NogginRings and grasp them, they'll love putting them in their mouth (of course) and exploring their shape and sounds. "This can help your infant learn to bring their hands together on an object, then transfer it hand to hand," says Jennifer Rothman , LCSW, a child therapist in New York City. NogginRings will stay fun throughout your baby's first year but then your toddler will outgrow this little rattle.

Melissa & Doug Flip Fish

Babies love to pull at fabric tags, and this tactile toy gives them plenty. Crinkling, squeaking parts, bright patterns, hidden pictures and mirrored surfaces plus a teething fin keep a baby fascinated and exploring. We like this for the prime tummy-time stage from 3 to 6 months when babies can build a lot of core strength by spending some playtime each day on the floor, placed on their tummy with a toy in front of them. Use this toy to encourage your baby to lift their head, then reach and flip the fish fins.

This is also a fun toy for your baby to explore while sitting in their bouncer seat . It's just a little bigger than it looks — just over a foot long — which surprises some parents, so it's not super easy to take around on the go.

As you introduce solid foods, it's nice to have toys that can keep your baby sitting happily in the high chair, waiting to be served or digesting for a bit while you clean up. Make the time educational with this set of five silicone fidget toys for infants that can stick to a flat surface , then pull off with a popping sound . "These are versatile and can continue to be played with as your child grows older and experiments with creative play," Rothman says. Thomas agreed, adding, "Babies eventually figure out that they can plug pieces together and problem-solve as they create a construction plan. They'll stick them to different vertical surfaces."

This toy was a favorite with the daughter of Marisa LaScala , Good Housekeeping's Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor. She was obsessed — but so was LaScala and her husband. "We'd use them as fidget toys for ourselves!" LaScala says. You can also wash them in the dishwasher. They're a little pricier than most baby hand toys, but we think they're worth it.

Rather than a shape sorter, start off a baby who's just beginning to crawl and cruise with a toy that lets them stuff things in and take them back out . "There's a stage of infant development when they begin to collect and this toy is so perfect for not only collecting the pieces it comes with, but any toy that can fit inside," Thomas says. "Fitting materials inside of the InnyBin requires strong fine-motor skills and problem-solving for size, fit and shape. This is a great toy for practicing determination and developing resilience through focus."

Prime time for this toy is 10 months to age 3, as a baby develops better spatial reasoning and gradually gains control over the pieces shaped like a cube, sphere, flower, diamond, happy face and triangle (not shown). If this frustrates your baby, first be sure they're in the age window. Second, demonstrate by showing how you pull a toy out or stuff one in. Third, let them experience the possibly maddening period of learning how to do it themselves. "They're building frustration tolerance," Rothman says. The payoff will be your baby beaming with pride.

If you give a baby a real box of tissues, you can bet they will learn how to empty it. This toy is more fun and more educational, with the opportunity to talk about colors built in . It comes with 10 tissues, some of which crinkle and some of which are satiny, so you can talk about how they look, feel and sound. The box itself is decorated in high-contrast colors to entice your baby over to it.

Your infant will learn to pull these out and empty the box before they're developmentally ready to stuff them back in and fill the box, so they'll need you to assist for awhile. But this is a toy that will still be fun into toddlerhood, when they learn to hide not just the tissues but other toys inside the box.

Sometimes it seems as if every baby in America owns this toy. If yours has not yet met Sophie The Giraffe (real name: Sophie La Girafe, she's French), you might want to introduce them to this popular teething toy made of soft yet durable rubber that's been around since 1961.

There are a lot of theories as to why Sophie is a babe magnet. She's sized right and provides a bit of bumpy texture for infants, with their clumsy grips, to hold onto. "The shape of the toy offers so many ways to grasp it and it's long enough for an infant to easily bring to to their mouth," Thomas says. Sophie's dark eyes and big brown spots stand out on her white body, and babies love that contrast. Finally, she squeaks when squeezed, a cause-and-effect bonus that tots find hard to resist. "Both my babies tried other teethers but loved Sophie," one tester told us. "And seriously, every kid has a Sophie."

A downside is that it can't be sterilized, run through the dishwasher or submerged in water. In order to clean it, the brand recommends wiping it with a damp cloth.

This brand makes one of our go-to kids' subscription boxes , but you can buy this play gym à la carte . "I love that it's not visually overstimulating, like many baby play mats," Rothman says. "Plus, this is easy for a baby and mamma to use together." That's one of the things we like most — and it comes with an excellent play guide with stage-based tips and activities for you to try. (Because, let's face it, most of us do not actually know how to play with a baby!)

The high price is made more palatable by the fact that this can easily transform from a play gym into a toddler fort and last for years. We consider this one of our favorite high-quality baby toys because it comes with simple Montessori-style toys like a wooden batting toy and organic cotton ball as well as 14 high-contrast pictures on sturdy cards for your baby to study. The mat itself has different areas of color, pattern and texture to keep things interesting.

One way to get a baby lying on their tummy to lift their head and look up is to offer them a glimpse of something cute: " Babies love looking in the mirror so this helps you extend tummy time," says Rothman. It was definitely a favorite for both daughters of Lexie Sachs , Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles Lab Executive Director who oversees much of the baby-product testing. "So vain, they loved to see themselves," Sachs joked. (Actually babies don't know it's them in the mirror until they're about 18 months old.) "They also loved reaching for the two sensory toys on the top and bottom."

The mirror is baby-safe and unbreakable, so it's a little more distorted than a regular glass mirror. Be sure to peel off the plastic film that comes on for more clarity.

Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy

Kids love this for the lights and music. Parents appreciate the tunes, since it plays seven classical melodies by Mozart, Vivaldi, Chopin and more . It's pleasant for everyone, and there's volume control if you need it to be a bit louder in the car or softer at home.

We like this to throw in the diaper bag for outings because it's so small but so stimulating — if you need to soothe or distract your baby at a restaurant, in the supermarket or while doing a diaper change in an unfamiliar bathroom, this can be little lifesaver. It's also easy to wipe clean. It comes with the two AA batteries needed to get started but online reviews caution that you'll want more on hand if your baby really loves this toy and uses it often.

Sassy Sassy Ring O Links

Infants love how these C-shaped rings clack together and fall all around the main circle ring, which is done up in contrasting black and white. Sassy's O Links are differently textured rings in rainbow colors and the toy, about 5 inches tall, is easy to take anywhere . Pull off any one ring for your infant to grip and gum or keep them all together as a rattling distraction toy as you travel around in the stroller or car seat.

If the toy lands on the ground, feel at ease knowing that it is dishwasher-safe. Some parents say they also use the black and white ring to attach to other toys for taking things along — the main ring pulls open enough to link a toy on, or to clip it to something like the stroller harness. It's a small purchase, not a big giftable kind of toy, but one that you and your baby will probably both turn to more than you'd expect.

Related: See our Family Travel Awards

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Baby Activity Center Crawl Around Car

Your baby can crawl around and also sit inside this awesome infant play center. Like other toys in this line, it's got a lot to teach through songs, phrases and more — there are more than a hundred different tunes and recitations of shapes, colors, letters and numbers. There are three learning levels, so you can start your infant at level 1 and move up to levels 2 and 3 during toddlerhood.

We like that your baby can practice gross motor skills by crawling around, sitting in and standing by this fun car. They can also work their fine-motor skills by sending the three balls down a ramp and placing the shapes in the shape sorter. Inside, there's a horn to honk, a key to turn and a radio to switch on, though those might appeal more to a toddler ready to imitate grown-ups. The car is stationary, which might make some kids mad if they expect to be able to drive it around. It requires about 20 minutes or so of set-up and three AA batteries, not included.

Infantino Baby's 1st Rattle Set

Wait, did I just do that? When wearing a wrist rattle or a sock rattle, a baby's own motion can entertain them , leading to exciting discoveries like finding their own feet. Eventually your baby will have the dexterity to pull the booties off and hold them in their hand. At about 4 months to 6 months old, they might also be able to hold and chew on the spinning flower toy with its rattling beads.

Some sensitive babies might get overwhelmed by the rattling after a bit so be sure to keep an eye on your baby and remove the wrist and sock rattles if looks as if they're agitated or grown tired of them.

Fisher-Price Smart Stages Piggy Bank

A baby able to sit up and grasp, usually after 6 months, will enjoy fitting the 10 coins into this smiling piggy bank — and it hones their hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills. The toy rewards their persistence with songs and phrases, offering words in Spanish and lessons in colors and counting . Once your infant has heard all of the Stage 1 lessons plenty of times, you can switch to Stage 2 for new lessons for your toddler.

We like that it comes with the batteries included and that the coins can all store inside the bank. You can turn off the music and sounds, but there is no volume control.

Jellycat Jungly Tails Soft Cloth Baby Books

Before their clumsy little hands are even ready to turn the pages of a board book, your baby can play with all the tactile features on this soft cloth baby book . Infants can pull on the dangling tails (remember, they love to pull tags and pieces of fabric) and follow them to the colorful pictures of the animals inside as you call out each one's name. This is the jungle version but the brand also has books of fluffy tails and more.

The pages crinkle for added interest. This is a book you can explore together, but to help your baby's vocabulary grow, you should also read aloud from regular books. See our Kids Book Awards for some good suggestions.

Lamaze Freddie the Firefly

We're showing the firefly, but Lamaze makes a herd of bright, dangling creatures that include a moose, a squid and even a jellyfish. Boasting more than 37,000 five-star Amazon reviews, this clip-on toy can attach to the stroller and not be thrown overboard , which you'll learn from experience, is a real problem with many other toys. Hook it around the stroller harness so your baby can hold this in their hand and explore the layers of textures and fabrics, little mirrors, clacking rings and more.

If your infant is still young and not reaching, just looking, you might hook it to the stroller canopy like a mobile. Some parents also hook one to the diaper bag so it's always available as a distraction during on-the-go diaper changes or if you're out running errands and your baby starts to fuss. Any toy that travels with you can get dirty, but note that this toy should be spot-cleaned only; it's not recommended for machine washing.

Sassy Stacks of Circles Stacking Ring

You can practically hear your baby's brain whirring as they play with these nine differently sized rings in varying colors and textures. The clear ring even makes a rattling sound. The rings can be stacked in any order, which decreases frustration when stacking. Join in the play and show your infant the difference in size between the large black and white ring and the small one. Then count from 1 to 9 as you put the rings on the pole one at a time.

Stacking the rings helps hone hand-eye coordination. In fact this has been lauded as an early STEM toy that can help kids learn sorting, counting, sequencing and recognizing what is the same or different about two objects. We like that the rings are easy for an infant to grab and manipulate. They will outgrow this, however, and be ready to move on to building blocks by age 2.

Skip Hop Toy Maracas

Shake it up! Toys that play music for your baby are not as richly educational as something like these egg-shaped shakers that let your child make the sounds . We love that they're each shaped like an adorable animal to catch your baby's attention, that there are textures to explore on their bellies and that each one makes a slightly different noise when shaken. They're a bit chunky but if your baby can't grip one at 3 months, they may be able to hold and shake them by 6 months.

Note that the sounds these make are pretty soft. We like that they're not cacophonous but if your baby is shaking them while you play music, they might be hard to hear.

VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker

Once your baby pulls to a stand and takes tentative steps, they're no longer your infant anymore — you're entering toddler territory. Help them along with a push toy your baby can use for balance as they stand and walk . This toy, which has more than 77,000 five-star Amazon reviews, is much safer than a baby walker that a child sits inside, where they are essentially trapped. Your baby can let go from a push walker like this anytime they need to.

Your little one can first sit in front of this to play with all the toys on the activity panel, or the panel can be removed and used as a floor toy. They'll stay busy and hone fine-motor skills with the light-up piano keys, a play phone, gears that spin and buttons that, when pressed, deliver fun songs and vocabulary words. When your baby is ready to pull to a stand and work large-motor skills, the toy has a wide base for stability. Your baby can easily grab the green handlebar and push this four-wheeled walker.

The two AA batteries needed to get this started are included. The lights and sounds can get a little overstimulating but fortunately there are both high and low volume settings or you can turn it completely off.

Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents .

Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years , overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. 

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25 Best Toys for Baby Development (According to a Child Psychiatrist) – Updated for 2023

Can Toys Help with Baby Development?

As a child psychiatrist, part of my education and training is in infant and child development. When it comes to baby development , there are many factors that can help a baby develop optimally. Some of these things include their environment and the things they interact with, the way people interact with them, and the opportunities they have to explore and learn.

Toys play a critical role in a baby’s development by providing sensory stimulation and promoting motor, cognitive, and social-emotional development. For example, toys with different textures, shapes, and colors can provide sensory stimulation, which can promote brain development and help babies learn about their environment. As babies begin to reach, grasp, and manipulate toys, they develop their fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and depth perception. Toys that encourage problem-solving, such as shape sorters or stacking toys, can help babies develop their cognitive skills and spatial awareness.

In addition to promoting physical and cognitive development, toys can also support social-emotional development. For example, toys that encourage social interaction, such as baby dolls or toy animals, can help babies develop their empathy and social skills. As babies begin to imitate adults and engage in pretend play, they develop their creativity and imagination, as well as their emotional regulation.

Here are some great toys for baby development that I highly recommend:

25. Baby Sensory and Fidget Toy

This toy has multiple functions and is made of food-grade silicone for teething. It has toggles that make sounds and move in different ways to allow babies to feel vibrations and learn to manipulate the various toys and poppers.

24. Interactive Book Toy

This toy allows babies to turn pages and select activities like music, vocabulary, nursery rhymes and more.

23. Interactive Puppy Toy

This battery-operated puppy plays interactive games with baby like teaching words, teaching body parts, counting, and the alphabet.

22. Montessori Tissue Box

We all know how much babies love to pull things out of boxes and packaging. This soft toy simulates a tissue box but it can be refilled unlimited times for plenty of fun.

21. Escape Crawling Crab

This fun crab crawls in different directions to encourage baby to follow after it. This helps with both crawling development as well as eye tracking development, hand-eye coordination and general motor skills like reaching.

20. Wrist and Foot Rattles

These rattles help babies learn how each arm and leg moves. Great for motor development.

19. Baby Musical Instrument Set

Music is great for both motor and brain development.

18. Piggy Bank Counting Toy

This piggy bank helps babies learn to count and also plays songs and teaches colors.

17. Black and White Stimulating Mobile

This baby mobile uses strong contrast to stimulate a baby’s brain and can be more easily seen by young babies eyes.

16. Montessori Busy Board

This busy board is great for older babies who are ready to start doing more fine motor skills like plugging and turning keys.

• Visual Quiet Book (Shapes & Color)

This baby book is black and white with high contrast colors throughout it for mental stimulation for your little one. There are interactive sections of these soft, fabric-like flaps that your baby can lift or turn. It’s recommended for children ages 6-12 months.

• Sassy Stacks of Circles, Stacking Ring STEM Learning Toy, 9 Piece Set

With this 9-piece stacking set, your child will stay busy for a while. The rings are all different sizes, colors, and textures. Your child can use the stacking post or simply stack the rings on top of each other. It also includes a mirror for your little one to see themselves and start to recognize their reflection. It’s recommended for children ages 6-24 months and can even be used as a teething toy!

• Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror

If you have a baby, chances are they enjoy spending a lot of time on their tummy. This toy has a cute little bee and ladybug along with a large mirror in the middle that your little one can see themselves in. The bee rotates and clicks to attract your baby’s attention.

• Baby Activity and Teething Toy with Multi-Sensory Rattle and Textures

This is such a cute kid’s toy! It’s shaped like a puppy and has all sorts of textures, patterns, and colors. It has a ring that allows it to be attached to a bag or car seat. Additionally, it comes with a detachable teething toy shaped like a bone and a bandana. It’s very durable and can withstand even the most ambitious of teethers.

• Soft Stacking Blocks, Sensory Infant Bath Toys

These are adorable neutral stacking blocks that also float in the bathtub. On the sides of the blocks are numbers, interactive patterns, mix and match sides, and more. They also squeak, so this toy will definitely aid in development through touch and sound.

• Baby Walker Sit to Stand Toys, Musical Fun Table, Lights and Sounds

Your child can have hours of endless fun with this musical baby walker. It has so many pieces to it including a sketch board, buttons and knobs to turn and make noise, an activity table, and more! The walker is built so that it prevents bowing of the legs and helps with fine motor skills and developing problem-solving skills.

• TEYTOY Baby Toy Zoo Series, 26pcs, Soft Alphabet Cards

Not only will you get 26 fabric alphabet cards, but also a cute little cloth bag with animals on it for your child to carry them around the house. The alphabet cards include both letters and animals that start with the respective letter. They are appropriately called “zoo cards” and will make learning even more fun.

• Hoovy Infant Crawling Toys, Beginner Crawl Along Baby Roller

It can be incredibly difficult to keep an eye on your baby or distract them once they learn to crawl. That’s why this crawling roller toy for babies is so helpful. It’s an inflatable toy that has colorful balls inside that move and drop to stimulate your child’s senses. They can push it or stand up and roll it, and that will help develop their muscles and coordination.

• Learning Resources Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog, Pink, 14 pieces

Not only is this a very cute hedgehog toy, but it’s also wonderful for engaging your child’s problem-solving skills. They will have fun putting the multi-colored spikes in the hedgehog’s back. This toy could even be used for physical therapy for your little one. It’s recommended for children starting at 18 months and up.

• Playskool Explore ‘N Grow Busy Gears (Amazon Exclusive)

This toy will definitely keep your child busy. It’s made up of very colorful interchangeable gears of all sizes. There are eleven gears included and they turn just like real gears do. This Playskool toy also lights up and plays music so it will incorporate a variety of your child’s senses like sight, sound, and touch.

• Dancing Walking Yellow Duck Baby Toy with Music and LED Lights

This toy is for those kiddos who can’t stop dancing and singing. It’s an adorable yellow ducky that dances and waddles while playing music and lighting up with LED lights. On the front of the ducky are five buttons that your child can play different songs and more. As an added bonus, the ducky has a little baby duck in its pouch that sings too!

• Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pounding Bench Wooden Toy with Mallet

We’ve all played the game “Whac-a-mole” at an arcade where you use a mallet to whack the moles as they pop up, and this children’s game is similar. Little colorful pegs poke through a wooden bench and can be moved up and down for your child to “whack” with the wooden mallet included. It’s recommended for children 2-4 years of age.

• Pop Up Fine Motor Skills Toy

Babies and toddlers can learn to push, pull, twist and more fine motor skills with this fun toy.

• Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Cube, Classic Wooden Toy With 12 Shapes

This wooden box toy with colored shapes is a classic favorite. It’s simple but very fun and distracting. This toy helps your child to identify different shapes and work on their problem-solving skills by locating which hole the shape is meant to fit through.

• SEPHIX Funny Tummy Time Mat for Baby

One of the reasons this tummy time mat is so amazing is because it captures your attention, but it’s also so interactive. During the winter you can blow it up with air, but in the summer, you can fill it with water for your little one to cool down while playing outside. Additionally, it comes with cute 3D ocean toys that float.

Dr. Sean Paul, MD

Related posts, 40+ development toys for 2 year olds – recommended by a child psychiatrist 2024.

Discovery Play with Littles

2:01 pm ·

15 Powerful Problem Solving Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

I looked over to her table and she’s crying. Again. While everyone else is happily working away, she sat there, unable to move, just crying. 

Not asking for help.

Not trying to solve her problem.

Just crying.

I took a deep breath before heading over. We’ve already been at this for several months…isn’t it about time the problem-solving has kicked in yet?

One glance and I could tell what her problem was. She didn’t have her pencil.

Know how I knew?

It laid on the floor beside her. In plain sight.

As a kindergarten teacher, I don’t jump right in and solve problems for kids. It’s good for them to try to solve the problem themselves. This is something she struggled with. 

I reminded myself of the need for patience and empathy as I walked up to her. “What’s wrong, Amanda?” 

“I…can’t…find…my…pencil….” she sputtered out between sobs. 

“Ok, that’s a problem we can solve. What have you tried?” 

“I don’t know.” 

After a long time trying to first, calm her down, and second, come up with some strategies she could try, she finally found her pencil. At that point, everyone else had finished the project. 

What is Problem Solving?

Problem-solving is the process of finding a solution to your problem . This can be quite tricky for some young children, especially those with little experience in finding more than one way to solve a problem.

Why is Problem Solving Important? 

Problem-solving skills are used throughout childhood into adulthood. As adults, we solve problems on a daily basis. Some problems we solve without thinking much- I wanted to make tacos for dinner but forgot to buy the ground beef. What are we going to have for dinner now?

Other problems are significantly more complicated. 

Problems for kiddos can be problems with friendships, the inability to find something that’s needed, or even what to do when things don’t go your way. 

Kids who lack problem-solving skills struggle to maintain friendships or even begin to attempt to solve their own problems. 

Children who lack problem-solving skills are at a higher risk for depression as well.

What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Problem-solving skills are:

• Breaking Down a Problem into Smaller Parts
• Communication
• Decision-making
• Logical Reasoning
• Perseverance

That’s a big list to teach toddlers and preschoolers. Where do you begin?

The Problem-Solving Steps

Sometimes kids are so overwhelmed with frustration that it affects their ability to solve problems.

Kids feel safe in routines, and routines help them learn and grow. After a few times of repeating this routine, you’ll find your kiddo starts to do this on their own. 

It’s important not to skip straight to solving the problem , because your kiddo needs to be in a calm state of mind to solve the problem, and also they need to know their feelings are valid. 

• The first thing to do when your kiddo is struggling with problem-solving is to validate their emotions.

In doing this, they will feel more understood and learn that their emotions are okay. There are no bad feelings, and we must learn how to manage our emotions. 

This might sound something like “Oh, I can see you are really frustrated that the block won’t fit on there right. Let’s take some deep breaths to help us calm down before we think about what to do next.”

• Next, work through your calm-down process . This may be taking some deep breaths together, hugging a stuffie, or giving your kiddo some quiet time to calm down their heart and mind.
• Identify the problem . This sounds like something you may have already done (before the meltdown) but it’s important to be very clear on the problem you’re solving. Have the child tell you their problem out loud.
• Move on to solution-finding . When your kiddo is ready, talk about what the problem is and three possible solutions. When possible, let your kiddo do all of the talking. This allows him to practice his problem-solving skills. It’s important to remind him that the first thing he tries may not work, and that’s ok. There’s always another way to solve the problem. If he’s prepared for this, solutions that don’t work won’t be such a frustrating experience. 
• After you’ve done that, test your solutions one by one. See what works. If you haven’t found a solution yet, go back and think of different ways you might be able to solve your problem and try again.

Are you tired of hearing “It’s TOO HARD!” followed by a meltdown?

Using this one simple phrase you’ll get in this powerful lesson, you’ll not only be able to help your kiddo not give up but you’ll:

>Activate their superpower of perseverance so that they can turn around a meltdown and keep trying

>Inspire them to use perseverance …even when it’s hard

>Teach them to recognize the warning signs of giving up , and how to turn it around by taking control of their choices.

Grab your powerful FREE video lesson to teach your kiddo one of the most powerful keys to perseverance.

Powerful Activities that Teach Problem-Solving Skills to Toddlers & Preschoolers

These activities below may look simple, but don’t let that deter you from trying them. A lot happens in little developing brains and these powerful activities help toddlers and preschoolers make connections and develop {many} essential skills-more than just problem-solving.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.  

Puzzles are fun and a great way to encourage cognitive development in children. They are great for spacial reasoning and strengthening problem-solving skills. They also develop memory skills, critical thinking, and the ability to plan and execute the plan. Toddlers will enjoy the simple puzzles, and preschoolers will do great with floor puzzles with larger puzzle pieces.

Doing Simple Chores

Doing simple chores is a great way to teach children problem-solving skills, and it strengthens responsibility and perseverance as well. 

During the toddler years , you may start with just picking up their toys, or helping you put their dirty clothes in the hamper. 

Preschoolers can take their dirty dishes to the sink (or load them in the dishwasher), collect the trash, dust, wipe baseboards, and do their own personal care items like making their bed, taking care of their dirty clothes, and putting clean clothes away.

Stacking Rings

When watching a toddler play with stacking rings it doesn’t look like much is happening, but playing with these toys is full of ways to encourage development. It helps with visual and spacial perception and planning ahead, but it also with balance control, crossing the midline, creative play, and gross motor skills. Not to mention it’s a great opportunity to practice problem-solving. 

Playing Hide-and-Seek

Hide and seek has many surprising benefits for kids. Playing hide and seek is like a treasure hunt that helps develop gross motor skills and encourages physical development, as well as problem-solving skills. It also helps young children develop visual tracking, working memory, and social-emotional skills.

Imaginative Play

Imaginative play (also called role-play) builds important skills. Through pretending to be in different situations, kids develop social skills, emotional skills, better communication, and problem-solving skills. Imaginative play is a great idea for young toddlers all the way to older children.

Free Play 

Many young children don’t have {enough} time for free play. Free play is important for healthy brain development , not only developing imagination, cooperation, physical skills, and independence but also providing a great opportunity to strengthen problem-solving skills. 

Playing with Wooden Blocks

Building blocks are a fun way for children to develop creative thinking, imagination, problem-solving, fine motor skills, and if working with others, cooperation, communication, and friendship.

Playing Memory

Memory games improve attention, focus, visual recognition, and concentration. It helps children recognize details and of course, strengthens problem-solving skills. 

Ask Questions

When I see my son struggling with something, my first instinct is to give him choices or at least lead him in the right direction. The better thing to do is to ask very open-ended questions that lead his process, not his thoughts.

Questions like “What’s one way to solve your problem?” are much more effective in teaching problem-solving skills than “Well, where did you last see your stuffy?” 

Read Books and Social Stories

Reading books is one of my favorite ways to teach any skill. It’s extremely effective at teaching, and it’s also an amazing bonding time with kids.

When we read stories, our brain reacts as if we’re living in the story. This is why reading books about skills such as problem-solving is so effective. 

Kids of all ages learn from the people they love . (Yes, even those older kids who you don’t think are paying attention.) Often as adults, we’re too busy going through our daily routine to think about talking about the way we solved the problem at work that day.

Talking about how you use skills such as problem-solving, perseverance, and integrity is a great way to set an example, and an expectation that this is how we do things, and it will provide encouragement for your kiddo to do the same.

Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are a great group activity that can strengthen your child’s logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

When Your Kiddo is Ready, Add These Activities

Preschoolers would benefit from all of the fun activities on the list above and when they’re ready, feel free to add in the following activities.   

Mazes are great for problem-solving and perseverance, but your kiddo will need to have decent fine motor skills to do these activities. Mazes are one of our favorite activities. We love to take our activity book of mazes in the car with us for road trips. 

Board Games  

Board games are a good way to strengthen problem-solving, teamwork, planning skills, patience, sportsmanship, and communication skills. They also strengthen family relationships by providing some intentional time of connection .

Any board game can also be turned into an academic game with just a deck of cards for whatever skill you’re working on. If you’re working on the alphabet, put one letter on each card. Before each player’s turn, they draw a letter card and say the letter’s name. (You may accidentally forget the name of a letter every now and then to see if your kiddo is really paying attention!) 

Allow Opportunities for Hands-On Investigations

Kids are tactile. They love to touch and explore things with their hands. This is a good activity for toddlers also, as long as they are out of the putting everything in their mouth stage. Hands-on exploration is great for language development, sensory exploration, and problem-solving.

Allowing kids to investigate with their hands allows them to see how the world works up close. It also gives them time and space to try to make things work…and problem-solve when it doesn’t go as they think it should.

The Most Difficult Way (and Most Important Way) To Strengthen Problem-Solving Skills

Watching our kids struggle is hard ! We don’t want to see them having a hard time…and most of the time we don’t want to deal with the impending meltdown. Standing back and giving our kids time and space to work through even simple problems is hard to do. It’s also the most important way to strengthen problem-solving skills. 

As parents, we’re like frogs in boiling water. When our kids are infants, they need us to recognize their needs and solve them immediately. As they get older, they can point to what they want, but we still have a lot of interpreting and problem-solving to do on our own. If we aren’t careful, we stay in this stage and don’t teach our kiddos the steps to problem-solving for themselves. 

The next most difficult thing? Allowing natural consequences to happen. (As long as your child is safe of course.) If your child saves their money for a long time to buy a new toy, but walks down the toy aisle and picks up something you know they’ll be disappointed with, let it happen. It will teach a valuable lesson that will last for years to come.

Another Essential Part of Problem-Solving

Perseverance is a big part of problem-solving. We are rarely able to solve problems the first time, and it’s essential that kids can find more than one solution to a problem. Studies have found that perseverance is actually the biggest predictor of success, even more than aptitude or raw talent. 

An entire module is dedicated to perseverance in our course for kids, Super Kid Adventures . Your kiddo will get 25 teacher-led lessons on character traits (perseverance, empathy, friendship, responsibility, and wellness) and activities that take their learning further. 

Want a free preview? Grab a FREE Perseverance video lesson that teaches your kiddo one of the most important secrets that help them use perseverance.

Want More? 

If you like this, you’ll love: 

The Ultimate List of Books that Teach Perseverance

7 Simple Ways to Encourage Independence in Young Children

How to Help Your Child Develop Self-Help Skills

Your Turn 

What are your favorite ways to teach problem-solving skills?

About Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a mama of two boys, a former teacher, and the founder of Discovery Play with Littles. Her mission is to make raising kids with character simple and fun. Join us for our best learning through play ideas, character growth activities, and family connection ideas so you can watch your child thrive.

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As a SLP trying to guide parents as I work with their child. I would like to know what toys to recommend to my parents as I assist in guiding their child’s development in cognition and expressive language.

Perseverance is the biggest predictor of success, even more than raw talent or aptitude.

Grab a FREE lesson to teach your kiddo one of the keys to perseverance...which is how we talk to our brains.

They'll learn what to say when they encounter something difficult, and why it's so important.

PLAY is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood. -Mr. Rogers

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Good Toys for Young Children by Age and Stage

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In addition to being safe (see  Safety and children's toys  below), good toys for young children need to match their stages of development and emerging abilities. Many safe and appropriate play materials are free items typically found at home. Cardboard boxes, plastic bowls and lids, collections of plastic bottle caps, and other “treasures” can be used in more than one way by children of different ages. As you read the following lists of suggested toys for children of different ages, keep in mind that each child develops at an individual pace. Items on one list—as long as they are safe—can be good choices for children who are younger and older than the suggested age range.

Toys for young infants—birth through 6 months

Babies like to look at people—following them with their eyes. Typically, they prefer faces and bright colors. Babies can reach, be fascinated with what their hands and feet can do, lift their heads, turn their heads toward sounds, put things in their mouths, and much more!

Good toys for young infants:

• Things they can reach for, hold, suck on, shake, make noise with—rattles, large rings, squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, and vinyl and board books
• Things to listen to—books with nursery rhymes and poems, and recordings of lullabies and simple songs
• Things to look at—pictures of faces hung so baby can see them and unbreakable mirrors

Toys for older infants—7 to 12 months

Older babies are movers—typically they go from rolling over and sitting, to scooting, bouncing, creeping, pulling themselves up, and standing. They understand their own names and other common words, can identify body parts, find hidden objects, and put things in and out of containers.

Good toys for older infants:

• Things to play pretend with—baby dolls, puppets, plastic and wood vehicles with wheels, and water toys
• Things to drop and take out—plastic bowls, large beads, balls, and nesting toys
• Things to build with—large soft blocks and wooden cubes
• Things to use their large muscles with—large balls, push and pull toys, and low, soft things to crawl over

Toys for 1-year-olds

One-year-olds are on the go! Typically they can walk steadily and even climb stairs. They enjoy stories, say their first words, and can play next to other children (but not yet with!). They like to experiment—but need adults to keep them safe.

Good toys for 1-year-olds:

• Board books with simple illustrations or photographs of real objects
• Recordings with songs, rhymes, simple stories, and pictures
• Things to create with—wide non-toxic, washable markers, crayons, and large paper
• Things to pretend with—toy phones, dolls and doll beds, baby carriages and strollers, dress-up accessories (scarves, purses), puppets, stuffed toys, plastic animals, and plastic and wood “realistic” vehicles
• Things to build with—cardboard and wood blocks (can be smaller than those used by infants—2 to 4 inches)
• Things for using their large and small muscles—puzzles, large pegboards, toys with parts that do things (dials, switches, knobs, lids), and large and small balls

Toys for 2-year-olds (toddlers)

Toddlers are rapidly learning language and have some sense of danger. Nevertheless they do a lot of physical “testing”: jumping from heights, climbing, hanging by their arms, rolling, and rough-and-tumble play. They have good control of their hands and fingers and like to do things with small objects.

Good toys for 2-year-olds:

• Things for solving problems—wood puzzles (with 4 to 12 pieces), blocks that snap together, objects to sort (by size, shape, color, smell), and things with hooks, buttons, buckles, and snaps
• Things for pretending and building—blocks, smaller (and sturdy) transportation toys, construction sets, child-sized furniture (kitchen sets, chairs, play food), dress-up clothes, dolls with accessories, puppets, and sand and water play toys
• Things to create with—large non-toxic, washable crayons and markers, large paintbrushes and fingerpaint, large paper for drawing and painting, colored construction paper, toddler-sized scissors with blunt tips, chalkboard and large chalk, and rhythm instruments
• Picture books with more details than books for younger children
• CD and DVD players with a variety of music (of course, phonograph players and cassette recorders work too!)
• Things for using their large and small muscles—large and small balls for kicking and throwing, ride-on equipment (but probably not tricycles until children are 3), tunnels, low climbers with soft material underneath, and pounding and hammering toys

Toys for 3- to 6-year-olds (preschoolers and kindergarteners)

Preschoolers and kindergartners have longer attention spans than toddlers. Typically they talk a lot and ask a lot of questions. They like to experiment with things and with  their still-emerging physical skills. They like to play with friends—and don’t like to lose! They can take turns—and sharing one toy by two or more children is often possible  for older preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Good toys for 3- to 6-year-olds:

• Things for solving problems—puzzles (with 12 to 20+ pieces), blocks that snap together, collections and other smaller objects to sort by length, width, height,  shape, color, smell, quantity, and other features—collections of plastic bottle caps, plastic bowls and lids, keys, shells, counting bears, small colored blocks
• Things for pretending and building—many blocks for building complex structures, transportation toys, construction sets, child-sized furniture (“apartment” sets, play food), dress-up clothes, dolls with accessories, puppets and simple puppet theaters, and sand and water play toys
• Things to create with—large and small crayons and markers, large and small paintbrushes and fingerpaint, large and small paper for drawing and painting, colored construction paper, preschooler-sized scissors, chalkboard and large and small chalk, modeling clay and playdough, modeling tools, paste, paper and cloth  scraps for collage, and instruments—rhythm instruments and keyboards, xylophones, maracas, and tambourines
• Picture books with even more words and more detailed pictures than toddler books
• Things for using their large and small muscles—large and small balls for kicking and throwing/catching, ride-on equipment including tricycles, tunnels, taller  climbers with soft material underneath, wagons and wheelbarrows, plastic bats and balls, plastic bowling pins, targets and things to throw at them, and a  workbench with a vise, hammer, nails, and saw
• If a child has access to a computer: programs that are interactive (the child can do something) and that children can understand (the software uses graphics and  spoken instruction, not just print), children can control the software’s pace and path, and children have opportunities to explore a variety of concepts on several  levels

Safety and children's toys

Safe toys for young children are well-made (with no sharp parts or splinters and do not pinch); painted with nontoxic, lead-free paint; shatter-proof; and easily cleaned.

Electric toys should be "UL Approved." Be sure to check the label, which should indicate that the toy has been approved by the Underwriters Laboratories. In addition, when choosing toys for children under age 3, make sure there are no small parts or pieces that could become lodged in a child’s throat and cause suffocation.

It is important to remember that typical wear and tear can result in a once safe toy becoming hazardous. Adults should check toys frequently to make sure they are in good repair. For a list of toys that have been recalled by manufacturers, visit the  Consumer Product Safety Commission  website.

Entertain Your Toddler

Last Updated on 12/17/2019 by Karen

Best Puzzles and Problem-Solving Toys for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Puzzles, puzzles, puzzles!

We love puzzles and problem-solving toys. My three-year-old is a thinker. She has more fun working on a puzzle or problem-solving than most other toys. And now her younger sister is following a similar trajectory.

Puzzles and problem-solving toys are the last category on our foundational toys list, but by no means the least. Kids need puzzles and problem-solving toys in order to work on critical thinking skills, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and well, problem-solving!

In this guide, I’ll walk you through some traditional and non-traditional puzzles, and lots of options for toys that encourage problem-solving and critical thinking.

I had a really hard time deciding what to put in this list because there are so many good options out there. I hope this guide can help you narrow down all those options and find the perfect gift!

As always, you need to be the judge of whether a toy is appropriate for your young child’s abilities and interests. I find it’s best to pick a puzzle that challenges but does not frustrate your child. This makes for us and our kids much happier.

After browsing our top puzzle and problem-solving toys, be sure to read my tips for extending puzzle play.

Disclosure: We use sponsored, or affiliate, links, which means that we could earn a small commission that helps fund our blog (at no extra cost to you!). All opinions are our own and we only recommend products we love. Thank you for your support and happy shopping!

Sea Life Puzzle   //   Safari Animals Puzzle   //   Farm Animals Puzzle   //   Dinosaur Puzzle   //   Things That Go Puzzle   //   Construction Vehicles Puzzle

Melissa & Doug Wooden Chunky Puzzle 

We have just started collecting puzzles ever since we first played with the massive collection at our local library. She loves these Melissa & Doug wooden chunky puzzles, and I do too! 

Not only are they solid wood, durable, and hardwearing, the chunky pieces are easy to grab and can be played with as stand-alone figurines. 

These Melissa & Doug puzzles are perfect for young toddlers because under the puzzle piece is a picture of the piece that goes there to help little ones put the right shape in more easily.

We started with the sea life puzzle, but I’ve got a few more I want to get this year and put links below in the order I’m planning to get them in. (Yes, these toy guides are just a glorified shopping list so that when birthdays and Christmases roll around, I’ve got my next thing ready to buy.)

If you are looking for more on your own, make sure to check that they are not the peg kind as some types with the peg in the middle have thin pieces that can’t stand up like these chunky pieces can.

 1.  Sea Life Puzzle    

2. Safari Animals puzzle

3.   Farm Animals Puzzle

4.  Dinosaur Puzzle

5.  Things That Go Puzzle

6.  Construction Vehicles Puzzle

I would recommend getting two animal sets. That way you can mix up the pieces and sort them as you talk about animal habitats for yet another way to play!

Our library has this puzzle rack for storing their puzzles. Fits up to 12 puzzles (both the chunky puzzle size and larger).

Wooden Wonders Balancing Block Play Set  by Imagination Generation

I wrote about this game in my complete toy buying guide . These are cute little animal pieces that you can stack on a hard surface, or on the wobbly farm block.

This one was challenging for Elena at 18 months, so she mostly played with them as individual pieces . She was disappointed that she couldn’t put them in the barn, though.

Kids will work on fine motor skills, critical thinking, and (the reason for this post!) problem-solving.

Here’s a few other options:   “Blockbeard” pirate set (though more difficult to play with individual pieces, like what do you do with the pirate heads? hmm….) Noah’s ark (2 of each animal, of course!) Lewo animal set (which we own and love!)

Tomy Hide and Squeak Eggs

Someone gifted us these ADORABLE little Hide and Squeak eggs and Elena loves playing with them. There is so much to learn and play with in this little half dozen egg set.

The eggs have different shapes on the bottom that fit into the matching shapes in the carton.

Each little chick inside is a different color and matches with the colored faces on the outer shell.

Plus, when you push down on the chick, it squeaks! Squeak, squeak! 

It was a challenge at first for Elena to even open the carton. Then she discovered the different shapes on the bottom. And finally, she played by matching the colors. Sometimes Elenawill play with these as actual eggs for pretend cooking. 

Elena was two when we got these, but I could see a one-year-old or younger wanting to play with this set as well.

Fisher-Price Stack and Roll Cups

This toy doesn’t look like much at first… just your standard nesting cups set right? WRONG!

These bad boys can be nested, stacked, or snapped together to make 5 different sized balls! The little smiley at the top has a bell inside and can be hidden inside one of the balls.

Get these for a baby and he will keep playing with them in new ways as a toddler.

I can already think of several different ways to play with these cups, especially in combination with other toys. Color sorting, pretend cooking and eating, matching games, rainbow drums, hide-and-seek games, um, yeah, I think these are a great foundational toy !

Alex Discover Button Art

Fine motor skills will get a workout in this button art set. Toddlers will enjoy putting the buttons in the holes. As they become more interested, they can create the art by matching the colored buttons to the colors on the cards.

The pegs are more vibrantly colored than they appear here. They kind of remind of those food pouch lids that I like to save for color matching games and water play, so already there is another use for the pieces in this set!

It is under $10 right now, so although the cards are more flimsy than I would like, it still may be worth it even for just the buttons to be used as manipulatives in a variety of counting, patterning, and sorting activities.

Russian Nesting Dolls

Yes, there are tiny pieces once you get past the fifth or sixth doll, but Elena just loves our two sets so much and we’ve gotten several hours of play out of them , so I had to put the idea out here!

I know matryoshka (Russian nesting dolls) are not the first thing you think of when I say “puzzle” or “problem-solving toy,” but they really are.

The dolls need to be nested in the proper order for them all to fit together. The tops and bottoms need to be matched correctly, and you have to match up the designs so they look like one piece. There’s a lot of problem-solving going on!

Additionally, they can be played with as standalone dolls. Elena has also stacked these in numerous ways (like just tops in pyramid style, or just bottoms like nesting cups), so I believe these would make a lovely heirloom gift for a child.

This particular set from Amazon had good reviews and a lot of people mentioned how large they were (tallest doll is 8″ high), so I think this would be a good set for a child to play with.

I do like the bit of culture these matryoshka dolls bring. Russian nesting dolls were originally meant to be played with but have evolved into an art form. There are some very elaborate ones out there!

I also looked for a less delicate plastic set and found these little nesting penguins  and these fun little robots . Check them out if your child is not into dolls.

Top Bright Wooden Shape Sorter

How cute is this! It’s a cement truck shape sorter! Plus it comes with a little truck driver!

A shape sorter is for sure a good foundational toy , as you can obviously teach shapes, but you can also teach colors if you have brightly colored set, and do some stacking with the shape blocks.

This sorter has the added bonus of imaginative play and can be pulled around on the string. You can spin the barrel and tip it to dump out the blocks. All in all, a fun, educational toy!

**Note: The blocks are wooden, but the truck is a mix of plastic and wood.

Melissa & Doug Keys & Cars Wooden Rescue Vehicle & Garage Toy

One of my nephews is obsessed with firefighters and police officers, so I’m considering getting him this for Christmas.

It’s a wooden fire truck, ambulance, and police car that can be sorted in the color matching garage. What makes this a unique problem-solving toy is the addition of keys to lock and unlock the garage doors!

The keys will keep little toddler hands busy and working on their hand-eye coordination and color matching. When they tire of that, there is always the rescue vehicles to play with.

Woo-ooh-woo-ooh-woo-ooh! (I’m 99% positive that’s how you spell the sound a siren makes.)

A similar toy is this M&D Wooden Doorbell Dollhouse .

Eric Carle Matching Game  by The Wonder Forge

Does your child like The Very Hungry Caterpillar ? This is one of Elena’s favorite books. We have also just discovered matching and memory games, so this would be game I think she would love.

The cards/tiles are a sturdy chipboard and feature art by Eric Carle (author of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? The Tiny Seed, and more!). There are 72 tiles, so you’ll want to play with only 4 or 5 pairs to start with.

If you’ve never played Memory, basically, you mix up the cards and turn them all over. Then you take turns choosing two cards at a time with the goal of finding a matching pair.

For a young one, you could have the whole set face up and challenge them to find matching pairs or play I Spy .

You could also play Go Fish with these, though the chipboard could be tough to hold in one hand.

Afterwards, you can read an Eric Carle book and do a matching puzzle.

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar book and jumbo puzzle
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? book and simple puzzle pairs

I think these in combination with the matching game would make a perfect gift basket for an Eric Carle lover.

Grimm’s Water Wave Stacker

Grimm’s rainbow is a favorite among the Montessori/Waldorf people, but did you know there are other nesting sets in the “Elements of Nature” collection which are equally beautiful?

I decided to feature the water wave stacker because the shades of blue are so pretty and I like the ocean 🙂

These open-ended puzzle toys enhance a child’s creativity and imagination. The pieces can be laid on their side to make pretty patterns or stacked in different ways to create bridges or houses or fences for play with animal or doll figurines. It’s pretty amazing to watch a child play with these and get a glimpse into their creative brain.

I love how beautiful the Grimm’s sets are. They look like art pieces that I could display on a bookshelf in the living room. They are wooden and painted with child-safe non-toxic water-based paint and dyes.

Be sure to check out the fire flames nesting set  as well.

Grimm’s can be pricey, but Lewo makes a similar concept, but different style, colorful wooden puzzle set for less. Take a look if you’re interested.

Other Puzzles to Love

Here are a few  jigsaw puzzles that are adorable and perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

The Petit Collage Beginner Puzzles are lovely, unconfined animal-shaped jigsaw puzzles. I love this forest babies set of four puzzles.

Crocodile Creek Birthday Bear is a traditional rectangle jigsaw puzzle with 24 pieces and a whimsical illustration. Below are more floor puzzles from Crocodile Creek.

OK, here’s my favorite. I like these Mudpuppy Pouch Puzzles because they store neatly away in a zipper POUCH! Such a great idea for puzzle storage. You could easily toss one in your purse for play at the restaurant when you need to keep kids busy and quiet. Each pouch has 12 extra thick chunky pieces. 

One Last Tip for Extending Puzzle Playtime

Sensory bin!

Almost anything can be turned into a sensory bin, right? Fill a container with your favorite sensory bin filler (dry beans, rice, popcorn kernels, nothing wet of course) and hide the pieces of a puzzle in it . Let your child dig and scoop to find the pieces and then put it together.

If you’ve got an older child who needs a challenge, why not mix up a few different smaller sets of puzzles and have them sort the sets!

Do you have any other tips for new ways to play with puzzles?

Building toys are also great for building critical thinking skills and hand-eye coordination. Check out our favorite classic building toys  and our favorite building toys for little ones.

I hope these toy guides and gift ideas help you find the perfect gift for any kid on your list!

For more on building a toybox of only toys your child will play with and love, read this complete toy buying guide .

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Rationale for Clinical Report

An evolving definition of toys, toys and child development, general considerations, appropriateness of toys for children with special needs, toys and the promotion of parenting, positive caregiving, and child development, electronic media exposure and play with toys, advertising and toys, toy safety considerations, toys and the outpatient pediatric setting, considerations for pediatric health care providers in the office setting, advice for parents and caregivers, lead authors, council on early childhood executive committee, 2017–2018, former committee members, consultants, former liaisons, selecting appropriate toys for young children in the digital era.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.

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Aleeya Healey , Alan Mendelsohn , COUNCIL ON EARLY CHILDHOOD , Jill M. Sells , Elaine Donoghue , Marian Earls , Andrew Hashikawa , Terri McFadden , Georgina Peacock , Seth Scholer , Jennifer Takagishi , Douglas Vanderbilt , P. Gail Williams; Selecting Appropriate Toys for Young Children in the Digital Era. Pediatrics January 2019; 143 (1): e20183348. 10.1542/peds.2018-3348

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Play is essential to optimal child development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. It also offers an ideal and significant opportunity for parents and other caregivers to engage fully with children using toys as an instrument of play and interaction. The evolution of societal perceptions of toys from children’s playthings to critical facilitators of early brain and child development has challenged caregivers in deciding which toys are most appropriate for their children. This clinical report strives to provide pediatric health care providers with evidence-based information that can be used to support caregivers as they choose toys for their children. The report highlights the broad definition of a toy; consideration of potential benefits and possible harmful effects of toy choices on child development; and the promotion of positive caregiving and development when toys are used to engage caregivers in play-based interactions with their children that are rich in language, pretending, problem-solving, and creativity. The report aims to address the evolving replacement of more traditional toys with digital media–based virtual “toys” and the lack of evidence for similar benefits in child development. Furthermore, this report briefly addresses the role of toys in advertising and/or incentive programs and aims to bring awareness regarding safety and health hazards associated with toy availability and accessibility in public settings, including some health care settings.

The last 20 years have brought a shift in parental and societal perception of toys, with parents and other caregivers increasingly likely to view toys as being important for children’s development, self-regulation, and executive functioning. 1 , 2 A number of interrelated underlying factors have contributed to this shift, including: (1) increased recognition of early brain and child development as critical to educational success; (2) increased recognition of early experiences in the home and in child care settings as facilitating early brain and child development 3 ; (3) increased marketing of so-called “educational” toys as critical for enhancing early experiences; (4) the perception (perhaps misperception) of toy play rather than interaction with caregivers around toys as important for the child’s development, inclusive of self-regulation 3 ; and (5) increasing sophistication of digital media–based virtual “toys” replacing physical toys and often incorrectly perceived by caregivers as having educational benefit. 4 , 5  

Although high-quality toys facilitate child development when they lead to the engagement of caregivers in play-based interactions that are rich in language, pretending, problem-solving, reciprocity, cooperation, and creativity 4 (and potentially for older children in solitary play 1 ), many of the claims advertised for toys are not based on scientific evidence. Additionally, there has been increasing recognition of potential for harm in the context of exposure to electronic media, environmental toxins, and safety hazards. In particular, electronic media have been associated with displacement of play-based caregiver-child interactions and reductions in cognitive and/or language 6 , – 10 and gross motor activities, 11 with implications for child development 7 and health outcomes (eg, obesity). 11  

This clinical report addresses the pediatric health care providers’ role in advising caregivers about toys in the context of changes in caregivers’ perceptions of toys and the evolution of what now constitutes a toy. It complements existing policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics related to play, 4 media, 12 , 13 school readiness, 14 toxic stress, 15 , 16 injury prevention, 17 toxicology, 18 and poverty. 4  

In this report, a toy is defined as an object (whether made, purchased, or found in nature) intended for children’s play. Developmentally, the importance of toys is strongly supported by the large body of research documenting the role of play in fostering development across all domains (including cognitive, language, social-emotional, and physical). 1 , 4 , 19 Although the concept of play has not changed over time, what constitutes a toy at the time of this report is substantially different than what it was during the previous century. 20 This difference is attributable in part to the proliferation of electronic, sensory-stimulating noise and light toys and digital media–based platforms with child-oriented software and mobile applications 1 , 21 that can be perceived by parents as necessary for developmental progress despite the lack of supporting evidence and, perhaps most importantly, with the potential for the disruption of caregiver-child interactions. 22  

Traditional (physical) toys can be categorized in a variety of ways: (1) symbolic and/or pretend (eg, dolls, action figures, cars, cooking and/or feeding implements, etc); (2) fine motor, adaptive, and/or manipulative (eg, blocks, shapes, puzzles, trains, etc); (3) art (eg, clay and coloring); (4) language and/or concepts (eg, card games, toy letters, and board games); and (5) gross motor and/or physical (eg, large toy cars, tricycles, and push and pull toys). 23 High-quality toys in each of these categories can facilitate caregiver-child interactions, peer play, and the growth of imagination. It should be emphasized that high-quality toys need not be expensive. For example, toy blocks, in addition to household objects, can be interesting for a child to examine and explore, especially if the child observes adults using them. Unfortunately, many caregivers believe that expensive electronic toys (eg, sensory-stimulating noise and light toys for infants and toddlers) and tablet-based toys are essential for their children’s healthy development 2 ; however, evidence suggests that core elements of such toys (eg, lights and sounds emanating from a robot) detract from social engagement that might otherwise take place through facial expressions, gestures, and vocalizations and that may be important for social development. 24 , 25  

Over the past 2 decades, a number of core elements of traditional toys have been adapted to electronic (virtual) versions, such as laptops, tablets, phones, other mobile devices, and stand-alone electronic game devices, and to toys that substitute for human interaction (eg, toy bear that can read a story aloud). 2 , 5 In many cases, these have been integrated with new elements not previously available within traditional toys, such as sensory-stimulating toys (especially for infants, for whom the strong visual engagement and neurodevelopmental consequences are not presently known 2 ). This blurring of the line between physical and virtual toys has greatly complicated caregiver decision-making when selecting toys, especially because mobile device applications for children have proliferated at an extraordinary pace. 1 , 21 As a result, pediatric health care providers have an important role in providing guidance for selecting appropriate applications 21 and toys.

Toys are important in early child development in relation to their facilitation of cognitive development, language interactions, symbolic and pretend play, problem-solving, social interactions, and physical activity, with increasing importance as children move from infancy into toddlerhood. 1 Pretending through toy characters (eg, dolls, animals, and figures) and associated toy objects (eg, food, utensils, cars, planes, and buildings) can promote the use of words and narratives to imitate, describe, and cope with actual circumstances and feelings. Such imaginative play ultimately facilitates language development, self-regulation, symbolic thinking, and social-emotional development. 26 Problem-solving through play with the “traditional favorites,” such as blocks and puzzles, can support fine motor skills and language and cognitive development and predicts both spatial and early mathematics skills. 27 , 28 The use of toys in physical activity (such as playing with balls) has the potential to facilitate gross motor development together with self-regulation and peer interaction because of the negotiations regarding rules that typically take place. The aforementioned are only a few examples of skill development associated with toy play. Play with caregivers is most likely necessary to support skill development. However, solitary play can also have a role (especially for older children, for whom exploration and play with toys on their own time and pace can foster their independent creativity, investigation, and assimilation skills 1 ).

In general, the best toys are those that match children’s developmental skills and abilities and further encourage the development of new skills. Developmentally advanced toys can be appropriate too, especially when caregivers scaffold (eg, setting up a storyline for pretending together or providing support for the child’s learning of a new skill) children in their play. Some toys have the ability to “grow” with the child, in that they can be used differently as children advance developmentally. For example, an 18-month-old child might try to use blocks functionally (eg, stack them), whereas a 2-year-old might use the same blocks to engage in sophisticated symbolic play (eg, by feeding the doll with a block that represents a bottle 1 ) or use the same blocks to construct a bridge, demonstrating the development of spatial awareness.

Notably, data in support of a developmental role for toys primarily come from studies of activities in which children play with caregivers 3 rather than alone. 4 , 27 , 29 In particular, toys that are most likely to facilitate development are those that are most enjoyably and productively used for play together with an engaged caregiver, because in such contexts play with toys is likely to include rich language experiences, reciprocal (“serve and return” 15 , 16 ) verbal interactions, and scaffolding. Toys can play an especially important role in the promotion of learning and discovery in “guided play,” in which children take the lead, but caregivers support their exploration in the context of learning goals. 1 , 30 The idea that play with toys is enriched by use with a caregiver is consistent with the many studies of early childhood documenting that learning takes place optimally in the context of serve-and-return conversations that build on the child’s focus 31 (and are analogous to shared book reading). In general, toys that facilitate imaginative play and problem-solving are most likely to enable such engagement by caregivers, whereas toys that are electronically based (whether traditional or media based) are less likely to do so. 10 , 32 Therefore, when pediatric health care providers advise parents and caregivers, it is important to stress that toys can serve an important but supportive role in enhancing a child’s social development in addition to other domains, such as language, primarily through engaging caregivers in responsive interactions 3 and pretend play. The pace of life in today’s society provides limited time available to many caregivers, and solitary play with toys should not be a substitute for caregiver-child interactions during play or other contexts, such as reading aloud. Electronic toys by themselves will not provide children with the interaction and parental engagement that are critical for the healthy development.

Children with developmental delays or disabilities may face a variety of difficulties or obstacles in their play because of factors such as intellectual limitations or physical restrictions. One of the greatest difficulties is when the play itself becomes atypical in nature. For example, they may play with objects repetitively (eg, stacking blocks in the same way over and over again but not constructing anything per se) or nonfunctionally (eg, tapping a toy phone on the floor versus talking into it) or engage with toys at a significantly different developmental level than that of peers of a similar age (eg, 3 toddlers are having their toy dinosaurs chase one another, whereas a fourth is standing aside chewing on the toy dinosaur’s tail). Furthermore, atypical behaviors among children with disabilities may themselves disrupt social interactions in addition to the play itself. These differences in developmental capacities are exhibited across domains, 3 and in turn, how children play with their toys may limit their ability to learn and develop maximally from parent-child and peer play opportunities.

The choice of toys may be especially complex for children with special needs given that recommendations on packaging are usually based on age and not developmental capacities. For instance, caregivers of children with special needs may be more likely to choose functional toys (eg, toys that are easily activated and often respond with lights and sounds) 33 over symbolic toys that encourage pretend play, creativity, and interactions (eg, toy animal farm). 34 Thus, caregivers of children with special needs may benefit from additional guidance from specialty therapists (eg, speech, occupational, or physical therapists) in choosing which toys, activities, and interactions are most appropriate for the developmental age of their child to ensure continued growth and skill mastery.

Adaptations of toys to accommodate a motor, visual, or other disability can be important for children with special needs. This can be accomplished by combining easy access with multisensory feedback, 35 such as light and sound when a toy is powered on. Examples of adaptations in design include Velcro strips to help a child hold a toy, 36 adding a piece of foam around a marker or paintbrush to make the art utensil easier to hold for a child with an inability to grasp the utensil independently, 37 and the use of a larger push button to activate a toy for a child with fine motor difficulties who cannot easily manipulate a small switch. 35 Technology has played a particularly important role in supporting the use of toys, and it is anticipated that the role of technology in addressing developmental interventions will increase over time with the guidance of research. As with children who are typically developing, children with special needs maximally benefit from play with toys in the context of caregiver interaction.

Toys can be used as a mode of incentive in the context of early intervention services and physical therapy more generally. For example, therapists often use toys to stimulate the use of a nondominant hand by placing the toy on that side of the body. Alternatively, using a toy as a reward may help elicit verbalizations in a child with a language disability. Novel or preferred toys can be held near an adult’s face to encourage eye contact for a child with autism spectrum disorder. 38 , 39  

There has been a broad range of scientific- and policy-based efforts to enhance early development by promoting caregivers and children to play together with toys. These efforts are especially important for children growing up in poverty, for whom there is both reduced access to developmentally appropriate toys and barriers to caregiver-child interaction. 4 , 14 , 15 Such initiatives complement existing programs seeking to enhance early literacy within the pediatric medical home (eg, Reach Out and Read 40 ). Efforts to promote play with toys have taken place across diverse platforms, including in (1) preschools (eg, Tools of the Mind 41 ), (2) home visiting (eg, Parent-Child Home Program and Play and Learning Strategies 42 ), (3) public health (eg, Building Blocks 29 and Blocktivities 43 ), and (4) pediatric primary care (eg, Video Interaction Project 29 ), to name a few. Findings from these programs strongly suggest that toys are most likely to facilitate developmental advances in the context of interactions 3 with and support by caregivers (including scaffolding and guided play rather than as a result of the toy itself 31 ), early childhood educators, and other providers. 44 Pediatric health care providers’ knowledge and awareness of these programs can inform anticipatory guidance to parents, provide opportunities for integration within the medical home enhancement, and function as potential sources of referral depending on availability within the communities they serve. Furthermore, the selection of toys offered to children should reflect the diverse and multicultural world we live in (ie, selecting dolls of various ethnicities in the pediatric office waiting area). 45  

A 2013 study revealed that 38% of US children younger than 2 years and 80% of 2 to 4 year-old children 11 , 46 have used a mobile electronic media device; this has more than doubled when compared with data collected in 2011. 4 , 11 , 32 More recent data presented in 2015 suggests that 96.9% of children have used mobile devices, and most started using them before 1 year of age. 47 For young children, the increase in screen time, which has evolved over the past decade, has taken place in association with a decrease in play, including both active play and play with toys. 11 This is especially significant for young children’s development because screen time directly interferes with both play activities and parent-child interactions, 48 and even educational media is typically watched without caregiver input. 11 , 21 , 48 Furthermore, virtual toys (ie, screen games and/or applications) are increasingly designed to emulate and even replace physical toys. This potentially increases known risks of electronic media exposure, such as the promotion of aggressive behavior 49 and obesity. 50 The potential for these risks is especially great in the context of violence portrayed as humorous or justified, which can reinforce aggressive behavior and desensitize children to violence and its consequences. 51 Although it has been suggested that there may be learning benefits in association with interactive media, 46 , 52 , 53 there is presently no evidence to suggest that possible benefits of interactive media match those of active, creative, hands-on, and pretend play with more traditional toys. 4 , 9 In particular, children need to use their hands to explore and manipulate to strengthen those areas in the brain associated with spatial and mathematical learning. 54 , 55 Recent investigations have revealed that during children’s play with electronic toys, there were fewer adult words, fewer conversational turns, fewer parental responses, and fewer productions of content-specific words than during play with traditional toys or books. Children, themselves vocalized less during play with electronic toys than with books. 8 Newer smartphone applications are focused on addressing the lack of social and physical interactivity; however, long-term risk and benefit studies are necessary to determine their actual impact and sustainability. 56 It is ironic that at a time when psychologists and other developmental scientists are recognizing the role of the body in learning, toys for children are becoming increasingly two-dimensional. 57  

A great deal of marketing in both traditional and new media is used to encourage caregivers to view technologically driven toys as critical for development. Such marketing has led to increasing exposure by children to enrichment videos, computer programs, specialized books with voice-recorded reading, and “developmental” toys beginning in early infancy. 4 , 58 It is important to note that claims for such toys on packaging and advertising are largely unsubstantiated 59 , – 61 by credible studies, and thus, it is important for pediatric health care providers to aid caregivers in deciphering such advertisements.

Toys are also used extensively as a mechanism for marketing. For example, there has been a trend over the past decade of coupling food consumption with a toy incentive. Many fast food restaurants offer a toy incentive with particular meal purchases (many of which are energy dense and nutrient poor) to increase sales; such incentives are thought to have contributed to childhood obesity. 62 Promotions and incentives are an especially important consideration for children younger than 8 years, who are unaware that promotions and advertisements are actually designed to persuade them to have their caregivers buy specific products. 59 Recent initiatives at the federal (Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission) and local levels have sought and continue to develop regulations to guide and reduce such suggestive content in advertisements. One example is the US toy ordinance piloted in Santa Clara County, California, which prohibited the distribution of toys and other incentives to children in conjunction with meals, foods, or beverages that do not meet minimal nutritional criteria. This ordinance, in turn, positively influenced the marketing of healthful menu items with the toy incentive, and children then requested their parents to purchase the healthier meal options. The trial period provided data revealing the effects of marketing through toy incentives on children’s food choices and, furthermore, the effects of their requests on the parental purchase of the meal. 62 The initiative was later expanded to similar changes in a number of major US cities (San Francisco and New York City).

Government regulations, improved safety standards for the manufacture and use of toys, and product testing have made most toys safe when used appropriately for recommended ages and stages of development. However, just because a product is on the market does not mean that it is safe. In determining toy safety, the characteristics of the toy should be considered as well as how the toy might be used or abused and the amount of supervision or help needed for safe play. In a recent example of potential dangers, ingestion of high-powered magnetic objects (eg, rare earth magnets and strong permanent magnets) sometimes used in toys resulted in significant child morbidity. 63 Button batteries are ubiquitous as energy sources in electronic toys and have been associated with gastrointestinal hemorrhage and death when ingested. 60 The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Web site ( www.cpsc.gov/ ) contains information regarding toy safety and can be a resource for pediatric providers and caregivers. 17 , 64 Two CPSC initiatives of particular relevance are SaferProducts ( www.saferproducts.gov/ ), which allows anyone to report safety concerns, and the Recalls.gov Web site ( www.recalls.gov ), which provides information about safety recalls. In addition to physical safety characteristics, close attention should be paid to a toy’s contact with harmful substances that may be used to treat its materials (eg, arsenic used to treat some wood products, lead paint, or chemicals such as bisphenol A 18 ). Caring for Our Children, Third Edition , includes detailed information regarding potential hazards. 65  

Toys provided in the waiting rooms of pediatric offices and other medical settings can serve as a model for caregivers and thereby aid in their decision-making about toys. Such toys can also help reduce child anxiety regarding visits and procedures. However, toys in pediatric settings also have the potential to become a vehicle for transmitting viruses and other pathogens among pediatric patients. Clear, easy-to-follow recommendations for the use and cleaning of toys in the pediatric office have been made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others. 66 , – 69 For example, the sanitization of toys can be safely accomplished by washing with soap and water and then disinfecting by using a freshly prepared solution (1:100 dilution of household bleach; soak for at least 2 minutes) or by using an Environmental Protection Agency–registered sanitizing solution (according to the manufacturer’s instructions) and then rinsing and air drying. 66 , – 68 Toys should be cleaned between uses to avoid the transfer of infectious agents. 67 Also, caregivers can be given the option to bring their child’s own toys for office visits to minimize the sharing and transmission of infectious disease. Although some available toys are marketed as incorporating antibacterial agents in their construction, it is important to note that such construction is currently unproven to be “antibacterial.” 66 Further guidance of cleaning and disinfecting toys can be found in Caring For Our Children, Third Edition . 65 Although adequate infection control measures may seem daunting, recommendations tend to be straightforward to implement and should not be considered a barrier to the use of toys in the outpatient setting.

Advice regarding toys and/or play with toys can be offered together with guidance in 5 related areas: social-emotional development through social interactions, literacy promotion, block and puzzle play in relation to science and/or math and spatial skills, imaginative and creative play in relation to make-believe and/or free play, and electronic media exposure.

Pediatric health care providers can advise parents and caregivers regarding toys that are appropriate for young children in terms of stage of development, learning opportunities, and safety. For families for whom the literacy level of the caregivers is of concern, handouts with example toy pictures may be created by the practitioner.

If toys are available for children in waiting and examination rooms, they may be viewed as models for toys that are appropriate for the home.

Pediatric health care providers may choose to give parents information about developmentally appropriate toys, which are those that promote language-rich caregiver-child interactions, pretend play, physically active play, problem-solving, and creativity. Lists of appropriate toys can be found through many resources, including books, pamphlets from organizations such as Zero to Three, and instruments for assessment of the provision of toys in the home. Pediatric health care providers can also recommend books that provide guidance about interacting with children, including in the context of toy play to encourage language development (see Resources).

If pediatric health care providers make toys available in the office, they may consider whether they are safe for all children of all ages according to the following recommendations:

∘ do not provide small toys or toys with easily dislodged parts that fit in an infant’s or toddler’s mouth;

∘ do not provide toys with loose string, rope, ribbons, or cord;

∘ do not provide toys with sharp edges;

∘ do not provide toys that make loud or shrill noises;

∘ provide only toys made of nontoxic materials;

∘ always store toys safely and avoid toy chests with lids; and

∘ be extremely cautious of toys with button batteries; ensure that they are not accessible to children so that they cannot be accidentally ingested.

Although pediatric health care providers can make toys available in their offices, those who do so should choose toys that are easily and routinely cleaned. When possible, each time a toy has been in contact with saliva or other bodily fluids, it should be sanitized.

Displaying notices in the office about product recalls of toys is important to inform parents of product dangers.

Take available opportunities to counsel caregivers regarding dangers associated with high-powered magnet toys as well as button batteries that are ubiquitous in electronic toys.

Recognize that one of the most important purposes of play with toys throughout childhood, and especially in infancy, is not educational at all but rather to facilitate warm, supportive interactions and relationships.

Scientific studies supporting a developmental role for toys primarily come from studies of activities in which children play with caregivers rather than alone. The most educational toy is one that fosters interactions between caregivers and children in supportive, unconditional play.

Provide children with safe, affordable toys that are developmentally appropriate. Include toys that promote learning and growth in all areas of development. Choose toys that are not overstimulating and encourage children to use their imaginations. Social-emotional and cognitive skills are developed and enhanced as children use play to work out real-life problems (see Zero to Three: Tips for Choosing Toys for Toddlers in Resources).

Make a thoughtful selection of toys and remember that a good toy does not have to be trendy or expensive. Indeed, sometimes the simplest toys may be the best, in that they provide opportunities for children to use their imagination to create the toy use, not the other way around. Choose toys that will grow with the child, foster interactions with caregivers, encourage exploration and problem-solving, and spark the child’s imagination.

Use children’s books to develop ideas for pretending together while playing with toys; use of the library should be routine for all parents regardless of socioeconomic status. A list of community library locations for the office should be considered.

Keep in mind that toys are not a substitute for warm, loving, dependable relationships. Use toys to enhance interactions between the caregiver and child rather than to direct children’s play.

Seek the pediatric health care provider’s advice in distinguishing between safe and unsafe toys (see Resources).

Be aware of the potential for toys to promote race- or gender-based stereotypes.

Limit video game and computer game use. Total screen time, including television and computer use, should be less than 1 hour per day for children 2 years or older and avoided in children 18 to 24 months of age. Children younger than 5 years should play with computer or video games only if they are developmentally appropriate, and they should be accompanied by the parent or caregiver. The use of media together with caregiver interaction is essential to minimizing adverse media effects on the young mind.

Seek out toys that encourage the child to be both mentally and physically active.

• For information on toy safety concerns or questions, refer to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site ( www.cpsc.gov ) and Caring for Our Children, Third Edition .

• For questions or concerns regarding infection control guidelines, refer to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines ( http://www.cdc.gov ).

• For guidance in identifying appropriate toys for young children, refer to the following resources:

Zero to Three, “Tips for Choosing Toys for Toddlers” ( https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/1076-tips-for-choosing-toys-for-toddlers );

The National Association for the Education for Young Children (NAEYC) ( http://www.naeyc.org/ecp/resources/goodtoys ); and

StimQ ( http://www.med.nyu.edu/pediatrics/developmental/research/belle-project/stimq-cognitive-home-environment ).

• For suggestions on how caregivers can use toys, play, and other activities to encourage language development, refer to the following Web sites:

Too Small to Fail ( http://toosmall.org/ ), and

Bridging the Word Gap ( http://bwgresnet.ku.edu/ ).

• For a resource list of suggestions on toys, play, and recreation for children with disabilities, refer to the following Web sites:

The Northwest Access Fund Web site ( http://washingtonaccessfund.org/toys-play-for-children-with-disabilities-resource-list/ ), and

How We Play! A Guidebook for Parents and Early Intervention Professionals. Birth through Two ( https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED447660 ).

• For information regarding the promotion of physical activity, refer to the following resources:

Let’s Move ( https://letsmove.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/get-active ), and

National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education ( http://nrckids.org/index.cfm/products/videos11/motion-moments1/ ).

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Drs Healey and Mendelsohn conducted a thorough literature review on all topics, integrated the most up-to-date data, and synthesized this evidence to create an original authorship with cited references of recommendations for the use of toys in promoting optimal child development; and all authors approved the final manuscript as submitted.

This document is copyrighted and is property of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its Board of Directors. All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors. The American Academy of Pediatrics has neither solicited nor accepted any commercial involvement in the development of the content of this publication.

Clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics benefit from expertise and resources of liaisons and internal (AAP) and external reviewers. However, clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics may not reflect the views of the liaisons or the organizations or government agencies that they represent.

The guidance in this report does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.

All clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

FUNDING: No external funding.

Aleeya Healey, MD, FAAP

Alan Mendelsohn, MD, FAAP

Jill M. Sells, MD, FAAP, Chairperson

Sherri L. Alderman, MD, MPH, IMH-E, FAAP

Andrew Hashikawa, MD, MPH, FAAP

Terri McFadden, MD, FAAP

Dipesh Navsaria, MD, MPH, MSILS, FAAP

Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH, FAAP

Seth Scholer, MD, MPH, FAAP

Jennifer Takagishi, MD, FAAP

Douglas Vanderbilt, MD, MS, FAAP

P. Gail Williams, MD, FAAP

Marian Earls, MD, MTS, FAAP

Elaine Donoghue, MD, FAAP

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD

Roberta Golinkoff, PhD

Lynette Fraga, PhD – Child Care Aware

Katiana Garagozlo, MD – AAP Section on Pediatric Trainees

Dina Lieser, MD, FAAP – Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Rebecca Parlakian, MA, Ed – Zero to Three

Alecia Stephenson and Lucy Recio – National Association for the Education of Young Children

David Willis, MD, FAAP – (Formerly with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau)

Barbary Sargent, PNP – National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

Laurel Hoffmann, MD – AAP Section on Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows in Training

Charlotte O. Zia, MPH, CHES

Competing Interests

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Home • Toddler • Play And Activities

13 Problem-Solving Activities For Toddlers And Preschoolers

Intriguing ideas to boost their analytical and rational thinking skills.

Elisabeth Daly is a state-certified high school English teacher. Over her two decade career, she has taught students in grades 9-12 at both public and private high schools, and worked as an adjunct professor at her local community college. ... read full bio

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Problem-solving preschool activities are an essential part of learning, leading to the development of the most crucial skills for your child. Your child’s journey between realizing a problem and finding a solution involves effort, thinking, and patience. What comes in between realization and solution is important to understand, as it is the key to a lightning-fast intellect. The process is the most beautiful part, which is also the beginning of making a new genius for the world to witness. These little minds could one day become billionaires, philanthropists, or someone far more successful .

Read on to know some of the problem-solving activities for toddlers and preschoolers and how it helps them.

What Is Problem-Solving?

Image: IStock

Problem-solving is the art of realizing a problem and finding an apt solution by a series of interconnected thoughts in the cognitive area of the mind (1) . It requires identifying the problem and pondering over the causes and attempting to chalk out the reason. The next step would be to find a solution out of the many alternatives. Identifying the causes of a problem would involve some deep thinking, which can benefit a child’s growth and aid in their character development.

What Are Problem-Solving Skills?

Problem-solving skills are what every child needs to survive in this world. A few problem-solving skills are analytical thinking, logical reasoning, lateral thinking, creativity, initiative, persistence, negotiation, listening skills, cognitive skills, math skills, and decision-making. Good communication skills are also important as they improve the self-esteem of your child.

Why Is Problem-Solving Important In Preschool?

As parents, you may not want to fill your child’s minds with every problem-solving ability. But you must trust the process, as it is the most important phase of life, and they are learning new things every day.

• During preschool, they are constantly interacting with friends and surroundings. They come across various problems and learn from them. The best part is that it will be effortless for them to pick up these skills faster as they are in their learning stage.
• Also, the earlier they learn, the better it is (2)
• Children in preschool are introduced to the realm of creativity and imagination through storytelling and poems. It will be the perfect time to enhance their creative abilities.
• Children usually try to ignore things beyond their understanding. But problem-solving skills might help them see things differently.
• Developing problem-solving abilities can help them take new initiatives.

How To Teach Problem-Solving Skills To Preschoolers?

Making them listen with patience and willingness is a skill that will help them comprehend what you teach them. Here are some steps that you can follow:

• Teach them how to approach a problem in a practical way. Allow them to explore and find solutions by themselves. Problem-based learning will stick with them forever.
• Make them do simple household chores in their own way. And, there is no right or wrong style to it. Kitchen experiments are a great way to learn.
• Every kid is unique and has a different pace of learning. A teacher/ parent will have to be observing to analyze the best way to teach them.
• Usually, the first step would be to identify the problem.
• Once they find solutions, tell them to evaluate the pros and cons. And choose the best solution.
• Teach them to take failure positively.
• Encourage group activities as children tend to be active when their peers are along.

13 Problem-Solving Activities For Toddlers

You may try several problem-solving activities at home. We have listed some of the best activates here:

1. Simon Says

One of the children becomes Simon and gives commands. The rest have to follow the commands and enact only when they hear ’Simon says’ at the beginning of the command. If anyone acts when the words ‘Simon says’ is not told at the beginning, then that particular child is out. This game will improve listening skills and response time.

2. Tic–tac–toe

The game teaches decision-making and the cost of consequences. This game involves two players. One player has to mark X anywhere on the tic-tac-toe, followed by another player marking O. The idea is to make a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line with either three X’s or O’s. Both players have to stop each other from winning. Sounds fun, right?

3. Treasure hunt

Divide the children into groups and give them clues to find hidden objects. Activities such as treasure hunt evidently improve their problem-solving skills and induce the idea of competition.

Puzzles can make a child think out of the box. They can develop a child’s logical reasoning. Arranging the crumbled pieces will surely improve their level of patience.

5. Hide and seek

Playing in a group can make them less shy and socialize with others. And, with hide and seek activity, children can learn devising strategies, escaping from a troublesome situation, and various other skills.

6. Sorting together

Give them various toys, pieces of clothing, or other random objects at home and some bins. Now ask your child to sort and place everything in the right bin. See how good they are at classifying the objects.

7. Spot the difference

Show them printouts of two similar pictures, with one picture having some differences. Ask them to spot the differences. This helps in actively improving their concentration and attention to detail.

8. Matching animals with sounds

Play sounds of various animals and let the children guess their names. You can also take them to an animal farm where they can observe their behavior. This activity may improve their sound recognition ability over time.

Give your child a blank canvas and some paints or coloring pencils. Let them get creative and produce a masterpiece.

10. Memory games

Memory games can improve a child’s retaining capacity. One such game is to sit in a circle and play “Chinese Whisper.” In this game, kids sit in a circle. Each of them has to whisper a word in their peer’s ear. The same word, along with a new one, is whispered into the next child’s ear. This should be continued till the last child in the circle announces it for all to hear.

11. Fort building

Building forts using toy material, Lego, pillows, or blankets can be fun. During the process of building a fort, children may have to face minor or major difficulties. Overcoming such issues and completing the target successfully helps in the improvement of logical and analytical abilities.

Solving mazes can also help a kid improve their approach towards dealing with problems and dead ends. It will enable lateral thinking and thinking out of the box.

13. Stacking rings

Stacking rings is an effective problem-solving activity for children as it enhances their cognitive skills, spatial awareness, and fine motor abilities. The task requires careful consideration of size, shape, and balance, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Children must strategize the order and orientation of the rings to successfully build a stable tower. This activity encourages creativity as they experiment with different stacking techniques. Give children a set of rings in varying sizes and materials for this activity. Ask the children to construct the tower and be watchful to prevent it from collapsing, as it offers them valuable insights into cause-and-effect relationships. Challenge them to create the tallest tower possible to promote teamwork and perseverance as they refine their approach through trial and error.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the stages of problem-solving?

Problem-solving is a cognitive skill that works through six stages – searching and determining the problem, generating alternative ideas or solutions, evaluating alternatives, selecting the best suitable solution, implementing the solution, and follow-up (3) .

2. At what age do toddlers begin problem-solving?

According to research, children begin problem-solving right after birth. Children learn problem-solving through exploration between zero to two years, whereas, by three years of age, they learn problem-solving through experimenting and trial and error. Four-year-olds learn problem-solving through cooperative activities with peers and friends. By five and six years, kids get enough experience to deal with problems that would need abstract thinking skills (4) .

3. How do toddlers develop critical thinking skills?

Critical thinking skills don’t develop in a day or week. Rather, it takes constant exposure to environments that hone a child’s critical thinking abilities. Indulging toddlers in critical thinking activities by asking open-ended questions or engaging in activities such as block constructing and puzzles and motivating them to think out of the box are simple ways to bolster your child’s critical thinking.

Problem-solving activities for toddlers enhance their thinking abilities and promote early brain development. You may introduce problem-solving activities such as tic-tac-toe, Simon says, hide and seek, treasure hunt, puzzles, etc., to enhance cognitive skills in toddlers. The problem-solving skills in preschoolers help them cope with various situations and mingle with other children. Problem-solving skills help children think differently and take the initiative in making decisions and solving problems. These activities help build the skills without any force or pressure.

Infographic: Hone Your Toddler’s Problem-Solving Skills

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Key Pointers

• Honing your child’s problem-solving skills during preschool can help them see things differently and enhance their creative abilities.
• Teach them to find the problem and use their analytical abilities to find a solution.
• Simon Says, treasure hunt, puzzles, and spot the difference are a few problem-solving activities a toddler can try.

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

• You Can Do It: Teaching Toddlers Problem-Solving Skills. https://va-itsnetwork.org/you-can-do-it-teaching-toddlers-problem-solving-skills/
• Developing Problem-Solving Skills At Early Age. https://kennedyglobalschool.edu.in/developing-problem-solving-skills-at-early-age-takes-kids-long-way-as-they-grow/#respond
• Problem solving. https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/N_R/Problem-solving
• Development: Ages & Stages–How Children Learn to Problem-Solve. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ738434
• Fact-checker

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Play Activities for 12 to 24 Months

Whether you’re looking for games to build your toddler’s language skills, or games to keep the young ones busy, here are some great play ideas for your infant or toddler.

Action-oriented activities, squishy sponges.

Give the child some soaking wet sponges to play with outside. Let him wash his trike, the mailbox, or even stamp wet sponge-shapes onto the sidewalk. Show him how he can squeeze the sponge to make the water come out—this builds physical skills in his hands and fingers. “Important” jobs like washing a tricycle or baby doll help toddlers feel like confident and helpful members of the family. As with all water activities, it is critical to supervise children carefully as they play.

Leaf Collector

Give the child a small basket and take her on a walk around your neighborhood or a local park or school. See if she wants to pick up leaves and other “treasures” and put them in her basket. You might be surprised by how long your toddler will be happy to walk, snapping up leaf after leaf for her collection. This activity builds gross motor (large muscle) and fine motor (small muscle) skills as children walk, squat, and pick up their discoveries.

Freeze! Toddlers love freeze dancing

Play music and encourage the child to dance or move in whatever way he likes. Then instruct him to stop when the music ends. This kind of activity encourages listening skills and self-regulation as he practices stopping and starting. (This is a very useful skill for when he goes to school and has to follow a lot of directions!)

Pop Some Popcorn

Take a receiving blanket and have the child hold one side while you hold the other. Place some foam balls (“popcorn”) on the blanket and then shake the blanket so the balls bounce (or pop!) off. Your little one might like singing “POPCORN! POPCORN! POP, POP, POP!” while you shake. Once all the balls have “popped,” have your grandchild race to grab them and put them on the blanket to do it again.

Quiet Play Activities

Shadow play.

In a darkened room, shine a flashlight at your hand so that the shadow is reflected on the wall. Wave to the child and make silly shadow shapes with your hand. Does the child want to try to wave with his shadow hand too? He may also enjoy shining the flashlight on the wall all by himself.

Fill and Dump

Make 5-10 homemade balls (wad up waxed paper or newspaper and cover with masking tape). Put the balls in a shoebox or basket. Give the child another box and show her how she can move each ball from one box to the other. If the child is walking, place the baskets a few steps apart so they can toddle from one to the other. Games like this encourage toddlers to move their hands across their bodies as they transfer the balls, which helps them later on with many skills from athletics to handwriting. ##Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Starting at about 18 months, children are just beginning to play pretend. A good way to build these skills is by playing with a doll or stuffed animal. You might say, “Oh, Teddy fell down and got a boo-boo. He needs a hug.” Then give it a cuddle. See if the child also wants to give Teddy a hug. Next, you might use a “prop”—like a cup or a blanket—and suggest that the child “give Teddy a drink” or “put Teddy to sleep.”

Make a Homemade “Wagon”

Attach a 12–18 inch length of string or ribbon to a shoebox using sturdy tape. Show the child how she can pull the string to make the box move. If she is walking, give her a job to do using her “wagon,” such as pulling some clean dishtowels into the kitchen or delivering mail in another room. This kind of activity builds physical and problem-solving skills as the child learns how to use an object as a “tool” (pulling the string to move the box.) Be sure to supervise closely and put this toy away when you are done playing.

Activities That Build Thinking Skills

How does your garden grow.

Plant some seeds that grow in summer, such as grass or flower seeds, in a patch of dirt outside or in a pot to keep inside. This is a fun project for toddlers who love to shovel, pour water, and get messy! At the same time they’re building fine motor skills (as they use their fingers and hands) and learning important science concepts as they watch their plants grow.

Try the Classic Shell Game

You’ll need a plastic cup and a small toy. Show the child the toy, then set it down and cover it slowly with the cup. See if he picks up the cup to find the toy. Once the child has mastered this game with one cup, try it with two cups and later, with three cups. This is a very challenging concept for toddlers to master so it’s important to be patient. Soon enough, the child will have no trouble at all locating the toy. This kind of activity builds thinking skills and hand-eye coordination.

Take Out Some Tubes

Put those empty wrapping paper tubes to work. String a scarf through the tube and let your toddler pull it out. Or, show your toddler how to drop a ball or foam block down the tube and watch it fall on the floor. Roll the tube and race across the room to get it. Make music by banging the tube on the floor. Games like this build the child’s thinking and imaginative play skills.

Practice Pouring

Wash out an empty plastic spice container and show the child how you can drop a few pieces of cereal inside. Offer it to the child and watch as she tries to figure out how to get the cereal out. She may shake it or drop it, but eventually, she will pour them out onto the high chair tray, a plate, or her hand. This type of activity builds problem-solving skills.

Activities That Build the Senses

Take a peek.

Remove the label from several small water bottles. Fill each bottle with interesting objects—one might contain small shells, another can be filled with sparkly glitter, water, and mineral oil, and another with a few pennies. Securely glue the lid on each bottle. Give them to the child to look at, shake, and explore.

Water, Water Everywhere

Fill a dishpan with water and place it on a towel on the floor (or better, outside). Give the child plastic cups, spoons, bowls, and a funnel. Watch her pour, splash, and more. Add some food coloring to the water for a new twist on water play. As with any water activity, supervise carefully and pour all water out when you are done.

Band Together

Gather several objects that make different noises—rattles, bells, tambourines, etc. Start singing a song and pick up an instrument—offer one to the child too—and make some music together. Games like this nurture a child’s language, physical, and thinking skills.

Make a Bubble “Mound”

Fill a small bowl with some bubble liquid and then use a straw to blow a mound of bubbles. Let the child explore the bubbles with his hands—but watch to make sure he doesn’t eat any. He may also enjoy watching you blow bubbles for him to catch.

Activities That Build Language Skills

During diaper changes, take a moment to play “what’s this?” Lift up her foot and say, “What’s this? It’s a foot. And what are these? They are toes.” You can name belly, belly button, knee, leg, parts of the face, and more. Through repetition, young toddlers learn new words.

Picture This

Snap photos of the child during an activity with you, such as making cookies. Take a picture of the beginning of the activity (getting the ingredients), the middle (adding ingredients, stirring), and the end (eating cookies). Glue each photo to an index card. Show the photos to the child and talk about the steps you took for each activity. Activities like this help develop the child’s thinking and language skills.

Point It Out

As you read books with the child, ask him to “point to the cat” or “show me the moon” in his favorite stories. He may not be able to follow through yet (so you should go ahead and do the pointing), but as the child approaches 2 years, you may be surprised by how many words he seems to know. Reading activities like this help children understand the connection between words and pictures and build their vocabulary.

Hello, Good-Bye

Make a tunnel from a large cardboard box by opening both ends. The child can be at one end of the tunnel. You sit at the opposite end. Peek your face in the tunnel and say, “Hi!” Then lean away from the tunnel (so the child can’t see you) and say, “Bye!” Does the child try to communicate with you by crawling to find you, or by making sounds to copy your “hi” and “bye?” This activity encourages language, problem-solving, and physical skills as a child figures out how to locate you.

Browse our full suite of resources on early childhood development.

Pull toys are classic for a reason

Pull toys may seem a little old-fashioned, but they actually promote many different aspects of your toddler’s development: problem-solving, whole body coordination, and fine motor strength. 

Toddlers learn to push before they learn to pull. Before you offer the pull toy, give your toddler lots of experience with pushing. Give them a toy stroller, shopping cart, or even a tall cardboard box to slide along the floor. 

Sometime between 15 and 18 months, your toddler may start to pull toys behind them while walking . In addition to all of the physical growth and learning happening right now, this is a sign of the cognitive development that is also occurring.

Your toddler is learning that the easiest way to get an out-of-reach object attached to a string is to pull the string. For example, if they want to hug their toy pup, they may pull the toy’s string to bring it closer instead of moving their body to go get it. It sounds simple, but this is actually a big deal for your child’s brain: it’s an early lesson in cause and effect.

Once they are walking and steady on their feet, your toddler may be ready to challenge their coordination by adding a  pull toy . Pulling the pup will engage lots of different muscles—hand muscles to grasp the string, arm muscles to pull it, and legs and torso to balance. The eyes need to work in conjunction with the rest of the body, providing that beneficial combination of fine and gross motor skills. 

RELATED: Everything to know about walking

Your toddler must also navigate the environment: what happens when the string snags on something? What about when the pull toy falls on its side, off its wheels, or when it  doesn’t fit under something (say, a chair) and all of a sudden your toddler is dragging everything in the room behind them? Embedded in the deceptively simple task of pulling something along on a string are lessons in resilience, problem-solving, and independence.

Pull toys can be an early way to boost a toddler’s confidence, as well as their understanding of what they can control. Pulling a rolling object on a string shows them that  they  are the one deciding where the toy is going, not someone else. 

The Pull Pup

Ready to roll along a floor, rug, or sidewalk when pulled by its string, The Pull Pup is designed to warm every toddler’s heart. Learn more about the Lovevery Pull Pup.

Team Lovevery

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Problem-solving and Relationship Skills with Infants and Toddlers

Woman: Places, everyone. Are the lights ready? Three, two, one.

Mike Browne: Ooh-whee! Estoy aqui, estoy listo. I am here. I am ready and let's rock and roll!

Becky Sughrim: I'm ready, too!

All: [Singing] "Teacher Time.” "Teacher Time.” "Teacher Time.” "Teacher Time.” "Teacher Time.” "Teacher Time.”

Mike: Hello, everyone. You know that never gets old. I'm like sitting here jogging along. Welcome, everyone, to our third infant and toddler episode of "Teacher Time" this program year. I'm Mike Browne. My pronouns are he/him. And I'm joined by...

Becky: Becky Sughrim, and my pronouns are she/her.

Mike: And we are from the National Center on Early Childhood Development Teaching and Learning. And as always, we are super excited to be here with you all today. Thank you for joining us. We have been focusing all of our episodes this past season of "Teacher Time" on positive behavior support. So far, we talked about many different things. We talked about the importance of relationships. We talked about how to support emotional literacy. Today is going to be another fun one on problem-solving and friendship skills and building friendship skills with infants and toddlers.

I would love to call to your attention to the Viewer's Guide, where you can find it in the Resource Widget. This season our Viewer's Guide is a Viewer Guide from birth to five. It includes age-specific information for infants, for toddlers, for preschool children. It's packed full of so many different things — resources, helpful quick tips, reminders that you can take right into your learning space. And there's also a note-taking space in which you can use to jot down some notes for today. You can download the guide and use it throughout our time together for taking notes, reflecting, planning, and please, as always share the Viewer Guide with your colleagues.

Becky: During our time together, we're going to be focusing on a number of things. We're going to first talk about some positive behavior support teaching practices. Then we're going to take some time to promote your wellness and our wellness and connect our affective practices to brain development in our new segment this season called "Neuroscience Nook.”

Then we're going to take a look at the "Teacher Time" basics. In "Small Change, Big Impact" and in our "Focus on Equity" segments, we're going to talk about individualized strategies that build a sense of belonging and promote social and emotional skill with all children, including children who have a variety of learning characteristics.

Of course, we will wrap up our time together as we always do with the "BookCASE," where Mike got to meet with our "Teacher Time" librarian, and we connect our topic to books that you can share with children and families.

Mike: As we begin, let's check in using our famous, world famous, "Teacher Time" Tree. Enter to the Q&A, which is that purple widget, what number are you feeling today? What number creature that you're showing up and you want to relate to us. And, of course, you can jot down why you're feeling like that.

I will get us started. I am feeling a little like, I don't know, I like the lighter colors, I like the 11, 12 because yesterday I got a chance to visit a classroom and one of the first children I had when they were infants, they saw me, they ran up to me and they were like, "Mike?” And I was like, "I haven't seen you in two-and-a-half years!” And like, just jumped up and gave me a big hug and now I'm feeling all cuddly and cozy. What about you, Becky?

Becky: That's such a great story. Thanks for sharing, Mike. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy thinking about it. I feel like a number 10. I'm excited for today. I'm ready to be with everyone and just open arms ready to learn and be alongside with you and all of our participants.

Mike: We got some tens, we got some fives in the chat, we've got some ones. Keep them coming. Let us know how you're feeling and we're going to rock and roll to our next slide.

Becky: Thank you. I got a little excited. We are very excited, as you can tell, that we're going to be focusing on positive behavior supports this season. We have focused on this on our last two infant/toddler webinars as well. And you probably already know this, that social-emotional development is one of the domains in Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework, or the ELOF. And the practical strategies we're going to be talking about today are going to be focusing on the relationships with other children subdomain of the social-emotional development domain as you can see highlighted here.

We have been working our way through the pyramid. And we've been thinking about the pyramid model, and this is a Positive Behavior Support, or PBS framework that is proactively addressing the social-emotional development and challenging behaviors that young children might experience.

And the framework offers a continuum of evidence-based teaching practices that are organized into four levels of support. The first level is nurturing and responsive relationships. The second level is high-quality supportive environments. Then we have the purple, the third level, social and emotional teaching strategies, and the top of the pyramid, intensive intervention.

And today, we're going to be focusing on that third level of the pyramid, or a second-tier support where we're talking about social and emotional teaching strategies. If you want learn more about the pyramid model, we hope that you will check out the recourses in your viewer's guide from the National Center of Pyramid Model Innovations, or NCPMI in the Resource List section.

Mike: We would love to hear — because I'm already like I need a sip of water — we'd love hear using that purple Q&A widget some of the strategies and practices that you have in place in your center, and your learning environment that really supports problem-solving and relationship skills with infants and toddlers. Once again, type that into the chat using your purple Q&A widget.

Once again, I'm going to start it. I think one practice that I did specifically with infants is whenever we're by the door and it's during pickup time, we will have that child, just look up and we're like, "Oh, is someone's parent here? Or someone's caregiver here?” And they'll go "Dada! Dada!" And I say, "Oh, should we go over to such-and-such, Nico, and say, 'Oh Dada's here?'" "Let's come with me.” You're building that relationship with the child and building relationship between the children.

And something that I like to do with toddlers when they're a little bit older, I love doing like a little scavenger hunt. I'll say, "Oh my goodness! I lost my coffee!” "My adult drink.” Well, maybe not adult drink, some coffee. "Let's go find it!” "Hmm, you're getting warmer. You're getting colder" They've been learning about spatial awareness, difference in temperature, things of that nature.

Becky: And also the collaboration of working together as a team if you're in a group care setting, all trying to find coffee that we need in the morning. Let's see what we have in the Q&A talking about having a welcome song with each child's name.

Mike: We're having some redirect. Redirection is always key.

Becky: Having open-ended questions with toddlers. Totally. And one of the things that I like, which I'm sure is going to also come up in the chat is to engage in that narration when a toy struggle is happening or there's a problem where we're talking about what the toddlers are doing, and what we see. And just letting them know what's happening in real-time.

Mike: That sounds like something we should talk about on Parallel Play.

Becky: Yeah. If you haven't checked out our podcast, we hope that you will. Mike and I also host a Parallel Play podcast. Let's think about positive behavior supports. As we know, the pyramid model is one way we can engage in positive behavior supports. And let's think a little bit deeper about what positive behavior supports are and what they mean. This is really a positive approach to prevent and address challenging behavior or behaviors that adults find challenging.

And the number one thing to remember is that PBS is proactive. That we're proactively thinking about ways in which we can prevent challenging behaviors from occurring. It's positive and proactive. And at the heart of PBS is this recognition that challenging behavior is communication. That challenging behavior is used to communicate a message like, "I want to play with that person or that other toddler.” Or "I want to turn right now.” Or "I want to play in the sensory bin too.” Or something like, "I want that green ball.”

There's all behavior is a form of communication and children are sending us a message. Educators can be their best detectives and together with the family uncover what the child is trying to communicate through their behavior and then teach the child a more effective way to communicate and problem solve with support.

Mike: We’re going to turn it back right to you. I hope your fingers are ready. We're going to be doing this all day. Let's turn the attention back to you. We do our best caregiving and teaching when we feel well ourselves. Really engaging in self-care practices can help educators, admin, everyone build greater social and emotional capacity to work through problem-solving together.

And our ability to support children with problem-solving and relationship skills starts with our ability to really center ourselves by noticing and observing all the little things that are happening within our bodies, with as little judgment as possible and really softening to what is. We can help young children work through challenges with peers, for a more grounded, balance, soft, and objective place by naming what we see happening come. Before we support the children in our care with problem-solving and relationship skills, it's super important that we find ways to regulate our own feelings throughout the day.

Just by taking a minute right now, we're going to do a quick little body scan to know what's happening in our bodies, to really softening to that moment, like I said earlier, slowing down and centering ourselves at any point of the day, but specifically right now since I'm going to ask you all to do it with me. This practice supports our well-being first, enabling us to hold a really non-judgmental space and respond intentionally and responsibly to children cues, behaviors, and communication, as we support them in building healthy relationships with each other. Get your wiggles out.

You might want to start in the seated position, or if you're laying down, maybe you're on a standing desk, I don't know, whatever feels comfortable to you and just start to slowly bring your attention to your body. You can close your eyes. I would love to close my eyes, but the blinding lights are in front of me. I won't do that. Only close your eyes if you're feeling comfortable.

And just start to notice your body wherever you are. As you inhale, and as you exhale have that really sense of relaxation. And you can notice your feet, or your body on the floor. You can notice — for me, I notice the seat underneath me or that if I lean back, the back of the chair against me. That was a lot of words I wanted to say.

Bring your attention now to your stomach area. If it feels tight, right, let us soft it. Imagine you're on a beach somewhere. I know one of our participants says they're going on vacation. Notice your hands, and your arms, and your shoulders. Let them be soft. Let your jaw and your face muscle soften up. And notice your whole body just being present. Then take that one last deep breath.

Now, if you're so inclined to, feel free to share how you are feeling during or feel now after the body scan. What shifts do you notice? Me, oh, I was like, I got a lot of things in my shoulders. I was like, I need to go to a massage place.

Becky: I was thinking the same thing. So much tension I hold in my shoulders and my neck. We're on the same page, Mike.

Mike: There you go.

Becky: As these are coming in let's start to think about problem-solving in relationship skills. Social competencies like self-regulation, empathy, perspective-taking, and problem-solving skills are all really key to foundational healthy social-emotional development. This includes positive interactions and friendships, or relationships between peers. Educators can help children learn these skills that are necessary to develop healthy peer relationships and find ways to work though social conflicts with children and providing support with the child.

The first thing that we can do with infants and toddlers is about modeling problem-solving skills. And if we model problem-solving skills early on, this will build a foundation of problem-solving and relationship skills that children can build on and will be able to access with adult support as they develop and start to use these skills more independently. As children become more independent and more mobile, they tend to run into situations in the natural environment that can lead to frustration or challenging behavior like a toy is out of my reach, or I also want to play in the sensory table and someone is already there.

If we teach children problem-solving skills and they become good problem solvers on their own, and with our support, their self-esteem increases in their ability to solve problems. They're more likely to cope with a certain level of frustration and engage in less challenging behavior. There might be some children in your care who don't readily learn these skills through foundational teaching strategies like modeling or co-regulation, and this might include children with disabilities or suspected delays.

It's important to be aware of the process of all children and use more individualized practices to teach these skills to children who need more support. And we will talk more about that in the basics. Let’s look at some key ideas. When we're thinking about working with toddlers there's three key ideas we want to think about when supporting problem-solving and relationship skills. The first one is promoting healthy relationships. Educators can model relationship skills with things like sharing or helping or cooperating like you were talking about.

Mike: Yeah.

Becky: Earlier, Mike, with everyone helping you to find your coffee, and providing comfort, and making suggestions in play, and then celebrating each other. That's a big piece of promoting healthy relationships. And teachers can also create developmentally appropriate opportunities for practicing these skills throughout the day, like setting up a space for two or three toddlers to play together at one time. There might be limited space, and limited materials. This way toddlers can practice turn taking and sharing, like we see in this picture on the left.

And we might also start to notice in the toddler years that children could be showing preferences for a particular playmate. This is also a great time to pause and think about what value do we put, or you put, on peer relationships, and how do you expect peers to act with each other? And our awareness of these questions, and our responses to these questions is really supportive of our equitable teaching practices.

Mike: Can I take the middle one?

Becky: Yeah. Yeah!

Mike: Perfect because I love teaching about problem-solving. Conflict happens all the time in case you never have been in an early childhood classroom, but I don't think this — I think this audience knows. Conflicts happen all the time in early childhood environments where children are really just learning to manage their emotions or behavior through co-regulation. Remember, these are the first times that they might be having these types of emotions. They're like, "Whoa! What is going on?”

Toddlers are beginning to reason, and really beginning to understand simple consequences. Educators can describe the problem. We can offer solutions. Then that's how we can support toddlers in trying a couple different new strategies out. Like, how I imagine as I'm looking at this middle photo, I imagine this educator something — I'm trying to channel my inner educator. "I see you reaching out and you're touching Zoa's leg. I wonder if you're wanting some more space. You can say, 'I need some more space please.'"

Becky: Yeah, totally. Thank you so much, Mike. The next key idea we want to talk about is teach problem-solving in the moment. Problem-solving is hard work as we know, and educators can help toddlers use the problem-solving steps in the moment by first being proactive and anticipating social conflicts before they happen.

This might be being close, as we see in this picture on the right, that the educator is close to the child, supporting her through this interaction. We can also provide support by describing steps for solving the problem and modeling them and supporting the child in going through them. We can also generate solutions together and then we can celebrate success.

And, of course, we want to you remember to individualize the strategies you used to provide support on these skills based on the learning characteristics and needs of the children you support. Some children may need the amount of language used to be modified. Some children may need visual cues or gestures paired with verbal language. Some children may need specific feedback on consequences to help them learn the effect of their behavior on the environment. Again, please stay tuned for the basics and we're going to share some more information about providing specific feedback.

Mike: Let's now take a second to pause and watch a clip on teaching problem-solving in the moment and how that might look like with toppers.

[Video begins]

Teacher: Are you guys taking turns? Would you like to have a turn? OK. Cayden's turn. Now, whose turn is it to put one on top?

Cayden: It's Marcos!

Teacher: It's Marcos' turn. Marcos, did you hear that? He said it's your turn.

Marcos: I make a red one.

Teacher: Your turn. Wow! Your turn! Look at how many blocks — you guys, what could you tell Ryan? Say, "Ryan, that was my tower.”

Marcos: Stop!

Ryan: That was my tower.

Teacher: Stop. That was a good word. Look it, we could get our — oh, I took my cards off. Look it, we could use our cards. We could use our cards, Ryan. Ryan, we could use our cards. Look it, what could we do? You could wait and take a turn to knock it down. Look, you have your own tower to knock down. And you guys did such a good job of ignoring him when he knocked your tower down. Nice job.

[Video ends]

Mike: There was so many wonderful moments here that I just loved. Use our Q&A, purple Q&A widget to type in what did you notice, what did you see, what did you want to express? And we'll kick us off. The first thing that I'm just thinking about is that the educator was the proximity of the educator. What's close by to really support and to anticipate — not jump in right away, but just to anticipate a little bit around problem-solving in the moment.

Becky: Yeah. Like, what we're talking about. Being close. I notice that the educator was narrating the turn-taking and supported turn-taking too.

Mike: And even when the block fell, the educator gave the child words to say and then asked for the toddler for their input.

Becky: Yes, giving the child the words to say because sometimes in the moment they don't know what to say. That's really helpful. I also love this idea of having the solution cards close by. That they were within arm's reach. She didn't have to leave the block area to go and get them.

Mike: As we think about educators and being responsive and thinking about everyone in the learning environment, really, I saw the educator also talking to all the children who were involved. It wasn't just to the child who knocked off the block. Talk to all the children involved about what they can do in order to solve this problem moving forward or next time because it will happen again.

Becky: Yes. And the educator provided positive feedback, which I saw come through the chat giving specific feedback and praise and of utilizing the solutions. We also saw that the educator was very attentive. She was calm, and encouraging, and involving everyone. More comments about being calm and a soft tone of voice which makes a huge difference.

Mike: Exactly. As we move through this presentation, and this, our time together, remember to take time — or let's do it right now. Let's take another moment to pause and reflect on these questions that will support equitable teaching practices. I think the three that you mentioned earlier were how do you expect peers to act with one another with each other? Another one that you said was — you remembered it, you said it.

Becky: Yeah, it was think about how do we feel about conflict or disagreement, or debates?

Mike: That reminds me. The last one that you said was do you listen openly to all children when there is a problem. Just keep these in the back of your mind and because we're probably going to revisit this in a little bit.

Becky: Thank you, Mike, for those reflective questions. Let's think about key ideas for problem-solving and relationship skills with infants since it’s slightly different than toddlers. When we think about promoting healthy relationships with infants, that's what the work is all about. It's all about relationships. This means modeling healthy relationships with the infants in your care so they can feel what it feels like to be in a healthy relationship. It also means modeling healthy relationships with other adults in the learning environment, so infants can see what healthy relationships look like.

Educators can create opportunities for infants to play side-by-side and interact with each other like we see in this picture on the left. The two educators are sitting close together with three infants in their laps. The infants are close enough to notice and reach out for each other, and maybe after they're done reading the book, the infants are placed on the carpet together where they can explore the books on their own and with each other.

Mike: When I just think about the other photo, this where it says, "Practice problem-solving." The one on our right, this is about being aware of infants' cues. Remembering that some infants may not give clear or predictable cues. All infants have different temperaments and varying temperaments, and that creates varying abilities to give cues.

Also, think about infants with disabilities or suspected delays. They may not be using behaviors we're typically accustomed to, such as eye gaze or vocalization, especially if they are the only — and especially if we're working with children who are typically neurotypical. It's important for adults to be very intentional about their observations and what behaviors they recognize as cues. Watch for situations that may trigger stress, or conflict, and provide comfort to those infants while describing what the problem is or was and possible solutions.

Narrate what you are doing in the moment to problem solve as you go along. Like in this picture on the right, you might say something like — I always like pretending to say something, you might say something like, "Oh, I see your holding on to this book. And this looks like it might be a problem. You both look very upset. Hmm. How about we try looking at the book together at the table?”

Becky: Right now, let's watch what promoting healthy relationships with infants might look like. As you're watching this clip, please put in the Q&A what you might say to the two infants that would help promote peer relationships.

Teacher 2: Thank you. Do you want to stand up? Do you need a diaper, Ivy? You need a diaper? She actually [Inaudible] because she was doing something at the table.

Teacher 3: Okay. You going back?

Teacher 2: [Inaudible] Wow! Look at you.

Becky: I love this video so much.

Mike: I'm, like, grinning ear-to-ear.

Becky: What did you notice, Mike, about the video?

Mike: I noticed that these two infants are playing next to each other and they're naturally sharing. They're naturally being in community with one another, which involved naturally taking turns, holding, and lifting up the basket.

Becky: It's such a beautiful moment and I love, like you said, the natural turn taking that's happening. As comments are coming into the chat, one of the things I might say to the two children in this video clip are, "Oh, I see you are both using the basket. Look at how you can take turns.”

Mike: Or I would say something like, "Oh, you two are playing next to each other.” Acknowledging this beautiful interaction, with a lot of excitement and warmth in my tone, a voice.

Becky: And yes, the tone of voice is so important because what we say is just as important as how we say it and how we say it is just as important as what we say.

Mike: And I would even say in just say the joy that's happening, because we often don't look at our Black children, our Black boys, as joyful beings. You can tie that all in together.

Becky: There's so much joy happening in this clip, but I think it gives us a both a lot of joy. Let's see in the chat we're having some comments coming in about, "Oh wow, good job sharing," or let's see here, I'm looking, there's so many things that coming up.

Mike: "It's nice to see you two playing together with the basket.”

Becky: "I see you are sitting together, and you are being kind to each other.”

Mike: "Wow, good job sharing.” And that positive tone, once again.

Becky: Yes, lots of comments about — and stating the child's names and how they are sharing the joy. It's wonderful. Keep bringing those in and our wonderful Q&A team will send them out. Mike, I want to hear more about neuroscience now.

Mike: Of course, you do. Research tells us that the early years are foundational. Most important part, especially when brain development, in adults we play a vital role in supporting a healthy brain development, connection and architecture.

In this segment, Neuroscience Nook, we are so excited to connect this research to everyday teaching practices. An important side note before we continue, and as questions using that purple Q&A widget comes in, remember we absolutely want to hear from you. We just don't want to sit here and talk, we want to hear from y'all. If you got questions, comments, concerns, thoughts, ideas, share them with us, or post them in the "Teacher Time" Community in My Peers.

Executive function. The pre-mental cortex begins to develop early on in life. This area of the brain is responsible for what are known as the executive functioning skills. And it's essential for the development of strong and healthy relationships. As you can see on this graphic, it includes so many different things.

Attention, being able to focus on a task. Working memory, being able to remember rules and procedures. Self-regulation and the ability to control impulses which I didn't have last night when I was eating ice cream. Organization, switching between tasks, flexible thinking, problem-solving, planning behavior, decision-making, motivation.

All of these skills are important to problem-solving and heathy relationships. We can help young children, support young children, to start developing this critical relationship building and problem-solving skills through responsive caregiving and affective teaching practices that are responsive to the individual child's needs. Just like we mentioned in our most recent episode of "Teacher Time," in case you missed it you can go back on…

Becky: DTL Push Play, and you can access our first two infant toddler webinars about building relationships and emotional literacy.

Mike: There you go. I always like to throw it to you because I always forget where exactly it is. But yes, just like she said. We encourage you to look back at the last two years guides, Building Relationship with Children Birth to Five, and Emotional Literacy with Children Birth to Five to see more about the importance of nurturing relationships and the impact on the developing minds. Looks like I also have the next slide. Now let's hear from Dr. Juliet Taylor as she described the development of executive functioning skills.

Juliet Taylor: I'm going to show you a graphic of how executive function develops over time. Here's sort of a graphic representation. And one thing to point out is that we are not born with executive function skills in place. We're born with the potential to develop them, or not, depending on our experiences, our neurophysiology, and the interactions between those things.

This graph shows that on the horizontal axis you can see this is ages birth to 80. And notice that there's not an even distribution between the ages. And that is because there are particular peeks in executive function development. You can see skill proficiency on the vertical axis. And I'm going to highlight a couple of areas where you see tremendous growth and executive function skills. And that is really in the preschool ages between three to five. And then in early adolescents to early adulthood, there's another spike in development.

The foundations of executive function are laid down in the earliest months and years of life. And that really happens through basic, sort of serve and return it's sometimes called, or those basic interactions between child and adult that happen over, and over, and over again. And that spike really does happen in the preschool years after children have verbal language.

Becky: This is such a helpful graphic and such a helpful explanation of executive functioning skills. I'm a visual learner, it meets my learning needs.

Mike: Exactly. We are not born with executive function, but we are born with the potential to develop them. That is why our work, whether it's your direct support, or your indirect support, or you're just hanging out in the back. It's so important that our work is with infants and toddlers to create that lifelong success. We can't say it enough to you. What you are doing is important work. I know we tired sometimes but stick with it. We love you. And thank you for being here with us.

Becky: Yes. I second that. I also, from this video, I think about these peeks in executive functioning that there's a peek between three to five years old right after children have verbal language. And toddlers are just entering into that spike in executive functioning skills which is —I love thinking about that and what does that mean, and what does that mean for toddler behavior, and toddler development.

Mike: And the last two things that are really coming up for me in this one is the foundation of executive function is laid out in the very few first months and years of life. Learning is having in the room and right out as soon as you leave. I was like, I don't know how I'm going to work that. The last thing I was thinking of is the importance of serve and return. If you're like, "What is serve and return?” You know where you can find that? In our last webinar that we did.

Becky: In our "Building Relationships with Infants and Toddlers," we talk a lot about serve and return. Now it's time for the basics. We've talked a lot about the importance of problem-solving and relationship skills. Let's shift to looking at practical strategies for how to support these skills with infants and toddlers.

We're going to do that by getting back to the basics. The basics are a collection of strategies that could be used in any setting with infants and toddlers. And the "Teacher Time" basics are behavioral expectations in advance, attend to and encourage positive behavior, scaffold with cues and prompts, increase engagement, create or add challenge, and provide specific feedback.

In this season of "Teacher Time," we have been focusing on two letters of the basics every episode. We hope that you will join us for all of the webinars this season. And remember, if you've missed the last two webinars on building relationships and emotional literacy with infants and toddlers, you can access those on DTL Push Play. We invite you to tune in to our future webinars. There's a registration link in the resource list if you want to sign up for that now so that you can get all of the basics of positive behavior of sorts.

Today, we're going to be looking at examples of C, create, or add challenge and S, specific feedback to support problem-solving and relationship skills. Let's take one look at how we can create or add challenge. When we're thinking about supporting problem-solving and relationship skills, we can add challenge by carefully selecting toys and materials for the learning environment that support taking turns, waiting, and learning how to share.

This might look like putting out a ball track, or a car track, or a toy that naturally supports turn taking where the children have to wait before sending a ball or a car down the track, or where one ball or one car will fit on the track at a time. Or maybe you put out stacking rings and encourage children to stack together since only one ring could be stacked at a time like we see in this picture on the left.

You could also create waiting games with the materials and routines that you have in the learning environment, like waiting to go down the slide or waiting to go through the tunnel like we see in this picture on the right. You might also sing a song while you wait to wash your hands, or like one of our participants said in the beginning, you have a greeting song in the morning where the children have to wait to do their special dance, or their special move until they hear their name.

Mike: I think that is a great segue, it's almost like you've seen this before, into us watching a video of what a waiting game might look like in the learning environment with a toddler. As you watch the video, we invite you to share once again in the Q&A how you see the educator supporting waiting, and what would you do to support toddlers with waiting in your program center?

Teacher 4: OK, one, two, three, go!

Connor: Whee!

Teacher 4: Good job, Connor.

Teacher 5: You want to count? OK. One, two, three, four, five, go!

Teacher 5: Yay! One, two — Oh, she couldn't wait, could she? She just couldn't wait. That's fine. She went on two. That's good. You want to count? Ah! Hailey didn't want to wait either. That's fine.

Mike: You can see right away, like you heard the counting, the toddler is down before they can actually go down the slide.

Becky: And I loved that the educator honored when the toddlers did wait and when they just couldn't wait. And she said, "Oh, she couldn't wait. That's fine.”

Mike: And it looks like someone in our chat just beat us to it before we said that. There's so much waiting to happen in this video in taking turns, waiting at the top of the slide, toddlers waiting for their turn.

Becky: There’s so much and it felt like this was a very natural turn taking game for this group of toddlers. It felt like it was familiar to them. And it felt like it was something that they were enjoying.

Mike: And just thinking about like my own culture being Afro-Caribbean, in my culture we love to give children control over the waiting time. They want to wait until they are down the slide, the first child is down the slide to climb up, they have that control. Or we'll say, "Hey, how many seconds do you think we should wait?” We're giving them that power, that control.

Becky: I love that. The real traces and the agency. We have a few comments coming in from the chat. Just the encouragement and patience from the educator. That there was a countdown as a verbal strategy and we also saw that the educator was giving examples of waiting, like naming who waited and who couldn't wait.

Let’s  think about specific feedback and providing specific feedback is another way that educators can support problem-solving an relationship skills. Providing specific feedback is about naming and acknowledging when you see a child engage in building relationships.

It might sound like, "Oh, you're helping me put on Natalie's coat.” Or "I saw you get a tissue for Kai. That was so kind.” And the key to specific feedback is being specific. Thinking about what you see and what you saw that toddlers or infants do. Educators can also provide specific feedback to a child when they see them taking turns or sharing, or trying to solve a problem, or playing next to each other, or even playing with a child. That might sound like, "Oh look, Nora is watching you. I think she wants to play too.”

And providing specific feedback is a helpful tool to teach children what to do. You might provide feedback on how to be a friend, or how to solve a problem like, "Hmm, I see that you two are frustrated and have a problem. Let get our solution kit for some ideas.” Or you might say, "Oh, you knocked into Lucas because you were running, and you didn't see him. Let's see if he's okay.”

It's about offering specific ideas of what the toddler can do next and then supporting the infants and toddlers with those next steps and those skills. Remember that, again we said this earlier, how feedback is given, including what you say and how to you say it is important and should be individualized to meet the learning characteristics and temperament of each child.

Mike: Do you remember those three questions I asked earlier? Or you asked them and then I reiterated them? Here's where it comes up again. Three questions. How do you expect peers to act with one another? How do you feel about conflict? And do you listen openly to all children? This is where we are going to apply them.

In our segment Small Change Big Impact where we share how small and adjustments to the way we set up our learning environments, modify a curriculum, or engage with children can make a huge difference in a child's learning. We know that children vary in their learning characteristics and how they engage with people, and materials, and learning environment.

These small changes, and these curriculum modifications are made so that the individual child -- they're made thinking about the individual needs of a child in order to promote their engagement, their participation, and we know that children are more engaged when they have opportunities to learn.

Some children might need more highly individualized teaching practices to help them learn problem-solving such as imbedded teaching or intensive individualized teaching, making curriculum modifications based off a child's individual learning needs can be a great place to start to support this engagement.

Today we're going to be focusing on environmental supports like making physical adjustments to the learning environment to promote participation, engagement, learning problem-solving, relationship skills, the two things of today's talk. When you think about the strategies of physical adjustments, I would love for us to consider changing the space, the location, and arrangement of materials, of activities, to really support the needs of individual children. Like, setting up the smallest space, for example, for a few toddlers to sit together and read a book, or a small sensory table where a few children can play together at the same time. Do you got any ideas?

Becky: I think about managing materials and supplies. Materials could be used in many ways to support individual children with problem-solving and relationship skills. We can think about adding in materials, taking out materials, varying materials, and strategically using the materials to support a desired behavior. You might take out some materials to encourage sharing and turn-taking between toddlers, or you might bring in materials that support waiting. Like, we talked about in the basics.

Or maybe, you set up larger items like tumbling mats, or a large balance beam like we see in this picture in the middle where one child is walking at a time and one child takes a turn at a time. You could also bring in materials that are more engaging and fun with two children, like a rocking boat, or a toddler-safe seesaw.

Mike: For our last one, you can always add visual cues. You could add simple ones. You could add complex ones. I don't know. Do you. Individual cues can really promote relationship between peers and problem-solving skills like sharing a hug or giving a high-five.

Once again, check out the viewer's guide for more suggestions and resources on ECLKC. We encourage you to observe each child to see how they engage in specific areas with a group, and with each other. This can help us think about what are some of the best ways to support the child in building peer relationships and problem-solving skills by individualizing the support that you provide and how to you modify the environment.

Once again, viewer's guide has all these information and tips and tricks of the trade. Let's take a break. Well, we're going to take a break. Y'all aren't going to take a break. To watch a video of how an educator intentionally changes the setup of the environment to support her interactions. And of course, whatever comes to your mind, type it into your purple Q&A widget.

Teacher 6: There we go. Are you ready to make soup? Come here. Oops. This one is not broken. We can put water in it. We can hold water. Ready? Oh, Joy wants to do it. Joy, do you want to put some water in here?

Boy: I would.

Teacher 6: You want to help, too? Can you wait one minute? Just wait for Joy's turn? Oh, I don't think she liked that. Can you give it back to Joy, please? Oh!

Teacher 6: What happened?

Mike: This educator knows how much the toddlers at the table loves to play with water. To support this toddler were peer interactions and relationships. The education staff set up the water vents near the dramatic play areas. Did you notice that? Where two toddlers were making soup.

Becky: And as we got to see the children interacted with each other and the soup making moved from the dramatic play area to the table. The educator really supported turn taking at the end of this clip when she narrated what was happening, she used sign language, and asked specifically asked one toddler to give the scoop back to another toddler. We saw a lot of individualizing practices in this video where thinking about a child's interest, thinking about some games that other children were playing, and how we can bring those two together.

Mike: If you are in my classroom, we're making caldo, we're making pozole. But that's neither here or there. Throughout this webinar we have been discussing ways to foster social-emotional skills for all children. Becky, what are we going to talk about more in this segment?

Becky: Thanks, Mike. We're going to think about those reflective questions that we've been mentioning throughout the webinar. In our focus on equity segment, we're going to be using our equity lens to take a closer look at implicit bias and how that impacts how we interact with children and support them in building problem-solving skills, and relationship skills. The value we place on peer relationships and the way we go about building and maintaining them are influenced by our family, our culture, our community, and our experiences.

Sometimes our subtle biases can interfere with our ability to approach conflict between children with an open mind and help them solve problems in a way that is respectful and fair to all children involved. Uncovering these biases take time and reflection. Again, some of these helpful questions to reflect on are — what value do you place on peer relationships? How do you expect peers to act with each other? How do you feel about conflict, disagreements, or debates?

Mike: Do you listen openly to all children when there is a problem?

Becky: And is there a child that you are more likely to make negative assumptions about when a problem involves that specific child? We just encourage you to ask a friend, or a colleague, or a coach to video record you during a time of day when there tends to be more conflict between children. Then go back and watch the video and notice how you respond and interact with each child involved in the conflict. And again, ask yourself, "Does every child receive the support and instruction they need?”

Mike: I am just a little bit excited for this because I'm featured on it. "Teacher Time Library," Emily Small, with someone you clearly recognize that you see in this video, me, Mike Browne, I got to sit with our "Teacher Time" librarian, Emily, and I'm so excited about this month's book. Let's watch me, Emily, make the CASE.

Mike: Welcome to "Teacher Time Library.” My name is Mike Browne. My pronouns are he/him and I'm joined by the wonderful...

Emily Small: Emily Small. And my pronouns are she/her.

Mike: I am so excited to be here today with you all because we have a great selection of books that Emily has curated to be able to share with us today. And it is all centered around our theme of relationships with other children, which is within the social-emotional development domain of our ELOF goals.

Today, we are going to make the case. The CASE, what is that? You might be unfamiliar. You might not. But either way I'm going to refresh your memory. CASE is an acronym that we love to use in order to make connections between the books and what we're trying to hope to achieve within our ELOF domain.

C is pretty simple, C for cookie, also means connecting to ELOF, which is our Early Learning Outcome Frameworks. A, which is about advancing vocabularies. Books are an amazing opportunity. It is both a window, a mirror, and a sliding door into worlds that can really build children's emotional language, vocabulary, and concept development.

S, now this one is a bit of a long one, but it's about supporting engagement. And engagement looks different for each and every single child. Books stirs creativity. It stirs or imagination and by listening to the voices of children, we can really find ways to support them in being active participants not just in their learning, but of their learning environment.

And last but not least we have E. E is about extending the learning well beyond the books. Think about the questions in your curriculum, your provocations, and the activities that you do each and every single day. How can you plan that, so it connects to STEM? How can you use STEM to connect to dramatic play. How can you connect dramatic play to mental health? And so on and so forth because we're all about loving and nurturing the entire child. But that's enough about me, we going to throw it over to these books. And this first one is my favorite, not just because we are matching.

Emily: Yes, we do match today. A quick note before we get into them. I actually borrowed these from my local library. But also, I encourage everyone to check out their local library rather than just having to purchase the items.

Emily: Our first one is "Blocks" by Irene Dickson. We have two friends, Ruby and Benji who are in parallel play with one another in the block area. Benji would really, really like one of Ruby's red blocks and he takes it. And we see what happens next. How they problem solve, how their peer relationship grows, and then we actually have a third friend enter the picture at the end named Guy. There's a chance to make a prediction about what will happen next.

Mike: STEM.

Emily: Yes. We have that nice high gloss cover, we've got "Mine, Mine, Mine, Yours" by Kimberly Gee.

Mike: We hear, "Mine, mine, mine" a lot with toddlers.

Emily: Yes.

Mike: Not so much "Yours," but that's okay.

Emily: We have some great examples in this one of some repetitive phrases on every page. For instance, we have "Jump, jump, jump, bump.”

Mike: That happens.

Emily: All the time. And then we have "Sorry, sorry, sorry.” "That's okay.” But in the pictures, we're seeing a chance for the children to check in on one another.

Mike: And I think that's so important. Especially when we're talking about social-emotional development is that it's not just enough to say, "Sorry," but how are we also coaching in educating our children in order to say, "Hey, check in, what do you think might help them feel better?” We can take it to another level.

Emily: Definitely. That's "Mine, Mine, Mine, Yours.” Then we have this tiny little board book called "The Last Marshmallow.” It's part of the Storytelling Mass series. There's a bunch in this series. I highly recommend them. You can, again, see I borrowed it from my library. And it is a very cold day, just like it is today, and some friends would like two cups of hot chocolate but there's three marshmallows.

Mike: I'm already hearing the STEM, the math right there.

Emily: They each get one but there's one left and they have to problem solve to figure out how they're going to make this fair.

Mike: Oh, like you said, it's a very cold day, give it to me.

Emily: That's the "The Last Marshmallow" by Grace Lin. And then the one we're going to make the case for is "You Hold Me Up" by Monique Gray Smith and Danielle Daniel. This one, I love the illustrations in this book so much. For our connection, our C, this book uses the phrase, "You hold me up when," and then it gives us very specific examples of how people feel connected and respected to one another. For our advanced vocabulary, we see words such as kind, learn, respect, comfort. Those are great words to be using as part of your daily routine with children.

For our S for supporting engagement, the words on the page reference the illustrations but they don't say specifically what's happening. As children are showing interest in them, talk about what is going on in the illustration. We're seeing this family it looks like baking together. You can comment on that.

Mike: You can even talk about how the intergenerational family is well in this one.

Emily: Yes. There's multiple images throughout this book that show intergenerational families. And then for E, extending the learning, one of the other examples they give is "You hold me up when you sing with me," and so, we know that singing is a great thing to do with infants, especially for those early verbal skills. I would encourage you to incorporate some singing and then of course some musical instruments as well.

Mike: You can even point out and say, "Oh, what type of instrument do you think this is?” And it's perfect because there's this book that was written and illustrated by First Nation People. You can talk about Indigenous people and how they're still alive and they're thriving. There's multiple ways to tie in so many key concepts.

Emily: Absolutely. That's "You Hold Me Up" by Monique Gray Smith and Danielle Daniel.

Mike: Now, what we don't have is one of my other favorite books and that's "Kindness Makes Us Strong," which you can always pick up at...

Emily: Your local library. It comes in a really nice big board book format which is great for both reading individually with children or in a group setting.

Mike: Well, I don't know about you, Emily, but I am ready to go read some books...

Emily: Awesome.

Mike: ...to color, to do it all. Maybe not first. Right now, we are going to say goodbye. But until next time, take care of yourselves and we can't wait. We are wrapping up today's episode and I can't wait to check out my local library to see all those great books that they have. Remember to check out the viewer's guide for complete book list. And if you work with toddlers, Emily also made the case for another book not shown here, "Kindness Makes Us Strong.” Again, all the info is in your viewer guide.

Becky: We just want to say thank you so much for joining us today. We are so excited that you are here and I also want to invite you to next months "Teacher Time" webinar, "Problem-Solving and Relationship Skills in Preschool.” And you can find the registration link in your Resource List Widget for the next three "Teacher Time" webinars. Sign up now. We hope to see you there.

We are also excited to let you know about our Dual Language Celebration Week coming up. Please make sure to register for that as well. And that widget is going to pop up on your screen right after we say goodbye. Thank you so much and we just can't wait to see you until next time.

Mike: Happy Black History Month, everyone. Happy Dual Language Learner Celebration Week. Until next time.

Children are born ready to solve problems! Infants and toddlers rely on supportive relationships to learn how to recognize problems and find solutions. Problem-solving involves patience, persistence, and creativity from both the child and the adults in their lives. As infants and toddlers explore their world and engage in play with peers, challenges and conflicts provide opportunities to learn and grow. Discuss practical strategies to foster problem-solving and relationship-building skills with infants and toddlers.

Note: The evaluation, certificate, and engagement tools mentioned in the video were for the participants of the live webinar and are no longer available. For information about webinars that will be broadcast live soon, visit the Upcoming Events section.

Video Attachments

• Webinar Slides (579.91 KB)
• Viewer's Guide (1.31 MB)

Resource Type: Video

National Centers: Early Childhood Development, Teaching and Learning

Age Group: Infants and Toddlers

Audience: Teachers and Caregivers

Series: Teacher Time

Last Updated: December 18, 2023

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