Here is a list of toy and book ideas that I (a certified speech-language pathologist and early interventionist) would recommend for toddlers and preschoolers to promote speech/language development, fine motor skills, problem solving, imaginative pret...
Sections
3
Problem Solving, Learning & Fine Motor
Pretend Play
Books
Problem Solving, Learning & Fine Motor
All of these toys promote learning basic concepts like colors and shapes, involve fine motor skills, or toys to experiment or problem-solve with
Great for shape matching!
Matching Eggs 12 pcs Color & Shape Puzzle
For kids who are obsessed with trains...why not get them these trains with letters to practice letter recognition and even beginning spelling?
Wooden Magnetic Alphabet Train Toy 27 PCS
These are so cute and kids love them! you can match colors or just be silly and make funny combinations
Snap-n-Learn Matching Dinosaurs
You can work on so many words with this one: open, close, help, please, hi/bye, colors, numbers, animal names/sounds…
Wooden Latches Board
Classic shape sorter with easy storage.
Shape-Sorting Cube
The keys that come with this are great for fine motor and problem solving.
Wooden Doorbell House
This is a neat toy for kids who like to figure out how to make things work independently.
Wooden Busy Board with 8 LED Light switches
Love this little barn and animal set, you can target so many words with these
20 Pcs Farm Animals Toys - Counting & Sorting
This one is so unique! I love all the little colored items.
Rainbow Sorting Crayons 56pc
Every kid I know loves magnet tiles!
STEM Magnetic Tiles 40pcs
Another color sort game, that comes with pretend play food
Farmer's Market Color Sorting Set
This one can be difficult for the littles, but it's a great problem solving activity
Sorting & Stacking Color & Shape Toys
big matching chunky puzzles are developmentally appropriate for this age- we want to see them visually recognizing and matching objects that are the same/different!
Construction Chunky Puzzle - 6 Pieces
another matching puzzle with pegs for easier grasping
Farm Friends Jumbo Peg Puzzle - 8 Pieces
scribbling is a skill that your toddler should be started to get interested in!
Magnetic Doodle Board with Stamps
there are lots of variations of these, but i like this one that has a lot of activities that can relate to dressing i.e. the zipper, shoe tie, buckle.
Busy Board for Toddlers
good for fine motor
Buckle Toy
this one is nice for littles learning fine motor skills!
Spike The Fine Motor Hedgehog
Good for bathtime or sticking on the windows in the car. Or sticking anywhere, really
Toddlers Suction Cup Bath Toys: 12 Pcs
Sensory toys that can be used to make fun necklaces or bracelets. some kids like the sound they make when they expand
Pop Tubes – Large 4-Pack Sensory & Fidget Tubes
I love the forest theme of these unique shaped blocks!
classic blocks set, practice putting pegs in/taking out
MEGA BLOKS First Builders 80-Piece Set
Pretend Play
These are great choices to promote imaginative and creative pretend play skills in your little one!
Tools are easy to pretend play with, you can “fix” anything and model the right motions
Fix It! Fine Motor Pretend Play Tool Set
i love these cuttable foods! awesome for pretend play and fine motor coordination
Wooden Play Food Kids Kitchen Cutting Set
music is always a good idea with toddlers! have them imitate actions with the instruments
Musical Instruments Set - with Storage Bag
Every child I know has this toy.
Dust! Sweep! Mop! Cleaning Play Set
love this cute set!
Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter
of course I love the cookie set
Slice & Bake Cookie Set
I believe this one also is motorized so the water can run out of the faucet!
Kitchen Sink Play Set
puppets are a great way to get kids to think creatively and make the puppets talk to each other or do funny things
Safari Buddies Hand Puppets Set of 6 Animals
Classic farm playset, so many kids have this one and it comes with all of the animals
Little People Farm Animals Playset
wonderful for pretend play (feeding babies, putting them to sleep, etc).
15” Twin Baby Dolls with cups, pacifiers
so much fun on a hot summer day!
Splash Water Table Playset with 13 Toys
easy to roll up and put away when not being played with!
Car Play Rug with 12 Pull-Back Vehicle Set
Really good value train set! Comes with everything you need
112-Piece Wooden Train Set - Double-Sided Tracks
I've seen this toy a lot more in recent years, it's fun to race and watch them go down the ramps!
Wooden Race Track Car Ramp Toy with 4 Mini Cars
For kids who love bubbles... or playing with lawnmowers...
Bubble Blower Lawnmower
Sensory bins are a great activity. This kit gives you all the pieces you need and you can always add your own!
Sensory Bin: Dinosaur Dig
Another sensory bin idea.
Sensory Bin: Construction Zone
big foam blocks for stacking! work on perceptual motor and balancing skills
Set of 34 Large Foam Blocks
Music box and storybook player for kids without the screens. You can buy expansion characters for the box for more specific music from Disney movies, tv shows, etc. (Not really pretend play but it fit in this section)
tonies Pink Starter Set with Playtime Songs
Books
Interactive books (and some classics) to help your little one learn to sit for a story!
love this one for working on pointing with index finger!
Poke-a-Dot: Old Macdonald’s Farm Board Book
Probably the most sturdy, chunky loft the flap book you will find.
Who (Peek-a-Flap Series) Board Book
great books for touch and feel textures!!
Usborne Touchy-Feely That's not My Zoo 4 Set
also a good one for textures, these are more rubbery/grippy
Never Touch a Dinosaur!
classic lift-the-flap book
Where's Spot? A Lift-the-Flap Book
Every child should have this book. Great repetition throughout, so kids know what words to anticipate are coming next
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
for new talkers
First 100 Words
good for following directions and visual motor skills
Press Here
this book has so many ridges and textures to feel throughout the book! good choice for kids who are fast-flippers and don't stay too long on the page, this can help them stay on that page for a little longer
See, Touch, Feel: A First Sensory Book
classic book, had to add this one obviously!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
social-emotional book
My Calm Down Book
social-emotional learning
The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions
cool flaps and slides to interact with!
Peekaboo Zoo: Interactive Board Book w/ Mirror
Another texture sensory book for kids who love construction vehicles
