This post was in partnership with Melissa & Doug, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
"As a new parent, it can be hard to figure out what’s best for your child when it comes to toys and early learning. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there, especially when it comes to marketing messaging. With every manufacturer telling you, “This toy will make your kid smarter!” how do you know what is truly beneficial? And is “making your kid smarter” the goal you’re actually supposed to strive for?
To help parents sort this out, the American Academy of Pediatrics put out a report in 2019 (Selecting Appropriate Toys for Young Children in the Digital Era) with the consensus that the best toys are likely the ones you grew up with.
As the AAP says in the report, the perception of toys has evolved from being things children play with to things that are supposed to critically facilitate early brain and child development. But when simple toys are used by caregivers to engage in play-based interactions with their children that are rich in language, pretending, problem-solving, and creativity—that’s when they learn the most. Play, the actual act of playing, is one of the most important and beneficial parts of a child’s life, and it contributes directly to their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being. To help spread the message about the benefits of play to parents everywhere, the AAP teamed up with Melissa & Doug on the Power of Play campaign. Melissa & Doug is known for its open-ended, skill-building toys.
The actual act of playing is one of the most important and beneficial parts of a child’s life, and it contributes directly to their cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being.
Active Play vs. Passive Play: Which Is Better for Development?
For children to develop literacy, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills and to maintain active minds, their toys must encourage active participation. Think of it this way: Toys that light up or sing and entertain your children do not encourage active play because children are passively consuming/reacting to the toy. Simple toys without all those bells and whistles allow your child to learn through active engagement. Open-ended toys prompt kids to play in new and creative ways. So, yes, you want the right toys for your kids, but they might not be what you’re thinking of or what’s being marketed to you as a parent.
Playtime and interacting with toys are the primary methods by which children acquire many basic skills, including early learning and social skills. Think about how your child plays with cars. Not only are they actively learning about cars, but they’re also learning how wheels operate, how roads and road signs work, and even the basics of things like gravity and cause and effect. When that same child sorts those cars, they learn colors, numbers, sizes, and shapes. When that child plays cars with another child, they both learn social skills like cooperation, turn-taking, teamwork, and patience.
Source: Alaina Kaz
So though some companies may tout many early development skills and promise that your child will learn numbers, letters, and many other things as a result of those “learning toys,” the truth is that those skills will come naturally over the course of developmentally-appropriate play.
“Some of these toys are very entertaining, and they make the child a passive observer,” said Dr. Kathleen Kiely Gouley, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the New York University Child Study Center, in the New York Times. “You want the child to engage with the world. If the toy does everything, if it sings and beeps and shows pictures, what does the child have to do?”
When the toy is simple, a child is forced to be imaginative, dynamic, and engaged on an entirely different level, which enables and promotes development.
The best toys are the ones that let your children learn on their own, and that doesn’t mean they have to be trendy, expensive, or popular and plastered all over magazines and blogs. The simple toys you likely had as a kid are probably still the best options.
When the toy is simple, a child is forced to be imaginative, dynamic, and engaged on an entirely different level, which enables and promotes development. The more they have to use their brains and bodies to make something work, the more they’ll learn.
Shop our favorite toys for babies, toddlers, and young kids!
Melissa & Doug
Ages 1+ years
Kids can explore cause and effect with the four double-sided wooden GO Tots disks in this barnyard tumble set. Relatable, diverse characters and appealing shapes and textures encourage connections and exploratory, skill-building play.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Melissa & Doug
Ages 2+ years
I'm sure this sorting toy looks familiar to you, but sometimes classic toys are the most beneficial. The 12 chunky pieces will help promote color and shape recognition.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Melissa & Doug
Ages 2+ years
Practice fine motor skills, dexterity, and pre-math skills with this wooden block collection. Little builders will love stacking and knocking them down.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Etsy | Yaani LLC
Ages 12+ months
A great toy to learn object permanence, shape matching, and develop fine motor skills. It practices precise hand movements and develops hand, wrist and finger control.
Melissa & Doug
Ages 2+ years
Toddlers can match and sort these 21 colorful pieces of varying shapes and sizes. Perfect for building color and size differentiation skills.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Melissa & Doug
Ages 1+ years
I'm pretty sure we all played with a toy like this at a doctor's office at some point during our childhoods, so it only made sense to include it in this list. The 18 multi-shaped beads and three plastic rings will surely catch your kiddos' eyes.
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
Etsy | Yaani LLC
Ages 8+ months
This Montessori-inspired toy will help littles with their cognitive development and improve their ability to track moving objects.
Etsy | Green Walnut Inc.
Ages 1+ years
Toddlers will have a blast watching each ball roll down the ramp while also building hand-eye coordination.
Etsy | Busy Puzzle
Ages 1+ years
This rainbow stacker is great for developing logic and sensory skills while leaving room for their imaginations to flourish with open-ended play.
Melissa & Doug
Ages 3+ years
If only our kids could be this cleaning-obsessed when they reach adolescence. At least this set is the perfect size for little hands and encourages pretend play!
Use code EVERYMOM20 to get 20% off any Melissa & Doug product!
This post was in partnership with Melissa & Doug, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.