This post is sponsored by Melissa & Doug but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
"Whether you’re a first-time parent or a mother of multiples, those first years of your child’s life are epic. Sure, you may be covered in spit-up. And perhaps, you cannot remember the last time you slept for eight hours consecutively. But it’s all worth it because you get unlimited snuggles. You can still cradle your little one in your arms—sometimes just barely after growth spurts—and you get to witness so many firsts as you hear them coo, babble, and eventually say “mama” for the first time. Although every child develops at their own pace, there is something magical about watching your growing LO explore their world.
We turn to our favorite toy brand, Melissa & Doug, to encourage independent play and support children’s development. Their educational products are made of high-quality materials and designed for various age groups. They have all the good stuff to inspire fun, hands-on playtime. Whether we’re giving our kid’s grandparents a list of gift options or adding the latest release of PAW Patrol and Blue’s Clues toys to our cart, we refer to Melissa & Doug.
So, you can imagine how excited we were to find out they have a new line of toys! It’s for ages newborn to 2 years old and is specifically designed to encourage learning and development through open-ended play!
Melissa & Doug’s latest products feature adorable, diverse characters with an engaging variety of shapes, textures, and themes for kiddos up to age 2.
Children can immerse themselves in pretend play while practicing their sensory, fine motor, and problem-solving skills! Read on for our top picks from Melissa & Doug’s new toy line.
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1+ Months
This peanut butter and jelly baby toy serves up some delicious fun through hands-on exploration of various textures, including corduroy peanut butter and smooth jelly. The clip-on feature means your little one can savor this yummy toy whether they’re on the go or at home. You can almost taste the joy this toy will bring to your baby! Skills developed: Sensory and fine motor skills We all love a good bubble tea and now your baby can enjoy one too with this adorable plush toy featuring a removable clip to make the fun easily transportable. Your little tea sipper will delight in the textured plastic strawberry and banana while getting a sweet surprise when they see themselves in the mirror hidden underneath the yummy whipped cream. Skills developed: Sensory and fine motor skills
Melissa & Doug
Melissa & Doug
Source: Jaclyn Voran
6+ Months
Melissa & Doug
Pineapples have never looked this fun to play with! This five-piece stackable toy includes a rattle, squeezable rings, and crinkle leaves.
Skills developed: Sensory, fine motor, and problem-solving skills
Melissa & Doug
Anyone who has watched a baby open a gift knows sometimes the wrapping paper and box is more exciting than the gift. This toy gives them that joy over and over again, with presents to wrap and unwrap. Your sweet little one will explore different textures and sounds, and can even begin to experience what it's like to give a gift to someone else.
Skills developed: Sensory, fine motor skills, and empathetic play
Melissa & Doug
“Taco bout” how much joy your baby can have discovering how to assemble (and disassemble) their first taco with this fill-and-spill toy. The individual taco elements encourage the exploration of textures and sounds with soft and crinkly pieces. No taco is complete without a splash of lime and salsa on top!
Skills developed: Sensory, fine motor, and problem-solving skills
Melissa & Doug
The next time you go to a farmer’s market with your little darling, bring along this market basket with play food so they can join you in some shopping fun. With smiley fruit that squeaks, crinkles, and chimes, your little shopper will be carrying the most delicious produce in their own tote bag at your local market.
Skills developed: Sensory and fine motor skills
Source: Jaclyn Voran
Melissa & Doug
Inspire safari adventures with these four cute round animals that will introduce the concept of cause and effect when your kid rolls and squeezes these toys. Increase the fun factor by making some corresponding animal sounds for each toy animal!
These safari friends are also compatible with all Rollables play sets.
Skills developed: Sensory and fine motor skills
Melissa & Doug
Your LO can discover how extraordinary farm animals are with these rollable cheery toys that are irresistibly squishy. Consider pairing this imaginative play with some nursery rhymes inspired by pigs, chicken, cows, and horses.
These farm friends are also compatible with all Rollables play sets.
Skills developed: Sensory and fine motor skills
Source: Jaclyn Voran
9+ Months
Melissa & Doug
Treehouses are magical and with this toy your child can embark on many forest adventures with twirling and rolling. Included is a rollable fox and raccoon along with a bead maze for children to tumble and explore as much as their hearts desire.
This toy is also compatible with all of the Rollables friends sets linked above!
Skills developed: Hand-eye coordination, animal recognition, and sensory skills
12+ Months
Melissa & Doug
Have your LO dive into some under-the-sea adventures with some loveable rollable friends that include the cutest shark, crab, and octopus. This ocean slide also has some great interactive elements like a sea star that turns and a whale flipper to press that will inspire lots of learning and smiles for your little fish.
This toy is also compatible with all of the Rollables friends sets linked above!
Skills developed: Hand-eye coordination and animal recognition
Melissa & Doug
Bring a farm to life with this wooden barn set that comes with four farm animals and two farmers beautifully crafted on both sides. Your toddlers will love the tumbling and twirling with the GO Tot friends in this make-believe farm world. It even comes with a carrying handle to take the fun on-the-go!
This Melissa & Doug GO Tots toy is compatible with all other GO Tots toys and playsets—collect them all!
Skills developed: fine motor skills and storytelling
Melissa & Doug
School and playing is fun with this delightful toy that features a classroom on one side and a playground on the other. Your child can experience hands-on learning by taking their GO Tots school friends on the swing, see-saw, slide, and desk. Includes carrying handle.
This Melissa & Doug GO Tots toy is compatible with all other GO Tots toys and playsets—collect them all!
Skills developed: fine motor skills and storytelling
Source: Amanda Shapin Michelson
Source: Amanda Shapin Michelson
Melissa & Doug
Have your little one go grocery shopping in your home with this adorable grocery cart featuring built-in shape sorters and 2 wooden chunky puzzles. There’s even a coffee cup and holder because, just like mama, your toddler may get thirsty when going grocery shopping.
Skills developed: Shapes, colors, fine motor, and movement skills
Melissa & Doug
The wheels on the bus roll as the GO Tots passengers enjoy a bouncy ride conducted by the bus driver, otherwise known as your child. When it’s time for the passengers to exit, your little one can simply press the release button and away they go! You can even sing the famous nursery rhyme as you join in the bus ride.
This Melissa & Doug GO Tots toy is compatible with all other GO Tots toys and playsets—collect them all!
Skills developed: fine motor skills and movement
Source: Amanda Shapin Michelson
Melissa & Doug
Ready, set, and roll with this moveable wooden car set that comes with two double-sided GO Tots passengers. Add some friendly competition to your child’s playtime by racing these cars on a flat surface to see which one is the fastest!
This Melissa & Doug GO Tots toy is compatible with all other GO Tots toys and playsets—collect them all!
Skills developed: fine motor skills and movement
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.