My toddler is one of those who has so many toys but barely plays with them. I do need to reorganise their toys so that they get rotated and therefore retain a bit of novelty, but unfortunately I don’t have the physical nor mental bandwidth to get to that yet, so right now it’s a challenge to persuade my little one to not raid the kitchen drawers. There are a few toys that they have that do get some use though so there is at least something right about them, and here are 5 of those, as well as links to either the exact ones or alternatives you can look to purchase if you’re interested! Please note clicking on such links and making a purchase doesn’t cost you more than normal links, and doing so will allow me to earn a commission, which is one way to support me if you wish. If you do, thank you very much!
Toddler Ride-On Toy
This has to be my child’s favourite toy, if not one of their favourite, as they enjoy the sounds of the wheels on the kitchen tiles and would go everywhere with it at home. It’s also been funny watching them enjoy it in an unconventional way to begin with, where they would only know how to reverse while sitting, and then gradually develop a bit of mastery. My home is a tiny place, so I’m sure they would get more enjoyment if they could utilise it in a bigger place or outside, but despite all of that, it still sparks a lot of joy for them.
I couldn’t find links to the exact one that I have, which is the Avoca ATV Push Kick Trike with Trailer as it was a gift so I’ve provided links to some alternatives:
- John Deere Johnny Tractor Foot to Floor Tractor Ride-On
- VTech Push & Ride Alphabet Train
- Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Toddler Ride-On Toy
The HELLOWOOD 8-In-1 Wooden Activity Cube has many toys in one package, which is great if you are lacking in real estate at home. My little one initially used the xylophone stick as a teether and whacked everything other than the xylophone with it but has eventually learned to enjoy it in other ways, such as banging the shape blocks together or taking them out and then putting them back into the cube. Depending on which one you get, you may get other cool toys such as a bead maze. Hence I highly recommend this versatile toy for your little one!
The VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker was the very toy that aided my little one’s motor development immensely! It’s thanks to this that they were able to build their muscles during tummy time, learn to stand up, sit up and walk. Even though they can now walk, my toddler does still get enjoyment out of the electronic activity board attached to the walker. The Fisher-Price one is also a good option.
One of the first ways to introduce music to a child would probably have to be the xylophone, because it’s easy to use once the child can hold onto things. My kid has had a few xylophone performances with the Fisher-Price Classic Xylophone where they are banging the xylophone to their heart’s content, with no need to care about what notes they were hitting or who’s watching. Otherwise it’s the stick that gets used to whack other things with. It may cause noise pollution, but hey, it’s one that’s affordable and enjoyable for them.
Montessori Busy Board
I got this toy from one of those cheap apps by playing the free games on it, but I didn’t really know what I was getting for my child until the package arrived. It requires batteries, but it’s good in that it provides some assistance in developing the fine motor skills with its light switches and dials to twist. The only aspect of my particular one that the little one doesn’t enjoy consistently is the ship horn due to being surprised by the sudden noise it makes upon pressing a particular button, but normally it’s a toy that gets turned on every evening. I’ve linked one that I found that offers similar features, even if it’s thematically different to the one that I have.
wakeInsa Montessori Busy Board
What do you think about these toys? If you have a child, do they also have a tendency to play with things that aren’t actually toys?