The Best Educational Toys for 1-Year-Olds

Children learn about the world around them by playing, but the big selection of toys can be confusing to many parents. There are many toys 1-year-old toddlers might enjoy, but the best educate children at the same time. One-year-old toddlers have attention spans that will allow them to be entertained for longer amounts of time than when they were babies, which makes it a good age to introduce toys that can teach them new skills and can help them develop.

  1. Books

    • Books are one of the best toys for any age. One-year-old toddlers are able to sit, listen and pay more attention than when they were babies, so they can enjoy books more now. Books with big pictures can spark toddlers imaginations and thick pages help them practice how to turn them over. Books stimulate children's brains and improve language development. One-year-old children also develop fine motor skills as they practice turning the pages of the books.

    Blocks

    • Blocks are a wonderful toy for learning fine motor skills. Blocks come in different materials, such as plastic and fabric, but the wooden sets will last your child many years of use. One-year-old toddlers learn spatial relationships when putting the blocks together and problem solving when stacking them. It is important to examine the blocks before letting children play with them and to look for sharp corners and smaller pieces that can become a choking hazard.

    Shape Sorters and Puzzles

    • Shape sorters and puzzles can help 1-year-old toddlers develop cognitive and fine motor skills. These toys also stimulate problem-solving as children try to find the correct shape or puzzle piece. Knob puzzles are easier for little hands to hold than finer puzzles. Shape sorters also help children realize similarities in shapes and colors. Shape sorters come in different materials, such as wood or plastic. Many of the more modern plastic shape sorters also have light and music many 1-year-old toddlers enjoy.

    Prentend Play

    • Toddlers love to imitate adults, and pretend toys can spark their imaginations to new levels. Toddlers can use costumes, bags and hats to play dress up. Other good pretend toys for 1-year-old toddlers are toy phones, especially ones that teach colors and numbers. Toddler also enjoy other imaginary toys such as toy cooking utensils, dolls and toy versions of things adults normally use at home. Pretend play teaches toddlers problem solving and language skills, as well as empathy.

    Other Educational Toys

    • There are many toys that teach toddlers specific topics, such as colors, letters and numbers. These toys help 1-year-old toddlers gain skills that will help them once they start school in a few years. An alphabet abacus helps 1-year-old children learn to recognize letters while they move the letters around. Foam alphabet and number puzzles help children learn numbers and letters. A toddler computer can also help children learn numbers and letters. Many electronic toys play songs and teach toddlers about shapes, colors, letters and numbers.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Birthday Party Games for Toddlers
      Coordinating birthday party games for toddlers can be a challenge. Children who are 2 and 3 years old are typically full of energy and short on attention, making any organized games difficult. A few classic party games for toddlers have wide appeal t
    • Nursery Rhyme Circle Time Activities
      Nursery rhymes arent just silly little poems and songs about cute characters. The Center for Early Literacy Learning notes that these childrens rhymes can help your little one to develop phonological abilities that include sound recognition. Whether
    • Toddler Activities in Woodbridge, Virginia
      Woodbridge, Virginia has great places for toddlers. There are indoor and outdoor activities to keep a busy little one entertained. The city has indoor play gyms and outdoor areas to explore. There is a water park and an ice skating rink. Whether it i