We all know legos and playdoh are amazing to encourage creativity, but sometimes you just want something different. Browse my list of the best toddler toys for creativity for awesome toys your little one will love (and you don’t already own).
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how important it is for me to encourage creativity in my young children. In fact, I’ve written a whole article about 8 Ways to Encourage Toddler Creativity.
One of the most obvious ways to do this is by choosing the right kind of toys for your toddler to play with. Now, what’s the right kind of toy?
Well, for me at least, the best toddler toys for creativity are toys that inspire imagination. Toys that encourage children to think outside the box, that allow for pretend play and encourage the love of learning.
There are some obvious candidates, like building blocks and playdoh, and we love those at our house. But there are so many other awesome toys out there that actually help your little one develop their creative side.
As I’ve said here on yes! before, I strongly believe in starting when they are young. That’s why I’ve tried choosing the right kind of toys since my kids were babies. In the last few years, it’s become obvious which toys fit into the category and which don’t.
And that is the criteria I’ve used to make this list of (what are in my opinion) the best toddler toys for creativity. If they can inspire my kids and make them use their imagination, they are on the list. If not, you won’t find them here.
Most of these toys I think will go well beyond their toddler years. Because they are open-ended they allow the children to use them according to their abilities and kids find new ways of using them as they grow older. So even if your kids are older you might find some good creative toy ideas here.
10 Best Toddler Toys for Creativity
Travel Pal Magnetic Wooden Block Set
My daughter loves this simple magnetic set of six cubes, which can form countless different shapes. Great to take with you to the restaurant or the doctor’s office to keep the little one busy.
Creative Animal Geo Blocks
Making animals out of basic geometric shapes promotes creative thinking and problem solving. Older toddlers can try recreating the characters from the insctructions cards.
Wooden Rainbow Stacker
I looove this toy! It’s so simple, but can be used in so many different ways. Stack the pieces on top of each other, build bridges, arches and tunnels, or make shapes and patterns. So many different concepts to explore!
Magnetic Portrait Set
Your toddler will have so much fun creating different funny faces with this magnetic set. Encourage them to explore different emotions, and make up stories about the characters they create.
Magnetic Building Blocks
This is really a toy that grows with your kids. My little one would make simple houses and cubes when she was two, assist in making more complicated shapes with me or my husband, and I’m sure she’ll go on building with these as she gets older.
Gear Puzzle
Gear puzzles teach kids about cause and effect. They love seeing how turning one gear affects the others in the puzzle. They also help develop fine motor skills.
Wooden Play Food
Cutting Set
Preten play encourages kids to practice role-play and create storylines. These cutting sets are a huge hit with my daughter. She loves making us dinner and doing everything mommy does in the kitchen.
Jolly Helpers Hand Puppets
Puppets of all kind encourage kids to make up stories, pretend to be someone new and imagine how they would act in different situations. Great to develop imagination!
Dynamo Kid’s Wooden Domino Set
This domino set is amazing! It helps develop spatial thinking abilities, teaches about cause and effect and encourages kids to imagine the outcome before it actually happens.
Aren’t these toys awesome? I hope this list of the best toddler toys creativity helps next time you’re trying to get something (worth buying) for your little one. Have fun playing!