Choose Kid-Powered Toys for Early Brain Building
Flashing lights, catchy music and pushable buttons can definitely be fun—and they do teach cause and effect. However, toys that rely on kid power—where children move, think and create—build much deeper learning skills that carry over into real-life experiences. Toys that build children’s brains are most often “open-ended” toys. Open-ended toys use imagination and, like wooden blocks, can be used in different ways at different ages.
When children explore with their hands and imagination, they are naturally practicing problem-solving. Sorting shapes builds early math (geometry) skills, while stacking and mixing colors introduces basic science (weight, balance and color blending).
Have you ever noticed how babies often prefer the wrapping paper and boxes over the gift inside? That’s because real learning happens through hands-on exploration! Children are instinctive learners—they just need simple tools like blocks, crayons or shape sorters to build a foundation for future learning.
So, while the flashy toys can be fun for special occasions, the best “toys” might already be in your home—cereal boxes, Tupperware, wooden spoons or a pile of leaves outside.
As you look for toys this season, keep one thing in mind: Let kids power the play!
Toys for Infants to Build Sensory, Emotional & Motor Skills
- Rattles
- Mirrors
- Board books or sturdy books with faces and high-contrast pictures
- Colorful floor mats
- Mobiles
- Musical toys
Toys for Early Math Skills
- Building blocks
- Magnetic sets
- Pattern blocks
- Sorting toys
- Construction toys (also builds fine motor skills)
- Stacking and nesting cups
- Wooden puzzles
Toys for Early Language Skills
- Play kitchens
- Books
- Dolls
- Stuffed toys
- Play farms, buses, child-propelled train sets, garages
- Dress-up clothes
Angela Percival-Porter is a child development specialist for the State of Oklahoma. She is an adjunct professor, former director of an NAEYC-accredited early learning center, and a consultant to childcare centers.
