The 29 Best Toys for 18-Month-Old Tots, According to Developmental Experts
Buying toys for [18-month-olds]9https://www.thebump.com/toddler-month-by-month/18-month-old)) can be fun and exciting, but it’s also difficult to know what to look for. After all, your little one is mastering new skill sets every day—like running, talking and engaging in early forms of pretend play—so they need to be properly challenged.
So what are toddlers this age interested in, and what types of playthings can help support their development? To help answer these burning questions we consulted Ashley Scully, MS, OTR/L, a pediatric occupational therapist and director of Northern New Jersey Therapy Services at Tiny Transformations and Jana Sarno, BCBA, a board-certified behavior analyst and chief clinical officer of Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers. Read on to discover top tips gleaned from our expert panel, then browse our picks of the best toys for 18-month-olds.
The best toddler toys encourage them to explore their environment and the world they live in. From stepping stones and creative sorters to palm-grip crayons and pull-back cars, you’ll find just about everything to get their busy brains in gear. Below, shop our favorite toys for 18-month-old tots.
Bath toy set
First up on our list of the best toys for 18-month-old tots, is this bath toy set by Loulou Lollipop. The trio of water squirters are made from food-grade silicone and come in soft, pastel colors. Our product tester loved the simple design and aesthetic of these bath toys: “I try to find things that aren’t overstimulating for play, and these are awesome!” Kids can dunk them underneath the waterline then give the little critters a squeeze and watch water spurt out of the base. The two-part design is free from small parts and totally safe for teething toddlers that may decide to gnaw, gum or bite them. And you won’t have to worry about mildew or mold, as these toys twist open for easy cleaning.
Age rating: 12+ months
“My almost 2 year old loved this toy. She enjoyed splashing them in the water and once I showed her once you squeeze them water squirts out, she thought that was so cool.”
Silicone stacking blocks
If you’re on the hunt for an introductory blocks set, this is where to start. Stacking and balancing these cubes will work those fine and gross motor skills—and the textured silicone will offer relief for toddlers experiencing any teething pain. Plus, numbered blocks offer a chance to do some early counting with your kiddo.
Age rating: 3+ months
Age-based play kit
If you’re searching for an 18-month-old toy that’s age-appropriate, this play kit from Lovevery has you covered. It includes a variety of stimulating, Montessori-style playthings, like toy wooden cars, a garden-themed puzzle, a stacking pegboard and a board book, to name a few. With this set, your little one will learn about cause and effect, emotions and STEM concepts like gravity, all while building on their coordination and dexterity.
Age rating: 16 to 18 months
Elephant shape sorter
This wooden elephant shape sorter is a perfect learning toy for 18-month-olds. It has six chunky shapes that can be easily manipulated by little hands, and toddlers can work on color and shape recognition and spatial understanding as they properly sort the shapes. Bonus: The elephant is also a pull toy!
Age rating: 12 months to 5 years
Bilingual electronic book
Whether your household is bilingual or you’re interested in teaching your kiddo a second language, this electronic learning book is for you. Inside, it features 100 vocabulary words in both English and Spanish. As your child flips the pages, they’ll love the silly sound effects, educational songs and colorful images.
Age rating: 18+ months
3-in-1 ride-on toy
At this age, your little one is probably more active than ever before, making a ride-on toy a great option for 18-month-olds. The versatile design will grow with your child throughout toddlerhood; they can use it as a wagon, a ride-on or even a scooter, depending on their stage. Your tot is also sure to love interactive features such as the headlight and fun sound effects.
Age rating: 12 months to 3 years
Magic touch piano toy
Nurture your mini maestro’s love of music with this piano toy. The wooden design is equipped with the latest sensory technology, meaning just a gentle tap of a key results in a real piano sound. Your kiddo can choose from 10 different songs to learn, and follow the colors on the music card to play along in tune.
Age rating: 12+ months
Musical wooden toy set
Your little one can clack, rattle and clang their way to musical fun with this quartet of bug-themed wood instruments. This developmental toy for 18-month-olds includes a firefly clacker, ladybug rattle, a caterpillar noisemaker and a cymbal bug with leaf-shaped mallets. Your kiddo can use the instruments to advance their cause-and-effect learning while building motor skills and sensory development.
Age rating: 12+ months
Board books for toddlers
This amazing box set contains 10 well-researched board books to introduce a wide range of learning topics and everyday objects to little learners. We love the vibrant pictures and variety of subjects available, including ABCs, colors, numbers, fruits and vegetables. It’s a great toy for 18-month-olds who enjoy pointing at pages when looking at books with family members.
Age rating: 12 to 24 months
Wooden shopping cart toy
It’s no secret that toddlers tend to imitate the adults in their life, which is why they’ll love having their own shopping cart. This shape-sorting toy comes with 16 pieces, including two chunky puzzle boards, 12 puzzle pieces and a produce-themed roller drum game. As your child fills up their trolley, they can even “sip” on their play coffee cup, and place it in the convenient cup holder while they push.
Age rating: 12 to 24 months
Interactive food truck play set
While your tot may not be ready for a full-sized play kitchen just yet, this pint-sized food truck might just be the perfect fit. The interactive prep station will encourage pretend play, thanks to engaging features like the working cash register, the light-up grill and the activity-filled truck dashboard. Get ready for your tot to serve up plenty of play food creations—yum!
Age rating: 18 months to 3 years
STEM-inspired bath toy
While baths are about getting clean, for little ones, they’re also about learning and having fun. That’s where this next toy for 18-month-olds comes in handy. The play set consists of 10 colorful tubes that can be connected in different ways for tons of water fun. Your child will love showing you all of the combinations they come up with, and watching the water drizzle, pour and move this bath toy’s various parts.
Age rating: 18+ months
Palm-grasp crayons
These egg crayons are about to become a favorite for you and your toddler to play with when you’re feeling colorful and creative. Plus, they’re ideally shaped to support toddlers’ development at this stage. “Palm crayons easily fit in a child’s hand and don't require a more sophisticated grip, which allows the child to explore scribbling and more open-ended art and color,” Sarno says.
Age rating: 12+ months
Toddler slide
In the off-season, we like investing in toys for 18-month-olds that can be used both inside and out, like this slide (which reminds us of the ones we all had in our toddlerhood!). It boasts a compact design and is an excellent way to promote coordination, balance and muscle strength.
Age rating: 18 months to 6 years
Outdoor water table
Searching for an outdoor toy that your little one will love for years to come? Look no further than this cool, two-tier water table. The vibrant play set is packed with activities and comes with 13 accessories, so your tot can scoop, pour and drizzle water to their heart’s content. Just remember: Children should always be supervised when playing in or near water.
Age rating: 18+ months
Twin set of baby dolls
Another great 18-month-old toy? Baby dolls. Not only can they offer little ones comfort, but they can also boost budding social and emotional skills. With this plush, cuddly set of twins, your kiddo can practice being a mini mommy or daddy. They’re sure to light up as they help their “babies” get dressed, soothe them with pacifiers and lull them to sleep—how cute!
Age rating: 18+ months
Garden animal stacking toys
Games aren’t just for the older crew! With this adorable garden setup, toddlers can stack the creatures on the tree and try to keep them from falling—an exercise in logical thinking, balance and fine motor skills, making it one of our favorite educational toys for 18-month-olds. The figures are made from solid wood and painted with sweet garden motifs, and everything can be packed into the printed drawstring bag for easy storage.
Age rating: 18+ months
Montessori color-sorting set
If your kiddo is a fan of Montessori toys, this next pick will be a surefire winner. The set comes with 25 vibrant fruits and five baskets, encouraging your tot to sort the produce by color. As a result, they’ll expand their vocabulary, while also developing their color recognition and sorting skills.
Age rating: 18+ months
Safari animal puzzle
If your child has a thing for fun, quirky animals, they’ll have an absolute blast gathering the family together for a night of puzzles with this set. Turn each of the nine cubes around to find the pieces that make up an image, or mix them up for some wild fun! Each chunky wooden puzzle is generously sized to make it easier for little hands to lift, grasp, examine and replace. Thanks to its compact dimensions, this makes for a great on-the-go toy, and the handy wooden tray can be used as both a base and a place to safely store all of the pieces.
Age rating: 18+ months
Musical toy mixing bowl
Ready for a little pretend cooking? With six removable "ingredient" play pieces, two buttons that activate fun songs and sounds and an adorable light-up face, this learning toy for 18-month-olds is deliciously fun! Little ones will get a taste for early academics with songs and phrases that introduce them to the alphabet, colors, numbers and more. Grasping and moving the play pieces in and out of the mixing bowl helps strengthen tots’ dexterity and hand-eye coordination, while pressing the buttons to activate the songs will showcase cause and effect.
Age rating: 6 months to 3 years
Balance beam
This Montessori-inspired low balance beam is one of the best toys for 18-month-olds, as it’s a fun way for little ones to work on their balance and coordination. The four-beam workhorse strengthens not only toddlers’ muscles and gross motor skills, but also their imagination as they pretend to walk in dreamt-up lands. Best of all, every Piccalio toy is designed to feel and look good in your living space, so you don’t need to sacrifice your aesthetic to make your little one happy.
Age rating: 12+ months
Hedgehog sensory toy
This colorful hedgehog helps your little one strengthen their fine motor skills through hands-on play, making it one of our favorite picks for the best toys for 18-month-olds. They’ll learn to grip items by picking up Spike’s colorful quills, and become familiar with coordination by sticking the quills in his back. The pegs will also help your little one master color recognition, sorting and patterning, and when playtime is over, you can load them into Spike’s back for easy storage.
Age rating: 18+ months
Montessori wooden stepping stones
This set of six brightly colored wooden steps (with anti-slip pads) are a great way to get toddlers stepping, lunging and jumping. They help boost kids’ balance and coordination, and they’re light enough for little ones to pick up and carry, so full warning—they’ll want to bring these little disks everywhere! Better yet, they’re stackable for easy storage.
Age rating: 18+ months
Wooden activity cube
This wooden activity cube is bound to be a playtime staple for years to come. Let us explain: It features plenty of fun features for your tot to discover, like peek-a-boo flaps, animal puzzles and zig-zag race tracks. Plus, on top, there’s a farmyard-themed bead maze to stimulate your kiddo’s growing mind and fine motor skills. This would be a great toy for siblings to enjoy together!
Age rating: 12+ months
Wooden wagon push toy
Not sure what to gift the 18-month-old in your life? You can’t go wrong with this wooden push toy. The sturdy design is solid enough for newly minted walkers to lean on as they cruise, nurturing balance and strength development. Plus, the set is complete with 29 colorful, garden-themed blocks to prompt creative play.
Age rating: 18+ months
A mini doll house
At the 18-month mark, your tot’s social skills are blossoming and they’re learning more about their emotions. With all of that in mind, a mini doll house is a great gift for an 18-month-old. Your child will be able to act out imaginary scenes and discover interactive details (such as a working light switch and a flushing toilet) as they play. Better yet, the dolls and accessories included in this set were designed with tiny hands in mind, and are chunky enough for small fingers to hold on to.
Age rating: 12 months to 5 years
Mini wooden climbing triangle
Your mini mover and shaker will love reaching new heights with this climbing triangle. The toy for 18-month-olds is made from 100 percent beechwood, resulting in a sturdy, durable structure that’s aesthetically pleasing to boot. What’s more, the simple design lends itself well to imaginative play.
Age rating: 6+ months
Boho ball pit
Ball pits are classic playthings for several reasons; they encourage mobility, sensory development and motor skills in infants and toddlers alike. This go-to toy for 18-month-olds is given a chic update thanks to its boho-inspired aesthetic and plush, memory foam construction. The set even comes with 600 balls, so your tot can start playing in no time.
Age rating: 6+ months
Race car ramp
Ready, set, race! This seemingly simple toy for 8-month-olds actually explores three STEAM topics: Cause and effect, pattern recognition and independent play. As children send the wooden cars barreling down the ramp the wheels spin to reveal colorful optical illusions. How fun is that?
Age rating: 12+ months
“An 18-month-old toddler is developmentally equipped to be an active adventurer within their environment,” says Scully. There are a number of things a child will do successfully at this time, from “walking independently to possibly even backwards for a few steps,” Scully says. “They’re learning to walk up and down stairs, with support from their parents and railings, as needed.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by 18 months, most toddlers can climb on and off a couch or chair without help. They’re also continuing to hone their fine motor skills: They can use a spoon and scribble with crayons. And for a little one who is advancing their visual motor and perceptual skills, they might be able to “place simple shapes into puzzles and stack two to three blocks or cubes,” Scully adds.
At this age, “they’ll also begin looking at pages in books with others and point to show their parents or brothers and sisters something interesting,” says Sarno. 18-month-olds may engage in simple, dramatic play. For instance, they might pick up a baby doll and pretend to feed them with a bottle, or perhaps turn on a toy vacuum and suck up all the dust and dirt on the floor. It’s in these small but purposeful actions that toddlers start emulating the adults around them and becoming more engaged in their surroundings.
When buying toys for 18-month-olds, look for playthings that:
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Help hone their balance, motor planning and visual-spatial skills. Toys that feature uneven terrain and different types of surfaces to explore—such as climbing blocks, tunnels, stepping stones, indoor slides and beams—are fantastic for building these skills, Scully says.
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Work their fine motor skills. Scully recommends sensory activities like Play-Doh and pop tubes and even pretend cooking tools that call for stirring and rolling to help boost toddlers’ dexterity and ability to use both hands together.
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Teach toddlers about shapes and sizes. Scully says shape sorters, puzzles, stacking toys and building blocks are great for promoting visual perception and visual motor skills.
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Spark their imaginations. Play kitchens, tea sets, pretend cleaning supplies, baby dolls, tool sets and cars are all wonderful ways to encourage dramatic play and enhance toddlers’ social awareness, Scully says.
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Are developmentally appropriate. Pay attention to the age-rating of a toy, to make sure you’re selecting something that’s safe for this age and offers play opportunities that match their skill levels. “If you’re always buying ahead, you may be presenting toys that a child is simply not ready for and therefore they could become frustrated and lose interest,” Scully says.
Picking out playthings for the little one in your life isn’t always a piece of cake—especially when they’re developing at a rapid pace. To help you find the best toys for 18-month-olds, we browsed options from top brands and trusted online retailers, so you don’t have to spend hours scrolling. When sourcing toys for our roundup, we considered several aspects, such as age rating, quality and durability, size, textures and other age-appropriate features. What’s more, we read user reviews to understand how real kiddos have loved these products, and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating. Aside from this we took the following steps to help us determine the best toys for 18-month-old tots:
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Individual product testing. We called on new parents to test out some of the shortlisted options with their own kids and used these insights to inform our final product choices.
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Expert interviews. To make sure we’re highlighting toys for 18-month-olds that are developmentally appropriate, we chatted with a pediatric occupational therapist and a board-certified behavior analyst. This way, you’ll know what features to keep top of mind as you shop.
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Medical research. We also followed the safety recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for this age group.
Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Ashley Scully, MS, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist and director of Northern New Jersey Therapy Services at Tiny Transformations. She has more than 14 years of experience in pediatrics, including impatient and outpatient services at NYU Langone Hospital, New York State early intervention and private practice.
Jana Sarno, BCBA, is a board-certified behavior analyst and the chief clinical officer of Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers. She has worked as the vice president of applied behavior analysis at North Shore Pediatric Therapy and as an infant development program administrator at Coyne & Associates Education Corp.
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