Fun Educational Toys For A New School Year

As we enter a new school year, you might be considering ways you can support your little learner’s educational development. Whether they’ve reached school age or not, educational toys are essential in nurturing young minds and making learning fun. 

Through play, children can explore new concepts, develop critical thinking skills, and build a strong foundation for future learning. Children’s educational toys engage kids’ curiosity, stimulate creativity, and help them grasp essential skills in a way that's both enjoyable and effective.

Educational Toys: Your FAQs Answered

Join us as we answer your common questions about kids educational toys, from the benefits to choosing the right toys for each age and stage. 

What is considered an educational toy?

An educational toy is any toy designed to promote learning, stimulate cognitive development, and encourage skill-building. These toys often focus on specific areas such as problem-solving, fine motor skills, literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional development. While all toys have the potential to educate, those categorised as educational are specifically created to teach or reinforce particular concepts.

What are examples of educational toys?

Educational learning toys come in many forms, from traditional wooden puzzles and building blocks to sensory toys and STEM kits. Here are some examples:

Examples of education toys: 

• Building bricks: Encourages creativity, problem-solving, and fine motor development.
• Puzzles: Develops logical thinking and spatial awareness.
• Abacus: Teaches counting and basic maths concepts.
• Alphabet blocks: Improves letter recognition and early literacy skills.
• STEM kits: Introduces basic science, technology, engineering, and maths principles.
• Shape sorters: Improves hand-eye coordination and shape recognition.
• Musical instruments: Enhances auditory skills and sense of rhythm.
• Flashcards: Reinforces memory, vocabulary, and number recognition.
• Balancing games: Teaches physics concepts and coordination.

Why do kids need educational toys?

Educational toys are crucial as they give kids vital opportunities to learn through play, which is a natural and effective way for them to explore the world. Learning toys help children reach their developmental milestones and build confidence as they master new skills and gain a sense of achievement. 

How to choose educational toys?

Follow our simple four-step guide to choosing educational toys for kids: 

1. Consider age: Pick educational toys that are appropriate for your child's developmental stage.
2. Identify interests: Choose toys that align with your kiddie’s interests, whether it's animals, numbers, or building. 
3. Focus on learning goals: Look for toys that target specific skills like dexterity, literacy, or problem-solving.
4. Look for versatility: Opt for toys that offer multiple ways to play, learn, and grow.

Best Educational Toys For Every Age

Looking for educational toys and games for your one, two, three, or four year old? Here are some of our most popular educational toys by age.

Educational Toys For 1 Year Old

At 12 months old, toddlers are starting to discover the world around them, developing their motor skills, and beginning to understand cause and effect. Wooden educational toys that are colourful, tactile, and simple to handle are ideal for this age group.

• Rainbow Abacus: Little fingers can move the colourful silicone beads over the arch as they discover the joys of learning to count.
• Messy Farm Bath Book: Watch the mud disappear off the grubby animals as you dip the book in warm bath water! 
• Triangular Activity Centre: Explore the animal blocks, spin the alphabet squares, and sort the animal faces of this all-in-one Activity Centre.
• 1-10 Counting Board: Teach your toddler how to count and sort shapes with this 78-piece number sorter, shape matcher, and stacking toy in one. 

Educational Toys For 2 Year Olds

As toddlers reach the age of two, they’ll become increasingly curious and eager to learn. At this stage in their development, they’ll likely enjoy early learning toys that involve sorting, matching, and basic problem-solving.

• Crocodile Number Puzzle: Learn numbers one to 10 with this cute croc! Littlens must match the numbered pieces to the correct slots on the wooden board. 
• ABC Puzzle: Learning about letters and words is as easy as ABC with this chunky wooden alphabet puzzle, styled in soft pastel colours. 
• Weather Board: Tots can learn all about the seasons and environment as they spin the weather wheel, slide the cloud dial, and switch up the temperature. 
• Sensory Explorer Blocks: Introduce youngsters to new sounds and textures with these sensory blocks, featuring a kaleidoscope lens, mirror, and roll rattle.

Educational Toys For 3 Year Olds

• Balancing Scales: Learn how gravity works with these wooden scales! Figuring out how to make the scales balance using the weighted disks is a great STEM activity. 
• CollectA Toy Animals: These realistic animal figures inspire imaginative play and help children learn about different species and their habitats.
• Snake Counting Puzzle: Teach your kiddo how to count to 20 by matching the wooden pieces to the corresponding numbers on the base. 
• Teaching Clock: A fun way to learn about the concept of time, this brightly-coloured wooden clock features 12 numbered pieces and two moveable hands. 

Educational Toys For 4 Year Olds 

At four years old, your child may be starting school or approaching their first year. By now, they’ll be mastering more advanced concepts and will thrive on activities that make learning dynamic and interactive! 

• Times Table Tray: Teaching times tables can be tricky, but this interactive board is designed with a multiplication game to engage kids and make learning a breeze.
• Rainbow Counting Abacus: Learn how to add and subtract with this maths abacus, featuring 55 beads and a wooden board with addition and subtraction equations.
• Phonic Books: Master the basics of reading with the Lexie Mouse Phonics Books, designed with a unique font to simplify reading for children with dyslexia.
• My First Fractions Puzzle: Introduce preschoolers to the concept of fractions as you work together to match the coloured shapes to the numbers on the base.
• Toyi Craft Kit: Make your own inventions from scratch with one of Toyi’s junk modelling kits! An excellent way to enhance creativity and problem-solving skills.