Time is flying by and our little ones are turning from babies to toddlers!
The toys they used to love grasping and playing with lose their appeal, and its time to make room for new, more challenging toys.
Here's a list of a few of my favorite toys for ages 12-24 months (for a list for younger babies see this blog post).
Melissa & Doug make awesome puzzles that make sounds when the pieces are placed correctly. They are super cute and fun.
Mia is obsessed with her doll stroller. She loves pushing it around the house and putting things in it.
We have a wooden one and a lighter-weight one, and she loves both (I couldn't find the exact ones we have, since they were both gifts, but I linked similar ones).
A more advanced version of the beloved original Dimpl, great for taking on-the-go and teaching colors & shapes.
A super cute buddy that's great for working on fine motor skills.
Toddlers this age love looking around and exploring. A trike is a great way to give them a little more independence and make them feel like big kids! It also converts from a parent push-mode to a full on tricycle which gives this product an extra long life. A trike is especially practical during the summer, as there is a lot more ventilation compared to a regular stroller. There are plenty of options out there, but I love the Liki Trike (from the makers of the genius car seat stroller combo, the Doona). Its foldable, comes with a nice-sized sun canopy, a storage bag, and a cup holder! Another popular and cheaper model is this one.
These are cute and fun spinning flowers with suction cups on the back. Super fun to attach to windows at home, and also great for travelling (stick to car windows, or tray tables on planes).
Building Toys
Blocks and tiles are extremely popular among kids this age, and great for working on fine motor skills, colors, and much more!
Our favorites include the classic Lego Duplo:
Cult-favorite Magnatiles:
The Italian brand Quercetti makes a great peg building toy and is a favorite among European parents:
Mia is finally in to stuffed animals! Our favorite brand is Jellycat, which makes super cute and soft ones. We especially like the small ones like this bunny, that are easier for her to hold.
Puzzles are a huge hit for us right now, in addition to the musical puzzles above, we also love chunky ones. The pieces can also be used as play figures. The French brand Janod makes beautiful ones. See their selection here.
This adorable puzzle is another great puzzle for beginners, and also a great way to learn animal types!
Another great way to learn new words is flash cards! I have these that are great and have different categories.
We are also still HUGE fans of the Lovevery Play Kit subscription, which sends a box every three months. Every box is packed with high-quality toys that are perfect for your child's age. So many of Mia's favorite toys are from our subscription.
For a list of my favorite toys for younger babies (0-12 months) see this blog post.
I'd love to hear about other great toys for this age in the comments!