Unique, Educational & Developmentally Beneficial Toys
As a parent and educator I am constantly thinking about Isabella’s needs and what toys would be beneficial to her development. Play is so important to children and how they learn. I pulled 5 shops that have educational, adorable and unique toys that are good for your child’s development. With Christmas around the corner get ready to shop!
Remember you can always play with a purpose. Learning should be fun!
This company makes darling dolls that can be used during pretend play. I found these unique and gorgeous dolls are on Instagram. When engaging with your child these toys can work on social, emotional and cognitive development.
Play Examples: Model animal sounds for the correct doll. Grab some play food and have the dolls eat. Pretend to have them walk by moving their legs. Try having one animal be the Dr. and the other the patient and show what does on during a check up.
This company has the most darling handmade felt toys! Our first toy from this shop were eggs. The had shell opened and out popped a felt egg. We still love and use them. They have more than food tough, how cute is this little fist aid kit? When engaging with your child these toys can work on social, emotional and cognitive development. You are also working on self help and life skills.
Play Examples: For the food you can pretend to cook it, eat it and serve it to stuffed animals. Take the first aid kit and practice bandaging each other, stuffed animals, or dolls up.
Gross motor, fine motor, cognitive development and pretend play! This shop has so many gorgeous toys for all ages! I wanted Izzy to continue to work on her gross motor skills and cognitive development so she got the scooter. It’s only $59.95 and was so easy to put together! Seriously, I put this scooter together. The only thing my husband did was hammer the nobs on the end of the wheels. When engaging with your child the scooter can work on gross motor and cognitive development. If you got a toy from this shop such as the cash register they would be working on cognitive development, social skills and life skills.
Play Examples: Let your child explore the scooter. Show them how they can turn by moving the handles and how they move forward and backward by moving their feet. Teach your child to bring a toy for a ride. You can also show them how to transport items like a bunch of blocks from one end of the room to another in the scooter bucket.
I love this scooter because she is learning to steer and is using her body to move. The bucket in the back is so freaking adorable I can’t stand it! She LOVES putting toys, drinks and snacks in the back and riding around.
If you have been following this blog for a while you know my love for Z Dough and how it can be used for educational purposes. This company created a play dough for the senses of smell, touch and sight. So far Z Dough has helped Izzy with her fine motor development, cognitive development and language skills.
Play Examples: Allow your child to smell and squish the dough. Once they have explored it, allow them to use cookie cutters to create shapes and animals. Talk to them about what they made or the color it is. Use positional words such as, “The cookie cutter is on the Z Dough” or “Can you put the star back in?”
Wood toys are amazing and so natural. Smiling Tree Toys has personalized puzzles, toys, teethers, home decor and more! I love the personalized puzzle because it can be used in so many pays for development. Cognitively your child is thinking how to move the pieces so they fit and down the road, what each letter is as they put it into the puzzle. You child is also using their fine motor skills to hold the pieces and fit them in the correct spot.
Play Examples: Sit next to your child and hand them each piece in order to spell out their name, be sure to say the letter as you pass it over. For a younger child start the puzzle piece near and almost into the correct spot so your child can push it into place. Again say the letters as they are put into the puzzle and then at the end say, “I. S. A. B. E. L. L. A. We spelled Isabella.” Use positional words with your child such as, “Flip the S over.”
XO Eryka
I received the mentioned items in this post in exchange for an honest review. As always all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
Thanks for sharing! I wasn’t familiar with any of these companies so I’m excited to check them out. I’m always looking for high quality toys for my twins!
Of course! Enjoy looking around the sites!
I love educational toys! You always have the best ideas for turning things into educational pieces like the Z Dough for instance. Side note: I had a wooden puzzle with my name in it too when I was a kid lol.
Omg so fun! I love wooden toys! Thank you!
That scooter is seriously so cute!!
Eeekk! I thought so too! Hehe thank you
I love wooden toys!! These are all so great. I think my Isabella needs that name puzzle!!
Yes she does!!
Love all of these! What great ideas for kids to use their imagination!
Thank you! We love educational play
These are some great toys without batteries! I love sensory and imaginative toys over the barrage of electronic noisy toys.
I love it too! Thank you!
Izzy always has the best toys!! She is so adorable, fingers crossed for the giveaway!
Thank you Nicole! We always look for the best! Good luck
These are ALL great! I wanted to say such and such was my favorite, but they’re honestly all wonderful and unique in their own special way! Great finds mama!!!
Thank you! I think so too! All fun finds