Best Toys For 18

There’s no one busier than an 18-month-old. They’re running, walking, talking and trying to get into everything they shouldn’t, so it’s the perfect time to stock up on some new fun stuff just for them. The best toys for 18-month-olds keep toddlers busy, and help support their cognitive, emotional and physical growth by allowing them to practice important skills for development.

We found the best toys for 18-month olds, according to parents and childhood experts.

We consulted with early childhood and parenting expert Christine Hernandez, a certified birth doula and founder of Allo Saratoga play space, about what to look for when selecting the best toys for an 18-month old child. She recommends considering the skills they’re working on and what they’re interested in.

“At this age, it’s great to offer toys and materials that are open-ended, meaning there is more than one way to play with them,” she says. “Toddlers also love to mimic, so giving them child-sized cleaning supplies like a broom or vacuum, or a doll, can help them continue to develop their pretend play.” For safety purposes, avoid any toys with small parts, as children this age may still be tempted to put things in their mouth from time to time, warns Hernandez.

As a mom of three small kiddos myself, I’ve included some of our personal faves, as well as expert recommendations and toys highly rated by other toddler parents. Read on for the best toys for 18-month-olds you can shop right now.

Amazon

A Micro scooter is a staple in our house. From the time my kiddos could basically run, they were scooting around the block on the Mini 3in1 Deluxe. Perfect for toddlers from ages 1 to 5, this award-winning scooter has three configurations so it literally grows with them from babyhood to big kid. Start with the sit and scoot, graduate to standing around 18 months and then transform it into the traditional popular Mini Deluxe Kickboard scooter—with the included T-bar—when they’re ready. It’s great for mastering balance, coordination and tiring them out before nap or bedtime.

Amazon

This toy lawn mower combines two things toddlers love most: bubbles and pushing things. The best part is, there’s no bubble mess solution for parents to clean up (or toddlers to dump) because it’s all contained in the mower. Little ones will love the realistic mowing sounds it makes as they push it through the grass or down the driveway. The chance to try and pop as many bubbles as possible could keep them entertained for hours. It comes with 4 ounces of bubble solution, but you want to invest in more, as they’re likely to go through a lot fast.

Etsy

If you spend half your day trying to keep your toddler safe and from scaling the walls, not to mention everything else in your house, then this handmade and foldable modular playground is absolutely worth the splurge. It provides a safe place for your curious toddler to climb, explore and work on those all-important gross motor skills, balance and hand-eye coordination. You can add on exciting accessories, like a reversible ladder and slide or a 2-in-1 rock wall and slide—or both. Not only does it look good in the playroom, but it can be used for many years to come.

Amazon

I bought this little ride-on toy for my daughter’s first birthday, and at age 4.5 she still occasionally hops on it. Depending on where your toddler is development-wise, they can push it around the house or ride it like a bike using their feet to propel them. It’s super lightweight and a great way to tire them out if you’re stuck indoors or live in an apartment—thanks to non-marking rubber wheels that won’t damage your hardwood floors. Of course it can be used outside too, and is perfect for cruising up and down the driveway and navigating neighborhood sidewalks.

Amazon

We’ve had this adorable little mini broom and mop set since my first was probably a year old, and it’s still in great shape. It gets used often to sweep actual messes up, and is great for little ones who want to “help out” while you get some real cleaning done. The set comes with a nice wooden pretend play broom, mop, duster, dustpan and brush, plus an organizing stand to neatly store everything when not in use.

Amazon

Get the tea party started with this adorable interactive tea set that lights up and plays more than 30 songs, sounds and learning phrases as your little one pretend pours. It comes with 11 role play pieces, including a teapot, a couple of cups, a sugar bowl, spoon and five treats that fit into the tray like a puzzle to challenge toddlers. There are also three different smart stages of learning that can teach your tot everything from good manners and sharing, to counting and colors. Just sit back, relax and let them serve you.

Amazon

This doll has the snuggly benefits of a stuffie plus removable and interchangeable clothes perfect for dress up, and comes with a magnetic pacifier for pretend soothing. The ultra-soft Wee Baby Stella Doll is available in a variety of skin tones and hair types. There are also plenty of accessories sold separately, such as a bath or feeding set, to take their pretend play up a notch.

Amazon

From peek-a-boo games and scavenger hunts to dancing and dress up, there’s a world of possibility when it comes to playing with these versatile silk scarves—and you can totally let your toddler take the lead to see what they do with them. Blast music and have a twirling dance party, turn them into super hero capes or practice colors and counting. A quick Google search can give you hundreds of fun and educational ideas if you want more inspiration.

Melissa & Doug

According to Hernandez, these jumbo knob puzzles are one of the most developmentally appropriate toys for an 18-24-month-old. “They’re the the perfect size for tiny hands and help develop fine motor and cognitive skills,” she says. The knobs are super easy to grip and feature colorful, matching pictures of the animals underneath when lifted. You can try repeating the names of each animal as your little one plays, to help them work on speech and recognition.

Amazon

This wooden Montessori stacking puzzle encourages counting and sorting and can help toddlers learn shapes and colors. It comes with 20 different pieces, including blocks in five different shapes and colors, and is great for encouraging hand-eye coordination and imaginative play. Speaking from experience, toddlers also enjoy banging the pieces together and are happily occupied trying to figure out how to get them back on to the pegs.

Amazon

From colors and counting to farm animals and fruits, this little board book set covers all the basics in a fun and easy to grasp (literally) way. The books are small enough for toddlers to hold and explore on their own, with bright images and just one word per page. They’re also super durable, so they can stand up to your toddler dropping them repeatedly.

Fat Brain Toys

There are so many ways to play with these eggs, making them a popular choice amongst parents hoping to keep their toddlers entertained for longer. “They make noise, they come apart, you can match them and as your child's skills develop they can find new ways to play with them,” says Hernandez, who is a huge fan. It’s a great tool for teaching colors, shapes and emotions too, as each egg features a different face—from sad to happy.

Lovevery

If you’re into thoughtfully-designed toys that basically double as home décor, you’ll love Lovevery. This award-winning subscription play kit is shipped to you every two to three months (depending on your subscription) and includes toys tailored to your child’s exact age and stage of development so you literally don’t have to think about it—the dream, right?

All Lovevery toys are made from sustainably harvested wood, organic cotton, nontoxic paint, as well as baby-safe plastics, and for the most part are durable enough to pass down to siblings or friends once your little one outgrows them. Perhaps best of all, each kit comes with a guide to give you lots of tips and creative ways to play with the toys your child receives. You can skip a toy kit or cancel your subscription at any time too—but speaking from experience, you won’t want to.

Amazon

Advertised for ages 1 to 99, this 14-piece modern, magnetic wooden block set is truly timeless. Curious toddlers can use their imaginations to stack, build and create with this open-ended toy. The magnetic ends make these heirloom-quality blocks even more interesting. They’re great to play with at home or take out to dinner and entertain your 18-month-old while they wait on their food. Plus, the blocks come in a variety of different color options.

Amazon

If Old MacDonald had a first farm, this would definitely be it. All of my littles—from ages 1 to 6—enjoy this interactive farm play set and regularly use the included little animals and farmer figurine for all sorts of pretend play scenarios. It has over 45 songs, sounds and phrases, as well as three smart levels to teach counting, animal sounds (of course), colors and more. Don’t be surprised if you hear a lot more mooing and neighing happening around the house.

Amazon

With tons of ways to play, it’s no wonder this multifunctional musical instrument is beloved by so many babes and their parents—it’s also the winner of the 2018 Cribsie Award for favorite first musical toy. Kiddos can bang on the three colorful balls and watch as they drop down over the xylophone and roll across the room. Prefer to just jam out? Pull out the xylophone and make some noise. This toy promotes fine motor development and encourages musical exploration.

Amazon

If there’s one toy that’s stood the test of time in our house, it’s Play-Doh. While I certainly have a love-hate relationship with the stuff, there’s no denying the many benefits for little ones—from improving concentration to encouraging creativity, strengthening fine motor skills, working on hand-eye coordination and even calming kiddos down. Plus, it’s just fun to roll, squeeze and create with. This starter set comes with 10 cans in a rainbow of colors. Pro tip: get yourself a table mat to make clean up so much easier.

Amazon

These jumbo crayons that are easy for toddlers to grip but tough to break, according to many parents. They’re non-toxic too, so if your 18-month-old is still sticking everything in their mouth you can stress a little less. This pack comes with eight crayons in assorted colors and is intended for kiddos 12 months and older who are just starting to scribble.

Maisonette

Little gymnasts will have a blast learning to balance on this portable wooden balance beam, which you can fold up fast and stash out of sight when they’re done playing. We have it in our house and it’s easily enjoyed by all our kids. It can hold up to 200 pounds of weight, so multiple kiddos can walk on it at once. It includes four colorful stepping stones and, unlike traditional balance beams, can be adjusted to create a straight line, a square or a zig-zag for obstacle course fun. My kids like using it as a race track or place to set up their other pretend play figurines.

It’s also Greenguard Gold certified (which means it’s free from harmful chemicals) and made of sustainably-sourced wood so you can feel good about bringing it into your home.

Target

Amanda Vierheller, COO and Co-Founder of Playgarden Online, is a big fan of this wooden ride-on zebra for 18-month olds. “These adorable ride-on toys promote core strength and balance while providing a fun way to get around,” she says. “Children build gross motor skills and strengthen growing muscles as they ride and play.” The seat is super soft, making it comfortable for little ones to sit on. Kiddos can use their feet to zip around the house, or parents can push them until they get the hang of it. It comes fully assembled and ready to ride right out of the box.

To curate this list of the best toys for 18-month-olds, I relied on my own personal experience as a parenting writer and a mom of three kiddos who has tested and owned tons of toys for this age group. I also interviewed parenting and childhood experts about what types of toys are most age-appropriate and best support the development of 18-month-olds. Lastly, I scoured top toy websites to see what other parents are purchasing, looked at ratings and only included toys with plenty of positive reviews from fellow moms and dads. Several award-winning toys made our list too.