Image: MomJunction Design Team
As infants enter the toddler years, their personalities and demands start developing. Parents should also consider introducing them to some great play and activities that can keep them entertained and provide a good means of developing their fine motor skills and brain functions. However, when it comes to finding the best toys for 18-month-old boys, you should be reading this post to understand the right toys for them.
Toys are a great way to keep toddlers entertained and engaged. But you should choose the toys carefully. Tried-and-tested toys that have some form of learning angle go a long way in helping your child’s growth and development. Some toys pique their curiosity about the important things around them and prepare them as they start learning formally. We have put a list of the top toys for 18-month-old boys that fills them with excitement and creative learning.
Top Picks
17 Best Toys And Gifts For 18-Month-Old Boys In 2024
1. Best Durable: VTech Smart Shots Sports Center – Yellow
Let your boy discover his talent with this 2-in-1 sports center that includes both a soccer net and a basketball hoop. LED lights show the score and encourage your toddler through 50 different songs, animations, and cheering. A purple lever on the side enables you to reset the score after it reaches 10 goals or baskets. It features buttons and gears that your son can turn that familiarize your baby with shapes, sounds, phrases, and numbers. Made of safe plastic, this sports center is strong and durable and can endure rough playing by your child. This educational toy is sure to keep your baby engaged for hours either alone or with a friend. Check out this video to learn more about this baby toy set.
Pros
- Includes a basketball and soccer ball
- Develops motor skills
- Features sounds for auditory development
- Enhances curiosity
- Ideal for 1 to 3 year olds
Cons
- Batteries not included
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
It's no wonder that this quality product has earned over 27,030 positive reviews on Amazon.
2. Best For Fine Motor Skills: Lego Duplo Number Train
This colorful and attractive number train helps your kid achieve important milestones as they use their imagination and construction skills to build the train engine with an attached cabooze along with 3 wagons. The wagons have duplo bricks with numbers ranging from 0 to 9 as well as 2 child figures and a cat. Some bricks feature tomatoes, pepper grinders, cheese, and ice cream that make a great start for a story. Your child can engage in role play with these figures and also construct and reconstruct the train. This educational toy comprises 23 pieces that are safe and gentle on your baby’s hands. They measure 14 x 2 x 3 inches, making them ideal for your 18-month-old toddler.
Pros
- Develops ideas and creative thinking
- Helps with numbers and counting
- Develops fine motor skills
- Helps to recognize shapes and colors
- Learning toy ideal for children between 1.5 and 3 years
Cons
- It is not compatible with Duplo Lego tracks.
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
With over 15,551 reviews on Amazon, this product is a winner.
3. Best Non-Toxic: Top Bright Fast & Furious Ramp Racer
Improve your toddler’s visual tracking with these 4 brightly colored and safety-tested race ramps with a parking lot on the top. The 4 mini cars slide down the ramp and offer visual stimulation to your kids, who can then collect the cars and park them in the parking lot. The car flips at the end of the ramp and goes on to the next ramp. It helps enhance attention span, dexterity, cooperation, social skills, communication, and fine motor skills in your child. The set weighs about two pounds, measures 12 x 4 x 10 inches, and features bright colors. No assembly is required, except for the parking lot.
Pros
- Made of high quality wood
- BPA-free
- Non-toxic, water-based paint
- ASTM certified
- EN71 approved
Cons
- The small cars may pose a choking hazard.
Quick tipWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
Do not miss out on this product that has earned 10,670 positive reviews on Amazon.
4. Best For Visual Skills: Holy Stone RC Cartoon Race Car
Let your toddler enjoy seeing this simple RC car zip past and then trying to chase after it. Equipped with sleek wheel, flashing headlights, music, and a honking sound, these features can be activated with the press of a button on the remote. It also features a spaceman figurine that your child can play with separately or place in the driver’s seat. Its remote control is shaped like a steering wheel and has two buttons to move forward and reverse. Colorful and cheerful, the expert-approved toy vehicle enhances visual skills and supports motor development. Keeping your kid’s safety in mind, it’s constructed with non-toxic ABS plastic and has rounded edges and a soft antenna.
Pros
- Great for indoor and outdoor use
- Ideal first RC toy
- Can withstand rough handling
- CPC safety test approved
Cons
- May experience remote interference if there’s more than 1 car
5. Best Eco-Friendly: Orwine Inertia Friction Powered Cars
Toddlers simply love this combination of 4 push and go cars— a dumper, a cement mixer, a tractor, and a bulldozer with a fun cartoon driver. They stimulate their curiosity and creativity and help them learn about different vehicles, their functions, and colors. It gives them hands-on experience and enhances eye-hand coordination, focus, as well as visual tracking. Constructed of ABS plastic, alloys, and other material, these vehicles are sturdy and durable and can take rough handling. These brightly colored cars feature parts that are movable as well as those that can be opened and closed by your baby, thus contributing to the child’s motor development.
Pros
- ASTM certified
- No battery required
- Bright colors
- 100% safe
- Eco-friendly
- Encourages social skills via group play
Cons
- The trucks may be smaller than expected.
6. Best With Sound Effects: CifToys Musical Learning Workbench Toy
Help your toddler become a budding engineer with this workbench that comes with all the tools and appropriate sound effects. This fun workbench has colorful lights and tools like a hammer, screwdriver, chainsaw, drill, bench clamp, and wrench. This engineering toy hones spatial, problem solving, and logical thinking skills while also enhancing dexterity and hand-eye coordination. The learning toy also includes four blocks in different shapes and a plastic ball that your baby can sort and insert in the correct shape sorter. Measuring 11.5 x 6.8 x 9.8 inches, this sturdy and durable workbench operates on 2 AA batteries and can endure the roughest games your baby may play.
Pros
- Realistic experience
- Made of safe plastic
- Encourages communication and cooperative play skills
- Suitable for kids between 1.5 to 2 years
Cons
- Batteries are not included
7. Best Crafted: WolVol Push And Go Friction Powered Car Toys
Your toddler will thoroughly enjoy seeing these vehicles rev up and speed across the floor when they push them. It has a rotating cement mixer, a street sweeper with brushes that spin, and a harvester with front blades with grains of wheat spinning in them. Made of safe and sturdy plastic, these vehicles can withstand bumping into each other or against obstructions. All the trucks have drivers sitting in the cabin to give it an authentic touch. The vehicles have moving parts and buttons they can press. Measuring 3 x 3 x 4.5 inches, they fit perfectly in your toddler’s hands. These toys are a great way to enhance hand-eye coordination and imagination. Don’t be fooled by the size, as these toys are also great for agility, like most motor development toys.
Pros
- Features bright colors
- Expertly crafted
- No batteries required
- Perfect gift idea
Cons
- May not travel as far with a single push
"Thanks to their friction-based mechanism, my munchkin can grab and maneuver them independently. They have also proven sturdy enough to handle my child's rough handling."
8. Best For Early Development: Heirio Toy Cars For Toddlers
The Heirio toy cars are a great gaming companion for children between one and three years with their fun, animated design and attractive colors. These cartoon and construction cars are appropriately sized to fit your toddler’s palm. Made of strong ABS material, these toy cars are adorably designed as ambulances, trucks, police cars, etc., with an easy push-and-go feature. They help keep the children active and indulged.
Pros
- Safe and non-toxic
- Help with color recognition and hand-eye coordination
- Help promote crawling and walking
- Ideal for toddlers aged 12 to 18 months
- Lightweight
- Easy to carry
Cons
- Can dent easily
- Stick-on animation may come off with use
"The design of these toys has been quite engaging for my kids. I do think the material is a bit thin, but overall, the toys are of pretty good quality. I think they are a fun addition to my children's toy collection."
9. Best Anti-Slip: iPlay iLearn Bouncy Pals Hopping Horse
Let your baby boy have the ride of his life with this inflatable horse that has a plush, removable cover. It includes a pump that can be used to easily inflate the horse at home, after which your toddler can hop on, hold its ears, and bounce along both indoors and outdoors. Made of polyester, this hopping toy is extremely stable because of its anti-slip material. The moisture wicking fabric makes this ride-on toy horse very comfortable and its low center of gravity ensures that your baby won’t topple.
Pros
- Unisex toy
- Hand and machine washable
- Available in 6 different styles
- Ideal for 1.5-5 year old kids
Cons
- Some may find it difficult to inflate the toy.
"Its soft texture and cute features have made it the perfect find for my little one. Although safe, I recommend you supervise playtime as it can wobble if the child jumps too enthusiastically. Nevertheless, it brings a lot of fun and has also been easy to maintain."
Quick tip10. Best Attractive: Skyfield Carrot Harvest Toy
This toy is made of solid and durable pine wood with 7 different sized holes in which your toddler has to insert the carrots. The carrots are also made of high-quality smooth wood with felt leaves which makes them look very realistic. The block has a cute bunny and ladybug to add to the farm experience. It helps stimulate logical thinking and size perception as your kid figures out which carrot to put into the correct hole. It also enhances fine motor skills, attention span, and hand-eye coordination. The vibrant orange color of the carrots is attractive and makes a great interactive toy, encouraging interaction between parents and children and improving bonding.
Pros
- Non-toxic water-based paint
- ASTM and CPSIA tested
- Lead-free
- BPA-free
- Phthalate-free
Cons
- Will require constant supervision as carrots are rather small
"It is a fun toy and a teaching aid that has helped me teach my son about different shapes. The set also allows him to work on his problem-solving and fine motor skills."
11. Best For Hand-Eye Coordination:Top Bright Caterpillar Lacing Blocks
This safety-tested toy is both educational and fun and supports children’s cognitive development and helps improve their mathematical and logical reasoning skills. The 20 multicolored wooden beads help kids learn how to recognize shapes and colors and stimulate their imagination, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. The large beads are easy to thread on the cord with a wooden stick, or can be stacked, and kids can create their own patterns. The cord has a safety buckle so that your baby is always safe. These lacing cum shape sorter blocks with numbers have geometric designs, and the rotatable sunflower and caterpillar make a pleasant sound to capture your kid’s attention.
Pros
- Hand-polished, good quality wood
- Non-toxic water-based paint
- Features bright colors
- Environment friendly
- Ideal way to learn counting, lacing, and sorting
- Conforms to European EN71 and ASTM safety standards
Cons
- Needs supervision as the long cord can be a strangulation hazard
"This bead-stringing toy has helped boost my toddler's hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. He loves the vibrant colors, and the dual sides for numbers and shapes add a nice touch. I do wish it had a stopper, as the beads tend to slip off. Still, it has been a valuable tool for interactive play and learning."
12. Best For Creative Thinking:Woody Treasures Animal Bus Pop Up Toy
Let your toddler have fun while learning with this yellow school bus that comes with 4 pop up animals and stimulates creative thinking, sorting skills, spatial reasoning, fine motor skills, and problem solving skills. The zoo animals can be pressed so that they bounce out, offering hours of entertainment to your kid. Your toddler will have a blast while using his imagination and creativity and will also learn a lot, as a result. This wooden toy challenges them to sort out problems and come to a solution on their own while also teaching image recognition and color coordination.
Pros
- Made with non-toxic materials
- Comes fully assembled
- Ideal for children between 1 to 3 years
- Environment friendly
Cons
- Some may feel the spring mechanism of the pop up toys could be better
"This whimsical pop-up toy has brought my children much joy with its spring-up surprise. There is a slight learning curve, but the quality wood craftsmanship really stands out. It's pretty charming and durable."
13.Best Engaging: Nicmore 5-In-1 Carrier Truck Transport Cars
This big and colorful transporter truck comes loaded with a mini airplane, a small bus, a medium-sized bus, and a taxi. All the vehicles have cute cartoon characters painted on them to keep your toddler engaged. The taxi even has a button that sets off a siren for 8 seconds with flashing lights. Each vehicle is made of non-toxic and durable plastic that is completely safe for your child, and has a smooth surface with rounded edges so that they don’t hurt themselves. These vehicles are powered by friction and move faster as they are pulled back. The truck can be detached from the trailer while vehicles can be unloaded by opening the tailgate. This toy promotes social skills like sharing, communication, and interaction, which is great for teaching your child how to develop relationships and build emotional skills.
Pros
- Crash resistant
- Enhances hand-eye coordination
- Stimulates imagination
- Batteries not required
- Ideal as a birthday gift
- Suitable for kids between 1 to 6 years
Cons
- The wheels may come off easily and may need to be refixed several times
"The interactive elements make this toy a winner for my little ones. The sounds, flashing lights, and self-wind function have captivated them. I appreciate the sturdy build, but I think some adult supervision is needed for the smaller parts. Still, it encourages shared play and provides my kids with hours of enjoyment."
14.Best For Easy Assembling: Forty4 Construction Toy Trucks For Kids
The construction toy trucks for kids from Forty4 have magnetic spots for easy assembly. They are designed as action figures with a suitable toy height of 15.7 inches. The robotic toys come in bright yellow to grab the child’s attention. Each of the four small trucks is independently movable, along with a robotic bulldozer with detachable arms, cranes, and excavators for a fun playtime.
Pros
- Equipped with realistic lights and sound
- Improves creativity and practical ability
- Lightweight
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Magnets may weaken with use
- May be a bit complicated for some children
"I was impressed with this transformer toy for its easy-to-transform magnetic pieces. The clever construction elements double as play and building tools and have captured my four-year-old's attention. The repetitive sounds can get a bit annoying, but he seems to really enjoy the pull-back feature."
15.Best For Sensory Development: Huanger Soft Car Toy Set With Play Mat
A great toy for sensory development, this set comprises 9 soft, cloth-covered vehicles with a colorful play mat that also doubles as a storage bag with a handle upon folding. The fabric is quite durable and easy to clean and the cars make a squeaking, crinkling, or rattle sound upon pressing or moving them. It helps in training kids to recognize a range of shapes, colors, and sizes and helps them with numbers, vocabulary, and character recognition. These toys will give your child the chance to entertain themselves for hours while learning as well.
Pros
- Educational toys
- Encourages cognitive development
- Encourages imaginative play
- Enhances gross and fine motor skills
Cons
- Some may find them smaller than expected.
16. Best Animal-Themed:iPlay, iLearn Monster Trucks Toy
The iPLay, iLearn Monster Truck Toys can keep children engaged and encourage learning in their early years. With attractive colors and fun designs, they promote curiosity. These are friction-powered trucks with a pull-back feature for easy movability. The push-and-go toy set can be a great gift idea for children aged between one and four years. These trucks are animal-themed and have a dimension of 5x4x5 inches.
Pros
- Easy to hold with grip handles
- Stimulates color and shape recognition
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor playing
- Ideal pretend play gift for toddlers
Cons
- Pull-back efficiency may decline over time
- Toy wheels may be larger than expected
17.Best For Logical Thinking: Shierdu Wooden Hammering And Pounding Toys
This cartoon box which is shaped like an elephant is bound to hold your child’s interest with its digital track maze, gear rotation, hit-the-ground mouse game, toddler castanets, number maze game, and drag toy car. Its vibrant colors stimulate their perception of colors and playing with this toy develops hand-eye coordination, refines motor skills, logical thinking, and rapid reactions. Featuring 2 hammers and 12 stakes, this toy enables kids to play with others and the various lights, mice, elephants, stars, numbers, and donuts all over the bus further stimulate their interest. This toy is well polished through a multi-layer process so that there are no splinters or burrs, and the corners are rounded. Completely safe and fun for your baby, it’s also a great learning experience for them.
Pros
- Made of high quality wood
- Non-toxic water-based paint
- Stable and environmentally friendly
- Ideal for children between 1 to 3 years
- Makes a perfect gift item
Cons
- Cannot be washed
- Should be kept in a cool and ventilated place
"My kids love this pull-along elephant toy. Its colorful features keep them engaged, and the whack-a-mole adds to the fun. It is a little smaller than I had expected, but the kids don't seem to mind. Overall, it's been a good choice to improve their fine motor skills while keeping them entertained."
Now that you have been through our review of the 17 best toys for 18-month-old boys, let us give you a few tips on things to keep in mind while choosing one for your little boy so that he has all the fun in the world while also learning.
How To Choose The Right Toys For 18-Month-Old Boys?
Here are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing a toy for your little boy so that he has all the fun in the world while also learning.
- Safety: Boys at this age are increasingly curious and that’s what makes it so important to buy toys that are completely safe and preferably can be used unsupervised. Toys that have small, detachable, or breakable parts that can fit into your boy’s mouth can be choking hazards. Toys which run on button batteries or have magnets, especially high powered ones are best avoided.
- Milestones: The toys you choose for your 18-month-old toddler should cater to their developmental milestones and help support their sensory, cognitive, motor, social, linguistic, creative, and emotional development. You may promote the use of single words and phrases via word books, movement and motor skills via pull toys and bath toys, and encourage pretend play and creativity via baby dolls and art supplies.
- Physical activity: It’s extremely important to buy toys that encourage maximum movement and enable the child to use their body. It not only promotes the development of motor skills and makes them stronger, it also boosts their confidence. Wagons that can be pulled, loaded, and unloaded, colorful balls of different shapes and sizes that they can run after, and musical toys for boys and girls can help your little one build some serious dancing and rhythmic skills.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do toys help 18-month-olds develop?
Toys can help improve your 18-month-old’s communication and language skills, encourage pretend-play, and promote physical development (1).
2. How should I clean a child’s toys?
If your child has washable toys, clean them in the washing machine or hand wash them using soapy water. For non-washable toys, you may wipe them clean.
3. Are puzzles good for an 18-month-old?
Puzzles help improve memory skills and develop the ability to solve problems and think logically. However, at 18 months, your little one can only solve some basic puzzles.
4. What toys do 18-month-olds need?
Building blocks, puzzles, toy vehicles for role play, musical toys, and activity centers are some toys suitable for 18-month-olds to develop their skills.
At 18 months, a toddler begins to show independence, interact with objects around them, and have a sense of self. To help foster different skills in them, parents must invest in toys that are ideal and suitable for this age group. These toys include interactive play sets that help children use their imagination and construction skills and other playing sets that develop their logical thinking and cognitive skills. When choosing a toy for them, ensure that it stimulates both their physical and mental well-being while helping them achieve their developmental milestones. Lastly, any toy you choose and decide to bring home should be safe with no small removable parts that pose a choking hazard.
Infographic: How Do Toys Help In 18-Month-Olds’ Development?
Toys can be more than simply a way to keep babies entertained and active. They can play an important role in the cognitive, physical, and social development of 18-month-old babies. Explore the numerous benefits of playing with toys for your little ones in the infographic below.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
References
- Important Milestones: Your Child By Eighteen Months
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-18mo.html
Why Trust MomJunction?
With topics of baby health, pregnancy, and nursing being our author’s forte, Vibha Navarathna is a trusted source of motherhood information. She writes effectively, with research acting as the backbone of her articles, providing young mothers all the information they need. In her article of the best toys for 18-month-old boys, she lists toys that are appropriate for this unique age group. These tried-and-tested toys are safe and made of high-quality materials. They are suitable for improving your child’s hand-eye coordination and cognitive skills.
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