Image: MomJunction Design Team
As your child grows up, they require toys that are fun yet educational to satiate their curiosity. If you’re looking for the best toys for 18- to-24-month-old children that aid their overall development and promote essential skills, we are here to help. While it is fun for the child to play with their toys, parents can smartly choose ones that enhance their knowledge simultaneously. Such toys are specially designed to support their learning abilities and teach them age-appropriate skills. They help enhance your child’s motor skills, cognitive development, and hand-eye coordination. When learning happens outside the classroom, children tend to remember them better, improving their cognitive abilities considerably.
With exciting designs and features, the options are endless to suit your child’s interests. These toys are interactive, engaging, and fun to keep your little one engaged for hours. So, take a look at our list of parent-recommended products to learn more.
Top Picks
13 Best Toys For 18- To-24-Month-Olds
1. Best For Motor Skills:Learning Resources Spike The Fine Motor Hedgehog
Develop your little one’s motor skills with this toy. It consists of brightly colored quills on the back of a hedgehog. By pulling out the quills from the back of the hedgehog, your child can develop hand muscles. Children can use this toy to identify the colors of each quill and count how many quills have the same color. It’s suitable for 18 months old and above, and the pieces are easy to hold and fit your toddler’s hands. This review video can help you learn more about the product.
Pros
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Easy to store
- Easy to wipe clean
Cons
- Quills may be a bit thin
- Children may require constant adult supervision
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The 42,504 positive customer reviews on Amazon are a testament to its quality and reliability.
2. Best For Numerical Skills:VTech Pull And Sing Puppy
This toy puppy comes with a pull cord and has buttons on its body. The buttons are of different colors with numbers labeled on them. When the child pushes the buttons, the number labeled on the button is spoken out loud. This entertaining toy performs functions similar to a real puppy–it walks, makes cute puppy sounds, and wags its tail. Pulling the puppy’s cord activates the motor skills of the child, and pushing the buttons with numbers improves your child’s numerical skills. It is suitable for children aged between six and 36 months and runs on 2 AAA batteries. Check out this video to learn more about this product.
Pros
- Nose lights up
- Promotes color recognition
- Stimulate language development skills
- Helps develop interaction skills
- Made of durable plastic
- Produces more than 60 melodies and songs
Cons
- Pull string may be short
3. Best For Improving Balance:Playskool Sit ’N Spin Classic Toy
The Playskool Sit ‘N Spin Classic Toy ensures your child is never deprived of fun. The child can sit on the toy and use the wheel to spin around and control the speed. Through this ride-on toy, your child can sharpen their motor skills. Thanks to the toy from this trusted brand, you can now enjoy watching your child giggle their heart out. Have a look at this video for more details about the toy.
Also Recommended By: Baby Center has also listed Playskool Sit ’N Spin Classic Toy in their top 10.[1]Best toys for 18- to 24-month-olds. Bby center https://www.babycenter.com/baby-products/toys-and-learning/best-toys-for-18-to-24-months-old_40007658
Pros
- Helps learn balance and coordination
- Spins smoothly and evenly
- Easy to assemble
- Made of durable plastic
Cons
- Color may vary slightly
- May be a bit small for some
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
Over 43,687 satisfied customers have left positive reviews about the product on Amazon.
Caution4. Best Musical:VTech Spin And Learn Color Flashlight
The spin and learn color flashlight is a toy suitable for children aged between 12 and 36 months. It consists of a flashlight with buttons on its body and a ladybug on its handle. The buttons are marked with numbers and different colors. Since it is a flashlight with five changing lights, children can learn how to recognize colors too. As per reviews, this toy has more than 50 sounds in the form of songs and melodies. It makes a good toy for introducing children to colors, animals, and songs.
Pros
- Auto turn-off function
- Easy-to-operate buttons
- Teaches numbers and animals
- Has smooth edges
- Helps with fine motor development
- Easy-to-grip handle
Cons
- Sound may be a bit louder than expected
"My little one loves this toy for its various inviting features. Its lights are more for show than functional, but it has a volume control feature, which is a big plus. It also has decent educational features and fits perfectly in his little hands."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The 25,528 reviews on Amazon indicate that this product has a loyal following.
5. Best Child-Safe:Hape Pound & Tap Bench
The Hape Pound & Tap Bench is a unique activity toy designed with an in-built slide-out xylophone. It is a pounding toy designed for children between 12 months and three years and has a great combination of bright colors to grab their attention. This toy has a completely wooden build and is made of child-safe materials. Moreover, it is designed for dexterity development and is coated with non-toxic, water-based paint.
Pros
- Encourages early musical development
- Durable and long-lasting
- Aids in cognitive development
- Promotes hand-eye coordination and manipulation
- Tested and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
Cons
- Small bits may not be suitable for children under one year
- Some may find the xylophone music unpleasant
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
With over 15,208 reviews on Amazon, this product is a winner.
6. Best Tech Toy:Leapfrog My First Learning Tablet
Introduce your children to technology with My First Learning Tablet by LeapFrog. It resembles a real tablet and features a home button with 20 app icons. This tablet can set the base for digital learning, and your child can learn letters and animals. Your child can also play with a pretend camera and listen to music by pressing the five dock icons and talking on the phone. Children can also switch to music mode and play songs and create their masterpieces. It runs on three AAA batteries.
Pros
- Includes more than 20 songs and melodies
- Encourages interactive skills
- Features volume control
- Shuts down automatically to save energy
- Easy to hold
Cons
- May require frequent battery change
- Screen may not be scratch-resistant
"This tablet captivates my son with its lights and interactive content and manages to keep him engaged for hours. While it's unsuitable for rough play, its educational value makes it a worthy toy in his collection."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
About 15,492 reviewers on Amazon have given their seal of approval to the product.
7. Best Stimulating:iPlay, iLearn Toddler Fire Truck Toys
The trusted brand iPlay, iLearn’s toddler fire truck toy is designed as an infant musical fire engine and features numbers for early learning. This toy has a cute and pleasing design and bursts with bright colors to attract a child’s attention. It is an electronic rescue vehicle with sound and light for great engagement and inclusion. Designed in red and white, it includes an emergency cartoon character and is made of plastic. This toy is appropriate for children aged 18 months old and above.
Pros
- Toy design encourages interaction
- Promotes color recognition and sensory participation
- Includes six musical songs with volume control
- Made of high-quality ABS plastic
- Promotes hand-eye coordination and control
- Lightweight and durable
Cons
- May be smaller than expected
- Toy pieces may not be suitable for infants
"My toddler can't seem to get enough of this toy truck. He keeps it with him even during meals and naps. It is durable and has proven to be an excellent pick for keeping him engaged."
Trivia8. Best For Dexterity:Infantino Textured Multi Ball Set
The Infantino multi-ball set is designed for the sensory exploration of children. Its fun colors and interesting textures provide great engagement. The plastic balls are small enough to fit small toddler hands and help develop tactile senses and dexterity. It comes in easy-to-wrap packaging and is a great gifting option for children above six months of age.
Pros
- Easy to grab
- Lightweight design
- Designed for developmental benefits
- Easy to wipe clean
- Durable and long-lasting
Cons
- Gets scratches easily
- Not suitable as bath toys
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The product has earned its stripes, with over 9,421 reviews on Amazon.
Did you know?9. Best Interactive:Best Learning Mushroom Garden Toy
This is an interactive toy with light-up mushroom buttons that play songs and sound effects. The durable toy helps spark children’s creativity and improves their logical thinking, motor, and problem-solving skills. By counting the white dots on the brightly colored mushrooms, your child can learn about colors and numbers. Mushroom Garden runs on three AAA batteries and is loaded with four modes–games, music, colors, and numbers.
Pros
- Helps improve children’s balance
- Teaches colors, numbers, and music
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Has a volume control button
Cons
- May be smaller than expected
- Mushroom colors may peel with time
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
Over 5,441 customers on Amazon have opined that this is one of the best products in its category.
10. Best Vibrant:Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Musical Farmyard Toy
Designed as an educational playset, this farmyard kit comes under the category of soft baby toys. It is made of crinkly and safe material and is painted in bright and interesting colors. The set includes a soft block and four toy vehicles shaped like cars and trucks, and come with a separate carry case for easy storage. These toy cars are designed with a pull-back mechanism and need no battery or button to operate.
Pros
- Promotes early developmental
- Easy to use
- Promotes sensory and motor skill development
- Has four lively melodies
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Toy noises may be louder than expected
- No safety indications included
11. Best For Hand-Eye Coordination:Haba Magica Wooden Baby Clutching Toy & Teether
The Magica wooden baby-clutching toy by the trusted brand Haba doubles up as a teether for infants. Its safe wooden make renders it safe for strengthening baby gums. Measuring 3.98×5.08×2.36 in, it is small for baby palms and is lightweight, making it easy to pick and hold. The clutching toys are a set of balls made in bright colors to get the easy attention of babies. They are designed to improve spatial awareness among children and have their surfaces covered with solvent-free lacquers.
Pros
- Durable and wear-resistant
- Wood sourced from sustainable forestry in Germany
- Elastic threaded through wooden pieces for rattling
- Non-toxic, lead-free make
- Helps develop hand-eye coordination
Cons
- May pose a choking hazard
- Paint may peel off
12. Best For Problem-Solving Skills:Fisher-Price Baby Toy Gift Set
The Fisher-Price baby toy gift set comprises rock-a-stack ring shapes and blocks. Designed minimally to serve as the first toy set for babies, these toys can be great for children to explore. Made of sturdy plastic, they have multi-colored design and are suitable for children above six months of age. The toy set includes two toy pieces comprising five colorful toy rings and a bat-at rocker base.
Pros
- Durable and wear-resistant
- Helps encourage early learning
- Helps improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination
- Shapes made for easy grasp of babies
- Helps develop problem-solving skills
- Lightweight design
Cons
- May have a harsh rattle sound
- Toy surfaces may be prone to scratches
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The 20,688 positive reviews on Amazon are proof that this product meets customers' expectations.
13. Best Non-Toxic:Manhattan Toy Click Clack Activity Baby Toy
The Manhattan ball developmental activity toy has a unique and interesting design that grabs the baby’s attention. Made of plastic, it weighs four oz and is easy for tiny hands to grab and lift. It is a grasping sensory toy that makes it easy to hold and keeps the baby’s imagination alight. Loved by many reviewers, this plastic ball toy is artfully crafted with multiple colors for easy and early color recognition. Its black and white ring patterns also provide the right contrast.
Pros
- Durable and wear-resistant
- Sturdy and long-lasting make
- Qualifies for all toy safety tests
- Has a safe, non-toxic, BPA-free make
- Helps in auditory and motor development in babies
Cons
- Some may find the plastic hard
- Twisted rings may not be suitable for newborns
How To Choose The Best Toys For 18- To-24-Month-Olds?
Consider these factors when choosing a toy for babies aged 18 to 24 months.
- Safety: For children who belong to the age range of 18 to 24 months, the biggest concern when buying toys can be safety. And for this reason, always look for toys that do not come with sharp edges and rather have round ones. In addition to that, the paint used on these toys should be non-toxic and the material that goes into the making of these toys should also be BPA-free. Toys for children are vibrant with colors, thanks to the paint used. As a parent, you have to ensure that the children play with toys that have non-toxic paint. Furthermore, avoid buying toys that have small parts or removable parts as these can prove to be a choking hazard. It is recommended that you pick safety-tested toys that are certified to be safe by eminent associations.
- Storage: If you can store a toy easily, you can carry it around easily too. Some toys can be dismantled easily and stored. Toys that are easily portable can be carried around easily. However, you have to understand that when toys are dismantled and stored, you have to be very careful about the parts of the toys because you have to store them together, leading to extra responsibility.
- Maintenance: Many toys need batteries to function. While some run on AA batteries, some run on AAA batteries. If you plan to buy a toy that involves batteries, you must replace them once the energy drains out. This means that it will involve some expenses regarding buying them. Batteries that stay in a device for a long time tend to lose their efficiency if not used regularly. If you are looking for toys that function using batteries, it is advisable to use them with rechargeable batteries as they can be recharged and used again. You should also ensure that children are supervised when they play with toys that run on batteries, especially the small ones, because if swallowed, it can lead to choking hazard.
- Learning: Children can use brightly colored toys to learn about colors and will be able to identify them. Similarly, when children play with toys that are shaped like animals, they can learn their names too. Later, when they see a real animal, they will be able to identify them. Toys set the foundation for their learning pursuits by sharpening hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and gross motor skills. Children should be encouraged to play with children of their age group to learn social and emotional skills like sharing and taking turns. Toys can spark their creativity and imagination, which in turn sharpens their thinking abilities.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Priti Bose is a skilled writer who specializes in reviewing and writing about kids’ toys and gifts. After scanning through numerous user reviews on several e-commerce sites, she brings you a list of the best toys for 18-month-old to 24-month-old children. These toys are useful to develop your child’s motor and cognitive skills and provide a playful learning experience. You can select an age-appropriate toy for your little one using the tips shared in the how-to-choose section.
Children are curious about the world around them. They develop an interest in their surroundings and express it in the form of questions or small experiments that are meant to enhance their understanding or satiate their curiosity. Giving them toys like building blocks and simple puzzles is a great way to stimulate their learning pursuits. They fuel their curiosity and help develop their motor and cognitive skills and improve their hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Since choosing the right toy for your children can be a challenging task, the options listed here will make it easier for you to find something colorful, interactive, engaging, fun, and educational.
Infographic: What To Look For When Buying Toys For Your 18- To 24-Month-Old
At this age, children become more active and develop their physical, cognitive, and social skills. They also start to express more independence and curiosity about the world around them. So, explore the key factors to consider when selecting toys for your 18- to 24-month-old, including developmental appropriateness, safety, and durability. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
References
- Tilde Bekker et al.; (2008); Interactive play objects and the effects of open-ended play on social interaction and fun
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220982396_Interactive_play_objects_and_the_effects_of_open-ended_play_on_social_interaction_and_fun
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