I’m now in my toddler mom era for the third time. My girls are 6 and 4, and my little boy is just over 15 months. As we inch closer and closer to the 1.5 year mark, I’m always looking for things to keep him busy. This stage is a tricky one, and I’ve found it’s a lot more physical with a boy. He doesn’t stop moving! We’ve talked about the best toys for 1 year olds, but 18-month-old toddlers are bigger and more independent. I try to choose toys that will keep young toddlers busy, and put a lot of focus on toys that will grow with them. There’s nothing more annoying than buying a toy that won’t last. I feel good recommending these toys knowing that my girls have loved them, too.
The Best Toys and Gifts For 18 Month Old Toddlers
A great toy will stimulate your toddler. It will encourage them to move, pretend, and play, and they will, ideally, like them in the months and years to come. I love toys that help with fine motor skills and encourage hand-eye coordination. If you’re looking for a gift idea or have a baby that’s going to enter this stage soon, here’s the ultimate list of 18 month old toys. I’ll touch on the best learning toys for toddlers, ones that are great for creative play, and share our favorite ride-on toy, too.
When it comes to selecting toys, I prefer wooden toys because they feel simple, substantial, and if I’m being honest, they’re often a bit more aesthetically pleasing. But sometimes, you need to go for a brightly colored plastic toys. Kids love a little color. You’re in such a great place now β your toddler is becoming a little person, loves learning new words, playing with musical instruments, dancing, and interacting. I should add that some of these toys do have pieces that a child could choke on. Always supervise young children (especially toddlers) when playing with anything small objects that they might put inside their mouth.
How I declutter, store, and organize my kids' toys.
Toys for 18 Month Olds that Encourage Pretend Play
I wasn’t sure where to stick the Toniebox in this post, but it’s one of our most-used toys. It’s recommended for the age group of 3 and up but my younger daughter has been using it independently since she was around 15 months old. Watch out for small parts and always supervise your toddler, but in our experience, my toddler never tried to eat the Tonie figurines. She loves switching the figurines out, and will either do that, or have music playing while she plays.
Tonies
I've raved about the Toniebox β it's a great way to keep both younger and older kids busy. Toddlers love switching characters, listening to stories and different songs, and dancing to music. It's so nice having something play that they can control without screens. It was designed for children three and up but my younger daughter started using it independently at around 15 months, and at 3, still uses it all the time.
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Melissa and Doug
This is one of my favorite toys for early childhood and is one of those toys your toddler will play with for forever. If you're looking for a gift for a child 5 or under, the chunky pieces are perfect for younger kids β I stock up on these when they are on sale and give them as birthday gifts.
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Fisher Price
This is one of those toys we've had for 5+ years, that all 3 of my kids used as toddlers. I don't usually love play sets but there's something magical about this one.
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Olli Ella
I recommend having a stroller or bed for dolls. This is great because it functions as both. Great for 3-5 year olds too.
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Green Toys
Green toys sets are great because they work well in the bath or at a sensory table and sensory play, so it's great for outdoor use. This set is eco-friendly and durable, and has been a big hit with both of my kids.
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Manhattan Toy
These soft dolls are toddler friendly, but great for older siblings, too. My kids loved these from ages 1-3.
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Pottery Barn Kids
I can't call this a must-have since it's so big, but it's nice to have if you have the space. It serves as prime storage for play food, and endless creativity for little chefs. We have the larger PBK kitchen since it's a bit bigger and it was my hope the girls would use it until they were 5, but this size seems perfect and would take up less space
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Best Open Ended Toys for 18 Month Olds
Ah. Open-ended toys are my favorite. Consider this my list of Christmas presents for 1-2 year olds. These are toys that kids can play with independently, in multiple ways. Think: Montessori toys. The way they use these toys can change as they grow. Blocks, dolls, simple, wooden toys. I included a lot of blocks, and you don’t need them all, but these are toys your toddler will use for years. I keep open baskets in the play room and living room, and inside we have wooden blocks, magnetic blocks, and of course, Duplo. The girls are on a big Duplo kick right now.
Wooden animals and figurines will be played with forever. We have a good mix of sturdy plastic figurines from their favorites shows (hello, Daniel Tiger) but any time I can find a wooden version, I’m on it. I keep a basket (so many baskets) of wooden characters, animals, and a few vehicles, and they can be used with blocks, play silks, etc.
Duplo
My kids love Duplo. We have a huge basket of them in the playroom and they're always building something. Highly recommend getting the number train, and this particular set has ice cream and cupcakes, which have been a favorite.
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Grimms
This is a splurge but is well-made and beautiful, and can be used in so many different ways. Make a rainbow tunnel, town, tower, or circles to house your animals. Kids can't not be creative with Grimms wooden toys.
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Lovevery
This set includes 70 wooden pieces that work with each other in more than 20 stage-based activities. It's a car, shape sorter, ramp, and wooden string toy. Years of learning through play, crafted by child development experts. Build a car, city, towers, or thread with string.
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Holztiger
I just bought these for my younger daughter for Christmas since a friend who always has the best toys recommended them. They are a splurge but pretty large, and very well-made.
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Grimms
Like figurines, these are fun to have around, and are really nice for matching. They coordinate with the other Grimms wooden toys and are a splurge but so well-made.
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Magnatiles
My younger daughter isn't building big magnetic towers on her own, but she's slowly learning, loves the colors, and can lay them all out. I love that she will use them for the next 3-5 years.
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Fat Brain Toys
This cube is a great toy that features interconnected silicone pieces that can be pulled, twisted, and manipulated in various ways.
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Fat Brain Toys
This is one of my favorite developmental toys, and is basically the baby version of bubble wrap. It's great for younger babies, so you'll get some use out of it. The Dimpl is recommended for 10+ months which is around when I got it for Margot, and she loves popping the pieces.
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Best Educational Toys for 18 Month Olds
Leave it to Melissa and Doug to make two caterpillar toys that are single-handedly responsible for making sure my girls knew all their colors when they were just a little over a year old. The Lovevery Montesssori play kits are incredible. They’re so well-made and come with a book for parents that explains the various ways to play with them. They are so worth it and make a great gift. When I think about toys for this stage, I think about toys for ages 1-2, and what would be the best developmental toys for 2 year olds. Your 18 month old is so close to two, but not quite there yet. If a toy is safe for them to play with, I will (with some toys) buy “older” and get them to grow into a toy.
Chunky puzzles seem to be a one-use toy but they’re actually great for open-ended play, too. Since they are essentially wooden painted animals, trucks etc, the pieces can be used a number of ways. I store all the pieces in a small basket, so when it’s time to play with simple puzzles, finding the right pieces is part of the game.
Lovevery
We have now used almost every single Lovevery Montessori kit to date. I think the younger ones (age 1-2) are a little better since they get used more. The newest kits are awesome, but I've found some of the toys serve just one function, and open-ended toys do better after age 2.
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Melissa and Doug
My 18 month old just got this and it's great for color learning, matching, and how things (in this case, gears) work.
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Janod
These puzzles are the best! We have a handful, and they're great puzzles, but the pieces stand up, so they're fun to play with, too.
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Learnworx
This set comes with over 100 flash cards that include animals, vehicles, household objects, etc. The back of each card has a game that will help teach colors or numbers β these are seriously the best! We use them all the time.
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Melissa and Doug
This is a classic toy and for a good reason β perfect for tiny hands and independent play. We just got these large beads and both my girls enjoyed playing with them. Watching an 18 month old string giant beads is even cuter than you might think.
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Melissa and Doug
Both of my girls loved this simple toy as toddlers β the chunky rainbow pieces are great for little hands. It's an easier to use stacker, and I swear it's what helped both my girls learn their colors.
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No one should have to explain how they feed their baby to anyone. The pressure, assumptions, and guild are reason to share my story. And this was 100% the best thing I could have done.
Toys for 18 month olds that encourage physical activity
Ride on toys are great for toddlers at this age. They’re learning that they can make toys move, and are finally coordinated enough to get the hang of climbing, jumping, and even driving. I’ve included a few climber and ride-on options, and will let you know what we have, love, and use below.
Lily and River
Another popular toy you'll see on most lists. It's great for babies once they start moving around. My son was climbing to the top and throwing himself over to the other side before he could even walk.
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Doona
This trike folds up so small, is great for toddlers, and converts to a regular trike! We use it all the time with our youngest.
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Nugget
The nugget is one of our most-used toys. It's a play couch that turns into a fort, tent, ramp, or slide. It's made up of four foam pieces and has a durable, easy-to-wash cover.
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Appleround
This bouncy cow is one of her favorites. My younger daughter definitely needs supervision since she inches too close to the front and falls off, but she loves it. It's one of those toys they'll grow into.
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Little Tikes
If you're looking for a fun toy for your toddler to use outdoors, this water table is amazing and it folds for easy storage. It's great for any younger age group (toddlers and preschoolers alike). 18-month-old boys and little girls will love this Little Tikes water table β the perfect toy to splash, practice pouring, and a fun way to have a great time in the sun.
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Lily and River
All 3 of my kids love these stepping stones. They're great for playing pretend and making obstacle courses. I love them for active play and learning colors and following instructions, too.
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If youβre looking for the best birthday gifts for 1 year olds, we own (and love) almost all of the toys on this list.
The Coolest Bath Toys for 18 Month Olds
Lovevery
This set is the right size for babies 10 months and up. Help your toddler practice nesting, pouring, and containing pieces.
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Munchkin
Bath toys that fill with water usually develop mold over time, so we only use ones that can be opened up and cleaned. These are a great option!
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My girls have the best time with this tea set which never seems to get old. The pieces are perfectly sized for small hands, and tea parties are so much more fun when you can actually pour water into your tea cups.
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The Best Sturdy Board books for 18 Month Olds
We love reading! Ollie, Pout Pout fish, and anything with animals, letters, and numbers. Here are a few of my 18 month-old’s favorites.
The Ollie books are simple and a little odd, but my kids love them. We read the Ollie Christmas book every day throughout December, and the book about Boo Boo is one of Kate's favorites.
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These are amazing. The first time I broke one out, my daughter, who was almost 3 at the time, played with it for at least 30 minutes. My younger daughter started using them before she was even 1 and still loves them. They're strangely addicting and educational, too.
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We've been reading this one every day. It's great for learning colors, animals, and the predictability is fun for 3 year olds, too. My older daughter loves to tell me what animals are coming up next.
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The You're My Little series of books are so sweet. I think we have them all.
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