The Best Educational Toys to Reignite Your Child’s Joy for Learning

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Educational toys are kind of like putting veggies into a smoothie to get your kids to ingest actual nutrients. Learning toys are fun and entertaining, and a lot of the time, kids don’t even realize they’re learning. You know, like the veggies. Every tot and kiddo should have a few toys on hand that teach. From counting toys for tiny cuties to STEM toys for older kids, we've rounded up some of the best educational toys on the market for all ages. They're the perfect gift for your little one or for any child in your life.

Playtime can easily be turned into learning time with the right toys. The toy market is so vast these days, and there seem to be learning toys for everything. Whether you have a silly scientist who seems to take to biology or a little learner who's an empath at heart, there are toys that encourage intellectual development across the board. And if your kid is looking to conquer basic math and vocabulary or go deep into robotics and engineering, there are toys for them, too.

Maral Amani, pediatric physical therapist, and child development expert at Lovevery, says, "Playing with educational toys is one of the easiest ways a parent can support their child’s development since play is truly how children learn. Children develop skills in a specific pattern, with one skill building on another; for example, the palmar grasp develops (whole palm) and paves the path for the pincer grasp (tips of pointer finger and thumb) to develop. As a pediatric physical therapist, I love to recommend The Lovevery Play Kits to the families I work with because each comprehensive kit is full of playthings that target specific skills in the precise order of development."

Lovevery is not the only toy maker that is killing it in this niche, either. LeapFrog, Melissa & Doug, Educational Insights, and more come out with new educational toys every year that set kids on a path of learning adventure.

Take a look at our favorite educational toys below.

Toddler Microscope

Your kiddo will have a blast using this real working microscope to get a closer look at leaves, flowers, shells, and blades of grass under the magnifier. Designed to fit your toddler's tiny hands and face, they can grab any object to take a closer look and jot down their observations.

More: The Best Toys for Kids

Boost Robot Building Set

Using coding, this robot can be built and animated. Designed for kids ages 7 to 12, they’ll spend literal hours working, playing, and learning. A tablet with access to the app is required. There are five different versions to be built: Vernie the Robot, Frankie the Cat, Guitar 4000, M.T.R. 4 (a truck), and Autobuilder, an automated production line.

Subscription Box

When you have a perpetually bored kid on your hands, having a new activity for them consistently keeps you both sane.

Kiwi Crate is a subscription service that sends your kiddo age-appropriate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) projects for them to complete. Each project combines creativity and learning in a way that your kid will love. Plus, they’ll get a package in the mail every month addressed to them, and that’s super fun in and of itself.

USA Map Floor Puzzle

It's never too early to get a jump-start on memorizing the 50 states and capitals. This oversized jigsaw floor puzzle makes it so fun, your kids won't even realize they're learning while putting it together. The 51 sturdy and extra-thick pieces are just right for little hands to hold, and, once assembled, it's a great size to display in their room. It doesn’t hurt that you’ll probably get a refresher on your geography knowledge.

Straw Constructor 600-Piece Set

Kids will use their creativity to build large or small constructs out of colorful straws and multi-directional connectors. The opportunities are endless in what your little engineers can build. We have this set at home, and our kids spend hours working together to build some pretty impressive structures. Full disclosure: Even with 600 pieces in the set, they still fight about who gets more, because siblings.

Linkimals Smooth Moves Sloth

Your toddler will get a kick out of this adorable interactive sloth from Fisher-Price. With lights, sounds, music, and games, your tot will be practicing numbers, colors, and letters while clapping and bopping around to the music. One thing we love is that the toy is interactive with kids and with its companion toys, making it even more fun and interesting for little ones.

Magnetic Human Body Anatomy Play Set

Whether you have a budding doctor at home or a kid who is fascinated by how the human body works, this magnetic wooden anatomy set from Melissa & Doug makes for a great learning toy.

From the skeleton and muscles to the happy face once it's complete, this is a wonderful introduction to learning the parts of the body while helping kids visualize the body’s organs and systems.

Word Game

Instead of Words With Friends, we call this one Words With Kids. This popular crossword puzzle game is perfect for kids 7 and up. It’s a race to see who can use up all of their letters first by creating words.

The water-resistant tiles pack up neatly into the banana-shaped tote for trips to the park, and its compact size doesn’t take up too much space at all.

Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set

The wheels on this cute bus don’t go ‘round and ‘round, but the whole magnetic set will allow your kids to explore the alphabet.

Place it on your fridge and let your tot insert any of the magnetic letter tiles into the open window. Press it once to hear the letter’s name and sound, and press it again to hear that letter used in a word and sentence. Hit the music note to sing along to the “Alphabet Song” and “Wheels on the Bus.”

22-Piece Play Kitchen Accessories Set

Your little sous chef will be ready to whip up their favorite snack with this 22-piece kitchen accessories play set. So, now you can be the one demanding a snack every 5 minutes, even if it’s pretend snacks.

Whether you're adding this set to their existing play kitchen or using it on its own, your kiddo will serve you the tastiest imaginary food you've ever had.

LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table

Is it super difficult to get your kiddo to calm down and pay attention? We hear you! Gift them an educational activity table so your little one can take all of that energy out in a productive way.

This musical table has more than 70 learning responses, sounds, and songs, plus activities that will increase your kid's knowledge of numbers, letters, colors, and shapes. It’s also a great stability tool for little ones who are just learning to stand.

Osmo — Little Genius Starter Kit for iPad

Our kids are obsessed with everything offered by Osmo. They started out with this Little Genius Started Kit for iPad, which feels like a magical adventure. It's a bit spendier, so it makes for a killer birthday or Christmas gift.

The Osmo learning kit is a fusion of real-life block play with an iPad game and connectivity. It's a completely safe, closed system that helps teach your children things like numbers, the alphabet, and shapes. Whatever your child creates on the pad, Osmo instantly transfers it to the screen, which kids can’t get enough of.

This is the starter kit, which is perfect for kids ages 3 to 5, and it comes with multiple shaping blocks, the Osmo Base and reflector for your iPad, cardboard costume cutouts, and storage for the blocks.

Glow-In-the-Dark Set

There are entire Instagram pages dedicated to offering creative and unique ideas for Magna-Tile play. If your kids are as obsessed with magnetic tiles as ours are, they will be thrilled with this glow-in-the-dark set.

The set includes 16 pieces that glow in the dark, which might be an enticing way to get your little ones to stay in their room when they wake up before sunrise.

As a bonus, once your kids grow out of playing with blocks, they're super fun to hang on the fridge and play with while you wait for the water to boil.

Dissect-It

Easily one of the best parts of high school biology is dissecting frogs and fetal pigs. You learn so much, and honestly, it's just super cool. While your little one is too young to be wielding scalpels, you can provide them with a similar experience with this dissection kit — only this one doesn’t smell like formaldehyde.

The toy includes a jelly-like frog, tools similar to what you'd use in a real lab, and all the internal parts of the frog along with explanations for each, all safely and without sharp edges. If your child prefers a different animal, they also have the choice of a bat, piranha, salamander, or dinosaur.

Weather Science Lab

This kit is so much more than just making tornados in 2-liter bottles the way most of us did as kids, although that experiment is also included. In addition to DIY tornados, the kit includes 20 all-weather science activities that are made to inspire your budding meteorologist. Who knows, with these baby barometers, maybe your little one will be the next Al Roker.

Quadrilla Cliffhanger Wooden Marble Run

This is no Rube Goldberg trap — this is a fully functional marble-run kit made of solid wood.

The two kids of the parenting editor here at Best Products absolutely love the Hape (pronounced “hah-pay”) marble-run kits. They're completely malleable, allowing for tons of open-ended play.

Laugh & Learn Count & Rumble Piggy Bank

Even if this adorable piggy bank doesn’t teach babies and toddlers the real value of money, it’s still a fun and educational toy. The durable toy piggy bank has several different sounds, songs, and phrases to spark your baby's curiosity. Yes, at some point your kid will jam a french fry into it, but don't worry, it wipes clean with a baby wipe. (Ask us how we know.)

Starter Rock Tumbler Kit

There is a whole legion of kids and adults who use this machine on TikTok. It's fascinating as heck, and kids love watching the transformation from messy rock to beautiful crystal. Not only do your kids get to learn about rocks, they also learn the value of cleaning. Maybe it will inspire them to dust off their bookshelves and put away their socks. (It's doubtful, but hope never dies.)

Aqua Magic Mat Kids Painting Writing Doodle Board Toy

You’re going to wish they made this mat in a grown-up size. This Aqua Magic Mat gives your kids a place to play and color without making a mess. It comes with stencils and writing utensils for clean, magical, artistic fun. Emphasis on the clean.

This particular mat happens to come with a ton of shapes, and has the alphabet on the perimeter of the map, elevating it from a creative art toy to something multidimensional.

Flashing Cube Electronic Memory & Brain Game

We're not going to lie: This game is not easy, but tweens seem to love it. Imagine a Simon memory game, but make it more interactive with a ton more levels. That's what this is. It’s a brain teaser even for grown-ups, so it’ll hold your teen’s attention and yours — even when the tablet is nearby.

Plui Rain Bath Toy

If you have a kid who thinks it’s super fun to splash in the bathtub, much to your dismay, this rain bath toy will bring both of you some joy with a lot less cleanup.

Your little one submerges it under water and then pulls it up, and as air makes it inside, it starts to rain. It introduces the ideas of clouds, condensation, and rain to your child, and also keeps them busy in the tub.

Montessori Screw Driver Board for Kids

Nothing like getting your kid started on their DIY journey early. This tool toy provides a ton of sensory input as well as providing them with the opportunity to learn how to use tools properly and safely.

The wooden sensory board comes with real tools, including insert screws, a double-sided screwdriver, a hex key, and a wrench. Now they’ll finally be able to help you build IKEA furniture.

36 PCs Wooden Sorting Stacking Balancing Stone Rocks

These blocks aren't just fun — they're attractive, too. They are unevenly shaped, requiring kids to figure out how to balance each block to make it stack. The idea of new places to stack each block every time your child takes the bag out is entrancing for little ones. Plus, they're small enough that you can bring a dozen or so when you go out to eat to keep them occupied.

Our block-obsessed kids have these at home and like to bring them on trips since they’re lightweight and small compared to other building toys.

Adventure Mars Mission Rocket

This is one of the coolest (and largest) space toys we’ve seen lately. The kit comes equipped with 240 pieces and stands at over 2 feet tall. It has an engine room, flight deck, four levels of Mars-mission fun, and it comes with two astronauts. As your kids build the rocket, they're given insights about Mars, space travel, and also construction. It's a wild journey through outer space, and for under $60? A real steal.

Paper Maker

If you want to give your kids a fun lesson in recycling, specifically all those torn-up pieces of paper they use for art projects, this toy is the one to get.

This paper maker uses bits of old paper to make new, beautiful paper that your kids can use for new artwork. It teaches them all about recycling and reusing, as well as evaporation and creation. It's so much fun, and your little artist will love it while ultimately saving money and trees. (Very small trees, but still trees.)

Magic Adventures Telescope

You don’t have to be an astronomer to appreciate a close-up view of space. This digital telescope offers 110x zoom so that kids can see the stars, planets, and moon clearly at night, or kids can get a closer view of nature during the day.

Over 100 NASA videos are included giving kids the opportunity to discover more about the cosmos and space discovery.

Mindblown Robot Kit

There’s nothing more fun than a vending machine, except when you can build said vending machine yourself. This 52-piece robot kit (our Robot Toy of the Year) from Discovery gives kids the chance to build a retro-style robot with a working vending machine that won’t fit candy bars and sodas (for the best, really), but kids can pack it full of small prizes and treats.

STEM Explorers Brainometry

This building shapes puzzle game from Learning Resources will challenge your kids to solve puzzles based on the pictures they see on cards. The game vibe is as if Tetris and Osmo had a baby. Ten challenges are included in the set, each helping foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

My Own Leaptop

Little ones don’t need their own laptop, but they’ll feel like they’re a big kid with the LeapFrog My Own Leaptop. Our kids have this one, and as parents who work from home, it’s a fun way for them to sit alongside us and feel connected.

The adorable device offers four learning modes: ABCs, messages, games, and music. It’s easy enough for your kids (it’s designed for ages 2 to 4) to figure it out on their own after just a couple of times using it.

Flower Garden Stacking Set

While this flower garden building set is technically designed for toddlers, even our elementary school-aged kids have a blast with it. Kids can create their own flower designs and stack them as high as they can until they topple over — which they’ll hopefully do on their own, and not at the hands of a sibling.

The toys can be stored in a convenient green carry box because the company clearly cares about you as parents.

Light-Up Dinosaur Terrarium Kit

This terrarium kit includes everything kids need to build their own dinosaur habitat with real plants. It’s super fun to put together while giving your child a sense of responsibility in making sure the plants don’t die.

We bought this terrarium for our kids with the hope that they have more of a green thumb than we do. They do not.

Preschool Search and Find

Take this search and find activity set on the road — whether by actual car or by plane — and thank us later. There are 22 dry-erase activity sheets included for your child to practice matching and spotting differences, counting, tracing, and even more fun activities on the reverse side of the mat.

As a bonus, a writing mat is included for writing practice along with a drawing sheet on the back.

Construction Race Track

For toddlers and kids whose lives revolve around vehicles (IYKYK), do yourself a favor and get this construction toy race track. There are 200 pieces included in the set that kids put together themselves, along with six types of construction trucks that move automatically along the track (with batteries).

It’s an Amazon best-seller, so you know it’s good. Our kids love this toy, but it wasn’t until around age 4 that they could put it together without the help of a grown-up.

Crystal Growing Science Experimental Kit

Science experiments are always fun for kids, but sometimes they’re a little less fun for parents. This one is different. Here kids can grow crystals out of a powder, and it’s pretty cool to watch the magic happen.

The science kit includes seven crystal experiments and a display case for each as they grow. Kids ages 10 and over can definitely handle the experiment on their own, but you’ll need to help out your younger kiddos.

Lovevery The Planner Play Kit

We’re obsessed with everything Lovevery does, so it feels near impossible to choose just one play kit, but here we are. The Planner Play Kit is designed for kids who are 58, 59, and 60 months — AKA almost 5 years old. It comes with a bunch of fun toys and activities to help them practice thinking ahead, understand the concept of time, and other important skills.

The stage-based subscription boxes ship every 2 or 3 months, and they’re available for 0-12 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 4 years.

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