Your wriggly baby is fast becoming a walking toddler, and starting to outgrow a lot of toys! The best word to describe your 12-18 month old is probably ‘active’. They are steadier on their feet, more coordinated with their hands, and they are ready to take on the world (while you chase them down).
At this age range, your tot will love to feed their budding imagination with more complex toys.
16 Unique 12-18 Month Old Toys That Are Sure To Stimulate Your Child’s Intellect
Here are some great ideas for toys to entertain your busy bee.
1) Rocking horse
Toddlers this age are taking their first steps. Rocking horses crafted by toy companies like Fisher-Price can train a more confident walker! Rocking back and forth hones your tot’s sense of balance, leg and core muscles.
2) Ride-on toys
Your little walker loves moving about at this age, and ride-on toys make for a mini speed rush! Tractors, princess cars, Thomas the Tank Engine… whatever design your tot can dream up is probably out there. Once their muscle strength and coordination are well-developed, they can move on to tricycles and two-wheelers.
3) LEGO® DUPLO® bricks
Building bricks are a great way to let your child’s imagination run wild. At the same time, stacking the bricks sharpens their spatial skills and hand-eye coordination. LEGO® DUPLO® bricks are sturdy and twice the size of ordinary LEGO ones, making them easy for your tot to pick up.
4) Stacking cups
This old favourite is suitable for a wide age range. As your toddler grows more advanced, he or she can sort stacking blocks or cups them by size, colour, and anything else he dreams up! Not only will tots learn fine motor skills, they can also have the sheer pleasure of crashing the stack over.
5) Shape sorters
At 12-18 months, your toddler is ready to test out his fledgling problem-solving skills — shape-sorter toys make for a fun challenge. Sit alongside them and teach them the names of shapes as they play!
6) Ball pit
Which child doesn’t love diving into a pit of soft, bouncy balls? Your active tots can work off their excess energy while strengthening their sensory motor skills.
7) Toddler slide
Slides are the staple of every playground — tots never tire of climbing and sliding over and over. This also develops their balance and coordination.
Bonus: some ball pits come with a slide, so get the set for that extra-special thrill!
8) Trampoline
If your exuberant tot is (figuratively) bouncing off the walls, trampolines are a great option for channelling that extra energy.
To prevent injuries, you may want to avoid having your toddler bounce independently. Instead, bounce them gently with your hands while they lie, sit or stand on the trampoline.
9) Musical instruments
With their bright colours and fascinating sounds, toddler instruments like pianos or guitars will be a huge hit with the little ones. This is great for giving them a sense of rhythm and musical patterns early on, prepping them for future musical talents.
10) Playhouse
Playhouses are a source of unlimited fun for your naturally creative toddler. Even the simplest playhouse can occupy tots for hours as they play pretend, transforming it into a fortress, pirate ship, or fairy palace!
11) Bubble blowing
Bubbles are a guaranteed source of entertainment for kids — now that your tot can walk, he’ll have lots of fun chasing these magical orbs.
12) Colouring kits
Colouring pictures remains a timeless favourite for kids everywhere. Plus, toddlers pick up fine motor skills and concentration by learning to colour within the lines. Get washable crayons or one of Crayola’s Mess-Free Colouring sets and you won’t even need to clean up after playtime.
13) Smart tablets
For those tech-savvy bubs of yours, one of the popular 12-18 month old toys include smart tablets. These are an exciting new way of helping the child learn.
The high-quality smart tablets include phrases, letters, words, and songs that are developmentally appropriate and can have more than one level of play.
14) Colourful walkers
Image courtesy: Fisher Price
Walkers are not only great to get your child started on his/her first steps, but they can also be intellectually stimulating. Those with buttons and modes such as play and sit as well as stand and walk, can help your bubba strengthen fine motor skills and stimulate the sense of sight. Walkers are also great to help your baby develop balance and coordination from early on.
15) Light-up piano
Image courtesy: Fisher Price
Pianos are guaranteed to entertain your little one and stimulate his/her brain. Try getting your bub the ones with light and sound for them to better understand cause and effect.
16) Interactive prep-and-play toys
Image courtesy: Fisher Price
Get your kids a few interactive toys that include sound and light systems. There are some like this fun food prep truck that are particularly stimulating to the brain, thanks to its functions of push and learn, hear and stimulate. Plus, such toys also help to start off your bub on good eating habits, on the way. So a total win-win!
ALSO READ: The top 5 ‘non-toys’ that kids love to play with
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