Between 12 and 24 months, there’s a lot happening with your child’s learning and development.
Your toddler may be taking their first steps and becoming more confident on their feet. They might be experimenting with new sounds and learnt some new words. Toddlers are beginning to spend short periods of time exploring toys independently.
It can also be a stage where parents feel pressure to find toys that will “help their child to walk” or “get their child talking”. What thoughtful chosen toys can do is provide interesting opportunities for children to move, communicate, experiment and learn new skills through play.
So, what toys are worth considering between 12 and 24 months?
Posting and Sorting Toys
Toddlers often love putting things in and out repeatedly.
Posting boxes, simple shape and sorters, drop-and-roll toys all give them the opportunity to practice hand-eye co-ordination, problem solving and fine motor skill development.
And yes! They may want to repeat the same action 20 times but that’s part of the learning process.
Stacking and Nesting Toys
Stacking rings, cups, blocks and nesting toys are wonderfully simple but can be used in so many ways.
At first, your child might simply just knock down the tower you’ve made. Over time, this play develops into balancing, ordering and building creations for themselves.
Simple Puzzles
Chunky inset puzzles with easy-to-hold pieces are an excellent introduction to puzzles. They encourage toddlers to look closely, turn and manipulate objects discovering where the pieces go.
Keep them simple to begin with- a challenge is great, but we don’t want play to become frustrating for little ones.
Push, Pull and Movement Toys
At this age, many children are busy crawling, cruising and walking. Pull-a-long toys, balls, vehicles and other toys which help encourage movement can complement this growing physical confidence.
Early Pretend Play
Towards the latter part of this age range, you might start noticing your toddler copying everyday life.
They may pretend to drink from a cup, feed their teddy or hold something to their ear that resembles a phone.
Simple pretend toys such as dolls, animals, play food and everyday household objects can give their imagination plenty of room to grow.
Books
Books provide a wealth of literacy, language and communication skills. Sturdy board books, lift-the-flap books and simple picture books provide so many opportunities to share words together. Talk about what you see and help encourage your toddler to turn the pages. Ask simple questions.
Cause-and-effect Toys
“What happens if I do this?”
That’s a big part of toddler play!
Ball runs, ramps, pop-up toys and musical percussion instruments allow children to explore and experiment. They quickly begin to realise that their actions have consequences. They will then gradually begin to anticipate the result.
So, what should I actually choose?
Rather than filling a toy box, think about providing a small variety of play opportunities.
A lovely selection for 12-24 months might include:
Something to post.
Something to stack.
Something to build.
Something to move.
Something for pretend play.
A favourite book.
Remember, age recommendations are only a guide. Children develop at their own pace.
This is something we truly believe in at Wilf and Bear Toys. It’s not about having more toys. It’s about choosing toys with a purpose, giving children time to explore them and allowing their play to develop naturally.
‘Wholesome moments of play’.