Toddlerhood is an impactful time when a child really starts to engage with the world around them. It makes sense then that this is when interactive toys are primarily introduced. As infants turn two, three, and four, they learn how to use their senses to interact with their surroundings, thus requiring less passive and more interactive play. Yet, what are the best interactive toys for toddlers? Though you might think about tech toys when you hear the word interactive, electronic toys aren't the only option. Interactive is all about engagement, whether it be with lights and sounds or colors and shapes. Here are just a few of the best interactive toddlers toys for developing fine motor skills and teaching your little ones how to play all by themselves.
This bath set comes with a flower-themed waterfall that suction cups to the bath wall, plus one mini watering can and two water pouring cups. It has vivid colors and helps develop hand-eye coordination. Recommended age: 18 months and up.
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Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set
This 100-piece set comes with wooden blocks in four bright colors and nine different shapes. The blocks are durable, safe, and help foster creativity. Recommended age: 3 years and up.
MAGBLOCK Magnetic 3D Magnet Toys in Candy Colors
Here is a plastic and steel magnetic block set that comes with 52 pieces in varied shapes and pastel colors. With it, your toddler will be able to design and build their own three-dimensional creations. Recommended age: 3 years and up.
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Mega Bloks First Builders Shape Sorting Wagon
This 25-piece plastic pull wagon is designed for sorting shapes. The wagon moves on wheels, and the parts can be used for learning shapes as well as learning how to build with them. Recommended age: 12 months to-5 years.
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Lewo 115 Pieces Wooden Building Blocks with City Map Construction Building Set
This 115-piece wooden building block set features everything your toddler needs to construct their own city. The blocks make up different buildings and come with little toy cars as well as a playmat that looks like city streets. Recommended age: 3 years and up.
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VTech Peppa Pig Let's Chat Learning Phone
This voice-activated toy phone allows your toddler to "talk" to the TV character Peppa Pig. Included games focus on numbers, counting, and addition. Batteries required. Check out more Peppa Pig toys through the BestReviews Pepa Pig toys complete review breakdown. Recommended age: 24 months to 6 years.
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Sendida Montessori Toys Number Puzzle
This color sorting set helps toddlers learn their numbers and counting through wooden puzzle pieces. It also doubles as a fun magnetic fishing game for hand-eye coordination and problem-solving development. Recommended age: 3-7 years.
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LeapFrog Chat and Count Smart Phone (Scout)
With sing-along counting songs and over 15 activities, this green play phone helps your child learn while having fun with a dog character named Scout. It encourages engagement with numbers as well as social skills. Batteries included. Recommended age: 18 months-5 years.
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Learning Resources Number Turtles Set
This 15-piece set comes with cute plastic turtles in red, orange, green, blue and purple as well as baby "hiding" turtles in corresponding colors. These figures are designed to encourage counting and learn about color sorting. Recommended age: 16 months to 6 years.
CoolToys Monkey Balance Cool Math Game
Here is a fun math sorting STEM game with plastic monkeys and numbers kids can place on a balance scale to understand how numbers and counting work. It is colorful, tactile and easy to use. Recommended age: 3 years and up.
GAMENOTE Magnetic Alphabet Fishing Game
This kit comes with a fishing pool 12.6 inches in diameter with 26 colorful alphabet fish kids can pick up with a wooden fishing rod. It's a fun way to review letters and colors in an immersive interactive setting. Recommended age: 3-5 years.
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The Happy Scholar Matching Animal Felt Alphabet Flash Cards
These soft, water-resistant felt flashcards are great for playing at home or out on the go. They can be used for a fun picture matching game or for reviewing the alphabet with a corresponding animal example provided for each letter. Recommended age: 12 months and up.
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Gufino Interactive Alphabet Poster
This interactive touch-activated poster teaches counting, letters and songs in Spanish and English. Batteries included. Recommended age: 3 years and up.
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VTech Musical Rhymes Book (Red)
As your child turns these plastic pages, they will learn nursery rhymes and over 40 songs, sounds and phrases. There is a music mode and a learning mode to switch back and forth, plus the book lights up and flashes for extra sensory engagement. Batteries included. Recommended age: 6 months to 3 years.
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Here is a soft, cuddly green plush dog toy that can learn your child's name and features many songs, words, and learning activities. Scout connects to your smartphone or tablet for customization and will help your child learn how to express feelings and emotions. Batteries included. Recommended age: 6 months to 3 years.
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iPlay, iLearn Play Kitchen Accessories Set
This toy set comes with all the toy fruits and veggies your toddler needs, including pots, pans and utensils for play cooking. Foods are joined together by Velcro, so your child can pretend to cut them up and put them back together when they're done. Recommended age: 3-8 years.
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ToyVelt Toy Piano for Toddlers
This toy piano and microphone set promotes hand-eye coordination as well as cognitive skills and communication. Toddlers can get an early taste for music and how it works with the 24-key piano that also has a "record and replay" feature. Recommended age: 3-5 years.
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LeapFrog Little Office Learning Center
Let your toddler go to "work" with you at their own office desk, complete with a toy laptop, phone and globe. There are over 27 electronic touchpoints and all songs and phrases are featured in both Spanish and English. Batteries included. Recommended age: 6 months to 3 years.
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LeapFrog Scoop and Learn Deluxe Ice Cream Cart
With this set, your toddler with everything they need to open up their own play pretend ice cream cart. There are scoopers, cones and toppings as well as built-in memory and sequencing games. Batteries included. Recommended age: 2 years and up.
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Little Tikes Island Wavemaker Water Table
This water table has five built-in stations for making waves and fostering creativity at sea. There's a waterfall along with fun island-themed characters and spinning trees. Recommended age: 24 months to 6 years.
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Emily Verona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
