The 39 Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds to Boost Development Through Play

When toddlers reach 18 months old, they start to learn more about their surroundings and engage in more independent play (and you get to take a break, guilt-free). At 18 months, kiddos are expanding their vocabulary, copying their adult’s every move, and playing with toys in a simple way. Toys for 18-month-olds should help them meet their developmental milestones safely and entertain them without being too frustrating. 

At this stage, pretend play is just starting. According to child development expert Elizabeth Zack, PhD, "18 months mark the beginnings of symbolic play. Toddlers start to understand that an object can represent something else," she says. "Imitation and pretend play help children learn about their culture, routines, other people’s experience, and their environment."

In order to curate a list of the best toys for 18-month-olds, we surveyed 875 caregivers from our research panel. We asked parents about the toys their children love, why they love them, and if they interact with them in a unique or interesting way. We also spoke with two pediatricians and a child development expert while reviewing guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on toy safety, what toys benefit children, and developmental milestones for 18-month-olds. The toys we list here are all age-appropriate and encourage toddlers to play while they develop and refine important life skills.

Our Favorite Toys for 18-Month-Olds

• Lovevery The Block Set
• Jellycat Bashful Black & Cream Puppy
• VTech Smart Shots Sports Center
• Battat Wooden Activity Cube
• Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll 'N Trike
• Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Piggy Bank
• Green Toys Tide Pool Set & Submarine
• Battat Big Red Barn – Animal Farm Playset
• Fisher-Price Bounce and Spin Interactive Puppy
• Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

Lovevery The Block Set

Building blocks are creative toys with many developmental benefits for kids, including fine motor skills, problem-solving, and improved language and brain development. While pricey, there’s a lot to love about this high-quality set that includes 70 wooden pieces in vibrant colors. There are 18 different block shapes, so the sky's the limit to what kids can build. We tested this block set and can report that toddlers love it, and we're sure they'll keep playing with this toy for a long time.

Jellycat Bashful Black & Cream Puppy

Many kiddos enjoy petting and playing with stuffed animals; others use them as comforting companions. If you’re looking for a stuffie, consider a cutie from Jellycat. Our little ones love this bashful black and cream puppy and how amazingly soft it is. We appreciate that it’s not a branded character, so kids don’t need to be a fan of a show, toy, or anything else to give love to this pup.

VTech Smart Shots Sports Center

Sporty toddlers will love that they can play both soccer and basketball with this two-in-one toy. Recommended for ages 1 and up, the set lights up, plays music, and makes sounds while also keeping track of baskets on the scoreboard. The purple side lever makes it easy for toddlers to restart the scoreboard all by themselves to encourage independent play.

In the winter months, when we don't want to spend hours in the backyard, this little sports center is one of our kids' favorite toys. The two included balls are small and soft enough that we are never concerned about them causing any damage inside our home.

Battat Wooden Activity Cube

Each Battat Wooden Activity Cube panel features different games to help toddlers develop their motor skills and learn about colors, shapes, letters, and numbers. Recommended for kids ages 1 and up, this sturdy, durable toy is ideal for independent or side-by-side play. It features fun colors, but the paint can come off over time with extensive use.

Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll 'N Trike

Designed to grow with your little one, this ride-on toy from Radio Flyer converts from a toddler trike to a steering trike, a learn-to-ride trike, and finally, a classic trike. It’s recommended for children aged 9 months to 5 years and up to 49 pounds. The trike comes with useful features such as an adjustable UV-blocking canopy, cup holder, and rear storage compartment, making it ideal for family strolls.

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Piggy Bank

With its colorful coins and a side door that’s easy to open and close, this adorable piggy bank is sure to be a hit with 18-month-olds. It includes two learning stages in both Spanish and English and features more than 40 songs and phrases that even adults will find catchy. The pig counts the coins as you put them in, helping kids develop number knowledge and early math skills. While the toy doesn't include volume control, it's not too loud and is well-loved by many of our own littles.

Green Toys Tide Pool Set & Submarine

This versatile Green Toys set includes a submarine, six shells, and sea creatures that are great for creative play at the beach or in the tub. Made from recycled plastic, the entire set is BPA-free and dishwasher-safe. The seaweed-patterned storage bag has holes on the bottom and sides, allowing the pieces to drain and dry out between uses. This toy is recommended for ages 6 months and up.

Battat Big Red Barn – Animal Farm Playset

Perfect for imaginative play, this toddler-friendly set comes with a toy barn and adorable animals. Just the right size for little hands, it has plenty of textures and colors to promote sensory learning and also features a handle for easy transport. Complete with four farm animals and one dutiful farmer, your little one’s farmhouse is full of fun characters. Recommended for ages 18 months and up.

Fisher-Price Bounce and Spin Interactive Puppy

For toddlers who love to bounce, this adorable dog provides them with a safe, sturdy way to move. As your little one bounces up and down or presses the interactive buttons and lights, they can listen to music, the alphabet, numbers, or other simple words and phrases. The sturdy base keeps your tot safe while they ride. Recommended for ages 1 and up.

Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike

This balance bike from Strider is designed so that even the littlest tykes can get up and going without training wheels. There are no pedals; instead, they power it with their feet, so it’s great exercise and a fun way to build balance and other gross motor skills.

LOVEVERY Play Kits

Take the guesswork out of finding the right toy for 18-month-olds with a play kit subscription from Lovevery. The play kits ship every three months and feature several developmentally appropriate toys. The Adventurer Play Kit, for example, is designed for toddlers from 16 to 18 months and includes a race and chase ramp, a puzzle, a bead kit, a pegboard, a Velcro pull and stick toy, and a board book. Every toy is made from high-quality, safe materials: sustainably harvested wood, organic cotton, nontoxic paint, and safe plastics. Although Loververy kits are only available through a subscription, you can always cancel or skip a shipment if you want to.

Boon Building Bath Toys Set

Another toy to make bath time more fun, these pipes suction to the bathroom wall so toddlers can create a chain to pour water through. Each pipe has a unique shape and function, and they can be used either separately or together. Recommended for ages 12 months and up, they rinse clean with soap and water and can be air-dried to avoid mildew growth.

Learning Resources New Sprouts Munch It! Pretend Play Food

This realistic-looking play food set comes with 20 high-quality, crush-resistant plastic pieces, including toddler favorites such as macaroni and cheese and a juice box. Whether little ones (18 months and up) want to pretend they’re shopping, cooking, or eating at a restaurant, they’ll have fun while building vocabulary and engaging in dramatic play. Hope your pretend appetite is ready!

Sesame Street Peekaboo Cookie Monster

You can finally give your arms a rest from playing endless rounds of peekaboo. This ultra-adorable Cookie Monster plays every toddler's favorite game by hiding his face behind his oversized cookie. Recommended for ages 18 months and up, the plush toy also hiccups and says funny phrases such as, "Hey! Me busy eating cookie!"

Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella

Give the 18-month-old in your life an ultra-soft baby doll to introduce them to the world of pretend play, enhance social and emotional development, and develop motor and life skills. Stella is available in various skin tones and comes with a magnetic pacifier that little ones can use for make-believe play.

Melissa & Doug Pull-Back Vehicles, Soft Baby and Toddler Toy Set

Toddlers can pull back on one of these soft fabric vehicles and then watch them zoom across the floor (preferably tile or hardwood for best use). Ideal for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, the four colorful cars will also inspire imaginative and creative play. The soft texture is great for little hands (ages 9 months and up) that like to toss toys across the room.

Mega Bloks 80-Piece Big Building Bag

With easy-to-hold shapes and bright colors, these classic Mega Bloks are a great gift for toddlers. The set comes with 80 durable, high-grade plastic blocks in a convenient zip-up storage bag. These blocks are ideal for developing hand-eye coordination and motor skills and inspiring creativity.

Melissa & Doug Pets Jumbo Knob Puzzle

Encourage hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills with this adorable Melissa & Doug puzzle. It features durable, extra-thick wood and large knobs for tiny hands to grasp easily. Plus, matching pictures are found under each puzzle piece to help little ones find the right spot.

Lego Duplo My First Animal Train 10955

Toddlers aren’t too young to be part of the Lego fun, thanks to these colorful "My First" line of Duplo block sets that are perfect for tiny hands. With this set, they can create four different animal cars and link them together to form a train. The mix-and-match ability allows your tot to express their creative side and make animal mash-ups.

LeapFrog Sweet Treats Musical Deluxe Tea Set

This adorable tea set encourages pretend play and helps kids ages 12 months and up learn colors, counting, matching, and cooperative play. They can host a tea party as they listen to seven different songs and hear the teapot make sloshing sounds as it pours. This is a wonderful way to introduce toddlers to sharing because they can play by themselves, with you, or with friends.

Little Tikes Rocking Horse

Keep toddlers busy with this durable plastic rocking horse that’s available in royal blue or bright pink. The horse has a high seat back and easy-grip handles for a secure and comfortable ride indoors or outdoors. According to several editors on our team who own this trusty steed, this is one of those toys that toddlers use daily and always find new ways of playing.

Learning Resources Spike The Fine Motor Hedgehog

Spike the Hedgehog helps kids practice their fine motor skills as they maneuver his removable, colorful quills in and out of the holes on his back. The cute hedgehog also encourages color recognition, sorting, and counting. Recommended for kids aged 18 months and up, the toy is also a cinch to clean up since all the quills pack up neatly inside the hedgehog’s body.

Lydaz Bubble Lawn Mower

Toddlers and bubbles go together like mac and cheese, so this push lawn mower is sure to be a hit. Just pop in three AA batteries, and toddlers are on their way to helping around the yard (well, sort of). The bubble lawn mower features realistic sounds for enhanced play and comes apart for easy storage.

TOP BRIGHT Race Track Set

This race track set is great for encouraging independent play and developing focus as toddlers set cars in motion and watch them roll and flip down the race track. The cars’ bright colors and numbers help kids practice their counting and color-recognition skills. Recommended for ages 12 months and up.

Little Tikes First Slide

Designed for kids ages 18 months to 6 years, this beginner slide can be used indoors or out and has handrails for added stability. The perfect height for little ones, this miniature slide is a wonderful all-season activity toy. Plus, it folds down effortlessly, making it easy to move around or stow away.

This is one of our editor's favorite toys. According to the mother of two, the slide was a huge hit with her son for his second birthday. She reports that it gave him and his younger brother many years of use, both indoors and as a slide into the baby pool in the backyard.

VTech Latches and Doors Busy Board

Little ones will have a blast figuring out how the latches and doors open and close on this Vtech busy board, which features a learning mode and music mode. Kiddos can press one of three buttons to meet the board’s characters or to learn their ABCs and numbers.

Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin’ Beats Interactive Learning Toy

Meet DJ Bouncin’ Beats: a silly learning toy packed with music, lights, and lots of bouncing. DJ Bouncin’ Beats features three learning levels and plays over 75 songs, sounds, and phrases for endless entertainment.

LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book

Designed for kids 18 months and up, this fun interactive toy helps toddlers build early language skills. Words are separated into categories like pets, mealtime, opposites, and many more to help toddlers learn and understand the meanings of words. They can touch the words and pictures on each page and hear how they’re pronounced in English or Spanish, and they can also listen to fun facts, music, and other sounds.

Melissa & Doug Rainbow Caterpillar Gear Toy

Toddlers will be mesmerized as they turn the colorful gears and watch the caterpillar crawl on the wooden base. Each gear can be removed and added back onto the base to encourage color-matching. Recommended for ages 18 months and up, this hands-on toy helps promote coordination and motor skills.

Little Tikes Shopping Cart

This tried-and-true favorite from Little Tikes inspires toddlers to engage in imaginative role-play. Made from durable, BPA-, latex-, PVC- and phthalate-free plastic, it features easy-push wheels that are designed to protect indoor surfaces yet still work outside. This fun shopping cart is a great toy to pair with pretend toys like play food and kitchen items. Recommend for ages 18 months and up.

Crayola My First Crayola Jumbo Crayons

Instill a love of art at a young age with your 18-month-old’s first crayon set. These jumbo crayons are made to fit small hands comfortably, and caregivers will appreciate the nontoxic acrylic material.

Fisher-Price Little People Big Helpers Home

With multiple rooms featuring lots of opportunities for hands-on, interactive play, this Little People playset is a safe and sturdy option for toddlers starting at 12 months. Your little one can explore the house's songs, sounds, and phrases. The interactive set encourages toddlers to help and care for family and pets while building real-life helpful habits.

LeapFrog Choppin' Fun Learning Pot

Little ones will have a blast pretending to cook by chopping veggies and putting them in the pot. Children can press four veggie buttons to learn more about the vegetables' tastes, colors, and recipes. A toddler can copy the step-by-step recipes to become a true chef. Designed for children 12 months old and up.

Hape DJ Mix and Spin Studio

Kids can dance to the beat of their own drum (literally!) by creating their own music with this 18-key piano. With 18 different sound effects, five background tunes, and four DJ noises to mix in, children will learn hand-eye coordination and rhythm. To make their music extra unique, kids can use the slider to change the tempo of their music.

CoComelon Musical Bedtime JJ Doll

If your toddler is a fan of the hit show "CoComelon," they're going to love hanging out with their friend, JJ! When JJ's tummy is squeezed, he'll say seven different sounds and phrases and even play the famous bedtime song. While he can't be machine-washed, the plush doll comes with a mini version of JJ's teddy bear.

Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table Playset

If you want a gift that will be used for years, a water table for toddlers is a great place to start. This Step2 water table features two levels, comes with more than a dozen accessories, and is easy for adults to wipe clean.

Sesame Street Love to Hug Elmo

What 18-month-old doesn’t love Elmo? When you hug him, this Elmo doll will hug you back, offer a kiss, and sing in English or Spanish for bilingual playtime. With the ability to respond to kids' touches and squeezes, there are seemingly endless features to discover. Recommend for ages 18 months and up.

Munchkin CleanSqueeze 4 Piece Bath Squirts

These cute, colorful toys make bathtime fun for little ones and parents alike. They twist apart for easy cleaning, so adults can keep them mold-free.

Fat Brain Toys Dimpl Baby Toy

Bright, colorful, and a bit unusual-looking, the Dimpl is a ton of sensory fun. The silicone bubbles can be popped back and forth, which is super-satisfying, and kids and adults alike just can’t seem to put it down once they get started.

Our Review Process

To learn more about the toys toddlers truly love playing with, we surveyed 875 parents to find out all about their kiddos' favorite toys, how they engage with them, and what milestones they've helped them reach. As a final check, we tested many of these toys at home with our toddlers. We chose safe and easy-to-use toys for 18-month-olds that help give parents and caregivers a much-needed—and well-deserved—break while little ones gain independent playing skills (a win-win if you ask us).

Our Experts

• Dyan Hes, MD, a pediatrician and medical director of Gramercy Pediatrics in New York City
• Elizabeth Zack, PhD, a child development expert and outreach and education specialist at the University of Washington
• Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP, a private practice pediatrician, mother of two, and author of The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting Without Losing Yourself.

Factors to Consider When Buying Toys for 18-Month-Olds

• Safety: When shopping for toys, consider how the toy will be used and what amount of supervision a toddler will need to play safely. Parents and caregivers should avoid toys that require high-powered magnets and button batteries. Toys with small parts or that can fit entirely in a child’s mouth should also be kept away, as they are choking hazards. Create "yes" spaces that are safe for children to freely explore. These promote independence and curiosity because they reduce how often you need to say "no" or "stop."
• Milestones: Knowing developmental milestones helps you evaluate whether your child is on the right track and ready for certain toys. Milestones come in the form of social, emotional, language-based, cognitive, and physical skills. When they reach 18 months, toddlers enter a period of rapid development and reach milestones like speaking several single words, pulling toys while walking, and pretend play.
• Physicality: It is important to buy toys that encourage children to move and use their bodies while playing. These toys can help promote confidence in children when it comes to their bodies and make them stronger. Toys at this age should encourage your child’s burgeoning motor skills, such as blocks and stacking toys, balls of different shapes and sizes, or a wagon to fill and pull.

Your Questions, Answered

How many words should an 18-month old know?

Eighteen-month-olds might have anywhere from five to 40 words in their vocabulary. That can include nouns like “ball” or “cup,” as well as words like “hi” and “please.” They might be able to mimic quite a few words they hear in conversation, as well. Every child is different, though, and the normal language development range varies widely, so always check in with your pediatrician if you have concerns about your child’s development.

How do I clean a child's toys?

Most toys can be cleaned with a simple solution of soap and water to remove dirt, dust, and bacteria. If you need something stronger, look for a cleaning solution that carries the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice label. Over 2,000 products available at retailers fall into this category. This label indicates agency standards for chemicals that are less harmful, including to children.

Are puzzles good for toddlers?

Puzzles are a great way for toddlers to learn spatial skills and grasp the connection between physical shapes and forms. Look for puzzles that are age-appropriate so that they’re just challenging enough, but not overwhelming. Try not to make puzzles all about completion; some of the fun and learning is in the problem-solving it takes to get to the final finished puzzle.

Who We Are

Christine Luff is a freelance writer who covers fitness, health, parenting, and other topics. She’s also mom to a 13-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son, who have always enjoyed a wide range of active and educational toys.

Additional reporting by: 

Katrina Cossey is a commerce writer, enthusiastic shopper, and devoted mom. She spent several years in broadcast journalism but found her true passion in writing about the best products for families, pregnant people, and kids of all ages. She’s researched thousands of baby products, toys, gifts, and more and personally tested many of them. In her spare time, you’ll likely find her in the beautiful outdoors of Oklahoma with her husband and 4-year-old son. Katrina recommends the VTech Latches and Doors Busy Board because it’s easy to use, has two modes of play, and helps little ones expand their fine motor skills. (Her son was also a big fan of it!)