This young toddler toy and activity guide is a must-have reference and starting point for selecting developmentally appropriate toys and activities for children 12 through 18 months. The key to choosing toys is understanding toddlers’ basic abilities and preferences as they grow. These abilities and preferences are important in attracting and motivating infants to engage with toys because true learning and retention only come through engagement.
So, how do we pick the right young toddler toys? This is where we need to look at age as a GUIDELINE to selecting toys. The U.S. Product & Safety Commission (CPSC) and international ASTM are the organizations that oversee toy regulations and keep products safe for our kids. They have developed these regulations by categorizing toys by the child’s age. However, the age was determined by the abilities and preferences of typically developing children, and it is well known that children develop abilities at different rates. So, as you select toys for your child, please look at age as a guide and abilities and preferences as a better indicator.
From the moment they are born, infants start acquiring information from their physical senses, learning from what they see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. Ideal child development is based on feeling safe, secure, and loved, which is true for toddlers. This Young Toddler Toys and Activities Guide will take parents through toys and activities for their babies twelve through eighteen months, going through physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional development. It is based on early childhood whole-child education, which allows children to learn in many different areas simultaneously. By the seven-month mark, you can expect the baby to recognize often repeated words; some will be crawling, and some will pull themselves up to stand. Play is important in helping a baby achieve important developmental milestones. So, what exactly does play look like for a young toddler twelve through eighteen months old?
Table of contents
What Play Means for Young Toddlers
Young toddlers are working toward developing fine and gross motor skills. Some are walking, and others are working toward it. They are developing their gross and fine motor skills and gaining confidence as climbers. The young toddler is beginning to play very simple imitative and pretend play. The 12-month-old baby is still mouthing objects, but this is beginning to diminish.
As they become more mobile, they can reach for toys that were once out of their reach. They can grasp objects more easily and manipulate toys that require simple twisting, turning, sliding, and cranking. Through trial and error, they continue to explore cause-and-effect relationships like dumping and filling buckets and stacking and knocking over objects. They delight in the many effects their actions cause and enjoy toddler toys that take advantage of this.
Children at this age prefer toys that are easy to manipulate and produce sounds. They can even sing and move their bodies to music. By this age, children can recognize familiar people, objects, pictures, and body parts. The development of long-term memory and simple vocabulary provides the foundation for make-believe or pretend play. However, they do not make clear symbolic connections until around 18 months of age.
Younger Toddler Toy and Activity Guide
Younger Toddler Toys
These young toddlers will start to recognize familiar characters from media and domestic contexts. They will begin to recognize often repeated words. Sensory elements of toddler toys should have diverse music, sounds, lights, and actions.
Young toddlers enjoy a variety of actions with objects, such as pressing, pushing, pulling, rolling, pounding, beating, shaking, clinging, marking, scribbling, carrying, and poking their fingers into objects. Toddler toys should include elements for these actions. It’s recommended that open-ended toddler toys be provided that have multiple aspects and outcomes.
Toddler toys that promote imaginative play, such as dress-up costumes, dolls, stuffed animals, and small vehicles, are appropriate. Wooden blocks with rounded edges can be introduced to older toddlers. Nesting blocks are also enjoyable for this age group. Their gross motor skills are developing, and they can now walk and climb. Push and pull toys are a popular choice, as are ride-on toys.
Younger Toddler Activities
Around one year, toddlers typically begin to understand objects’ social and cultural uses and start to recognize cause-and-effect relationships. This developmental milestone usually occurs between 13 and 20 months. For instance, they may pretend to eat food from a plate. Children also become significantly better at engaging in symbolic play during this period. They can imitate actions for up to a week, even if the content changes (from daycare to home).
At this age, young toddlers often imitate common actions they see, such as talking on the phone, drinking from a bottle or cup, stirring a spoon inside a bowl, hugging a stuffed animal, or putting on a hat. However, these episodes tend to be brief and sporadic. It’s recommended that open-ended toddler activities be provided that have multiple aspects and outcomes.
Young toddlers learn a lot by imitating others, making Simon Says an excellent activity for this age group. Knocking down blocks is another favorite activity for young toddlers. Also, letting them choose their toys can be a fun and engaging experience.
Toy Categories for Younger Toddlers
This website has categories set up for children of all ages. Toddler toys and activities should be chosen according to the child’s abilities rather than their age. Research has shown that abilities develop at different rates and are difficult to distinguish into defined play categories. Your child may excel in one play area and seem to be delayed in another play area. This is typical development. It’s good to try plenty of different play activities with your baby. This gives your baby many ways to learn about their world.
Educational Play
Books:
It’s important to start reading early with young toddlers as it promotes brain development, enhances cognitive thinking, and teaches about language and emotions. When starting, it’s recommended to read slowly, and it’s never too early to begin. During the age of twelve through eighteen months, young toddlers will focus on your face, tone of voice, and emotions as you read.
The books for this age should be easy to grasp (4-8 inches), no more than 6-8 inches in any direction, and no more than 5-7 pages long. They should be light, sturdy, cardboard, cloth, or light plastic. Infants at this stage can grasp and start to turn pages during story time, and on their own. The young toddler’s fine motor skills are becoming more controlled, so turning pages in a book is easily handled. They are starting to understand simple cause-and-effect relationships, which makes interactive books appealing. Books with things to lift, open, or slide are attractive and cognitively stimulating. Pages with bright colors such as yellow & red, high contrasts and patterns will grab your baby’s attention. Pictures should be simple, clear, and represent familiar objects, animals, or people. Tactile books that enable the young toddler to interact and explore are appealing.
As parents and caregivers, we treasure those precious moments spent reading to our little ones. However, traditional books often struggle to withstand the chewing and tearing of pages by older infants and toddlers. I am excited to introduce you to a revolution in baby books that perfectly balances fun, learning, and practicality—Indestructibles. These are chew-proof and washable, and as the name implies, completely indestructible. We used these in the infant, toddler, and two-year-old rooms at our childcare center. And these books took a beating year after year!
- Plastic-coated foam books
- Cloth books
- Board book
- Simple picture books
- Nursery rhymes
- Simple ABC and number books
- Interactive books
- Tactile Books
- Books with rhymes, rhythm, and repetition
- Simple vocabulary and storybooks
- Educational Technology:
- Young toddlers will be interested in audio that includes language that can be imitated, such as lullabies, simple songs, rhythms, and nursery rhymes. Gentle, predictable sounds are best played at low volumes.
- Most types of screen time are best saved until the child is over two years old. But! Connecting with family and friends over video calls can be fun.
Educational Technology
Young toddlers will be interested in audio that includes language that can be imitated, such as lullabies, simple songs, rhythms, and nursery rhymes. Gentle, predictable sounds are best played at low volumes.
- Most types of screen time are best saved until the child is over two years old. But! Connecting with family and friends over video calls can be fun.

Building Play
Blocks:
Young toddlers need lightweight blocks that are easy to grasp. The edges should be rounded without sharp points, and the block should be 2-4 inches. The set should have about 15-25 pieces. Some sets could be magnetic, where young toddlers can stick the blocks together. Toddler can start to stack blocks. The young toddler will explore the blocks by grasping, squeezing, and shaking them. Therefore, it is recommended to use soft plush cloth, sponge, or rubber-like materials that are lightweight and squeezable. The toddler will like blocks that demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships and especially enjoy sounds such as jingles, rattles, and squeaks. They should have bright, vibrant colors, especially yellow and red. It is also advisable to use blocks with high visual contrasts and patterns. It is important to avoid heavy wooden blocks as they are too sharp and too heavy for these young toddlers.
- Plastic block
- Soft plush blocks
- Sponge blocks
- Rubber-like blocks
- Foam blocks
- Pillow blocks
- Light-weight wood blocks
- Blocks that rattle or jiggle
- Air squeak blocks
- Talking blocks
- Motorized bumble, bounce, and vibrate blocks
- Problem-solving blocks
- Nesting toys

Arts and Crafts Play
Young toddlers can make marks on paper and now love to scribble. Marking on paper will develop hand-eye coordination and improve their ability to grasp. They still explore objects orally, so beware of crayons or other items entering the mouth. The tools should be rounded, lightweight, and sturdy without sharp edges. Dark colors are easier for the toddler to see.
- Large crayons
- Washable crayons
- Spherical crayons
- Large easy-to-grip markers
- Animal-shaped chunky markers
- Large sheets of paper
- Easels for young toddlers who can stand well
- Writing pads with gel that record impressions using a stylus or the child’s finger
- Playdough (with supervision)
- Paint Smock

Music Play
Musical Instruments:
Young toddlers are naturally inclined towards music and are particularly drawn to multi-sensory elements. It’s important to choose music items that are small enough for toddlers to handle and easy to grasp. The edges of the objects should be rounded to avoid any sharp edges that could cause harm. Additionally, the items should be made of lightweight, soft, sturdy, and washable material that is brightly colored with high contrast to keep the infants engaged. Music is critical to language development and communication skills.
- Bells and chimes
- Small lightweight tambourines
- Rattles and shakers
- Finger play songs
- Drums
- Bongs
- Xylophones
- Simple music sets
Music Technology
Young toddlers use technology that stimulates their senses through features like music, moving characters, blinking lights, and speech as they grow. Music is critical to language development and communication skills. They can discriminate sentence tunes and imitate sounds and sound sequences. The young toddler makes singing sounds to music and enjoys finger-plays and sing-songs. They prefer sounds within the range of human voice frequencies, while low tones are soothing and high tones are agitating.
- Audio that includes language that can be imitated
- Lullabies, simple songs, rhythms, nursery rhymes
- Gentle, predictable sounds played at low volumes.
- Music Boxes (wound by parent or caregiver)
- Interactive music toys and smart toys that are activated by button-pressing
- Video equipment is not appropriate for this age, but the toddler may watch the screen.

Pretend Play
Dolls and Stuffed Toys:
Dolls and stuffed toddler toys designed for young toddlers should be basic and made of one sturdy piece that will not break or pull apart. All edges should be thick and round, without hard corners or projecting parts. The doll should not have removable eyes, hair, clothing, fur, bells, buttons, ribbons, or whiskers. They should be made of soft, pliable and cuddly material that is washable or easily cleaned. The doll should have friendly features, especially the face, with highly contrasting facial features that are hand-sewn or molded. The size should be ten to sixteen inches, ultra-lightweight, no more than four to eight ounces to easily grasp and support in the air. The colors should be vibrant, with reds and yellows, and highly contrasting, such as black and white, with basic patterns. The young toddler is starting to understand cause and effect, such as pushing produces sound, lights, or action.
- Small dolls (baby, bean bag, rag dolls)
- Washable rubber baby dolls
- Small stuffed or plush animals
- Music dolls
- Stuffed Toys
- Grab-on toys
Puppets
Young toddlers are now able to carry lightweight puppets. They are developing fine motor control but still have limited dexterity. Their play is simple and imitative from twelve through eighteen months, and they are not yet ready for true pretend play. Puppets for young toddlers should have large enough openings for easy hand access, have a length of 8-12 inches, and be lightweight up to 4-8 ounces. The material should have soft textures. There should be contrasting facial features, especially with the eyes. The puppets should be simple, realistic, and be familiar with characters or animals without many features.
- Simple sock-like puppets
- Finger puppets
Play Scenes
Young toddlers can now carry lightweight play scenes. Their play is simple and imitative from twelve through eighteen months, and they are not yet ready for true pretend play. They are developing fine motor control but still have limited dexterity. Figurines and play scenes for young toddlers should lightweight up to 4-8 ounces. The material should have soft textures and contrasting facial features, especially with the eyes. The figurines should be simple, realistic, and be familiar with characters or animals without many features. Toddlers of this age are not ready for cartoon or fantasy figures and play scenes.
The key to finding safe play sets for toddlers is to avoid fold-and-go buildings. In my experience, these folding structures can hurt little hands and are difficult for them to manage.
- Small, simple, familiar, and realistic play scenes such as kitchens, farms, gas stations, airplanes
- Simple pop-up scenes like fire trucks
- Simple play sets like those that have vehicles with small figures.
- Little people
Dress Up
Young Toddlers are imitative and demonstrate simple pretend and symbolic thinking. They babble some words, explore, and feel textures. Although they are still mouthing objects, this is diminishing.
Dress-up materials should have thick, round edges and a sleeveless, slip-on costume design. We want to set the toddler up for success. Look for dress up items that they can put on independently! Without anyones help. I had a hard time finding a vest like costume for this age group, but it should be ok if it’s a little too big. The explorer vest below has been a favorite, for the kids I have taught, for both boys and girls. They love the pockets to put items into!
Jewelry should have non-elaborate shapes. These dress-up items should have rich, vibrant colors with soft textures. In the group setting with the kids I care for, we do not use jewelry. The exceptions are crowns or headbands, which can be fun with animal ears attached.
Please do not choose dress-up shoes with heels for your toddler. In my experience, these can lead to fall injuries and sprained ankles. Instead, select dress-up shoes without heels, such as moccasins or ballet flats.
- Very simple costumes
- Necklaces, bracelets with low tension elastic (NO earrings or rings)
- Hair accessories (scarves, clips)
- The string should be braided or plastic
- Wooden or plastic beads ( up to 10)
- Avoid shoes with heals, such as princess shoes. These cause many sprained ankles.
- Avoid masks until the toddlers are a little bit older
Small Vehicle Toys
Young toddlers will imitate adults, older peers, or TV shows. They like toys with simple cause-and-effect actions, such as pushing a button that produces sound, light, or movement. Their fine motor skills are developing but have limited dexterity and control. Small toy vehicles should be easy to grip, 4 to 8 inches long, and weigh no more than three ounces if designed to be picked up during use. The toys must be safe, with no removable or loose parts, and have thick, round edges. They should be made of plastic, hard rubber, or light wood that can be washed or easily cleaned. The toys may have sensory elements, such as sound or lights, and should have simple, realistic details with recognizable devices. Toddlers can use simple remote controls and devices controlled by rattles or large buttons.
- Boats
- Push cars, motorcycles, and trucks
- Simple trains, with 1 or 2 train cars, without tracks
Props for Pretend Play
Young toddlers learn through imaginative play and imitate adults, older peers, or TV shows. The toy props should weigh no more than 3 oz if designed to be picked up and used. They like toddler toys with simple cause-and-effect actions, such as pushing a button that produces sound, light, or movement or turning and pounding to produce a given result. Tools and props for pretend play should weigh no more than three ounces if designed to be picked up during use. Each toy set should be 1-6 pieces. The toys must be safe, with no removable or loose parts, and have thick, round edges. They should be made of plastic, hard rubber, or light wood that can be washed or easily cleaned. The toys may have sensory elements, such as sound or lights, and should have simple, realistic details with recognizable devices. Toddlers can use simple remote controls and devices controlled by rattles or large buttons.
- rakes, shovels, buckets, and trowels
- Small lawnmower-like toys
- Kitchen cooking and tea sets
- Play Kitchen
- Cell phones and mobile devices are modeled after those with traditional buttons and fake touchscreen ‘app’ buttons.
- Play food
Exploratory Play
Manipulative Toys:
Manipulative young toddler toys should be based on their fine motor abilities like controlled grasping and releasing, pushing, pulling, flapping, squeezing, patting, poking and shaking, twisting, turning, sliding and cranking. They can hold two objects simultaneously and are beginning to coordinate between them. These young toddlers are increasingly curious and beginning to understand simple, clear cause-and-effect relationships. They love exploring and using all their senses: seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling. These young toddlers are now beginning to self-select toys. Choose lightweight, washable, and brightly colored toys with many textures and easy-to-grasp parts. These young toddler toys should include multi-sensory elements such as pictures of familiar objects, bouncing, vibrating, and lighting up.
- Handheld mirrors and larger ones secured to the wall.
- Squeeze and squeak toys
- Interlocking plastic rings
- Teething toys – Rattles
- Lightweight balls (musical, chiming, grasping, special effects, or textured)
- Multi-textured toys
- Multi-sensory toys
- Manipulative Panels
- Activity Centers
- Bead mazes
- Cloth & plush toys
- Sorting and stacking toys
- pop-up toys
- Roly-poly toys
- Large beads on rings
- Plastic keys on rings
- Short tunnels (3.5 feet or less with viewing panels)
- Inflatable toys
- Sand and water toys
- Rocking toys
Push and Pull Toys:
Push and pull toys for young toddlers should be based on their abilities, such as increasingly skilled walking and climbing. They are beginning to understand simple cause and effect. Older Infants at this age find multi-sensory elements very attractive and enjoy music and gentle, soothing sound effects. These toddler toys should be soft and washable, easy to grasp and push, and have rounded corners or edges. The size should be five to seven inches, with bright, vibrant colors and high-contrast patterns. The toys should be simple with a clear cause-and-effect relationship, such as rolling forwards and backward in one fixed line.
- Push toys with handles
- Pull-along toys
- Pull toys with short cords to use while seated.
- Simple cars or animals on wheels/rollers
Water & Sand:
Introducing the young toddler to the sensation of water can be done through supervised water play. To do this, fill a small container with warm water. Then, let the toddler splash and kick their feet while supervised. This activity provides the young toddler with sensory play and stimulation while also helping them become comfortable with water, which can prepare them for future bath time and swimming experiences.
- Infant bath toys
- Soft Vinyl toys
- Bright colors
- Soft floating toys (up to three at a time)
Game Play
Puzzles
Young toddlers can start to work with puzzles. These puzzles should have simple, large pieces with smooth edges that easily fit together. There should be no more than three to five pieces. The pieces should be made of plastic or solid wood; there should not be any interlocking pieces. Games are a great way to develop problem-solving skills.
- Shape sorters
- Chunky shape puzzles with distinctly shaped wells that fit the shape.
- Chunky figurine puzzles with distinctly shaped wells that fit the figures (pictures within the wells that match the figurine)

Active Play
Ride-on Toys
Selecting ride-on toys for young toddlers ages should be based on their abilities, such as increasingly skilled walking and climbing. Now that their walking skills are improving, they are ready for ride-ons such as vehicle-like ride-ons with doors and compartments for carrying toys. The ride-ons should not be too large for the child. It should be easy to mount with a wide seat and narrow enough not to hinder leg movement. They will use both feet together to move but cannot steer. The young toddler must be able to touch the ground with BOTH feet when seated. The ride-on should have smooth edges and be made of plastic, solid wood, or metal. Sensory elements should include sounds when moved or pushed, containers to hold objects, beeping horns, and dials with clicking noises.
- Ride-on without pedals
- Simple low-rocking horses
Sports Equipment
Selecting sports equipment for young toddlers should be based on their abilities, such as increasingly skilled walking. These young toddlers are developing the ability to throw and kick and are just beginning to understand learning fundamental movements. They do not understand rules or game strategies and have little interest in organized activities. They prefer free-movement activities. Parents may begin to emphasize classic or traditional sports with the fundamental aspects of the sport, such as kicking the ball, catching the ball, running from base to base, or throwing a ball into a basketball hoop. Keep it simple and only focus on one simple action in each play session.
- Soft replica of sports equipment (should not be foam)
- Tennis balls
- Targets, nets, or goals for throwing
Movement Materials:
Selecting movement materials for young toddlers should be based on their abilities, such as increasingly skilled walking and climbing. Toddlers at this age have little fear of heights and are at risk of falling. They love dancing, imitating exercise movements, and rolling on the ground. Materials should be vinyl, plastic, or rubber.
- Soft Play ramps and pads
- Large soft balls like beach balls
- Ball pits
- Playground balls
- Small tunnels with picture panels (3.5 feet or less)
- Toddler swings
- Slides with rails
- Soft play climbers

Toy Safety
This is a great time for parents to create a dedicated, safe place and play area for their child. Toy Safety is essential because small parts should not be around young toddlers.
Conclusion
Young toddlers have unlimited energy, enthusiasm, and curiosity. They are now moving around and exploring on their own. Their speech is developing rapidly, and they are beginning to pronounce some simple words, such as ‘no.’ At this time, the young toddler is beginning to assert independence and, to some degree, tries to control parents and caregivers. This can be a tough time with the start of temper tantrums but take a deep breath. They are learning boundaries and responding to you. Just like the infant watches faces and learns changes in facial expressions, the young toddler is watching the parent and learning boundaries for body movement and emotional responses.
Activity ideas include ones with great sensory experience. Naming different body parts, especially counting to five on fingers and toes. Due to their developing independence, young toddlers will want to make their own decisions. It’s time to let them if the item is safe. Their best toys are the ones they will choose for themselves.
It’s important to understand that every baby is different, and their development may vary. Always follow your baby’s cues and adjust the activities according to their abilities and preferences. It is typical healthy development when a young infant excels in one skill and may seem lacking in another. Remember to be patient and consistent with these activities and always create a nurturing and supportive environment to allow your baby to explore and learn at their own pace.
References
- Toy Safety Guidance for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
- Developmentally Appropriate Toys: What and Why are they Important?
- Whole child Education: What is the Approach to Teaching?
- Zero to Three
- Consumer Product and Safety Commission
I value your input and comments tremendously! Please let me know if there is anything else I should include in this blog post! Until my next post, Keep Everything Simple. Talk with you soon!
Tara
Sunday 8th of December 2024
This is a lot of information. I’ll have to read it several times. Thanks for the great tips that aren’t always obvious to a busy parent!
May
Sunday 8th of December 2024
No pedal ride -ons are the most fun! Though they will outgrow them right away. Board books are great, too!
My favorite gift for our youngest son when he was a toddler was an electronic drum. He loved it so much!
Lisa Lisa
Saturday 16th of November 2024
I love visiting your blog because you always list a lot of great lists of toys and activities for all ages. I would say I really like the idea of reading; we started very early with our granddaughter and now she is at the top of her school district with reading. No matter what if you start early with the appropriate education/activity toy for your young little one it will help their development the long run.
Kristine Beard
Sunday 17th of November 2024
Thank you so much Lisa!
Ntensibe Edgar
Thursday 14th of November 2024
Hhhmm....I like the idea of reading with toddlers, right from an early age. We probably have to prepare for re-reading a lot since we will be playing a lot, as well.
Olga
Friday 8th of November 2024
My youngest son is more than 18 months old now, but he still adores his stuffed animals. He sleeps with a chicken, turtle, octopus, and elephant. It is so cute!