MY MOM IS A FORMER PRESCHOOL TEACHER, AND THESE ARE THE 15 GAME-CHANGING TOYS SHE’S GIVEN MY DAUGHTER—FROM $7

Mother knows best.

Since my mom is a former preschool teacher, she’s my go-to resource for all sorts of parenting advice, though I especially lean on her for toy recommendations for my 4½-year-old. My mom has spent years observing exactly which toys appeal to toddlers and what developmental skills they teach: all lessons that she's passed down to my daughter.

From magnetic building tiles and sorting games to toys that promote imaginative play and communicating emotions, these 15 educational toys were big hits in her classroom—and now my daughter loves them, too. You can shop these preschool teacher-recommended toys at Amazon, starting at just $7.

Preschool Teacher-Recommended Educational Toys Under $50

PicassoTiles 60-Piece Magnetic Tiles Set

$26

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One of my mom’s essentials for open-ended play, these magnetic tiles bring enjoyment to the whole family. With a range of shapes and sizes, the design possibilities are basically endless: My daughter and I have built an apartment building, a rocket, and even a dog.

I also appreciate that it’s an engaging way to organically teach her about shapes and colors while flexing her creative muscles.

Yunchy Bee-to-Hive Montessori Matching Game

$10

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This game is like the toddler-friendly version of Operation: To play, use the plastic tweezers to take each bee out of its coordinating hive, then place it back in. While this sounds simple, my mom’s students were enamored by it—and my daughter has been too. My mom reports that the game “promotes the development of fine motor skills and introduces toddlers to beginning counting and color recognition.”

Joystar 12-inch Kids’ Balance Bike

$50

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When I told my mom I was thinking about getting my daughter a bike, she immediately steered me toward the balance bike, a staple at her preschool. Because it’s free of pedals and training wheels, toddlers between 18 months and 5 years old teach themselves how to balance when riding it.

Building this skill early creates a seamless transition to a traditional pedal bike when they’re older, helping avoid the beginner biker’s scraped knees and tears.

Crayola Pip-Squeaks Skinnies Washable Markers

$15

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I naively thought all markers were more or less the same, but my mom quickly assured me otherwise. These Crayola Pip-Squeaks Skinnies are designed specifically to fit a young child’s hand, though they’re not too small for parents to use, too. This size helps kids learn how to hold a writing utensil properly, ultimately setting them up for success once they start practicing how to write.

Learning Resources Pretend & Play Calculator Cash Register

$26

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The very definition of an oldie but a goodie, my mom got this toy cash register for me when I was little. Even though toy trends have changed significantly in the last 25 or so years, the classic cash register remains a favorite because it teaches children all about money and basic math while promoting imaginative play.

The calculator is solar-powered (no batteries required!) and the bills, coins, and credit card are all true to size, making exchanges feel more realistic.

Slumberkins Feelings Adventure Board Game

$33

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Feelings are difficult, but this Slumberkins board game makes teaching and talking about them much more approachable. Players have to work together to retrieve all the feelings from the Feelings Tree while doing different challenges that are drawn from a deck of cards: reflections, affirmations, and movements.

Since it’s a cooperative game, there is no winner or loser, preventing any resentment at the end.

Kinetic Sand

$11

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Cleaner than slime and more novel than playdough, kinetic sand is a moldable sensory experience. With this tactile toy, kids can creatively work on their fine motor skills for long stretches of time (don’t forget that independent play is a skill too!). We like to pull out plastic knives, cookie cutters, and more to make the kinetic sand extra fun.

Learning Resources Super Sorting Pie

$21

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My daughter took to this surprisingly versatile toy as much as my mom’s students did. According to my mom, the interactive pie “can strengthen early learning concepts such as patterning, sorting, color identification, and fine motor skills. It can also function as a manipulative, teaching early number skills like counting, addition, subtraction, and fractions.” 

Another benefit: Even after they outgrow the pie as a learning tool, it can be used during creative and dramatic play. The pie comes with a crust, removable lid, seven types of fruit (60 pieces in total), removable dividers, two pairs of jumbo tweezers, and instructional materials.

Shengqidz Handheld Magnifying Glasses (2-Pack)

$7

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This pick may seem random, but my mom swears that these 75-millimeter magnifying glasses were in high demand in her classroom. The ability to zoom in and see something at a more granular level is novel for a toddler, and it also inspires exploration. They’ll be happy to roam around independently, but you can encourage your child’s curious side even further with an outdoor scavenger hunt that requires them to use their new magnifying glass.

Kidoozie Kids’ Sensory Table with Lid

$20

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The beauty of a sensory table is that it can hold anything you want it to, from sand and water to packing peanuts and dry rice. Adding small items for kids to grasp and find gives them a soothing activity that improves fine motor skills and cognitive development. When they’re done with the inner contents, just put the lid back on, and the table can be used as a playing surface.

Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! 100-Piece STEM Building Set

$36

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It is fully possible to simplify the complicated engineering world enough for toddlers to understand, and this building set is proof. A favorite in my mom’s classroom that we later inherited, these colorful plastic gears, pillars, axles, and bases inspire creativity and problem-solving in kids 3 to 5 (and beyond). Your child will also grow their fine motor skills and learn how to do things like sort and count.

National Geographic Stepping Stones for Kids

$25

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While these may be called stepping stones, that’s truly just their starting point. This set includes six stones with non-slip rubber bases and textured surfaces that can be used inside or outside. The included spinner inspires all kinds of made-up games that help encourage the development of balance and coordination, though I’ve also witnessed my daughter use these stones as mini chairs, extra large bowls for play food, and vessels to color code her belongings.

Learning Resources Three-Letter Word Puzzle Cards

$12

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These puzzles may be simple, but my mom and I can assure you that they’re both effective and fun. As your child puts the pieces together, they learn how to sound out and spell three-letter words that they may use in everyday life, like “dog” and “bus.”

Because there’s only one right answer to each puzzle, this is an activity they can do solo once they’ve mastered the alphabet.

Pidoko Kids Wooden Blocks

$30

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Whenever I walked into my mom’s classroom, these blocks were almost always out, and now I can say the same thing about my daughter’s playroom. This 100-piece set provides ample opportunities for imaginative play, as kids build castles, car ramps, and other structures. The blocks also teach skills like hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and shape recognition. 

One of my favorite details is the storage bucket, which has a shape sorter lid that helps kids identify and sort shapes—all while making even cleanup engaging.

Gemem Wooden Pattern Block 155-Piece Set

$11

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Many parents will remember having fun with these in elementary school, but the pattern blocks also double as a hard-working learning tool. “They effectively enhance concentration, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and problem-solving,” my mom says. “Plus, they help you learn shape identification and composition, sorting, patterning, and counting.”

To make the most of the 155-piece set, which comes with six different shapes, you can download free puzzle mats online that guide your child through creating designs.

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2024-04-16T10:07:40Z dg43tfdfdgfd