Find the Best Learn and Play Toys

Welcome to Baby Kids Depot!  The best place to find learn and play toys! Studies have shown your child’s development and growth can be improved if learning is closely intertwined with play, or in other words play and learn at the same time! This is where we come in, knowing what toys can best help your child learn while they play is our specialty.

We hope you enjoy our range of reviews on various toys and gifts for the children of the next generation. Children learn so much through play hence it is crucial that we think about what kind of toys our kids have, what will give them the best start to life and not simply just entertain them 🙂

toddler learn and play toys
babies learn and play toys
kids learn and play toys

As Jordan Fisher of How to Learn says, “It is no secret that the brain of a child is a sponge, and massive amounts of psychological development happen during early childhood – or before the age of eight. Playing with toys is the first opportunity a child has to explore and interact with the world on their own terms, and through doing this children experience a wide variety of psychological benefits.”

babies are sponges

Psychologists have identified a range of ways that play helps childhood learning. It enhances thinking power, mental fitness, practical knowledge, social and emotional wellbeing, physical development and imaginative development, just to name a few – but with the thousands of products available for children these days, how can you find the best toys for learning and play?

What Toys Help Kids Learn?

Sensory Toys

Sensory toys are toys that encourage children to use their senses – toys that make sounds, that involve movement, that have different textures, that provide stimulating things to look at and that provide a variety of ways to explore it are great for children. Understanding the benefits of sensory exposure through toys for children with autism can be very helpful for parents. Sensory toys can include things like play-doh, kinetic sand, musical instruments, sensory balls, textured blocks, sound blocks, sand and water play toys. Sensory toys can also come in the form of combination kits like sensory boards and sensory tables/boxes.

Let them experience what senses they have  available to them, whether its, taste, smell, touch, sound or sight to learn about this beautiful world they are just starting off in.

Imaginative Play Toys

Toys that invite children to create and use their imaginations are excellent for children. Have you ever noticed how if you give an empty cardboard box to a child, they will turn it into all kinds of things – a car, a house, a cage at the zoo, a rocket ship… the sky is the limit. Toys that provide the same opportunity for children to be creative and play “let’s pretend” are wonderful for learning. Imaginative toys include action figures, animals, dress-ups, puppets, food and cooking toys, playing house toys, vehicles, dolls and dollhouses, pretend play toys and toys that mimic real life.

Teepees are an excellent way to promote creativity and imagination in children and can be great for indoor and outdoor play. See our reviews of the best kid teepee tent around as well as the best toddler teepees available.

Science Toys

Science toys are not just great for teaching children about science – they also help children learn in every area of life. They help develop math and language skills, general knowledge, problem-solving and analytical thinking.

Science toys help children to explore the world, learn how things work, discover, try out new ideas and investigate their environments. Science toys can relate to areas such as chemistry, animals and plants, earth science, mechanics, electronics, robotics, physics, engineering, weather, energy and much more. Science toys cover so many areas of life – no wonder they’re so fantastic for learning.

Musical Toys

Here at BKD (Baby Kids Depot) we are key believers in the role musical instruments can play in a child’s development. See here for Baby Musical Instrument information and Reviews. Musical instruments of all kinds are excellent for children for a variety of reasons, including aural stimulation. They are also excellent multi sensory toys that provide both tactile and visual stimulation too, as children feel vibrations, movement, the shifting weight of a shaker or the resistance of a drum. They watch what happens to the instrument when you use it or move it and what they’re doing with their hands. Try to choose good quality instruments with a lovely sound.

Construction Toys

Construction toys are toys that allow children to build, design and create. They include Lego, wooden building blocks, marble runs, gears sets, magnetic building sets and engineering sets.

Construction toys help children learn the basics of physics and geometry as well as skills such as planning, problem-solving, spatial awareness, perseverance and physical coordination. Check out our information on the benefits of Building Blocks for Toys and 24 fun games to play with them that your child will enjoy and learn from!

Toys that Help Babies and Infants Learn

baby icon learn and play

Babies need to have direct experience with the world in order to make sense of it and learn about it. Think about what babies learn once they’re born – they learn how to talk, sit up, walk, and run. They learn what things are and how they work. They learn about people and the world. Playing with toys helps them learn about all of these things.

Learn and Play Toys for Toddlers

toddlers - learn and play

Toddlers need to practice coordination and muscle control. They are full of energy and need to explore everything. Toddlers can use toys to gain self-confidence. As children play with their toys – complete a puzzle, ride a trike or blow bubbles, they develop a sense of power. They say, “I can do this. Look at me.” Toys allow toddlers to develop that self-confidence and practice important life skills.

Learn and Play Toys for Kids

kids- learn and play

Children need to play at all stages of development. Children need to use their imaginations and play games that imitate life. They also need to develop social and emotional skills and learn to communicate and interact well with others. Toys and games help children develop those necessary skills. Through providing hands-on and practical experiences, toys also provide the foundations that make formal learning, literacy and numeracy easier to understand.