Confession: I love pretty much every toy Learning Resources makes. You’ll find their tongs, tweezers, and scoops in a lot of classrooms, and as a former teacher, I love that their toys are built around a real skill… And, as a mom, I love that my kids don’t notice.
This page has every Learning Resources toy I recommend across the site, all 12 of them, sorted by the 11 play categories I use for our toy rotation.
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Why We Like Learning Resources
- Every toy is for a specific educational skill. Like pincer grip, sorting, or cause and effect, but they don’t feel like a lesson in a box.
- Simple toys. A hedgehog with removable quills doesn’t sound super exciting, but for a 2 year old, it really is!
- Combine with your other toys. Scoops, tongs, and tweezers turn Play-Doh, Kinetic Sand, rice, and bath time into brand new activities.
If you’re looking for more educational toys like Learning Resources, check out Educational Insights as well!
Learning Resources Toys by Age
Learning Resources ages are minimums, and most of their tools stay useful for years. A set of tongs works for pom poms at 2 and science experiments at 6.
| Age | What to look for | More toys for this age |
|---|---|---|
| 18 mo+ | Spike the hedgehog, the New Sprouts market set | Toys for 18 to 23 months |
| 2+ | Flex-Grip Tongs for pom poms and sensory bins | Toys for 2 year olds |
| 3+ | Helping Hands sensory tools, Who’s Feeling What? | Toys for 3 year olds |
| 4+ | Noodle Knockout, Gears Building and Bloom | Toys for 4 year olds |
| 5+ | Jumbo Tweezers, Gears! Gears! Gears! Machines in Motion | Toys for 5 year olds |
| 6+ | Coding Critters, Botley the Robot | Toys for 6 year olds |
Learning Resources Fine Motor Toys and Games
This is where Learning Resources shines. Grabbing, pinching, and squeezing build the hand strength kids need for holding a pencil and cutting with scissors later. Our fine motor toys guide has the full breakdown by age.
Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog (ages 18 mo+)
It’s a close-ended toy, and it’s my go-to for kids who get frustrated with puzzles. It builds their confidence before you hand them anything harder. All the quills store inside Spike, too.
Learning Resources Spike The Original Fine Motor Hedgehog
My kids loved this more than I would have expected for how simple it is!
- FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT: Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog helps toddlers strengthen hand muscles, improve coordination, and build the pincer grasp needed for future writing skills
- COLOR SORTING & MATCHING FUN: Practice color recognition, sorting, and matching with colorful quills that make this one of the most engaging color sorting toys for toddlers
- BUILD EARLY LEARNING SKILLS: Numbered holes encourage counting, sequencing, and problem-solving while supporting fine motor skills toys for toddlers through hands-on play
- PORTABLE STORAGE DESIGN: All 12 chunky quills store neatly inside Spike, making this toddler toy perfect for travel, restaurants, daycare, and learning on the go
Noodle Knockout (ages 4+)
There are several ways to play, all explained in the rules, and we still haven’t played them all. That replay value is exactly what I look for in a board game: if one version gets old, there’s another one waiting.
Learning Resources Noodle Knockout
I bought this on a whim and my kids have loved it for years. There are so many ways to play this game (all explained in the rules) that we haven't even played every type!
- FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT: Kids build hand strength, dexterity, and handeye coordination as they use chopsticks to grab wiggly noodles and toppings; a fun fine motor skills toy for preschoolers
- MULTIPLE WAYS TO PLAY: Features three game variations that grow with kids ages four and up; supports two to four players and works as an engaging family board game or classroom activity
- SENSORY SATISFACTION: Soft, wiggly noodles and colorful toppings create handson play kids love, keeping young players engaged during fun games that build early skills
- COMPLETE 67 PIECE SET: Includes noodles, toppings, spinner, order cards, bowls, and chopsticks; everything needed for interactive play at home, school, or group playtime
- EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT: Builds early counting, color recognition, sorting, and turntaking through creative pretend play, making this a popular learning game for kids and preschool classrooms
Tongs and Tweezers (ages 2-5+)
The Flex-Grip Tongs are easy enough for 2 year olds, and pom pom sorting is a low-prep activity. The Jumbo Tweezers take a bit more control, so they’re labeled 5+, and we use them for DIY sensory bins, science experiments, and crafts.
Learning Resources Flex-Grip Tongs
Practice fine motor skills with pom pom, sorting, and DIY sensory bins.
- FINE MOTOR TOOLS: Grab and squeeze with these colorful tongs for kids, building hand strength, coordination, precision, and other fine motor skills, hands on fine motor tools for young learners here
- TONGS FOR KIDS: Long handles and soft silicone ends are designed for comfort and control, sized for toddler play and early fine motor development, hands on tongs for kids and sensory bin tools too
- READY FOR SCHOOL: Strengthen pencil grip, improve dexterity, and encourage sorting and grasping, a great addition to fine motor tools for preschool, sensory bins, and classroom play for young kids
Learning Resources Jumbo Tweezers
These are great for DIY sensory bins, science experiments and crafts.
- FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT: Strengthen hand muscles, pencil grip, coordination, and fine motor skills with easy grip preschool tweezers designed specifically for growing hands
- 12 JUMBO TWEEZERS INCLUDED: Comes with 12 colorful jumbo tweezers in 6 vibrant colors, perfect for group activities, preschoolers, and fine motor skill development
- BUILT FOR LITTLE HANDS: Ergonomic design naturally supports proper grasp and hand positioning, making these fine motor tweezers for kids great for ages 5+ learning and play activities
Learning Resources Sensory Play Tools
Sensory bins don’t need fancy filler. Dried rice, pasta (bowtie is my favorite because it’s easy to pick up when it spills), water, or sand all work. What makes a bin last is having good tools. More ideas are in our sensory toys guide.
Helping Hands Sensory Scoops (ages 3+)
Toss them in the bath for water play, pair them with a bowl of dried rice or pasta for scooping practice, or add them to your Play-Doh or Kinetic Sand tools. The handles are shaped for little hands, great for independent play.
Learning Resources Helping Hands Sensory Scoops
You can play with these scoops in so many ways! Add them to the bath for water play, pair it with a bowl of dried rice or pasta for scooping practice, or add add it to your Kinetic sand or Play-Doh tools.
- SENSORY EXPLORATION: Engage children with four uniquely designed scoops that encourage tactile play while they pour, sift, scoop, and funnel different materials in sensory bins, sand tables
- FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT: Build essential hand strength and coordination as little ones manipulate these perfectly sized tools, developing the precise finger control needed for writing
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: Made from thick, high-quality plastic that withstands enthusiastic daily play, these sturdy scoops won't break or crack like typical sandbox toys even with regular use
- MADE FOR LITTLE HANDS: Specially designed with easy-grip handles and child-friendly shapes that allow toddlers and preschoolers to scoop and pour independently, boosting confidence
Fine Motor Tool Set (ages 3+)
The Fine Motor Tool Set adds droppers, tongs, and tweezers to the mix, which is great for moving water or pom poms from one cup to another.
Learning Resources Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set
Droppers, scoopers, and tweezers all made for little hands and fine motor development. Use them in DIY sensory bins with dried pasta or rice, add them to the bath for water play, or use them with Kinetic sand or Play-Doh.
- FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT: Strengthen hand muscles, dexterity, and pincer grasp skills with 4 specialized tools designed to support writing readiness, sorting, and everyday learning activities
- VERSATILE SENSORY PLAY: Use these sensory tools with sensory bins, water beads, rice, beans, pom poms, and other sensory bin materials for hands-on exploration and discovery
- 4 ESSENTIAL LEARNING TOOLS: Includes tweezers for kids, sensory scoops, tongs, and droppers that help children grab, pick, squeeze, transfer, and sort objects with precision
- IDEAL FOR HOME & CLASSROOM: Perfect for preschool sensory bins, occupational therapy activities, STEM learning, fine motor centers, and sensory table accessories for kids
Learning Resources Gear Sets and STEM Building
Gear sets are building toys with an extra layer: when you turn one gear, the others move. That’s cause and effect and simple machines in one, which makes them a great STEM toy. See our building toys guide for how to mix them with other kinds.
Gears! Gears! Gears! Machines in Motion (ages 5+)
There’s a plan to follow if they want one, but it’s really open-ended, and they can build and rebuild as many times as they like.
Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! Mashines in Motion
We've built a lot of simple machines with our Learning Resources gear sets over the years.
- BUILDS EARLY ENGINEERING SKILLS: Hands-on building play helps kids explore STEM concepts as they design and build moving machines using colorful interlocking gears
- SUPPORTS CREATIVE MACHINE PLAY: Kids can build and rebuild different machines that spin and turn, encouraging creative problem solving and open-ended construction play
- DESIGNED FOR KIDS AGES 5+: Made for kids five year old and up with durable, easy-to-connect gear pieces that support confident building and early learning
- STRENGTHENS MOTOR & THINKING SKILLS: Connecting, turning, and aligning gears helps build fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, and cause-and-effect understanding
Gears Building and Bloom (ages 4+)
I love a block set that’s geared (pun intended 😜) toward kids who love flowers. It’s a great twist for kids who don’t gravitate toward traditional block shapes. And yes, boys can build flowers too.
Learning Resources Gears Building & Bloom Building Set
I love a block set that's geared (pun intended 😜) toward girls. These blocks combine gears with flowers for endless creative possibilities.
- SPARKS STEM LEARNING THROUGH FLOWER-THEMED BUILDING: Kids connect interlocking gears, petals, and garden pieces to explore motion, simple mechanics, and hands-on STEM concepts
- PERFECT FOR SPRING-THEMED PLAY & CREATIVE ACTIVITIES: Great for imaginative garden building, toddler playtime, preschool centers, or learning activities at home
- DESIGNED FOR KIDS AGES 4+ WHO LOVE FLOWERS & BUILDING TOYS: Ideal for girls, boys, and young builders who enjoy colorful, creative construction sets
- USED TO BUILD FINE MOTOR & PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS: Children snap, stack, and arrange pieces to design moving floral displays that help strengthen coordination and spatial reasoning
Learning Resources Coding Critters
Lots of types of coding toys in this line to choose from. Some are simple enough that a 3 or 4 year old can play with them, others require more skill or grown up help.
Learning Resources Botley 2.0 The Coding Robot
- EASY REMOTE-CONTROLLED LEARNING PLAY: This friendly robot for kids uses a simple remote to introduce early coding ideas through playful cause-and-effect actions, building confidence and curiosity for young future coders at home or in the classroom.
- CODING ROBOTICS KIT: Open the box and jump into hands-on building as kids use the included coding cards to design command sequences for their robot, strengthening planning, logic, and sequencing skills that grow with every new challenge they create.
- MULTIPLE NEW CHALLENGES: As kids advance, this robot adds depth to their play with multi-step coding paths, 45u00b0 turns, and object-sensing reactions that encourage them to design longer routes, refine strategies, and tackle more complex problem-solving.
- MULTISENSORY FUN: Lights, sounds, and playful music give this kids robot a lot of coding options! The 16 secret code combinations offer open-ended play for curious young creators.
Learning Resouces Coding Critters Go Pets
- SCREEN-FREE PLAY – Kids explore early coding, sequencing, and problem-solving with Scrambles the Fox, a motorized coding robot that follows black-line paths for hands-on learning.
- STORY-BASED STEM LESSONS – Scrambles comes with a 12-page full-color storybook adventure that teachers can use for STEM stations, read-aloud coding activities, and guided kids programming challenges.
- MADE FOR YOUNG LEARNERS – Designed for preschool and early elementary, this screen-free coding toy supports coding for kids, making it great for classrooms, homeschoolers, and STEM-ready beginners.
Learning Resources Coding Critters MagiCoders
- SCREEN-FREE CODING PLAY: Kids use the magic wand and spell book to program Blazer through hands-on sequencing challenges that introduce early robotics concepts without a screen
- MADE FOR BEGINNERS AGES 4+: Built for early learners, this educational toy helps beginners explore programming basics through simple wand controls and guided play
- BUILDS LOGIC & PROBLEM SOLVING: Kids strengthen logic, sequencing, and problem solving as they plan routes, test commands, and troubleshoot to complete dragon-themed challenges
Learning Resources Coding Critter Ranger & Zip
- EARLY CODING SKILLS: Code along with your first coding friends and their screen-free storybook coding adventure
- PLAY MODE: Play fetch, hide and seek, and more with brave Ranger and mischievous Zip
- KID CODING ROBOT: Design your own endless coding challenges with the 22-piece pet Playset. REAL PET PLAY: Feed, pet, and take care of your interactive pets in play mode
- Super STEM Skills: From science and technology to engineering and math, STEM learning help kids build critical thinking and other skills they need for success in school and beyond!
Learning Resources Code & Go Mouse
- SCREEN-FREE CODING: Kids practice sequencing, problem-solving, and early robot coding with this hands-on coding robotics kit that teaches programming basics through simple buttons and matching coding cards
- BUILT FOR YOUNG CODERS AGES 4+: Designed with early learners in mind, this coding toy supports coding for kids ages 4+ and helps emerging programmers build confidence through playful trial-and-error
- CRITICAL THINKING & EARLY PROGRAMMING: Children strengthen sequencing, logic, and directional understanding as they program the mouse to navigate mazes-an easy-to-use kids robot toy and a strong introduction to robotics coding
Learning Resources Pretend Play
Play food is one of those toys that never really get olds. More ideas are in our pretend play toys guide.
New Sprouts Deluxe Market Set (ages 18 mo+)
Who doesn’t love play food? We love this set for the variety, for being able to build a sandwich, and for the baskets, which give kids a way to shop and a place to put everything away.
Learning Resources New Sprouts Deluxe Market Set
Who doesn't love the velcro food that cuts in half? The only problem is the velcro eventually stops sticking. We love this set for the variety, ability to build a sandwich, and storage basket.
- DURABLE PLAY FOOD: Exceptionally durable play food crafted from thick, child-friendly plastic.
- COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING: Extensive 32-piece play food set for toddler fun
- INTERACTIVE BASKETS: Includes two adorable baskets (shopping and bushel)
Learning Resources Feelings and Nurturing Toys
Nurturing toys help kids understand and care for other people, and naming feelings is a big part of that. It’s one of my favorite categories, and it has its own nurturing toys guide.
Who’s Feeling What? Game (ages 3+)
A parent reads clues about how different people are feeling, and your kid finds the face that matches. It’s a simple game, but it gives you an easy way to talk about feelings.
Who's Feeling What? Game
In this game, parents can read clues to their child about how different people are feeling. They have to find the face that matches.
- Spot the Face, Spot the Emotion: Inspired by distance learning, this social-emotion learning game and activity set helps kids strengthen their SEL skills as they match the callers with their feelings!
- Never the Same Activity Twice: With 12 double-sided caller cards and 12 double-sided emotion prompt cards, this communication game for kids lets you design a new game board every time you play!
- A Fun Way to Talk About Feelings: Ready for use at home or in the classroom, Whou2019s Feeling What? comes with an SEL activity guide with ideas on how to use this emotion toy to get kids talking and learning!
- When kids kearn how to recognize, understand, and feel their feelings, they build the skills they need to make friends, master teamwork, and live a happier, healthier life!. school supplies, teacher supplies
Want to see how these fit with everything else? Our toy guides page has every age and category, and our quiet time guide covers which toys work when you’re not in the room.
FAQ
At our house, Noodle Knockout, gear sets, and Codding Critters get the most use.
Most are for 18 months to 6 years, and the age on the box is a minimum. Tools like tongs, scoops, and tweezers stay useful long after, because you can use them in new activities.
The food itself holds up well, but the velcro on cutting food wears out and eventually stops sticking. Kids still play with the pieces after that.
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