Finding the best toys for an 18 month old requires some investigation! At eighteen months they walk everywhere, climb onto everything, and want to do exactly what you’re doing (sweeping, stirring, talking on the phone).
So these picks for the best toys for an 18 month old are built around what kids are working on developmentally between 18 and 23 months, sorted into the 11 play categories I use for our toy rotation.
These are the toys for 18 month olds that actually got played with at our house.
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Developmental Milestones for 18 Month Olds
These come from the CDC’s 18 month milestone checklist, which lists skills most kids (75% or more) can do by 18 months. I’ve grouped them the way the CDC does.
Social and emotional
- Moves away from you, but looks to make sure you’re close by
- Points to show you something interesting
- Puts hands out for you to wash them
- Looks at a few pages in a book with you
- Helps you dress them by pushing an arm through a sleeve or lifting a foot
Language and communication
- Tries to say three or more words besides “mama” or “dada”
- Follows one-step directions without gestures, like handing you a toy when you say “Give it to me”
Thinking and problem-solving
- Copies you doing chores, like sweeping with a broom
- Plays with toys in a simple way, like pushing a toy car
Movement and physical
- Walks without holding on to anyone or anything
- Scribbles
- Drinks from a cup without a lid (and may spill sometimes)
- Feeds themselves with their fingers and tries to use a spoon
- Climbs on and off a couch or chair without help
By their second birthday, the CDC’s 2 year checklist adds kicking a ball, running, trying knobs and buttons, and playing with two toys at once (like toy food on a toy plate). All of these toys for 18 to 24 months toddlers will help practice these tasks.
| What they’re working on | Play Category | Jump to |
|---|---|---|
| Walking, climbing, soon running and kicking | Gross motor | Gross motor |
| Scribbling, spoon practice, pinching | Fine motor and art | Fine motor, Art |
| Copying chores, pushing a toy car | Pretend play | Pretend play |
| Helping get dressed, washing hands | Nurturing | Nurturing |
| First words, one-step directions, books | Musical and multimedia | Musical |
| Moving away and checking back | Open-ended and sensory | Open-ended, Sensory |
| Stacking, fitting, sorting | Blocks and close-ended | Blocks, Close-ended |
| Knobs, buttons, cause and effect | STEM | STEM |
Milestones are a range, not a report card. If something is nagging at you, bring it up with your pediatrician. You know your kid best.
Starting Independent play
That “move away and check back” milestone is the very beginning of independent play. You can’t leave an 18 month old alone, but you can practice being apart in the same room: you fold laundry on one side, they play on the other.
Simple toddler toys, or open-ended toys work best for this, because there’s no wrong way to play and nothing to get stuck on. Save puzzles and shape sorters for when you’re sitting right there. The same idea grows into quiet time later on.
Gross Motor Toys for 18 Month Olds
Walking on their own and climbing on and off the couch are both 18 month milestones. These kids need to move, even on rainy days. Our gross motor toy guide has more ideas for small spaces.
Little Tikes Gas ’n Go Mower
We love lawn mowers so much that both of my kids had to have their own. For newer walkers, a push toy like a mower is a sturdy, and it’s the “copies you doing chores” milestone on wheels.
Little Tikes Gas 'n Go Mower
We love lawn mowers so much that both of my kids had to have their own! These are great walkers for little ones just learning to walk, and even older kids seem to love pretending to mow the lawn as they get older.
- Sounds are mechanical, so no batteries are needed
- Push the toy mower and the beads pop
- Pull cord to hear engine sounds
- Clicking key and moveable throttle
- Removable plastic gas can
The Cozy Coupe was my oldest’s favorite toy for years. I have the sweetest memories of him zooming around the house and driveway in it. The Cozy Coupe and our mower are both in my Little Tikes favorites.
Little Tikes Cozy Coupe
I have the sweetest memories of my oldest zooming around the house and driveway in his Cozy Coupe. For years this was his favorite toy.
- Made in the USA. The Little Tikes Company is located in the heartland of America.
- GROWS AS KIDS DO. The removable floorboard makes this ride-on transition easily between parent-controlled and kid-powered modes
- Includes: working doors, steering wheel with working horn, moving, clicking ignition switch, gas cap open and closes, rugged, durable tires, front wheels spin 360 degrees
Strider 12 Sport, No Pedal Balance
As soon as our kids were walking, we had them on balance bikes! And by 4 both were riding pedal bikes with no problems and no training wheels!
ECR4Kids SoftZone Traversing Trio
Nugget The Original Play Couch
Our friends have a Nugget couch and the kids love to build forts, make slides, secret hideouts, and just jump around on piles of cushions.
Little Tikes T-Ball Set
This folds down and stores easily so it's not taking up precious garage space. The bat is chunkier than a standard bat, so it's easier for little ones to make contact with the ball.
- Compact and foldable
- Comes with one bat, one stand, and five balls
Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set
At their smallest height (and with smaller kids) this is a great toy for gross motor play both inside and outside. As it expands and gets taller (and your kids get stronger) you may need to move this to an outdoor-only toy.
- 6 ADJUSTABLE HEIGHTS. Raise the height to increase difficulty as your kids grow. Basketball Set can be adjusted from 2.5 to 4 feet
- OVERSIZED RIM. Designed with an oversized rim making it easier for kids to score baskets
- DEVELOP SKILLS. Encourages preschoolers and toddlers to play independently while working on balance and improve their hand-eye coordination
- Base must be weighted with 40lbs. of sand (not included )
- Includes 3 junior sized, soft basketballs (color may vary)
Fisher-Price Twist N Twirl
This is a cute toy for kids to practice balancing, spinning themselves, and has a very fun clicklike feel as you go around and around.
- 360 DEGREE SPINNING FUN: Turn the easy grip handle and spin into action. This classic sit and spin toy delivers exciting 360 degree spinning for toddlers.
- ACTIVE MOVEMENT FUN: Helps toddlers build balance, coordination, and core strength through engaging, movement focused play made just for growing little ones.
Fine Motor Toys for 18 Month Olds
Scribbling and using a spoon both take the same small hand muscles, and so does pushing a coin into a slot. More ideas are in our fine motor skills toy guide.
Battat Save and Count Learning Toy
This is a great pick for kids who get frustrated with shape sorters, because they practice getting coins into a slot without fighting with shapes. Later it turns into counting and color practice, too.
Battat Save and Count Learning Toy
This was a surprise toy. I didn't think my kids would love it as much as they did. But boy did they! It's great to practice fine motor skills, as well as counting, color recognition, and more.
- Piggy Bank: Have a ton of educational fun with this piggy bank and play coin set
- 10 Coins: This learning toy comes with 10 numbered coins in bright colorsu2014great for practicing counting and color recognition
- Playbook Included: Discover educational play ideas and an illustrated story inside the playbook
Spike the hedgehog is so simple, and my kids loved it more than I expected. The Pop-a-Balls bulldozer takes a little finesse to load, which is exactly the point.
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
Open-Ended Toys for 18 Month Olds
Open-ended toys don’t have a “right,” or “wrong,” way to be played with. There isn’t a “start,” or an “end,” (like a puzzle or board game). We have a whole guide to open-ended toys that last.
Newcotte Play Silks
One minute you’re running these through your newborn’s fingers, the next your toddler is wearing one as a cape. At 18 months they’re perfect for peekaboo, stuffing into a box and pulling back out, and “hiding” under while you pretend you can’t find them. Later they turn into forts and ropes. Few toys on this list stretch across that many years.
Newcotte 5 Set Magic Color Silk Scarf
One minute you're running these silks through your newborn's fingers for sensory play, the next your toddlers are wearing them as capes, tying them into ropes, building forts, and more.
- More Fun Than You Realize: can use it as a game prop, play hide and seek with their friends, throw the handkerchief and more, offering a diverse range of open ended play experiences
- Versatile: we can use this play scarves as carriers, scarves, capes, grass for rocking horses dance props and even to build forts with play clips, and also can be a sling for a doll or stuffed animal, a decorative backdrop for a make faith scene, there is more fun waiting for you to discover
- Durable: our large square scarves are made of durable reusable satin chiffon fabric ideal for playing dress up, doll blankets, dancing and twirling, capes, activities and songs, Halloween costumes, picnics, traveling, movement, juggling, and more
- Promotes Motor Coordination: the flowing scarves are ideal for dance and movement activities helping to improve balance coordination and rhythm they can also for tossing catching waving and storytelling promoting physical development and boosting confidence
The VTech driver got a lot of use at our house. My kids loved pretending to be bus drivers, pilots, and anything else with an engine.
VTech Turn and Learn Driver
Oh boy did my kids get alot of use out of this toy! They loved to pretend to be bus drivers, pilots, or anything else that had an engine.
- Little hands eager to explore can turn the steering wheel and press colorful buttons to discover animals, vehicles and sounds with over 60 songs and phrases
- Slide between Animal, Driving and Music modes to keep little drivers entertained through sounds and melodies that encourage hands-on play
- Honk the horn to introduce road safety with red, yellow, and green lights; perfect for teaching simple concepts like opposites and directions
- Enhance imaginative role-play by using the signal lever, checking the mirror, and shifting gears while pretending to drive
Close-Ended Toys for 18 Month Olds
Close-ended toys do have a “right,” “wrong,” “stop,” or “start.” They’re just as important as open-ended toys, and they practice following directions (hello, one-step directions milestone). My close-ended toys guide explains why.
Fisher-Price Wood Rock-a-Stack
A classic for a reason. Younger toddlers love handling the colorful rings, and older ones are thrilled to stack them in order and solve the puzzle. At 18 months, most kids pile them on in any order, and that’s fine. Getting them biggest to smallest comes later, and that’s where the “one right answer” part kicks in.
Fisher-Price Wood Rock-a-Stack
A classic for a reason, babies love handling the colorful rings, and older infants are thrilled to stack and solve the puzzle.
- u200bClassic activity toy with 7 colorful wooden ring stackers and a roly-poly stacking base u200b
- u200bToddlers can sort and stack the rings from biggest to smallest, or use the rings for endless imaginative stories u200b
- u200bMade with wood from Forest Stewardship Council-certified sources (FSC-N004566) and decorated with non-toxic, water-based paints u200b
- u200bThis toy helps foster fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and thinking skills for toddlers and preschool kids ages 18 months and older u200b
My second loved anything that stacks, so the parking garage was a guaranteed hit: stack the cars on the levels, then drive them around.
Melissa & Doug Stack & Count Wooden Parking Garage
My second loved stacking. Anything that could stack was a winner in his book, so I knew this would be a hit and it was! You can stack the cars, or play with them.
- Wooden vehicle stacker
- Includes 10 toy cars, sliding counter, and wooden frame
- Clever drop-down counter encourages early math skills
- Compact design
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Blocks and Building Toys for 18 Month Olds
Fair warning: blocks are sneaky. Duplo, Mega Bloks, foam blocks, and train track are all blocks, and a rotation that’s secretly all blocks gets boring fast. Pick one at a time. Our building toys guide breaks down the types.
LEGO DUPLO Classic Cars and Trucks Brick Box
Even though we’ve graduated to regular LEGO at my house, my kids still love playing with Duplo. This is an easy starter box for this age because it comes with wheelbases, so “pushing a toy car” (an actual 18 month milestone) and building happen at the same time. The bricks are big enough for toddler hands and easy to pull apart.
LEGO DUPLO Classic Cars and Trucks Brick Box 10439
Even though we've graduated to regular LEGO at my house, my kids still love playing with Duplo!
- Educational STEM toy for vehicle-loving preschoolers aged 18 months and up u2013 The Cars and Trucks Brick Box playset comes with an assortment of bricks and pieces to set toddlersu2019 creative cogs in motion
- Car toy playset with lots in the box u2013 Firing toddlersu2019 imaginations to create fun 4-wheeled adventures, this creative toy includes 3 wheelbases, 1-2-3 bricks, 2 child figures and a bee figure
🚨 Choking Hazard: Even though this DUPLO set is labeled for 18 months and up, I found many pieces that didn’t pass the toilet paper tube test. If an item fits through a toilet paper tube, it is a choking hazard. I went through my set and removed all of the little pieces before handing it over to my toddler. When he was older, we put them back in.
BRIO My First Railway
BRIO trains (used to be sold primarily in the USA as the old wooden Thomas the Tank Engine trains) are an investment, but their quality is unlike any other train brands we've tried. Their tracks are smooth (no splinters), fit together well, and do not crack on splinter.
- Timeless Keepsake: Create lasting memories with your child and the My First Railway Beginner Pack. Compatible with all BRIO sets. This exciting, durable wooden train toy, specifically designed to spark your child's imagination and creativity.
- Unmatched Safety Assurance: All BRIO products undergo over 1,000 safety tests each year to ensure they exceed safety standards, making this set an ideal choice for holiday & birthday gifts, preschool, homeschool, kindergarten, and recess.
- Imagination Unleashed: Its interactive design turns playtime into a journey of sensory creativity and storytelling, fostering lasting connections while supporting STEM and Montessori skills, making it a valuable addition to any kid's toy collection.
- Planet-Friendly Choice: Made from sustainable materials and thoughtfully designed, BRIO wooden railway and train sets and accessories support responsible forestry. They're easy to clean and a durable choice for parents who value quality.
Musical and Multimedia Toys for 18 Month Olds
Three or more words and looking at a few pages of a book with you are both on the 18 month list. Music and talking books are how a lot of those words get in. We have Dollar Tree instruments of every kind at our house, and they count. More in our musical toys guide.
Fisher-Price Classic Record Player
I remember playing with this at my grandma’s house as a kid, and it’s still just as fun. It mixes music with a lot of hands-on sensory play (turning, flipping, choosing a record), and there’s no screen anywhere. It was on the original version of my 14 month list too, and it holds up even better now that they can choose which record to play.
Fisher-Price Classic Record Player
I remember playing with this toy at my grandma's house as a child. It is super fun and sensory while encouring a love of music.
The pull-along xylophone got a lot of use from both of my kids, just in different ways: my first played music on it, and my second walked it around the house. We own this exact karaoke machine (ours was Cocomelon branded), and the microphone actually works. The LeapFrog word book seems to read to them like magic, and it switches to Spanish, too.
Fisher-Price Toddler Pull Toy, Classic Xylophone
My first loved to play music on here, my second loved to walk and pull it around the house! Either way it got a lot of use!
- Classic pull-along toy musical instrument for toddlers
- Toddlers can use the tethered mallet to tap on the 8 colorful keys for fun sounds
- String and easy-rolling wheels let toddlers walk and pull the toy along
- This toy helps foster hand-eye coordination, gross motor skills, sensory skills and cause & effect
Ms. Rachel Bluetooth Karaoke Machine
We have this exact model, although ours was branded as Cocomelon. It can be used as a bluetooth speaker too, so it's great for the whole family. The microphone actually works. Sing along to the pre-recorded tracks, or use the USB or bluetooth features to sing to your own favorites.
- Built-in Music: Features 20+ built in songs, including u2018Hop Little Bunniesu2019, u2018Bingou2019, u2018Iu2019m So Happyu2019, u2018ABCu2019, u2018Old MacDonaldu2019, u2018Wheels on the Busu2019, u2018Can You Say Mamau2019, and more.
- Kid-Friendly Design: Includes a headphone jack, so you can listen to your content without disturbing others. Portable and rechargeable, you can take this karaoke machine for kids anywhere (charging cable included)
LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
My kids loved this book. It seems to read to them like magic (just touch a picture and hear a word or sound). I loved that it can also be switched to Spanish.
- Learn Categories: This baby activity book includes word categories such as pets, animals, food, mealtime, colors, activities, opposites, outside and more
- Learn Sounds: Touch the words on the pages to hear new vocabulary, sound effects, and fun facts; hear the two theme songs by pressing the light-up star button
- Learn Languages: This highly engaging book for kids includes words, songs, and instructions heard in both English and Spanish to promote both language skills
Fisher-Price Little People World of Animals
I remember having this toy as a kid! Such a good way to associate pictures and sounds.
- Interactive early learning toy with 2 pages of animals plus sounds and phrases that teach animal names and their sounds
- Point arrow at animal picture and pull lever to find out its name and hear its sound
- Quiz questions offer toddlers a chance to test their animal knowledge!
- Point arrow to the music note to hear fun songs about the animals.
For more instruments and audio players, see our musical toys guide and our Yoto Mini review.
Art Supplies for 18 Month Olds
Scribbling is officially on the 18 month checklist, so this is the age to hand them something to scribble with. Art doesn’t have to mean mess. We sort ours by mess level in our art supplies guide, and we are a proud Crayola family.
Crayola Mess Free Finger Painting Station
This kit lets toddlers play with real finger paint without the mess. The paint goes under a thin layer of plastic, and they push it around the canvas to make their masterpiece. It’s the paint experience without the scrubbing, which makes it an easy one to set up at the high chair or table.
Crayola Mess Free Finger Painting Station
This kit let's your little one play with actual finger paints without any mess. The paint goes under a thin layer of plastic that lets toddlers push the paints around a canvas and create a masterpiece!
- TODDLER FINGER PAINT SET: Features Easy Clean Finger Paint Case, 3 (5 oz) Squeeze Bottles of Washable Finger Paint, and 10 Coated Sheets of Finger Painting Paper. (Refill with Crayola Washable Fingerpaints & Giant Fingerpaint Pad – sold separately).
- MESS-FREE FINGER PAINTING: This toddler painting set lets little artists finger paint on the flexible Finger Paint Unit cover. Finger Paint and Paper are secured under the locked lid for mess-free creativity!
- EASY CLEAN-UP: Put the Finger Paint Unit under the faucet or in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.
- SENSORY ART TOY: The flexible covering allows little artists to explore textures and colors with their hands, making it an excellent sensory art toy for kids.
Crayola; My First Crayola; Palm-Grip Crayons
These egg-shaped crayons let little ones understand grasp and making color on paper without needing help.
- 6 palm-grip egg shaped crayons are sized to fit toddlers' palms so they can easily make their first marks
- My First Crayola art tools provide children their first art supplies made especially for their little hands so they can create
- Introduces toddlers to color exploration as they develop Physical and Thinking skills
- AP Certified nontoxic
Sensory Toys for 18 Month Olds
Sensory play is where a lot of toddlers settle their busy bodies. It doesn’t have to be messy, and at this age some of the best sensory toys are books. More options in our sensory toys guide.
Melissa & Doug Poke-a-Dot Old MacDonald’s Farm Book
They’re a great way to get busy toddlers to sit and look at a few pages with you, which is right on the 18 month list.
Melissa & Doug Poke-a-Dot Old MacDonald's Farm Book
I will admit I was skeptical about this book series. At a first glace it seemed like just adding a "pop-it" to a book page (I didn't see the value). But after reading, I realized the popping is an interactive part of the story (sometimes finding pictures or words on the page, sometimes "crossing off" items, etc.). Now we are the proud owners of 4 of these books and counting! My kids love them!
My youngest struggled to engage with books until Pop-Up Peekaboo got his attention (we probably have 10 of them now). The bristle blocks are fun to feel, and they stick together without much hand strength.
DK Books Baby Touch and Feel Animals
We must have 2 dozen touch-and-feel books from DK. They are great quality and have a lot of different textures (where some brands have the same textures in every book).
- Touch and feel books help children who are not interested in books engage in books
- The sensory experience of seeing a picture, hearing you read the words, and feeling the texture is perfect for early development
Infantino Press & Stay Sensory Blocks
These blocks are easy to stick together because of the bristles. They are great for sensory play with the bristles too.
- PRESS, STACK & STAY: When little builders have big ideas, Press & Stay blocks make it easier to bring them to life.
- The interlocking pattern connects without perfect alignment, so children can press the blocks together, pull them apart, and keep building with less frustration
- DISCOVERY THEY CAN FEEL: High contrast colors and interesting textures give little hands more to explore. Pressing, connecting, stacking, and separating the sensory blocks encourages hands-on discovery through every build
Free idea: water play. Cups, a funnel, and an empty soap pump in the tub or a bin. We also have a water table that hooks up to the hose, and it keeps my kids busy for hours.
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Pretend Play Toys for 18 Month Olds
“Copies you doing chores” and “pushes a toy car” are both 18 month milestones, and that’s where pretend play really starts. By 2, they’ll be putting toy food on toy plates. Our pretend play guide has more.
Little People Playsets
Copy-what-you-see play 18 month olds love. Our Fisher-Price guide has more of the Little People sets we love.
Fisher-Price Little People Animals Farm Playset
I think it's universal that all kids love farms. This one teaches kids to care for animals, pretend to be a farmer, and folds up for easy storage.
- 3 Smart Stages learning levels grow along with your child & teach counting, opposites, animal sounds, and colors with fresh songs, sounds & phrases
- Playset comes with 1 farmer figure, 4 animal figures & 2 food play pieces, all sized for small hands to grasp & move, helping to strengthen fine motor skills
- Helps foster fine motor skills and encourages imaginative storytelling play for toddlers and preschool kids ages 1 to 5 years old
Fisher-Price Little People Disney Princess Shimmer & Glow Dress Shop
Giving young children characters and storylines that they are familiar with is super helpful when it comes to teaching pretend play. It helps them act out stories they already know, using their own words.
- Musical boutique playset featuring DISNEY Princess characters, sparkling lights, music and sounds for enchanting, toddler-friendly pretend play
- Press or spin a figure on the pedestal to see the characteru2019s gown light up and sparkle with DISNEY-inspired music and sounds
- Fun storytelling play all around! Spin the dress form u2018round & u2018round, visit the store vanity, and relax in the second floor lounge after a day of shopping
- Includes DISNEY Princess Cinderella and Ariel figures, each styled in a pretty dress with a translucent layer that glitters and glows under lights!
Fisher-Price Little People Fire Truck
This fire truck is a lot of fun with the lights and realistic sounds. The kids love to use the ladder to put out fires all over the house (pretend fires, of course!).
- Push-along toy fire truck with lights, music and sounds for toddler and preschool pretend play
- Manually lift and move the ladder to act out fun rescues
- Includes 2 Little People figures sized just right for small hands to grasp & move
Fisher-Price Little People Noah's Ark Playset
Using a familiar storyline helps little ones (who haven't developed their imagination yet) act out stories.
- Toddlers can recreate the classic Bible story with this Noahu2019s Ark playset featuring 13 figures all sized for small hands to grasp and move
- Lower the ramp to board the animals onto the Ark (two by two!)
- Deck of the Ark easily removes to play inside and pops back on to store all the figures
- Gift set includes 1 Ark, 1 Noah figure and 12 animals, including 2 lions, 2 giraffes, 2 elephants, 2 sloths, 2 parrots, and 2 goats
Fisher-Price Little People Friends Together Play House
Babies and toddlers alike love Fisher-Price Little People sets. And it *doesn't have to be this set.* There are Little People sets to match whatever interests your little one has.
- Electronic home playset that folds for storage with 3 best friend figures and 7 additional play pieces
- 6 activation points including light-up radio, light switch, front door, kitchen 'tablet,' refrigerator, oven, and toilet that 'flushes'
- Lots of play for kids to discover including 4 rooms in the house, outdoor patio with swimming pool and working tree swing
- Helps foster fine motor skills and encourages imaginative storytelling play for toddlers and preschool kids ages 1 to 5 years old
Fisher-Price Little People School
A familiar setting, like a school where they are cared for by teachers, nurses, and friends, is a great place to pretend play and act out scenes of nuturing and caring for others.
- Interactive schoolhouse playset with fun songs and sounds that introduces kids to making friends
- Helps strengthen fine motor skills and encourages imaginative storytelling play for toddler and preschool kids ages 1 to 5 years old
Step2 Kitchen Playset
We've loved this kitchen at our house for years.
- 25 Pieces and accessories
- Dog/pet feeding area
- Realistic lights and sounds
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)
Nurturing Toys for 18 Month Olds
Helping you get them dressed and holding out their hands to be washed are both 18 month milestones. That’s nurturing, whether they’re caring for a doll or learning to care for themselves. More in our guide to nurturing toys.
Corolle 12″ Soft Baby Doll
I have a soft spot for Corolle dolls from when I lived in France as a kid. A soft-bodied baby doll is just right for this age: easy to hug, tuck in, and carry everywhere. And yes, boys too. My youngest pushes his doll around in the shopping cart playing “daddy at the store.” When my oldest was around a year and a half, he’d talk to his stuffed animal about his whole day before falling asleep. Caring for something starts early.
Corolle 12" Soft Baby Doll
I love Corolle dolls from when I lived in France as a kid. There are other great baby doll brands out there like JC Toys and Melissa & Dog.
- Perfect First Doll: Ideal soft baby doll for toddlers; Lightweight 12-inch size with bean-filled body makes this cute baby doll easy to grasp and carry; Realistic baby doll girl features create special bond between child and toddler baby doll for nurturing play
- Sensory Experience: Delicate vanilla-scented vinyl skin appeals to the senses; Soft body baby doll with realistic features including eyes that open and close; Perfectly sized doll babies for little hands to hold and cuddle. muu00f1ecas para niu00f1as
- Quality Design: Trusted Corolle brand with over 30 years of experience creating realistic baby dolls; Designed in France with premium materials; Soft body construction allows doll to be posed like a real baby for lifelike play
- Developmental Benefits: Baby doll for girls ages 18 months and up encourages nurturing skills and imaginative play; This real baby doll becomes a treasured companion for years of loving playtime experiences, like a realistic reborn baby doll
Melissa & Doug Mine to Love Doll
- Nurturing Pretend Play: Kids can cuddle, soothe, feed, dress, & care for their baby dollu2014creating daily routines and imaginative stories through nurturing play that builds both empathy & independence
- Realistic Features & Cute Doll Clothes: Features wipe-clean limbs, a removable romper & matching cap, loving eyes that open & close, & the ability to suck her thumb or pacifier, with realistic pretend play toys & activities
- Open-Ended, Screen-Free Play: Caring for this adorable baby doll supports social-emotional growth, language development, and fine motor practice as kids dress, undress, and care for their baby doll
Self-care counts as nurturing, too. My kids have booster chairs so they can get up and down from the table on their own and be part of dinner conversation. A kid-size toilet seat plus a step stool sets them up for potty independence whenever they’re ready (wiping can come later).
ECR4Kids Chef's Helper Kitchen Step Stool
My kids loved to watch (and help when they could) me cook. The learning tower was also great for doing experiments and washing dishes in the sink. The brand that I bought for my kids no longer exists, but this is a brand that I trust.
- Toddler Step Stool: Encourage involvement and assistance in cooking, cleaning, and other activities; safely and securely elevate children to participate in baking, mixing, and preparing food.
- Easy to Reach: The perfect height for children to practice self-help skills building independence and self-esteem as they improve motor skills and gain confidence in their ability to try new things.
- Certified Safe: Montessori kitchen is UL GREENGUARD Gold Certified for low VOCs, TSCA, and CPSIA compliant; rounded edges and smooth surfaces for additional safety.
Eiury Toddler Booster Seat
Teaching kids empathy and nurturing can also be demonstrated through self-help tasks at home. My kids have their booster chairs so they can get up and down from the table independently (no straps or sides). It also lets them be a part of family dinner conversation.
- Effective Heightening: The interior of our booster seat is 3.5 inches thick high-density foam, which can provide effective support and allow children to eat or play at a suitable height
- Safety and Stability: Each booster seat has 2 adjustable safety belts and unfolding fixed straps. There are also anti-slip particles at the bottom, which can effectively secure the cushion and prevent it from sliding
Little2Big Toilet Seat
Teaching your child to care for others can look like teaching them to do things for themselves as well. This toilet seat (along with a step stool) allows them to set up their potty and go to the bathroom independently (wiping can come later!).
- Transition from Adult to Child Use with Ease: 2-in-1 toilet seat works for the whole family, the potty seat stays secured in the lid during adult use and kids simply lift the toddler seat to release
- Saves Space in the Bathroom: Built-in plastic toddler potty seat eliminates the need for an extra potty chair or insert – eliminating bathroom clutter and extra cleaning tasks
- Fits Round Toilets: This USA made seat measures 14.38u201d wide x 16.95u201d long and fits all standard elongated toilets including American Standard, Kohler, Toto and more; measure your toilet in seconds – watch our video above to learn how
- Slow Close & Quiet: Soft close toilet lid prevents loud slamming and pinched little fingers, simply tap the lid closed
Dyforce Kids Step Stool
Teaching kids to nurture can also apply to themselves. Teach them to care for their hygiene and solve small problems (like getting a cup of water) by themselves. We use these foldable stepstools at home for just these uses.
- Perfect for office environments, this foldable step stool provides ergonomic support for reaching high shelves or filing cabinets, while its compact design tucks neatly under desks for space-efficient storage
Free ideas: let them “help” with chores (wiping the table, tossing laundry in the basket), and let them try the spoon at every meal. A learning tower was a game changer for us. My son was always at my legs while I cooked until he could stand up and see what I was doing.
STEM Toys for 18 Month Olds (Bonus)
STEM at this age is cause and effect and “what happens if I…” It’s also the start of that “knobs, switches, and buttons” curiosity on the 2 year list. More in our STEM toys guide.
MindWare Start-Up Circuits STEM Toy
MindWare Start-Up Circuits STEM Toy
- Toys that Teach: Start-Up Circuits from MindWare is a fun way to teach your child the abstract concept of circuitry. The switch blocks and action tops are easy to snap together and the buttons are the perfect size for little fingers.
- Curious Kids: With a light that glows, a fan that spins and a siren that whistles, Start-Up Circuits from MindWare will delight children as they learn how a circuit is a circle that can make fun things happen.
- Mix and Match: Your curious child can mix and match the switch blocks and action tops simply by snapping them together. Make sure the red line is continuous across both pieces to complete the circuit.
- Interchangeable Pieces: Your child can experiment with each different combination to create actual working pieces. A bright red line represents the wire inside each piece. When the line makes a continuous path across a switch block and action top, and the switch is pressed or pushed, the Star-Up Circuit springs into action.
Hape Fix-It Tool Box
This compact toy covers a lot of ground. Kids can play carpenter (big at our house; my oldest still uses his kids’ workbench years later), put gears together, and build their own creations. It’s one of the wooden toys in my Hape roundup.
Hape Fix-It Tool Box Toy
This compact toy covers a lot of ground. Kids can play carpenter, use their fine motor skills to assemble gears, and build their own creations.
The pound and tap bench is pure cause and effect: pound the ball, it lands on the xylophone, it makes a sound. Then pull the xylophone out and play.
Hape Pound & Tap Bench
A 2-in-1 toy that kids can tap balls directly onto the xylophone for new sounds, or pull out the xylophone and play some tunes of their own.
- Pound the balls and they will drop on the xylophone, tinkling out a pleasant scale of notes
- Pull out the xylophone and play a tune directly on the keys
- Hape finishes are all non-toxic, child safe, and of the highest quality
If you’re shopping for a younger sibling, our best toys for 12 to 17 month olds picks up right before this stage, and our best toys for 2 year olds list is what comes next.
For every stage from newborn to 2 in one place, start with our baby and 1 year old toy hub.
🎁🌲 Holiday coming? Our stocking stuffer list has small picks that work at this age. And if car rides are rough right now, our travel toys guide can help.
Everything I Recommend, In One Spot
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Get StartedFAQ
Toys that match what they’re working on: something to push or ride, chunky blocks like Duplo, a stacker, a musical toy, board books, crayons, pretend play sets they can push around, and a soft baby doll.
Two or three at a time is plenty. I rotate every day or two. Fewer toys means longer, more focused play and less to clean up.
According to the CDC, most 18 month olds walk on their own, scribble, climb on and off the couch, copy chores, push toy cars, try to say three or more words, and move away from you while checking that you’re close by.
Yes, in small doses. But independently doesn’t mean unsupervised. It looks like them playing a few feet away while you do something nearby. Open-ended toys like blocks, play silks, and pretend sets work best, because there’s nothing to get stuck on.
Not at all. It starts with copying you: sweeping, stirring, pushing a car, feeding a doll. Simple sets like Little People vehicles and pretend food are perfect. You won’t see imaginative play (like acting out scenes) until 2 or 3 years old.
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