Toddlerhood is a busy age--but for the work at home mom--sometimes not busy enough. Their short attention span can mean that toddlers can blow through a lot of age-appropriate activities in a day, so a well-stocked toy box is key to keeping a WAHM’s toddlers busy. These particular toys for toddlers are chosen because they can keep kids playing independently.
Duplo Blocks
Duplo Blocks, made by Lego, are similar to Legos but larger and easier to work with, making them perfect toys for toddlers. The blocks are a good introduction to Lego building toys. This Duplo set (Shop Now) comes in a storage box with transparent lid and includes a building plate, a chassis with wheels, a boy figure and transparent bricks.
Thomas the Tank Engine Train Sets
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One of the classic toys for toddlers is wooden blocks. Even babies can stack wooden blocks (and then delight in knocking them down again), but toddlerhood is when they actually start building stuff. The pictured 60-piece wooden block set by Melissa and Doug, with its many shapes, (Shop Now) is a good start for a wooden block collection. And maybe add to it a set of the wooden letter cubes (Shop Now). See more train sets for kids.
Ryan's Room “Home Is Where the Heart Is” Dollhouse
Doll houses encourage imaginative play, something toddlers are just starting to learn about. The very open design of this three-story wooden dollhouse makes it easy for a toddler to manipulate the furnishings. The handle on top is nice for carrying but at 12 ½ pounds and measures a little over two feet tall that will be a parent’s job. It’s made of hardwood with rounded edges for safe play. See more wooden dollhouses.
Kidkraft Doll Family of 7
Don’t forget the dolls! Arranging furniture only has so much appeal. This set of dolls, which comes in African-American and Caucasian, is meant for the Kidcraft dollhouse above but will work with any dollhouse on the same scale as that one.
Multi-Solution Shape Puzzle: Robot
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With more than one solution to this puzzle kids won’t get bored quickly with this puzzle. And the simple shapes makes it a suitable toy for toddlers and twos. See other styles of these multi-solution puzzles (Shop Now).
Mozart Music Cube
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Babies will just press the buttons, but toddlers and preschoolers can experiment with adding each of the five musical instruments (harp, flute, French horn, piano and violin) that it plays. We had this toy when my kids were young. Generally I try to pick out quiet toys, but kids do have to make a little noise now and then. And while it's not exactly quiet, it pleasant to listen to, unlike many toddler toys. See more music toys for kids
Learn To Dress Monkey
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This Learn to Dress Monkey from Alex Toys teaches kids some very basic but important fine motor skills. And before kids are ready for to learn those skills, it’s just a very loveable pal. With 11 dressing activities, kids can learn to snap, button, hook and loop, zipper and more. See more fashion toys for kids.
Poppin Shapes Aquarium
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Shape sorters can be frustrating (and therefore boring) for young toddlers. But this one--with its shapes that turn into fish--will hold kids’ attention even if they quite figured out the sorting thing.
Wonderworld Rolling Rainbow
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Learning cause and effect has never been so fun with this sturdy wooden toy for toddlers and twos. Children place four wheels of different colors and shapes on an adjustable track and then see what happens. The wheels create different sounds and patterns when rolling down the track.
