Development Through Play: Expert-Recommended Toys by Age (0–10 Years)
Play is the work of childhood. When we are intentional about toy choice, we are giving kiddos the opportunity to boost development by building strength, coordination, creativity, and confidence - all disguised as PLAY!
This guide will walk through some of our favorite toy recommendations for babies, toddlers, and kids - focused on improving gross and fine motor coordination, strength, and functional skills. Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, or therapist, this guide is designed to help you choose toys that grow with the child and support meaningful development.
Infants (0–12 Months): Building the Foundations
Development focus: head control, rolling, reaching, grasping, early core strength
Gross motor suggestions
When babies are on their tummies or backs, they’re working on core strength, head/neck control, reaching and rolling. A good activity gym or play-mat encourages these movements.
Fine motor suggestions
At this age, simple grasp rings, soft rattles, cloth books with textures/flaps help tiny fingers engage with the world. For example, cloth books encourage tactile exploration and finger use.
Toys We Love:
Peek-An-Animal Pop Up Toy – An early fine-motor toy with press/flip/slide actions that reward baby with pop-up animal pals; great for grasp and cause-&-effect.
Wooden Activity Triangle – A dual-sided wooden panel toy with sliding knobs, spinning gears, and twist rods — supports small-hand control and problem-solving in the first year.
Ms. Rachel Sensory Learning Farm – For infants: sensory textures, peek-a-boo flaps, tummy-time friendly. Supports fine motor and early movement.
Toddlers (1–3 Years): Movers and Makers
Development focus: walking, climbing, stacking, bilateral coordination (using both sides of the body), simple tool use
Gross motor suggestions
Toddlers love pushing, pulling, climbing, exploring. Toys that support balance and whole-body coordination are critical for progressing to higher-level activities and skills.
Fine motor suggestions
Large wooden blocks, chunky lacing beads, peg puzzles help refine hand-eye coordination and dexterity. At this age you want things that are sturdy, safe, but invite manipulation.
Toys We Love:
Learning Resources Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog – Kids push and replace chunky “quills” into the hedgehog, supporting hand strength, coordination, and early math (color/sequence) skills.
Bilibo Seat for Indoor/Outdoor Play — open-ended and multi-use – encourages balance, spinning, scooping or even rolling.
VTech Buzz & Learn Activity Table – A toddler-height activity table that encourages standing, reaching, rotation, and fine-motor manipulation (buttons, lights, shapes).
Edushape Sensory Ball Set – Soft balls of different textures. Encourages reaching, grasping, movement (gross and fine motor combined) in 0-2 range.
Wooden Activity Cube – A cube with zigzag bead routes, spinners and shapes. Great for grasping, reaching, fine motor + early spatial skills.
Bilibo Seat for Indoor/Outdoor Play
Preschoolers (3–5 Years): Refining Control and Creativity
Development focus: jumping, running, early writing readiness, refining coordination of hands and body
Gross motor suggestions
Balance bikes, scooter boards, simple stepping-stones or mini obstacle courses help children refine balance, timing, coordination.
Fine motor suggestions
Play-Doh with tools, magnetic tiles, lacing cards, threading beads all help strengthen fingers for writing later on.
Toys We Love:
Learning Resources Max the Fine Motor Moose – A fine-motor focus toy for preschoolers: rings to grasp, textures to feel, color matching — builds better hand-control ahead of writing tasks.
Wooden Alphabet Puzzle (Montessori) – A wooden puzzle for older preschool/early elementary: supports fine motor (placing letters), literacy (letters/word recognition), and spatial reasoning.
Lakeshore Scooter Board – A gross-motor playboard for toddlers/kids: encourages crawling/kneeling transitions, coordination of arms/legs, and core strength.
Hand2Mind Grab That Monster Fine Motor Activity Set – Toddlers/preschoolers use grabbers to collect monsters. Encourages fine motor precision and sorting.
Early School Age (5–7 Years): Skill Building and Coordination
Development focus: hand dominance, refined motor planning, handwriting readiness, athletic coordination (running, catching, etc)
Gross motor suggestions
Jump ropes, hula hoops, small sports sets (t-ball, soccer net), slackline kits — these build endurance, coordination, timing.
Fine motor suggestions
LEGO sets, magnetic building rods, Perler beads or pegboards, kinetic sand sets help refine precision grip, hand strength, bilateral coordination (using both hands).
Toys We Love:
Gotrax Kids Lean-to-Steer Scooter – For active 5-7 yr-olds: a height-adjustable scooter that builds balance, coordination, leg strength, and confidence in movement.
Balance Board With Sensory Maze – A more advanced balance board targeted to older kids; ideal for refining coordination, balance, core strength (gross motor).
Learning Resources Helping Hands Fine Motor Tool Set – A set of tools (tweezers, dropper, scooper) to strengthen hand/finger muscles and support fine motor refinement.
Balance Board With Sensory Maze
Older Kids (8–10 Years): Complex Coordination and Creativity
Development focus: endurance, agility, hand-eye precision (throwing/catching), independent projects, fine motor for detailed tasks
Gross motor suggestions
Outdoor sports gear (Frisbee, spikeball, jump bands), ninja-line or backyard balance course kits, even dance or fitness video games for movement and coordination.
Fine motor suggestions
STEM kits (robotics, circuitry), origami/model-kits, embroidery or friendship-bracelet looms, advanced building sets — these require focus, precision, planning.
Toys We Love:
Sports Ninja Slackline Obstacle Course Kit – Gross motor heavy: builds agility, balance, coordination, movement planning for this age group.
Self-Balancing Balance Scooter – A more advanced balance/ride toy for older kids; great for refining motor planning, balance under movement, and gross-motor endurance.
Electronic Dance Pad With Buttons - An open-ended gross-motor toy for older kids: dance, movement, spatial awareness — great for coordination and body control in playful contexts.
Tips for Parents (All Ages)
Choose open-ended toys — toys that don’t have just one way to play stay useful longer, and push creativity.
Rotate toys so things don’t get stale. A toy out for a week, then swapped out, revived, brings new interest.
Play together — your engagement boosts motivation, scaffolds new skills, and helps children push their envelope safely.
Balance gross + fine motor opportunities — a child needs big-body movement and hand/finger work for full motor development.
Avoid overstimulation — sometimes the simplest toys offer the richest developmental benefit. A well-designed mat and an adult nearby is better than a flashy toy that’s too complex.
Safety first — always check age recommendations, small-parts choking hazards, and let your child play under supervision especially when learning new movement or manipulative tasks.
From the first kicks and reaches of infancy to the complex builds and outdoor mastering of pre-adolescence, development unfolds through joyful movement and exploration. The toys you choose can support this journey and offer more than “just fun” — they become tools of growth, confidence, and competence.
Remember: the best toy isn’t always the most expensive or trendy — it’s the one that invites your child to move, to explore, to experiment, to succeed (and sometimes fail and try again), with your support and presence.
Here’s to the years of play ahead — may they be full of discovery, movement, imagination, and growth.