As a parent, you want to give your children every opportunity to succeed. One important way to set them up for success is to help them develop strong cognitive skills. These are the skills that enable them to think, learn, and remember information.
There are a variety of methods to assist your children in developing their cognitive abilities. One great way is to provide them with toys that promote cognitive development.
Here are 10 great cognitive development toys to help your kids reach their full potential:
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– Cognitive skills: letters and numbers
1. Self-Correcting Number Puzzles by Melissa & Doug
The Melissa & Doug Self-Correcting Number Puzzles set is a great way to help kids learn matching and counting skills. This cognitive development toy set includes 40 wooden pieces with color pictures of familiar objects that illustrate numbers one through 20.
The set can be used for matching games, counting activities, number recognition, and color recognition. Additionally, it can be used for memory games, grab bag games, and storytime.
The number puzzles set are great for helping kids ages 4 and up learn important early childhood development skills.
2. Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game Toy
CozyBomB Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game Toy is perfect for early childhood development! The game helps children learn colors, hand-eye coordination, and math counting skills while they have fun fishing in the ocean or under the ice. The smooth wooden blocks and environmentally friendly paint are safe for kids to play with, and the magnetic fishing poles make it easy to hook the fish. This is a great gift for children aged 3 years old and up.
Learn the 26-letters English Alphabet and sea animals fishing concept with this fun and educational toy!
– Cognitive Skills: shapes and colors
3. Classic Toy Bead Maze
It is important to consider how they will encourage active play when choosing toys. The Classic Toy Bead Maze is an active toy that encourages fine motor skills and color and shape recognition. The beads are easy to grip and feel great in little hands. The sturdy wooden base makes this toy durable. It’s the best present for little ones aged one year old and up to enjoy the hands-on, screen-free play.
4. Shape Sorting Game
The CozyBomB Shape Sorting Game is a great way to encourage creativity and physical activity in your child. They will love sorting the shapes and sticks, and you can even add in some rings to make it more challenging. With ten different colors and shapes, this game is perfect for 3-year-old boys and girls. It’s a great way to develop color recognition, hand-eye coordination, and creativity. Plus, it is a STEM toy! (Wondering what STEM toys are and how they can help your child? This article explains everything you need to know about these educational toys!)
5. Turtle Ball Pit
The Turtle Ball Pit offers a lot of educational advantages. The different colors of the balls help to learn color and shape identification. Balls are great for gross motor skills development, but they can also teach your child about cause and effect (rolling the ball makes it move) and basic physics concepts like momentum.
The holes in the turtle’s shell provide an opportunity for developing fine motor skills as the baby pushes and pulls the balls through them. The crinkling feet, squeaking button, textured ring, mirror, and silky fabric tags all stimulate sensory experiences. And, of course, the attached soft ball rattle is sure to keep little ones entertained.
– Cognitive skills: critical thinking and problem-solving
6. Rubik’s Cube
For parents who want to support their child’s development, the Rubik’s Cube is a great option. This classic puzzle can help children improve focus and attention, memory, problem-solving skills, math skills, and reflexes. It also teaches patience – an important quality for success in life. With so many benefits, it’s no wonder the Rubik’s Cube is a timeless favorite among parents and the little ones alike. Designed for ages 3 and up.
7. Buckle Toy – Bubbles Square
This all-in-one sensory toy features a zipper pocket, embroidered numbers and shapes, interactive flaps with different fabric textures, and six colorful buckles with different clasps – perfect for building knowledge and fine motor skills! Bubbles Square is also great for those with special needs, as it helps develop cognitive abilities, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills. Plus, the subtle design means you can take it anywhere – simply clip it to a stroller, diaper bag, or shopping car! A must-have for children ages 1 and up.
8. iTrax Critical Thinking Game
The iTrax Critical Thinking Game is the perfect game that encourages problem-solving, critical thinking, and perseverance. With 44 pieces, 25 double-sided pattern cards, and an activity guide, this game is perfect for children aged 6 years old and up. There are three levels of play so that everyone can join in on the fun. When you’re done playing, just pack everything up in the included storage box.
– Cognitive skills: language
9. Wooden Building Blocks Set
Wooden building blocks are a classic game that has been around for centuries. They are popular because they are simple and offer endless possibilities for imaginative play. Wooden blocks can help children learn language skills, math concepts, hand-eye coordination, and social and emotional development. They are also an excellent resource for inventing new games and activities. Designed for children ages 3 and up. It includes a variety of shapes and colors to keep the little ones engaged and entertained. With this set, your child can sort the blocks by shape and color, build towers, and practice counting, addition, and subtraction. (I have written an article about the development benefits of wooden building blocks for children that I encourage you to read!)
10. Magna Doodle
The Magna Doodle is a great way for children to learn language skills and improve their writing abilities. The board is portable so it can go where they go, and the pen is erasable so they can start a new one with every new creation. It’s also a great way for children to practice drawing skills. Each Magna doodle comes with a drawing board, a magic pen, and two stamps. Not recommended for children under 3 years. Magna Doodle’s benefits are letters and numbers recognition, enhancing your child’s imagination and creativity expression, social and emotional development, and learning new vocabulary.
– Final Thoughts
These are ten great toys that help with the cognitive development of kids of all ages. Each toy offers different benefits associated with language skills, writing skills, problem-solving, critical thinking, and more. These toys are an excellent method to encourage child development and learning.