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Top Toy List for 2-6 Year Olds!

November 6, 2012 by Anna Ranson

Here is a list of my favourite toys and resources for young children aged 2 to 6, which all promote open-ended play, curiosity, independence and creativity!

Over on my Facebook page recently many readers asked me to put together a list of all my favourite toys and resources for young children. This has been really fun for me to create as I’m passionate about truly good quality, creative and intelligent toys for kids. Having taught with fairly energetic classes of Reception kids for many years, as well as having my own now, I’ve bought, handled and played with a LOT of toys over the past decade and have a good idea of which ones are the best types for creative play. This list either contains products that we own, I have used in the classroom or I have currently on my wish list for my own children.

There are way too many for one post, so I’m starting with a general, go-to supply list for toys, and will follow up with other themed lists soon, including art and sensory products, baby toys and educational materials. I have stated that this collection is suitable from age 2, even though many of the products themselves are recommended from ages 3 and up. My own have been fairly reliable from age 2 and don’t habitually put things in their mouths after this age. Please use your own knowledge of your child
when thinking what to buy.

Construction toys

Natural Wood Tree Blocks


Branch Wood Blocks

Stackable Wooden Rainbow

Mirror Blocks

Colour Window Blocks

Castle Blocks Play Set

Marble Run


Magnetic Blocks

Lego Duplo
Tap Art
Imaginative Toys

Schleich Toy Animals

Schleich Fairies and Elves

Animal Hand Puppets

Bake and Decorate Wooden Cupcakes

Rainbow Scarves

Melissa and Doug Dressing Up Costumes

Wooden Cakes Set


Wooden Ice Creams and Lollies

Farmyard and Animals

Wooden Castle

Wooden Kitchen

Rosebud Dolls’ House

Dolls House People

Wooden Train Set

Wooden Pirate Ship

Toy Cars

Playmobil Play Sets

Role Play Toys

Corolle Baby Doll

Wooden Doll’s Pram

Doll’s High Chair

Wooden Tool Kit

Wooden Fire Engine

Market Stall and Wooden Food

Construction Vehicle Set

Games, Puzzles and Beads

Pattern Blocks and Boards

Sort and Snap Colour Match

Tummy Ache Game


Shopping List

Wooden Peg Puzzles

Farm Floor Puzzle

Latches Board

Snakes and Ladders and Ludo

Wooden Lacing Beads

Number and Pattern Lacing Beads

Sensory and Investigation Toys

Ultra Slim Light Panel

 

Or make your own like our one here!

Magnetism Kit

Sand Pit/ Box

Water / Sand/ Messy Play Table

Large under-bed storage boxes

Wooden Rainbow Sound Blocks

Mirror Exploratory Box

Safety Mirrors

Musical Instrument Set

Discovery Bottles


Shaving Cream Paint

Play dough

Salt dough

Cloud dough

Water Beads

Finger paint

There are probably many more things that I could add to this list, and may come back and do so after we have tried them for ourselves and can attest that they are fabulous!

Also see our Top Toys for Babies and Toddlers list here!
[This post contains links to Amazon via my affiliates account. That simply means that if you buy anything after following a link, it will make no difference to you but I may earn enough to buy a cup of coffee, as a tip. Thanks!]

Related Posts

  • Top Toy List for Babies and Toddlers!
  • 15 DIY Non-Toys for Toddlers
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  • Counting and Addition Activity Tray
  • Alphabet Sound Machine
  • Nature Exploration Table Nature Exploration Table

Filed Under: Construction, Creativity, Knowledge and Understanding, Loose Parts, Preschooler, Resources, Toys Tagged With: Preschool Ideas, Toy List, Toys

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Comments

  1. Abby says

    November 6, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    Thanks for the list, it’s really helpful. I’m always after things for my son to play with that offer something more, whether it’s educational, stimulating, creative or just fun. My problem was sifting though endless web pages of toys – so much choice and so little time! Now my only problem is convincing relatives what to buy him when they seem bent on getting ugly plasticky things that will get thrown aside after a few minutes and that we don’t have space for!

  2. Polly says

    November 6, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    Wow, great ideas for Christmas. I love your website, it had re inspired me to be creative with my girls with ideas that work!! I teach English to French children in France, i use your ideas with them too….so much language is used when playing hey?!!
    So a big, big thank-you

  3. Emma @mummymummymum says

    November 6, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    Fantastic list Anna, everything on there I either have or want! 🙂

  4. Amy Cox says

    November 6, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    What a fab list! I have bookmarked lots of the links as i want to buy them for my daughter. Keep up the fantastic work! 🙂

  5. jenna@mumcentral says

    November 6, 2012 at 11:04 pm

    Fantastic toys- looking forward to your next lists now!:-)

  6. starfishtherapies says

    November 7, 2012 at 1:27 am

    I love the ideas! I am always looking for new ideas for the clinic and we often have parents asking what to get their kids for the holidays or for birthdays. I will definitely share this list! I think games and toys with pieces are a great way to incorporate repetition and imagination in! Thanks again.

  7. Katherine Lockett says

    November 7, 2012 at 11:38 am

    Great list Anna. Im glad that I either have most of it or its on Jake’s xmas/bday list. 🙂

  8. Susan Case says

    November 7, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    What a great list! Pinning this. No wonder people want to come over to your house and play!

  9. TheBoyandMe says

    November 7, 2012 at 4:42 pm

    Excellent list, I’ve pinned it and ordered the tap-it board from the link. Looking forward to the other lists as well. Thanks!

  10. Love and Lollipops says

    November 7, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    Absolutely fab list – I just shared it on my Facebook page. 🙂

  11. Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum says

    November 8, 2012 at 12:02 am

    WONDERFUL list I have been sharing it all day – Do you have any specific recommendations for a wooden kitchen we’re after one for T but there is so much choice

  12. pinkoddy says

    November 9, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    what a great list. my 3 1/2 yr old does still put things in his mouth – and am loving the puppets – he’s really into monkeys too. Thanks for sharing

  13. Karen says

    November 10, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    Super d duper!! What a useful list to have 🙂 We have ordered the mirror blocks – I’ve been looking something like these for ages and was so excited when I saw them here AND even better where to order them! Thank you so much. Looking forward to seeing the other lists now x

  14. sammy says

    November 10, 2012 at 10:05 pm

    what a great list thank you, just a quick question how do you deal with relatives buying for your children? I’m making a wish list on amazon of items I would like my son to have but I don’t think the in laws will pay much attention, all the toys they have for my son at their house are the noisy plastic type which I just don’t want my son playing with. x

  15. HWess says

    November 12, 2012 at 5:18 am

    Great list but two of the links (wooden cakes and wooden lollies) said 404 not found- and I’d love to pick them out if you have a link!

  16. Sasquatch says

    November 17, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  17. Kenneth Simmons says

    November 30, 2012 at 4:42 pm

    I like your post about ” ” very nice post. It is very helpfull.Also, we can know about Popular toys , best Christmas toys

  18. Green Toys says

    February 22, 2013 at 12:34 pm

    This are the perfect toys for the 2-6 year olds kids, as its the age of growing both physically and mentally so this kind of toys allow kids to make there efforts and show there thinking power.

  19. Playmobil Farm says

    March 22, 2013 at 3:34 pm

    Anything that stimulates the process of discovery and learning will enhance the educational and developmental process of children. Wooden toys of all sorts can fit into this category.

  20. pauline says

    April 29, 2013 at 4:20 pm

    thank you some grate ideas i was going crazy like every 1 else trawing through endless lists and so much chat abought edless nonsense x

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About The Imagination Tree Hello and welcome! I'm Anna, Mama of 4, early years teacher and play enthusiast from the UK! Click here to read more about me.

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