8 Beautiful, Open-Ended Toys to Boost Learning
Children don’t need beautiful surroundings to have fun, but making your family home a place that brings you joy is important too. And if you find your kids toys attractive and inspiring, there’s more of a chance you’ll want to get involved!
Here are 8 beautiful toys which boost learning with their open-ended nature, letting your child’s imagination lead the way:
Mushie Silicone Stacking Cups
Suitable from 6 months+, this set is a sweet investment in fun for years to come. Stack them, roll them, catch them, use them for pretend play as cups and bowls or flying saucers for tiny toys – these cups are 100% free from BPA, PVC and phthalates. Stacking cups are great for building motor skills and hand eye coordination.
Wooden Rainbow Stacker
This pretty wooden stacker makes a lovely addition to any small world play and encourages fine-motor skills with its stackable function. Use as tunnels for cars, see-saws for soft toys, balance them on your head as a helmet or hold one as a phone – there’s endless ways to use each arch, your child will show you how it’s done best!
Tri-Climb Pikler Triangle
This award-winning indoor climbing frame is a playroom classic for toddlerhood and beyond. Great for little climbers, you can add a slide, or pop over a blanket and make a tiny den! The best bit is watching how your little ones choose to use it. A Pikler Triangle is a good one for strengthening gross motor skills in particular.
Capikooa Balance Board
Get little bodies moving with a balance board! These are brilliant for helping even the tiniest kids to enjoy open-ended play. Wobble on top, squeeze underneath, turn upside down and make a platform to jump off. This small business has boards in a selection of sizes to suit play at every age. You can even add a cosy cover to make it into a snug seat for relaxing on with a book.
Deluxe Magnetic Building Blocks
If you’re a fan of bright colours and your kids love construction, this set of magnetic building blocks will go down a treat! There’s so much they can do with it, whether it’s creating mini villages for figures or making pictures on the front of the fridge. This is the sort of set you can double up to extend the fun, giving more mix and match options. Great for creativity and problem solving.
Mud Kitchen
One for the garden, this incredible mud kitchen allows for hours of outdoor messy fun and looks beautiful too! Each kitchen is hand built using responsibly sourced, pressure treated timber and the work surface area is made from high quality birch ply. Mixing bowls and a selection of kitchen utensils are included too. Playing with a mud kitchen is a brilliant way to create sensory learning opportunities and let their imagination unfold.
100pcs Wooden Block Set
Another classic buy for a playful home, this huge set of wooden blocks allows your child to build freely. Great for mixing with other toys to make pretend worlds and encouraging basic engineering. These particular blocks have been hand crafted from sustainable wood, painted in eco pigments and finished with beeswax and botanical oils and are completely free of any toxins.
Which of these would your child love? And do you have any other open-ended staples to share? Let me know on Instagram @printplaylearn
