The best building toys for toddlers

Your toddler is learning dexterity. Stacking blocks helps to develop hand-eye coordination and motor skills, as well as spatial skills. Problem solving and imagination are also fostered by block play. Intellectual, physical, and emotional well-being are being promoted, too.

A toddler’s level of motor development correlates with the number of blocks he can stack. The average toddler can stack five blocks, so now is the time to get your toddler some blocks to help develop his motor skills. 

Research shows higher IQ scores in children who participate in block play.  Other studies show that building toys for toddlers leads to higher math scores and an ability to greatly improve their spatial reasoning skills. Stacking blocks also escalate your toddler’s problem-solving skills and creativity.

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Why do toddlers like to build stuff?

Creativity

When stacking blocks, your toddler can build whatever he wants to and create countless real and imaginary things. He can process in his brain more than he can communicate, so he may know what he is building, even though he cannot tell you. This being said, his creativity is at work. He may be building your car or a tree outside.

Open-ended play

Open ended toys explore a toddler’s imagination. They learn to examine and solve problems. Your toddler can learn to play independently and foster his patience and confidence. His inquisitiveness will be utilized. Open ended toys for toddlers don’t get old quickly because they keep them engaged.

Pride and Self-Esteem

Until now, your child has been able to control very little and he craves that in his life. Block play gives him the ability to develop the feeling of control. In addition to control, building toys will help develop mastery, which may satisfy similar cravings. These newly acquired skills build his sense of pride and self-esteem.

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What types of toys are best for toddlers that like to build?

There are so many different types of toys that can help kids that love to build things. Here are some of our favorites:

  • Open ended toys
  • STEM, STEAM and STREAM toys (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math)
  • Nesting cups
  • Building blocks
  • Stacker toys
  • Magnetic toys
  • Building toys 

…and many more

The best toys for toddlers that like building stuff

LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 

LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 10698 Build Your Own Creative Toys, Kids Building Kit (790 Pieces)

This LEGO brick set is a set of plastic bricks or blocks that lock together but also pull apart easily. With these bricks, your toddler can exercise his creativity and imagination by building anything he sets his mind to: the rocketship he saw on his kids’ movie, his dad’s sailboat, or his house.

This 790-piece set of bricks offers eight types of plastic windows and doors, two baseplates, and six tires and wheel rims. This set is compatible with all other LEGO construction sets. One of the baseplates is 6 inches by 6 inches. The other is 4 inches by 2 inches. He can build upon them whatever he can imagine.

STEM Building Toys 2-in-1 Remote Control Racer

GAMZOO STEM Building Toys for Kids with 2-in-1 Remote Control Racer Snap Together Engineering Kits Early Learning Racecar Building Blocks and Off-Road Best Gift for 6,7,8 and 9+Year Old Boys and Girls

This STEM 2-in-1 Remote-Controlled Racer is a building set that also lets you make an off-road truck from the same pieces you build the race car with. STEM toys are meant to build social bonds, solve problems, and design and build things. 

The flexible remote control makes them simple to maneuver on indoor and outdoor surfaces that are flat and smooth. The snap-together pieces are easy to use and boost hand-eye coordination, creativity, and development of critical thinking skills, allowing your toddler to have lots of fun at the same time.

Brickyard STEM Educational Construction Engineering Building Blocks 

163 Piece STEM Toys Kit, Educational Construction Engineering Building Blocks Learning Set for Ages 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Year Old Boys & Girls by Brickyard, Best Kids Toy, Creative Games & Fun Activity

This STEM Construction Engineering Building Blocks set by Brickyard allows up to six players at a time. It comes with blocks, wrenches, wheels, plates, nuts, and bolts. Focused on science, technology, engineering, and math skills, this STEM toy helps boost your child’s creativity and imagination. It challenges them to build out of their imagination.

This toy encourages your child to command fine motor skills, enhance logical thinking, develop hand-eye coordination, and refine his ability to solve problems. Can promote social skills, improve imagination, reinforce creativity, and build collaboration and teamwork.

Playmags 3D Magnetic Blocks 

Playmags 3D Magnetic Blocks for Kids Set of 100 Blocks to Learn Shapes, Colors, & Alphabet STEM Magnetic Toys Develop Motor Skills&Creativity-Colorful, Durable Magnet Building Tiles & Idea Book

This Playmags 3D Magnetic Blocks set comes with 82 durable, strong magnetic tiles, with which your child can build tall 3D buildings and more. There are 18 unique “click-ins” that pop into each tile window with letters, so your toddler can learn. There are many combinations. These engineering blocks stimulate the development of motor skills, problem-solving, and shape recognition.

Veatree Magnetic Building Sticks 

Veatree 150 Pcs Magnetic Building Sticks Blocks Toys, Magnet Educational Toys Magnetic Blocks Sticks Stacking Toys Set for Kids and Adult, Non-Toxic Building Toy 3D Puzzle with Storage Bag

This Veatree Magnetic Sticks set stimulates the hand-eye coordination of your child, as well as training their graphic cognition. Expand their ability to distinguish colors. Comes with colorful geometric shapes and 3D foam numbers. It is the perfect team-building set.

It is non-toxic. There is no BPA and no harmful substances. The set contains 150 pieces, including magnetic sticks and non-magnetic steel balls.

Magformers Magnetic Building Blocks

Magformers Basic Set (62-pieces) Magnetic Building Blocks, Educational Magnetic Tiles, Magnetic Building STEM Toy, Multi-colored, Model Number: 63070

This Magformers Magnetic Building Blocks set has pieces that are made with neodymium rare-earth magnets. This makes sure you get connectivity each time your toddler plays or builds. This 62-piece set comes in a rainbow of colors and many shapes. Your child can build in 2D or 3D. These pieces are compatible with all Magformers shapes and accessories.

TINKERTOY Super Building Set 

TINKERTOY 30 Model 200 Piece Super Building Set - Preschool Learning Educational Toy for Girls and Boys 3+ (Amazon Exclusive)

This TINKERTOY Super Building Set includes 200 pieces of brightly colored parts: spools, washers, flags, rods, and end caps. With 30 models you can build, your child can hone his engineering skills. With STEAM concepts, your child’s analytical skills come into play.

Some pieces are flexible for more creations. They stay together but are not hard to take apart.

STEM Take Apart Toys 

Take Apart Toys with Electric Drill | Converts to Remote Control Car | 3 in one Construction Truck Take Apart Toy for Boys | Gift Toys for Boys 3,4,5,6,7 Year Olds | Kids Stem Building Toy

This STEM Take Apart Toy set includes a remote-controlled, battery-powered dump truck, cement truck, and crane. It is a 44-piece set, with which your child can change the battery-powered drill into a remote-controlled truck in one step. There is a step-by-step guide for using the powered drill.