Toys Build Cognitive Skills
by The Genius of Play Team
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In play, kids build cognitive skills including:
- Focus
- Planning Skills
- Attention Span
- Reasoning
- Memory
From building pre-math skills to helping little attention spans grow, toys are tools that help develop the cognitive skills kids need to be successful in the classroom!! Here are some cool toy picks that can help build your child’s cognitive skills:
Clixo by Toyish Labs
Ages 4+
Clixo offers kids a whole new way to build! Its flexible play system is built on the magic of magnets. Unlike rigid blocks, each Clixo building piece is flexible, allowing children to shape the pieces, snap the magnets together in different ways, and build whatever comes naturally!
What kids learn through play with Clixo: In play with STEAM toys like Clixo, children will naturally explore mathematical concepts like sorting, matching, identifying shapes and spatial reasoning. As children build their Clixo creation, they are also actively honing planning and problem-solving skills.
Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz Set by Spin Master
Ages 3+
Inspired by the drop and squish play pattern on social media, the Sandwhirlz Playset makes it easy to customize Kinetic Sand effects with the shape shifters and tools! Open up the case to discover your Kinetic Sand inside and a play area on the lid. Play with your Kinetic Sand to get it flowy, soft and ready for play!
What kids learn through play with a Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz Set: Sensory play is play that engages a child's senses of touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing. When kids use a combination of senses during play, studies show that the experience creates stronger, deeper neural pathways in the brain. Kinetic Sand is a great way to get your kids excited about sensory play.
Story Time Chess
Ages 3+
Kids as young as 3-years-old can learn to play chess with Story Time Chess. It’s no ordinary chess set! Utilizing interactive stories, this toy focuses on teaching kids why chess pieces move in their own unique ways, which can cement chess knowledge in your child’s mind.
What kids learn through play with Story Time Chess: Board games like Story Time Chess ignite cognitive skills. Playing pushes kids to engage in out of the box thinking, and come up with creative solutions. Story Time Chess is also a great way to introduce goal setting to young children. In order to checkmate their opponent's king, your child has to identify the possible steps needed to accomplish the goal and quickly identify alternatives when their plans are foiled by their opponent.
Star Wars The Child Animatronic Edition Toy by Hasbro
Ages 4+
Unbox 2 rock bands and 70+ surprises with LOL Surprise Remix Super Surprise. It’s the ultimate rock concert unboxing experience! Kids will find LOL Surprise O.MHe may look like “Baby Yoda,” but this lovable creature is called The Child -- and now your child can become his protector. Touching the top of The Child’s head activates over 25 sound and motion combinations, including happy and excited sounds, giggles, babbles, and more, all while the figure’s head moves up and down, ears move back and forth, and eyes open and close.
What kids learn through play with Star Wars The Child Animatronic Edition Toy: Pretend play with toys like The Child involves symbolism, which is a concept kids will use for both reading and math. For instance, if your child uses a couch pillow to become an intergalactic cruiser for The Child to command, they are creating and using the pillow as a symbol. The same way the written letter A makes an “A” sound, or the number 1 represents a single object.
Railway Bucket-Builder-Set by Hape International Inc.
Ages 3+
The Railway Bucket-Builder train set lets your kids build their own town! Unpack everything from the storage box then use the lid to create a cool little town for your passengers and cargo to move through! Easy to connect wood tracks, a magnetic crane, and more will keep your child engaged for hours.
What kids learn through play with Railway Bucket-Builder-Set: Kids love to play with train sets – and their brain loves them too! Track layouts are like long puzzles, which challenge a child’s spatial-reasoning and problem-solving skills. Puzzle play activities are also so cognitively engaging that experts recommend them for helping children cope with stress.
Dimpl Digits by Fat Brain Toy Company
Ages 2+
Dimpl Digit’s squishy, silicone bubbles captivate the fingers in a way that's impossible to put down while simultaneously opening a unique new avenue for learning. On one side, the bubbles are embossed with the numerals 1 through 10, each accompanied by its matching word in English. Flip it over and your child will find the words written in Spanish, plus dots to feel and count!
What kids learn through play with Dimpl Digits: Child development experts advise parents to ensure their child is provided opportunities to engage in sensory play, because the brain learns best when multiple senses are involved. Feeling, seeing and pressing numbers in play with Dimpl Digits can help reinforce numerical learning. Plus, for some children repetitive movements and pressure, like those involved during play with Dimpl Digits, can be especially soothing. Especially for those with Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD.
Giving kids time for play, and equipping them with skill-building toys, can help them develop cognitive skills that will help them be successful adults! Find more skill-building toys in our Cool Toy Picks.