In a world where the newest electronic gadget or toy is constantly pushing for our attention, it can be tough to find gifts that encourage children to tap into their creativity. But don't worry – we've done the hard work for you! From blocks and painting sets to dolls and dress-up clothes, these 30 creative toys will help your child explore their imagination and discover their inner artist, thinker, and creator. So what are you waiting for? Scroll down and learn more!
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Right from the beginning, I would like to mention that we have an in-depth blog post on how to facilitate creative thinking in kids, which you can read here. It is a must-read for every parent who wants to raise anti-fragile kids ready for the future.
Best Creative Toys to Promote Imagination & Innovative Thinking
Toys for Creative Building
1. Loose parts
Loose parts are such a universal toy that a child of every age will be thrilled to play with them. Research shows the benefits of loose part play for children's creativity, imagination and focus.
So what are the loose parts? They are anything that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, taken apart, and put back together in numerous ways. It can be pebbles, leaves, acorns, buttons, stones, feathers, pieces of cloth, wooden blocks… anything really!
The best way to provide loose parts is to go on a nature walk and collect some natural materials. This way, you will also introduce your child to reusing and recycling.
Shall I buy loose parts?
There are several types of loose parts like:
- outdoor (rocks, pebbles, twigs, pinecones, leaves, feathers, and everything that the nature can provide)
- household (keys, chains, thread spools, glass pebbles, straws, even macaroni and any other small part you may find at home)
- bought (these are beautifully designed, not-toxic, usually wooden loose parts of various shapes and colors that can be used for pretend play, mandalas, small world play, learning letters and numbers, etc.)
You do not need to buy loose parts to inspire creativity in your child. Every small piece that you don't need can become a toy for children, age-appropriate, of course. Even more fun is to pick up loose parts with kids on your next nature walk. But also loose parts make a fantastic gift.
Children practice their creative thinking through the loose parts play every time they use them differently. Creativity practice could occur through using buttons as coins, sticks as magic wands, or building towers out of blocks. The possibilities are endless!
The one important rule to remember is never to interrupt or compromise children's play. When children play, they go into deep focus or flow. By doing this, children's brain trains the skill of attention and impulse control. You can read more about ways to encourage play in our upcoming blog post.
2. Legos
Legos are irreplaceable for kids regardless the gender and age. I love Legos' multifunctionality because children can play with these toys in so many different ways.
- They can build constructions using Lego instructions and develop visual-spatial attention.
- Children can use their finished buildings for pretend play in various play scenarios.
- Children can build their own creations using the Lego blocks they have.
- They can build models and prototypes and learn to solve problems using Lego blocks during the design thinking process. We have a detailed description of this process in our blog post on teaching children creativity, and you can read it here.
Legos is a fantastic open-ended toy, but children love the Lego sets with instructions in the first place. We have a series of excellent and very detailed posts about the best Lego sets for various ages on our web. You can check out these gift guides and choose the Lego set that your child will love!
The First LEGO Set: Handpicked Toys That 1- to 3-Year-Olds Will Love
Best Gifts for Lego Lovers: The Ultimate Gift Guide For 4- to 7-Year-Olds
Lego Gift Ideas: The Best Lego Sets for 8- To 12-Year-Olds
3. Magnetic tiles
We've had magnetic tiles at home since my oldest was 2, and it was a hit ever after. Children can play with magnetic tiles in so many different ways! My children built houses, roads, and trains on the magnetic wheelbase, used tiles for window decoration, learned secondary colors by staking tiles against the sunlight, built fairy houses by incorporating electric tealights into their buildings, etc.
I couldn't recommend magnetic tiles highly enough for children of all ages. Just make sure that your magnetic tiles are sturdy and that there are no ways for those small magnets to fall off the tile, as this might be a severe danger for little kids if they swallow it.
It is always better to choose decent-quality magnetic tiles from well-known brands, even if they are more expensive.
Magnetic tiles are fantastic open-ended toys that promote creativity and imagination.
4. K'nex
K'nex is another wonderful construction toy that promotes children's creativity, imagination, and engineering skills. These sets come with the instructions, but once children build the models, they can use their K'nex set to build anything they can imagine.
K'nex is a great open-ended toy for children interested in engineering and construction. It is a great STEM toy as it helps children develop problem-solving skills, learn about physics and motion, and encourages them to think outside the box.
5. PlusPlus
PlusPlus is a construction toy that consists of colorful plastic pieces that fit together to form various shapes and structures. This set is a great open-ended toy for children interested in building and design. PlusPlus promotes creativity, imagination, and spatial awareness. It is also a great STEM toy as it helps children develop problem-solving skills and learn about geometry and spatial relations.
Also, the small format of PlusPlus makes it an irreplaceable toy for trips, long lines, car rides, and all types of situations where you need to distract your kids and make good use of their time (or kill time in some cases).
6. Wooden blocks
Wooden blocks are another great toy for imagination and creativity. Children can build houses, towers, cars, rockets, or anything else they can think of! My kids love to use wooden blocks to create different things, especially tunnels, for some reason.
Blocks are also great for learning about balance and gravity. Wooden blocks come in all different shapes and sizes, so there are endless possibilities for what your child can create.
Plain building blocks are great to use. However, in my experience, the colorful Grimms-style blocks children choose for their play much more often.
Also, these giant unconventional building blocks have always been used extensively in our home. They may seem weird and bulky, bud they are actually smartly designed, so they stack and fit each other nicely. For this reason, children can build enormous constructions and unleash their imagination to the fullest.
7. Rainbow stacker
Rainbow stacker is a fantastic open-ended toy that children use in numerous ways in their play. The wooden rainbow is one of the most popular toys in Waldorf-inspired toy settings, and there are many Instagram accounts to get a play inspiration from. Just check out the hashtag #grimms, and your life will never be the same again.
8. Pattern blocks
Pattern blocks are great for the creation of various pictures and patterns. But not only that. Pattern blocks can also be used as loose parts for imaginative play. They can be anything, from food to pills in doctor play, public transport tickets, money, decorations, etc. Pattern blocks is a fantastic open-ended toy that boosts children's imagination and creative thinking!
Pretend Play for Imagination and Creativity
9. Cardboard box
A cardboard box is the most universal toy ever and is a symbol of children's creativity. Give a cardboard box to any child and watch their creativity unravel! A cardboard box can be used in any type of play scenario: it can be transformed into a house, a car, a rocket ship, or anything else your child can think of!
Add some paints and let your children decorate a box. I can ensure you won't hear from them for a long time!
A cardboard box is a secret attention-grabbing weapon that is passed from generation to generation of parents.
10. Fort kit
Fort kits come with all the materials you need to build a fort, including poles, sheets, and clips. This is an excellent toy for rainy or cold winter days when your kids are stuck indoors. Forts can be built of any size, so they are great for small apartments or large houses. Your kids will have hours of fun playing in their very own fort!
A fort kit is a great way to encourage your kids to use their imagination and be creative. Forts can be decorated with lights, blankets, pillows, and toys to make them even more fun.
Children can build everything from a rocket ship to a post office with a fort kit. Here children apply their creative thinking and build decorations for play. Also, a fort kit is a fantastic tool for teaching design thinking algorithms to kids.
11. Costumes and play silks
Dress-up clothes are great for encouraging pretend play, and they can be used to create all sorts of different characters and scenarios. Whether playing doctor, nurse, firefighter, police officer, chef, or teacher, dress-up clothes provide hours of fun and creative play!
Play silks is an open-ended toy that children can use in all their dress-up play and build tents, create a small world, puppet theater, etc. Play silk is a magnetic material for kids, which they love to touch and play with; silk stimulates children's sensory system and is great for babies and school children at the same time.
12. Dolls and toy animals
For creativity development, I would recommend using wooden peg dolls that are open-ended and can be incorporated into any play. Even better, if your child creates dolls on their own. There are many kits for doll creation, for example, this one
However, let's not forget that pretend play is another creativity booster, and for this type of play, classic dolls work perfectly. So, do not hesitate to let your children play with regular dolls; just make sure they are safe for little kids. What I mean by safe is that a doll must have realistic features that children, especially girls under 7 can relate to. I would not buy my daughter a doll with an adult body or disproportionally big eyes to not build unhealthy stereotypes in her young mind.
Toy animals are another great tools to encourage play in children, as they can be used in many different types of play. Children can build a farm with blocks; they can create small worlds using toy animals, they can wash them in sensory play, etc. Toy animals provide a vast number of play scenarios.
13. Cars
Cars are universal toys that both girls and boys love, so do not hesitate to have all sorts of cars of different sizes. Even though sometimes it feels like the same toy for adults, children can use their cars for long and focused hours of play.
We had cars as little as 1 inch and as big as 20 inches in our home. Children always used these cars in different types of play: in a small world, on the road they had built, as vehicles for dolls, in water play, and even for riding.
Do not limit children to toy cars only. Any object that can move can be a car for children's play. We had many different "cars" made of cardboard boxes, egg cartons, and plastic bottles. Show your children how to create a "car" out of improvised means, and you'll broaden their imagination horizons and boost their creative thinking.
14.Wooden train set
Another special type of vehicle that every child should have is a wooden train set. The bigger, the better. If you have an opportunity to get a used wooden train set - go for it because children love playing with them, and they will definitely spend many hours creating different scenarios for their play.
A train set is just irreplaceable for many play scenarios. Moreover, stacking rails to each other teaches children about directionality and succession and improves their visual-motor coordination and spatial insight.
Sensory and Exploration Activities for Divergent Thinking
15. Water and sand play
Water and sand play is great for sensory development, relaxation, and calming down. But it can also serve as a material for creative thinking.
Ensure to bring containers of all sorts, funnels, pipes, cups, spoons, and other utensils for water play. You can add food coloring to water to make it more exciting and engaging.
As for sand play, kinetic sand is excellent, but regular sand works perfectly too. Provide your child with different containers, measuring cups, funnels, sifters, and other utensils to make their play more creative.
You can also add some small toys or natural materials like leaves, stones, and shells to sand.
Last but not least, do not forget about playing with snow! It is so much fun, and children can spend hours outside building all sorts of sculptures.
16. Play-Doh
Play-doh is the favorite material for little kids and their parents. It is fantastic for sensory development, fine motor skills, and creative thinking. Children may use the original Play-Doh toys and tools, such as a toy ice cream maker or oven, to expand their culinary play scenario.
Little kids can learn new vocabulary with Play-doh like rolling, patting, slicing, cutting, sticking, etc. Provide kids with various cutting tools like popsicle sticks, plastic knives, and plastic choppers.
But an even better way to use playdoh is together with loose parts. Children can make patterns with loose parts, create textures on Play-doh, and even create 3d-structures with loose parts that stick to it. Play-doh can be an actual building material; add blocks, for example, and they will adhere to it. So Play-doh helps children create structures easily.
Check Pinterest for inspiration if you're looking for more loose part ideas to use with Playdoh. There are many unique ideas for various themed loose pieces on there.
Children can really go deep into play, and the creative process when focusing on Playdoh/ loose parts play. Because such creations are short-lived, take a picture of the fascinating masterpieces. Such images will remind the child of a wonderful time and inspire them for more creations.
17. Clay
There is something magical in working with clay, like the ancient genes activate, and you feel relaxed and focused on the creation process. Playing with clay, children can bring to life their imagination; they can make all sorts of buildings, people, animals, dishes, and even complex projects such as volcanoes or landscapes of rocky mountains. Clay is ideal for teaching creativity through design thinking. Moreover, clay is a therapeutic material with a stress-reducing effect on children.
When working with clay, provide all sorts of tools like different shape cutters, stamps, carving tools, plastic knives, and even toothpicks. Try to find natural materials like sticks, stones, and leaves to use as stamps or carving tools.
What is the best clay for kids?
There are many types of clay for small children; however, I would recommend using air-dry clay for kindergartners and elementary students. Such clay will harden up, and all their masterpieces will be preserved without baking. There are many clay brands on the market; I would suggest choosing more expensive ones because such clay is usually more sturdy after drying, crumbles less, and smells better.
For babies and toddlers, raw natural clay is preferable. First of all, little kids don't mind if their crafts fall apart after they are done. Second, natural clay provides a unique sensory experience and can be used in so many ways. Little kids can squish it, roll, pinch, pat, etc. You can add loose parts for your toddler, like twigs to stick into the clay and create "a forest." If you leave it on a tabletop, the clay will dry, and your child's creation will stay for a while so that they can observe it later.
Clay is also an excellent material for older kids and adults. Children can create pottery, tools, and unique constructions and bake them to preserve their work. Playing with clay is highly therapeutic work beneficial for all children regardless of age.
18.Mud kitchen
If you have outdoor space like a backyard or a garden available for your kids, I would highly encourage you to buy or build a mud kitchen. Add more kitchen tools there, and your children will be thrilled with play.
With mud play, children can go wilder than with clay as it is an outdoor activity. Also, different types of mud feel differently, giving children a wide scale of sensory experience. For example, children can experiment with textures by adding more or less water to soil; they can add different materials like colored chalk, starch, or even charcoal and clay. Through mud play, children learn about the world around them; they experiment with materials and get a rich sensory experience.
Nicole Marie Majewski is a true expert on mud play, and I would highly encourage you to check out her web if you want to know more about it and get some inspirational ideas there.
19.Light table
A light table is a beautiful tool to encourage creativity in kids in soo many different ways. Here are just a few of them.
- Illuminating and viewing translucent materials. Translucent materials allow light to pass through them, making them ideal for light-up activities. You can use various materials for this, such as colored cellophane, tissue paper, wax paper, and even clear plastic wrap. But the best translucent material for the light table is magnetic tiles and blocks. When you build on the light table, your constructions start to glow!
- Creating patterns using gemstones, play diamonds, translucent pattern blocks, rainbow stacking stones
- Creating shadows. Children can use their hands, toys, or other objects to cast shadows on the table. Shadow-making is an excellent activity for exploring shapes and patterns.
- Tracing is another popular activity that can be done on a light table. Children can trace shapes, letters, numbers, and even pictures. The light table tracing is a great way to help children learn to write or draw.
- A light table is also a great way to encourage drawing and painting. Children can use crayons, markers, or even paint to create their own masterpieces.
- Playing with sand on a light table becomes a truly fascinating sensory experience with so many senses engaged at once!
Just make sure that the light table is safe for your children's eyes. Thus, I wouldn't recommend for children to spend more than 15 min at once playing with the light table.
20. Balloons
Balloons are not only for parties, they can be used in so many creative ways to encourage kids' imagination.
Here are just a few ideas:
- Balloon painting is a great way to get kids excited about art. Just add some paint to the balloon and let your little ones go wild!
- Balloon sculptures are another great way to encourage creativity. You can use balloons to create all sorts of shapes and figures. All you need is some imagination and some string or tape to tie the balloons together.
- Balloon Printing is a great way to make unique patterns and designs. Just add some paint to the balloon and then press it onto paper or fabric.
- Children can also use balloons for sensory play. Just fill them with water, add some food coloring, and let your kids squish and squeeze them to their heart's content!
- Balloons are also great for encouraging gross motor skills. Just blow up a few balloons and let your kids have a blast trying to keep them in the air.
So, next time you see some balloons, don't be afraid to pick them up and use them in some creative ways!
21.Musical instruments
Extensive research has shown the positive effects of music on children's brains. For example, one study demonstrated how listening to happy music could facilitate divergent thinking, an integral part of creativity. The music impact is even higher when children not just listen to music but play the instrument. I highly encourage all parents to provide children with the opportunity to learn to play an instrument. This will have a tremendous impact on your child's math and language skills and creative thinking and ideation. Thus, it was demonstrated that people who take classical guitar lessons have better creative problem-solving skills. The author of this review paper even suggests entrepreneurs and managers take guitar lessons to improve their divergent thinking and creative skills.
There are all sorts of musical instruments that you can use to encourage creativity in kids. For example, drums are an excellent way for children to express themselves. Kids can play with hands, sticks, or even brushes; they can create their own rhythms or play along with the music.
Music instruments and lessons are among the best and surest ways to raise a creative child.
22. Magnifying glass
Looking at things up close is always fascinating, especially for kids. A magnifying glass is a great way to encourage kids to take a closer look at the world around them.
- Use a magnifying glass to examine leaves, flowers, insects, and other small objects from nature. This is a great way to encourage kids to notice all the small details in the world around them.
- Take a magnifying glass on a scavenger hunt and see how many small things you can find around your house or neighborhood.
- Use a magnifying glass to read books or look at pictures. This is a great way to encourage kids to use their imagination and really get lost in a story.
Moreover, there are several ideas on YouTube on how to create a magnifying glass from a plastic bottle at home. This could be a great project for you and your child to teach them how to use conventional things unusually.
Arts & Crafts for Self-Expression
23. Fuse beads
One of the most popular crafts for kids, fuse beads are small, colorful plastic beads that can be arranged in any design on a pegboard. Once the design is complete, an adult iron the beads together to fuse them, such a feature makes fuse beads perfect for creating keychains, magnets, jewelry, etc.
Fuse beads are very versatile and can be used to create any design imaginable. There are also many different pegboards available, including shapes, animals, and people, making them perfect for kids of all ages over 3.
Fuse beads require developed fine motor skills and the ability to sit still and be absorbed by this activity, so kindergartners and older kids will enjoy it more than younger ones. However, under adult supervision, even 2-3-year-olds can play with this material and boost their sensory experience and fine motor skills.
24. Sketch book
Drawing in a book is an excellent way for children to express themselves, their memories, and their feelings. Sketch book helps children to store their arts conveniently.
Drawing book can be almost like a diary for little children, where you can ask them to draw exciting day events. Also, this can become an emotional journal for kids. We have a fantastic article about emotional intelligence and the importance of an emotions journal for kids, which you can read here.
Such a book is also very convenient for parents, as all of the artworks stay tidy, and you can grab this book with you to the doctor's office, car ride so that children can look through their arts, make new ones, and stay occupied.
25. Coloring books
Coloring books are fun and calming, and meditative activity for kids. If younger children prefer simple pictures, the older kids could actually enjoy coloring mandala-like pictures. You could even do it with your kids on your next family night. Family coloring is a fantastic bonding activity that all kids will enjoy.
26. Rock painting
Rock painting is not only a fascinating creative activity for kids, but you can also use it to teach children about kindness and compassion. There is a tremendous global initiative called "The Kindness Rocks Project," where people create painted pebbles bearing kind messages or just a nice picture. Then they leave these pebbles outside for other people to cheer someone up. You could participate in such a project with your child, create presents for your child's friends, or teach kindness through this activity. There is an excellent workbook, "Kindversations Workbook for Kids: The Kindness Rocks Project" which you could use for kindness learning. This book teaches children to be kind not only to other people but to themselves in the first place.
27. Easel
Easel is like an invitation to create for children. When they pass by and see a clean paper and some paints waiting for them, they can't help themselves with starting to create.
Children can use several tools for easel painting like brushes, paint rollers, dish washcloths, loofah, ear swabs, etc. Not only paints, but kids can also draw with chalks on a chalkboard side, which they love.
Easel painting is excellent for developing fine motor skills, as kids have to use small muscles in their hands to grip a paintbrush. Also, it helps with the coordination of hand and eye.
28. Paint & accessories
Paints are the number one art material for kids from 8 months.
Babies are thrilled when you give them finger paints and allow the freedom of creativity. Not every parent can stand this, so I always recommend using finger paints with babies in toddlers in the bathtub. Bathtub painting is the safest way to let them go wild with it without you stressing out with all the mess they create.
For toddlers, stamping and making marks is another fantastic activity that encourages them to explore and teaches little ones important pre-writing skills.
Older children can use paints as a means of self-expression or as a traditional prompt in creating pictures.
I would not teach my children to paint and draw until the age of 7-8 because I wanted them to use their active right brain to express their personality and share their fantasies and unique personality through painting. At the age of 7 and older, the left brain gets more mature and takes more control over the child's behavior. And this is the right time to pay for art lessons; when they actually learn how to draw an object, they learn about perspective and painting techniques.
29. Soap carving
Soap carving is a very engaging activity that requires patience and focus, and it's also a great way to develop fine motor skills.
You'll need some soap (bar soap works best), a sharp knife, and a cutting board to get started. If you want to add color to your soap carving, you can also use food coloring.
Start by tracing a design onto the soap with a sharpie. Then, use a sharp knife to carve out the design carefully. If you're using food coloring, you can add it now by dripping it onto the carving or painting it on with a brush.
Once you're finished carving, wash off the soap and enjoy your new creation!
Soap carving is a great activity for both adults and children. It's a perfect way to relax and unwind, and it's also a lot of fun. Give it a try today!
30. Color play
This is an exciting activity for every child and adult.
With the youngest kids, color exploration can be done using jumbo droppers and food coloring to mix and create new colors and explore the color palette.
For 5-year-olds and older, understanding their color preferences can be a fascinating activity and a way to know themselves. You could ask your children to find a picture with the colors that spark them, the colors that embrace children, give kids the feeling of warmth or energy, or calm them down.
Knowing your favorite colors and noticing their impact on your mood can be an important learning activity for the child. Such exercise helps children understand their feelings and inner self and teaches them mindfulness.
When a child has found the appropriate picture, ask them to match the colors on the picture with paints or create a collage with magazine cutouts, paper scraps, colored paper sheets, etc.
This is a truly inspiring activity that children and adults can enjoy together.
How to use color play on a family night?
Sally Haughey at Fairy Dust Teaching gave great advice through one of her training for teachers that I loved the most. This can be a powerful bonding exercise for the whole family. Ask your children and do so yourself to notice colors that attract you in real life. This can be on your next trip to the park, on vacation, or in your backyard. If you have found some beautifully colored object that grabs your attention, take a photo of it. And ask your children to do the same. This activity teaches your kids to notice the beauty around them, and to get inspired.
You can then do the activity with the matching colors and collages together at home. You could even put your arts on the wall in your child's room as an inspirational reminder.