Children were given opportunities to play with either a box of carefully curated loose parts like blocks, felt balls, yarn, pinecones or a toy that had only a limited function: percussion instruments.

More teach them something new. Open-ended toys like building blocks, balls and simple dolls offer children a variety of ways to play and will grow with them. “A toddler might throw blocks or put ...

The study also looked into what parents want their kids to learn or discover while playing with their toys and dolls. The most important was that kids learn “how to socialize” (50%).

These building toys are variations on basic wood blocks, incorporating magnets ... design new behaviors, and play music with the robot. Younger kids can use an intuitive app called Path to ...

Byrne appreciates that this set inspires imaginative play ... building blocks. Building toys like this “teach about engineering, spatial concepts and more,” Levey says. When kids are done ...