16 Best Building Toys for Kids, According to Toy Experts
Building toys are great for facilitating open-ended play, and these top picks to supercharge your child's imagination.
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The power of play is indisputable, and arguably one of the most developmentally appropriate and beneficial ways for children to learn. Providing suitable building blocks for play can help drive creativity, curiosity and an understanding of the world. That's why the best building toys continue to be a mainstay for kids in homes, schools and therapeutic environments.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute, our toy experts take playtime seriously, scouring the market and reviewing and testing toys all year long to determine everything from the best toddler toys to the top STEM toys and sensory toys. Here, I've rounded up our favorite building toys, sets and kits designed to help kids learn through play, and ideally last for years.
Our top picks:
The good news is that building toys serve a tremendous value whether your kid decides to follow the directions or not. Adhering to step-by-step instructions to recreate that LEGO skyscraper helps with fine motor skill development, problem solving skills and refined spatial reasoning, among a host of other benefits. But there's also magic (and growth!) to be found in allowing your kid to do their own thing.
"Spontaneous play, in which we don't tell them what and how to play, puts a child in control to direct the story," notes Jennifer Rothman, LCSW, a DIR/Floortime clinician who specializes in play therapy. And while, as parents, it's tempting to step in to help your kid do it "right," I've found this can backfire. I suggest being mindful of facilitating a more open-ended play experience for your child, instead of encouraging them to manufacture and recreate something that already exists, as this can exacerbate perfectionism and inhibit full creative expression.
The hardest part of making this list? Narrowing it down to a manageable number as there are so many amazing building toys I could have included!
Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years, overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems.
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