First grader toys

25 Best Educational Toys and Games for First Grade

First graders are the best. Ready with their toothless grins, they are excited to imagine and create, and they are earnest about learning too. Treat them to games and toys that leave room for a lot of exploration. Here are 25 of our favorite educational toys for first grade students.

1. Discovery Kids Wooden Castle Building Blocks Set

Basic blocks are always appropriate, but fun add-ons like this castle-themed set are perfect educational toys for imaginative first grade kids who love to build. They offer intriguing geometry and physics connections too. Will your castle withstand an invasion?

Buy it: Discovery Kids Wooden Castle Building Blocks Set on Amazon

2. Klutz LEGO Gadgets Science and Activity Kit

Extend a love of LEGO to teach kids about simple machines. Directions are straightforward enough for a first grader to follow, but the results are wow-worthy. Win-win!

Buy it: Klutz LEGO Gadgets Science and Activity Kit on Amazon

3.

Straw Constructors

Simple but genius: First graders love working together to build big structures from these flexible straws. As teachers, we love to pull them out to explore 2D vs. 3D shapes. Make a square, make a cube, make a circle, make a cylinder … you get the idea.

Buy it: Straw Constructors on Amazon

4. Air-Dry Modeling Clay

Squishing, squeezing, and rolling are still good activities for first grade hands—and they still love to do it. Modeling clay is a creative upgrade from traditional play dough to stretch older kids’ creativity. This set comes with a fun step-by-step idea book too.

Buy it: Air-Dry Modeling Clay on Amazon

5. Melissa & Doug Multi-Craft Weaving Loom

Weaving challenges kids’ manual dexterity, encourages persistence and concentration, and results in a unique and satisfying product. There are plenty of possibilities for continuing to create with this large, sturdy loom for months and years to come.

Buy it: Melissa & Doug Multi-Craft Weaving Loom on Amazon

6. Learning Resources Dominoes

We love how this set does double duty. Play traditional dominoes and other domino-related math games, or challenge kids to build an epic domino run.

Buy it: Learning Resources Dominoes on Amazon

7. Math Dice Jr.

This simple game motivates competitive kids to practice basic math facts up to 12 like no other. Roll the dice and race to make combinations that equal the target number.

Buy it: Math Dice Jr. on Amazon

8. Learning Resources Hundred Activity Mat

Get kids up and moving while you work on identifying numbers to 100. When we look at the patterns on this mat, we think “Math Twister!”

Buy it: Learning Resources Hundred Activity Mat on Amazon

9. Learning Resources Jumbo Dice in Dice

Kids love dice in dice, and they hold so many possibilities for math practice games. Check out this full list!

Buy it: Learning Resources Jumbo Dice in Dice on Amazon

10.

Number Balance Activity Set

Make the idea of equivalency concrete for kids with this adaptable, self-correcting manipulative. Use the activity cards included or devise your own. When math is over, hook cups to the each end and just play with balance!

Buy it: Number Balance Activity Set on Amazon

11. Addition and Subtraction Wooden Magnetic Fishing Game

This is a perfect way to combine play with math practice. It could be a ready-made math center or partner activity. The fish are sturdy enough to adapt to any other practice item. Next up, fishing for sight words?

Buy it: Addition and Subtraction Wooden Magnetic Fishing Game on Amazon

12. Mastermind

First graders are old enough to actually play this classic code-breaking game strategically, and it’s so, so good. Check out our full list of board games for kids ages 6-12.

Buy it: Mastermind on Amazon

13. Trunk Works Story Time Card Game

Kids gain experience with story elements and retelling stories by using picture cards to make up their own tales. We like the mix of straightforward character and setting cards with speech bubbles and other cards that suggest plot twists.

Buy it: Trunk Works Story Time Card Game on Amazon

14. Junior Learning Sentence Dice

These parts-of-speech dice are a simple and fun way to reinforce the concept of sentences for kids. We like using just some of the dice for kids to fill in sentence frames with high-frequency words too.

Buy it: Junior Learning Sentence Dice on Amazon

15. Sight Word Swat

The makers of this game get it—kids love using fly swatters. Why not use that enthusiasm to their learning advantage and have them smack sight words?

Buy it: Sight Word Swat on Amazon

16. Zingo Sight Words

Kids also love the classic picture-matching game Zingo, and this version that involves fast recognition of sight words is the ideal first grade variation. It’s great for playing at home or as part of a literacy center.

Buy it: Zingo Sight Words on Amazon

17.

Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone

Calling all rising superstars! Kids love the legit feeling of this multifunction microphone. Teachers love how it makes phonological-awareness games extra fun and motivates kids to practice reading fluently—books or song lyrics, of course!

Buy it: Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone on Amazon

18. Fun With Magnets

Magnets are most definitely fun and fascinating! First graders can enjoy free exploration with this collection of magnetic materials, or use the experiment cards for more-focused learning.

Buy it: Fun With Magnets on Amazon

19. MaxUSee Kids Telescope

This telescope’s compact size and straightforward operation make it extremely first grade–friendly. Use it to view the moon when learning about the moon’s phases, or check out that cool bird in the distance!

Buy it: MaxUSee Kids Telescope on Amazon

20. Creativity for Kids Shadow Puppets Theater

Perfect for at-home fun, a center, or small-group exploration, this kit combines creativity and the science of light and shadow. Kids can experiment with puppet and light placement as they put on unique puppet shows.

Buy it: Shadow Puppets Theater on Amazon

21. Boomwhackers

Combine music and the science of sound with this exceptionally fun percussion product. The name says it best: By whacking the tubes against any surface, kids create different tones. Learn about how sound is created, high vs. low notes, and how sounds combine to create music.

Buy it: Boomwhackers on Amazon

22. The Monkey Mind Meditation Deck: 30 Fun Ways for Kids To Chill Out, Tune In, and Open Up

Oversize, durable cards feature engaging invitations for kids to pause and turn inward. The language is developmentally appropriate without feeling babyish. (Psst: We adults could take a few pointers from these cards too.)

Buy it: The Monkey Mind Meditation Deck: 30 Fun Ways for Kids To Chill Out, Tune In, and Open Up on Amazon

23. Find It Games Kids Edition

We’ve never met a kid who can resist this game. (Maybe because it looks like it’s full of ice cream sprinkles?) We love it for a small group brain break, or to keep in a Calm Down area to help kids learn to ride out big feelings or refocus.

Buy it: Find It Games on Amazon

24. Orboot Interactive Globe

This product is one of the best educational toys to get your first grade kids comfortable using a globe and excited about world geography. Kids discover as they “travel” using the app-based features. We also appreciate that once you download the app, it’s 100% usable without Wi-Fi.

Buy it: Orboot Interactive Globe on Amazon

25. Turtle Steps Balance Stepping Stones

There are so many fun possibilities for home and school here, from a simple indoor motor break to all-out obstacle course creation. All you need are sticky notes to add some sight words or math facts to each stone to make it a review game too.

Buy it: Turtle Steps Balance Stepping Stones on Amazon

What are your favorite educational toys and games for first grade? Let us know in the comments.

Plus,check out our lists of the best first grade books and websites.

Educational toys for first graders

FREE GIFT on orders $25+

FREE SHIPPING ACROSS THE U.S. ON ORDERS OVER $40

FREE cotton TOTE BAG on orders $75+

Search for:

Filter

Age

0m+(0)
3m+(0)
6m+(0)
1+(0)
15m+(0)
18m+(0)
2+(0)
3+(0)
4+(0)
5+(0)
6+(1)
7+(2)

Price

$10(0)
$15(0)
$20(1)
$25(2)
$30(0)

Product type

First puzzles(0)
Progressive puzzles(0)
Observation puzzles(1)
Mix and match puzzles(0)
Suuuper size puzzles & games(2)
Looong puzzles(0)
Creative puzzles(0)
Puzzles with figures(0)
Puzzle & book sets(0)
Geography puzzles(1)
Fun on-the-go(0)
Ring-bound books(0)
Accordion books(0)
Riddles(0)
Looong coloring books(0)
Write and wipe(0)
Educational sets(2)

Occasion

Baby shower(0)
Perfect gift(3)
Back to school(2)
On-the-go fun(0)

Skills

Visual stimulation(0)
Fine motor skills(2)
Memory, perception and concentration(3)
Creative expression(0)
Reading writing and counting(1)
Discovering & exploring science(3)

Subject

Animals(0)
Vehicles(0)
Shapes and colors(0)
Alphabet and numbers(0)
Get to know the world(3)
STEM / science(3)
Drawing and coloring(0)

Suuuper Size Puzzle Solar System
$29. 99
Add to cart
Observation Puzzle My Body
$24.99
Add to cart
Bestseller
What in the World Young Explorers
$29.99
Add to cart

Others also viewed

Bestsellers

When your child goes to school

Do you already have a pupil living in your home? It is amazing how time flies! Children around 6 years of age are facing a big challenge. They enter a new social role: becoming students in their elementary school! It is a great step for both children and parents.

What are the developmental milestones for first graders?

Changes continue to occur in children’s physical, motor, social, emotional and cognitive development. Please note, that children develop at their own pace but you can expect that their physical abilities and fine motor skills will be much better, even though they may not be noticed at first glance. They gain strength and stamina as well as get better at writing. However you may notice the change in the way children view the world and interact with it. Young students will look for more logical answers to their questions and will form real friendships.
Although kids are increasingly looking for “more adult” activities and have many more new responsibilities, play still plays a key role in their development. Let’s take advantage of it, because learning through play is still the most effective and enjoyable. On top of that, it’s a great opportunity to spend time together with children who are continuously devoting more and more time to their own hobbies and peers.

Educational toys for a First Grader

School has a big impact on a child. On one hand we suggest that sport as possible. On the other hand, it is important to nurture childrens’ hobbies, interests and gaining new knowledge.
Students in school already have to master new materials and switch to a different mode of learning. The right toys will allow kids to deepen and systematize the knowledge gained in class and inspire further exploration, exploring their favorite topics. Although interactive gadgets and electronics play an increasingly important role in young people’s lives, it turns out that analogue toys are still going strong. However, kids this age know what they like. At Banana Panda we treat the students very seriously. Our toys have great educational value, beautiful images and are designed the way that even adults want to play!
Each of our educational puzzle makes an excellent gift that will keep on giving. They will inspire students to learn, ask their own questions and look for further answers. They deepen the knowledge. What is more, they are great as family puzzles or puzzles for adults – join the fun and spend some valuable time together with your children.
All our puzzle pieces are made of high-quality, thick cardboard. They are kept in large, keepsake boxes with practical, sturdy handles.

What in the World. Young Explorers – Puzzles for ages 7+

This jumbo floor puzzle shows a map of the world. When completed it measures 98x68cm/38.5×26.5”. Assembling this 168-piece puzzle is a fun way to learn about oceans and continents, wild animals, plants and some most famous places on our planet Earth. Every corner of the world is full of interesting things to see and discover. Play with puzzles trains visual memory, perception, and concentration. It has great educational value – it inspires to learn about landmarks, nature and history.

Observation Puzzle My Body – Puzzles for ages 7+

This is probably the most fun and inspirational way to learn about the human body.
Our very detailed educational puzzle will delight advanced puzzle lovers, both children and adults. Start with assembling the 204-piece puzzle, and then have fun finding the elements from the picture frame. The large double-sided poster is full of fascinating facts about human anatomy. Puzzles are perfect for learning about the structure and functioning of the human body. Play with observation puzzle trains perception, visual memory and concentration.

Subscribe to our newsletter and get 10% off!

Educational toys for children under one year old

Reviewer Kovtun Tatyana Anatolievna September 15, 2021

73385 views nine0005

From the first days of life, a child learns the world through sensations: observes, touches, repeats, takes apart and tries on a tooth. So he learns that objects can be soft and hard, slippery and rough, flat and voluminous. Toys help the baby to better assimilate this information, and some of them, for example, developing ones, help to form: fine motor skills, logic, the ability to distinguish important properties of objects - visually and by touch. Finally, toys occupy the child and distract him from household items that may be dangerous for him. Let's figure out which educational toys for children under 1 year old will be useful at each stage. nine0005

0-3 months

In the very first days, you need the simplest toys that you can take into your mouth and make sounds with them: rattles, squeakers.

Starting from 1 month, the child is also interested in observing, comparing - so use contrasting drawings, multi-colored cubes, hanging animals and models. Do not overdo it with bright spots: it will be difficult for the child to concentrate.

A little later, the baby begins to move his eyes more actively and change the focus of vision. Here you can take any bright toys that the child loves the most and move them: from side to side, bringing them closer and further away - so that he can follow and develop attention. Work with coordination: put the toy in the child's palm and encourage him to bring it to his face and put it away, look at and control his hands. nine0005

4-6 months

At this time, the baby begins to move: sits down, stretches up. Therefore, there are also more toys, and the space for games itself grows to the size of an arena, a bed, a carpet in a nursery. Now you can add soft toys to plastic and rubber toys - if they are easy to wash; more toys that make sounds and move: tumblers, bells, squeaky balls. So the child learns to distinguish objects by touch and make an impression of them, to observe things in motion and to react correctly - to repeat, pursue or evade. Toys during this period should be such that the baby moves a lot, but consciously, developing coordination and motor skills. nine0005

7-9 months

The kid acts purposefully, crawls on all fours, tries to rise to his feet, he is carried away by more and more complex things. It's time to offer him the simplest cars, musical instruments, interactive books - but not from paper, but from plastic, felt, thick cardboard. Let him interact with objects, repeating movements and sounds, distinguishing them by all signs: color, shape, sound.

10-12 months

After 9 months - a turning point: the child is about to start walking, and everything that falls into his hands, he drops and disassembles. Now, toys are used that are convenient to grab with both hands, throw and hit them: for example, drums, a metallophone, a ball, skittles, large plush animals, toy dump trucks, bouncing balls. It's time to put the baby on a rocking horse, a car on wheels, the first swing and a balance bike, to involve him in various ball games.

To develop the motor skills of both hands, along with logic, voluminous molds, pyramids, puzzles and puzzles with large details are suitable. Toys with sounds are still needed and useful, only more complicated: for example, books where animals make different sounds when you press a button. nine0005

When choosing which toys to buy for children under one year old, pay attention to what and how they are made. Children at this age test everything for strength, so unbreakable and safe toys are a priority.

Selection criteria for toys

Here are the main rules:

No small parts. You probably read the warning on toy packaging and know that small parts should not enter the upper respiratory tract. A child can easily break them off, shove them down his throat or nose, choke and suffocate. For the same reason, babies shouldn't play with little soldiers and chocolate egg toys. nine0052
Until 6-7 months it is better not to buy rag and plush toys: they collect dust and dirt, are difficult to wash, and the child will constantly get them dirty and put in his mouth.
No sharp, protruding parts. Anything that looks like spikes, needles and small spears can hurt: for example, if a baby accidentally poke them in the eye.
Nothing that breaks or breaks easily into pieces. Firstly, the baby will almost certainly break the toy in the very first days and lose interest in it. Secondly, some toys can also hurt you. It is better to choose those that are easy to take apart: so the child will be interested in exploring them, and the toy will live longer. nine0052
The place where the baby plays in the first months must be secured: soft carpet and corners, covered sockets and drawers. Nothing sharp, beating and burning where a child can reach with his hand. Wires, jump ropes, buttons and houseplants are also best removed away.
Toys for the little ones should not be too bright: for example, fluorescent pink, light green, yellow. Even worse, when the toy is painted in several of these colors at once - it tires the children's eyes and brain. nine0052

Reviewer Kovtun Tatyana Anatolievna

Scientific adviser to JSC PROGRESS, Ph. D. . Cereals scattered on the floor or a concert on pans will also not please you very much? There is a way out: high-quality and interesting toys with which the child can play for some time without your participation. We have compiled a selection of successful options, you just have to choose! nine0005

Cubes.

Traditionally, this is one of the first games most children play after rattles and rodents. To start building from cubes, it is enough to be able to firmly take objects in the pen, and during the game, the child develops spatial and logical thinking, motor skills and imagination. For the little ones, it is better to take bright large cubes, for example, the “Funny Cubes” set. You can not only build from them, but also look at the colorful pictures on the sides of the cubes for a long time. nine0005

And if you want to get your kid interested in construction, you can give him a large set of stylish cubes and bricks in bright colors. Everything that the baby builds from such cubes will be an excellent decoration for the nursery - believe me or check it out!

Sorter.

Another toy that babies learn about a year is a sorter. The main task of the game is to insert the figures into the corresponding slots or holes. The peanut will make more than a dozen attempts until he guesses how to do it, so you will definitely have time to finish your business. And even if your child has already mastered a simple sorter with figures, he can be offered a more complex option - a sorting board with pins on which you need to string figures of different colors

Driver.

One of the favorite activities of a one-year-old baby is knocking and making all sorts of noise. Therefore, a wooden chicken beater is definitely suitable for independent games. Round colored balls need to be inserted into the holes and knocked on them with a hammer so that they fail and roll out with a ringing. We bet the child will repeat this action a hundred times, no less?

Puzzles for babies.

The baby has not yet grown up to real serious puzzles and is unlikely to cope with them without your help. But he can perfectly play puzzles for kids himself. For example, in the game Animals Frame Insert, the animal figurines consist of only two parts - just what a beginner needs. A large wooden puzzle constructor "Lion" is not only a puzzle, but also a set of three-dimensional parts from which you can build something. Fascinating, right?

Figures.

Young children love to play with groups of the same type of objects, especially if they are bright, attractive and pleasant to the touch. Like, for example, these wonderful gnomes. It is convenient to take them in pens and it is interesting to arrange them by colors in a different order. And each dwarf has a cap of his own color, which he certainly needs to wear. We bet not only the kid will enthusiastically play with the gnomes, but even adults will forget about their business? It's also a great tool for learning about colors! nine0005

Fruits and vegetables.

The baby is interested in getting to know the world, he is always attracted by realistic toys. Invite him to play a set of vegetables or fruits! Wooden, brightly colored fruits and berries are very exciting to take out of the bag, examine and put back - the kid will definitely be busy for some time.

Lace-up.

Threading a string through holes is a tricky science for a one-year-old baby, which will take some time to master (feel free to pour a cup of tea or coffee!). For such a small one, you should choose a simple lacing, for example, "Squirrel Supplies". Don't forget to tell your child that you are playing squirrels, who need to string mushrooms and acorns on a string. nine0005

Do you already have lacing? But you definitely do not have a fungus-screw. Everyone knows that kids love to twist and unscrew. So with the mushroom, which is screwed into the leg like a screw, thanks to the thread, the child will fiddle for a long time and with pleasure.

Cars.

Cars are a win-win option when you need to keep your little one busy. Both girls and boys like to play in them, and there can be a great variety of scenarios depending on the type of cars and the child's imagination. Timber truck with logs, a car with passengers or a steam locomotive? Or maybe several modes of transport at once? You are guaranteed at least 15-20 minutes of free time while the child watches the spinning wheels, seat passengers, attach and load wagons. And if you give your kid a few ideas, such as rolling cars down a slide made from a big book or ironing board, or putting colored cubes into wagons, the game can last even longer. nine0005

Magnetic game.

Closer to 1.5 - 2 years, the baby can master a fun magnetic game. Do not take large-scale games with a lot of small details - this is not safe for the baby, besides, he will not be able to figure it out and will quickly lose interest.