Top Toy Picks 2011: 18 months

The Fisher-Price Little People Zoo Talkers Animal Sounds Zoo interactive playset brings animals to life by incorporating 4 habitats: grasslands, arctic, jungle and water. Place any animal on the peg at the hut and it recognizes that specific animal and responds with that animal’s name and the sound it makes. Little People sets are perfect for this age range and this set doesn’t disappoint! Recommended for ages 18 months – 6 years.

If you are in the market for a starter train set, the Fisher-Price GeoTrax Remote Control Timbertown Railway is perfect for your little engineer! All Geotrax sets are constructed from durable plastic and features large pieces that are perfect for little hands. The big, easy-to-use remote control makes the train go backward or forward and controls the train’s sound effects. With so many different Geotrax sets that you can easily link together, this toy will provide your little one with years of entertainment. Recommended for ages 24 months to 7 years.

Elmo has been a hot toy item the past several years and this year is no exception. This year’s top pick is the Sesame Street Let’s Rock Elmo. Little ones choose which instrument Elmo plays and he magically recognizes which ones you give him. For even more rockin’ fun, Elmo also interacts with other Let’s Rock instruments (sold separately) and he knows when you are playing any of the other Let’s Rock instruments and plays along with you! Recommended for ages 18 months and up.

Embrace your child’s musical talents with the B. Parum Pum Pum Drum. This 8-instrument set includes centipede drumsticks, jingle bells ants, busy bee maraca & clacker, caterpillar tambourine and two shaka shaka eggs. As an added bonus, all instruments store neatly inside the drum! Recommended for ages 18 months to 3 years.

Set the stage for reading with the LeapFrog Tag Junior Book Pal (also available in Purple). Each Tag Junior board book introduces a different preschool skill. Open-ended questions and fun sound effects encourage children to take charge, as they touch any part of any page. You can also download audio for your child’s books and keep up to 5 at a time on your book pal. See your child’s progress through the online LeapFrog Learning Path and get printable activities to expand your child’s learning. Recommended for ages 24 months – 4 years.

Kitchen sets are great for this age group and one of my favorites is the Step2 LifeStyle Custom Kitchen. Kitchen includes a 17-piece accessory set consisting of a frying pan with lid, boiling pot, 2 plates, 2 bowls, 2 cups, 2 knives, 2 forks, basket, salt and pepper shakers and a phone. The kitchen features realistic electronic features in the stovetop and phone.Features like “granite” countertops and “stainless” appliances make it hard to believe it’s just a toy. Recommended for ages 24 months to 6 years.

Introduce your toddler to letter names and sounds with the LeapFrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Alphabet Set. Featuring big, bright letters that are easy for little fingers to grasp, the playful phonics songs help children remember the sound each letter makes. Simply place a letter into the reader and press to hear its name, sound, and a delightful phonics song. Recommended for ages 24 months to 5 years.

For some outdoor fun, take your little one for a test drive on the Fisher Price Power Wheels Lil’ Quad. This sturdy and safe Power Wheel ATV has built-in footrests and a convenient cargo rack on the back for toting around toys. Designed especially for toddlers, the Lil’ Quad rides low so it’s easy for little ones to get one and off by themselves. Sturdy and fun to drive, this ride-on moves forward at 2 mph. Can be used on both hard surfaces and grass. They have many different styles to choose from including Barbie, Toy Story, Batman and Dora. This toy was a huge hit in our house for both our little girl and boy. Recommended for ages 1-3 years.

Puzzles help children build problem solving skills, coordination and so much more! Some of my favorite puzzles come from the Melissa & Doug line of toys. They are bright, colorful wooden puzzles that seem to last forever. For the young children, your best bet is to start out with the chunky puzzles. As they grow older, you can move to puzzles which are more complex. Recommended for ages 24 months and up.

This age group is perfect for introducing a playhouse or tent. There are so many to choose from to suite your needs – single or multiple kids, inside or outside, ect. One of my favorites is this Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage which features a molded-in floor, an interactive phone, working doorbell and pass-through mailbox. Recommended 18 months and up.

To view Top Toy Picks for other ages, see this post.