Made for Play
Explore child development through play, find inspiration for your next DIY project, and discover tips for selecting the perfect toys for your little ones.
Latest Articles
7 Classic Kids Products that Promote Physical Activity
Making sure your kids hit that recommended 60 minutes of activity per day can be tough! Even with all that bouncing-off-the-walls energy, kids still need the right opportunities to move and play to get the activity they need. If you can make those opportunities fun for them and easy to maintain for you, your kids will stand a much better chance of avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. And you don’t need the newest toys to do it. In fact, simple, classic outdoor toys are often the best at inspiring kids to have fun and get moving! Swing Sets Backyard play structures like swing sets and playsets are kid favorites… and they’re one of the best ways to help your kids get and stay active outdoors! Look for one that offers multiple ways to get active by swinging, climbing, sliding, or hanging. Monkey bars and rock walls are great challenges for older kids! We make it easy to shop for durable wooden playset that fits your yard, kids, and budget. Bikes If you haven’t added a kid’s bike to your collection of outdoor toys yet, you’re missing a great chance to promote physical activity. If your kiddos can’t ride on their own yet, balance bikes, trikes, or training wheels might be more their speed. Sandboxes While you might think of sandboxes as more of a sit-and-play activity, your kids are doing a lot of upper body strengthening as they lift, pour, and carry buckets of sand and water! Sprinklers & Kiddie Pools Water play of any kind is an easy and (usually) inexpensive way to get kids moving. Sprinklers and kiddie pools are summertime classics that work for almost any age. Balls Yep, it can be that simple! Balls of any kind can inspire hours of kicking, throwing, and running – especially when you add some hoops, bats, or goals into the mix too. Balance Beams Walk, spin, jump, and repeat! There’s really no end to the ways kids can use a balance beam because once they’ve mastered one type of movement, they’re sure to move on to a new challenge. Toddlers will find it challenging just to maintain balance while walking, and older kids will love trying to master leaps and spins. Climbers Climbing offers a ton of benefits for kids’ physical and mental development, so offering safe opportunities to climb is a great way to support your kids’ health! If you don’t have a swing set with climbing features (or if you just want to offer more ways to climb), our A-Frame Hideaway and Climber, Shark Escape Climber, and Hop & Slide Frog Climber, are all budget-friendly ways to add kids’ play structures to your yard.Even with all the best outdoor toys, we know actually getting out the door to use them can still be a challenge. Our 5 Tips to Get Your Kids Outdoors can make it a little easier to ensure those outdoor play structures get plenty of use and – more importantly– that the kids get plenty of exercises!
12 Outdoor Play Ideas for Kids
We like winter for all the cozy cuddles, but we love spring and summer for the sunny days outdoor play. Now that the weather is warming up, take your crew outside and enjoy a few of these 12 no-fuss outdoor play ideas! Build a sandcastle Sandcastles aren’t just for the beach! If you have a sandbox, break out your beach toys so the kids can perfect their castle-building skills in the backyard! Paint with water No, not watercolors – just painting the porch or their wooden outdoor play set with plain water. It’s a mess-free way kids can get creative, and the “designs” actually show up surprisingly well if the wood and concrete are dry enough. A bucket full of water, sponges, and brushes of various sizes are all you need. Splash around with water tables and sprinklers Are the kids feeling grumpy? Just add water! Something about pouring and splashing just seems to reset their mood, and it’s a great way to keep cool in the summer sun. We love the convenience of water tables and sprinklers when filling up a kiddie pool is too much of a hassle. Get imaginative Yep, the coolest kind of play is often the kind your kids come up with entirely on their own. And something about the outdoors adds a little extra magic to imaginative play. Kids get creative with natural objects they find, and their outdoor toys take on whole new roles. The swingset becomes a pirate ship, and the playhouse becomes a fox’s den. Just offer to play make-believe and enjoy watching what they come up with! Play the ground is lava The outdoor version of the floor is lava...you get it. Use anything your yard has available – from landscaping stones to patches of clover – as designated “safe zones”. If there’s still too much open space, add more safe zones by spreading out some beach towels or your outdoor furniture cushions. Of course, if you have an outdoor playset, be sure to use the monkey bars or swings to cross the sea of lava! Use a magnifying glass A simple magnifying glass lets your kids discover a whole new world in your backyard! (Just be sure no bugs get scorched in the process). Have a picnic Lunchtime can be playtime too when the kids get to set up their own picnic! Let them fill a basket or lunch kit and head outside! They’ll love it so much, they might even try those kale chips you bought. If ants are a problem, a kid-sized picnic table might be worth the investment! Get swinging Pushing your kiddo on the swing is a great time for bonding...but when they finally learn to swing by themselves? That’s pretty great too. They’re totally engaged, and you can spend a minute working in the yard or relaxing on the porch. Have a bug hunt Have the kids look for as many different types of bugs as possible. They can describe or draw what they see, and if the creepy-crawlies don’t creep you out, they’ll love showing you a few of their finds. Of course, you’ll want to supervise young kids who can’t recognize stinging and biting bugs they should leave alone. Watch the clouds Is it a little sentimental? Sure. But if you haven’t stopped and watched the clouds with your kids, you’re missing out! You’re guaranteed to hear something silly and adorable when you ask what the clouds look like. Play with the pup The family dog just might be an untapped resource for playtime. Even if your dog’s energetic years are behind them, your kids can still have fun taking them for walks or hiding treats for them in the backyard. Plant a garden Giving kids their own little area to plant flowers and vegetables encourages independence, patience, and curiosity for the natural world. Set it up in front of their playhouse for an even cuter effect! Need a few additions to get your backyard playtime ready? KidKraft has you covered with all the outdoor toy classics: swing sets, climbers, playhouses, and sandboxes, all made to last and look great in your backyard! You can also shop outdoor toys by age. Explore our collections for 18 months-to-3 year olds, 3-to-8 year olds, and 8 year olds and up.
8 Activities Using Play Food for Kids
We all know that play kitchens and the play food that comes with them are great for dramatic play. I mean, who doesn't love being served pizza-watermelon-cookie soup by their toddling chef? But your kids’ pretend food makes a great addition to other activities too! Here are 8 new ways you can put that pretend food set to use in these food play activities for kids of all ages. Sorting Sorting is naturally fun for kids! They have a natural desire to find patterns, opposites, and categories. Play food sets offer all kinds of sorting activities for toddlers and preschoolers. Toddlers can sort by color, and older children can use more abstract concepts to sort the food items. (Which foods are for breakfast/lunch/ dinner? Which foods are sweet/ sour/ savory? Which foods are served hot or cold?) Mystery Bags Stereognostics, aka mystery bags, are a classic Montessori-inspired activity. To make one, put a few different objects in an opaque bag. Have your child reach in and feel the objects, describe them, and try to identify them, all without taking a peek. This activity helps your child develop their tactile senses, vocabulary, and reasoning skills. Play food presents a great challenge for this activity! Because most pieces of play food have a similar texture and weight, kids will have to use their fingers to explore the shapes to identify them correctly. This added challenge is perfect for older preschoolers who have already mastered mystery bags with easier-to-identify objects.. Learning Fractions Toy foods like this apple pie or cake set are perfect manipulatives for introducing fractions. Abstract number concepts can be tough for kids, but make that concept tangible and dessert-related? Now that’s something they’ll get on board with! Shopping & Math If your school-age kiddo loves to play restaurant or shopkeeper, have them create their own price list for each of the food items. When it’s time to pay the bill, you can add up the total together. This activity is especially great for introducing the concept of multiplication to school-age kids. (If I want to buy three pizza slices, and you charge $2 per slice, how much should I give you?) Raid your Monopoly box for pretend money or make your own for even more fun! Clay Models Add a little challenge and inspiration to play dough time by asking your child to make their best playdough or clay version of their play foods. Play food items are the perfect level of difficulty for this kind of activity: simple and easy to make yet interesting and intricate enough that your kids will enjoy trying to copy them. Stencils and Stamps Bring your play food set into the craft area for fun food-inspired art! Use them as stencils, letting kids trace the outline and then color and draw inside. Or pour a small amount of washable paint onto paper plates, and use them as stamps! Sensory Bins Sensory bins are all the rage on Pinterest, Instagram, and pretty much every mom blog around. And yes, they live up to the hype! While there are all types of sensory bins, a classic version includes a base like dyed rice, beans, or kinetic sand along with smaller objects and toys. Kids love pouring, digging, and sifting through the base to find the toys, and play foods make a perfect addition. Since sensory bins are often themed around holidays, seasons, and other categories, toss in a few play foods that fit your theme!Looking to shop for the perfect play kitchen or pretend play toy by age? Explore our selection for 2-to-4 year olds and 3-to-5 year olds now.
Benefits of Climbing for Kids
If you’re a parent, you don’t need anyone to tell you that kids love to climb. You’ve seen it for yourself first hand as your toddler scales the furniture or your kindergartner attempts to climb any tree with a branch within reach. But do you know why kids have a natural drive to climb? Read on to find out and learn how you can support this important developmental activity! 1. Vestibular system development We do a ton of things to support the development of our kids’ fine and gross motor skills, language, and cognitive function. But their vestibular system? Not something most of us have heard of. Our vestibular system is largely responsible for our balance and how well we can orient ourselves in a space without the use of our other senses like sight and sound. In other words, if you can close your eyes, stand on one foot, and still keep your balance, you have a strong vestibular system to thank for that!Climbing, spinning, and hanging upside down are some of the best ways to support the development of the vestibular system. It’s thought that this is why young kids are so naturally drawn to these behaviors! Providing safe opportunities to climb is a great way to help your kids develop strong balance and enjoy physical activity throughout their lives1. 2. Risk-taking play Risky play may not sound like a great idea… but most psychologists consider it an important part of childhood and healthy development2. When kids engage in risk-taking play (like climbing high or jumping from the swings), they learn to evaluate risks, take caution, and gain confidence3. So, while we’re usually tempted to shout “Be careful!” at the first sign our kids are going to climb that ladder too fast or try to go down the slide backward, we better serve them when we let them explore age-appropriate risks.Of course, there is such a thing as too much risk, and parents should always make sure their kids are taking risks within safe contexts. (Free play at the park? Sounds great. Playing in a busy street? Not so much.) Kids climbing structures provide a great balance of safety and reasonable risk for most age groups, allowing kids to have fun and explore their natural desire to take risks.. 3. Memory and cognitive function Research suggests that climbers can provide cognitive benefits as well as physical ones. One study found that participants’ working memory improved after engaging in dynamic activities like climbing and balancing4. Researcher Ross Alloway points to benefits for kids as well as adults: “By taking a break to do activities that are unpredictable and require us to consciously adapt our movements, we can boost our working memory to perform better in the classroom and the boardroom.” 4. Strength, coordination, and exercise It’s no surprise that climbing helps kids develop strong muscles and motor skills. Toddlers are naturally driven to climb to develop their gross motor skills5, and this inclination lasts well into school-age years as kids continue to develop their coordination and muscle strength. Providing opportunities to climb helps kids easily fit in the CDC’s recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day6– something that is becoming tougher to accomplish as screens compete for kids’ time. KidKraft’s climbers and swing sets are a fun, safe way to do just that! (To see all of our swing sets specifically built with climbing in mind, select “Rock Wall” under the Play Features drop-down menu to refine your search results.) 1 How to Improve the Vestibular System2 Children’s Risky Play from an Evolutionary Perspective3 Why Kids Need to Take Risks in Life4 Climbing a tree can improve cognitive skills, researchers say5 Why Is Your Toddler Climbing on Everything?6 How much physical activity do children need?
6 Ideas to Break Up Kids' Tech Time
If your child’s screen time is starting to feel out of hand, you are so not alone. Managing screen time is always a challenge, but these days, it’s extra tough. Virtual learning is adding hours of screen time to kids’ days and cutting out extracurriculars and playtime with peers, leaving kids even more prone to turning to tech for entertainment. So what’s a busy parent to do? First, let go of any parental guilt – this season is tough. Second, try to work a few of these back-to-basics ideas into your kids’ daily routine to get them moving, creating, and using their imaginations! Cook Something Even if “cook” just means “spread-peanut-butter-on-toast” for your kid, giving them something to do in the kitchen is a great sensory and fine motor activity. Scooping and measuring build math skills, and kids are more likely to try food they helped create. For a few ideas, check out these kid-friendly recipes you can make together! Craft Something Craft areas and maker spaces don’t have to be fancy or expensive to be effective. And you don’t have to plan out Pinterest-worthy crafts. In fact, there are real benefits to open-ended art projects that let kids take the lead. With a few basics, kids are great at coming up with their own ideas. Stock your craft station with a few age appropriate supplies like safety scissors, glue sticks, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, paper towel rolls, craft pom poms, metal brads, and construction paper. (Of course, adjust according to the age of your kids!) Build Something Constructive play with things like blocks, building bricks, magnetic tiles, train sets, or play dough is engaging and brain-boosting. If your kids lose interest in building quickly, play with them to model how you can create and come up with your own ideas. Before long, they’ll be constructing their own masterpieces. Get Outside Making outdoor time a priority might be the single most important thing we can do to reduce our kids’ screen time and help them stay healthy and active. Investing in outdoor toys like playhouses, sandboxes, and swing sets is a great way to make the backyard more enticing. Walks, nature scavenger hunts, bike rides, trips to the park, and a backyard garden are other ideas that can become an easy, fun part of your regular routine. Make Reading Fun We all know how great reading is for kids. But if we force them to shut off their favorite app and pick up a book, reading can start to feel like a punishment instead of something fun – and what a shame that would be! To raise lifelong readers, try keep reading time fun, kid-led, and low pressure. Keep their bookshelf fresh with weekly visits to your local library (or weekly pickup if your library is closed). Read together with your best voices. Let them see you reading books that you really enjoy. Set up a cozy reading nook and let them decorate it with their own art and favorite pillows, blankets, and plushies. Offer special treats like herbal teas or frothed milk to make reading time even cozier and happier. Use Tech to Inspire Play If your kiddos are still clinging tightly to their TV time, use that interest to your advantage with pretend play inspired by their favorite characters. If they’ve been playing Netflix’s Over the Moon on repeat, “bake” some of those famous mooncakes together in their play kitchen. If they’re all about the princess category on Disney+, princess-themed dolls and dollhouses are sure to be a hit. Whatever they’re into, use it to re-spark interest in roleplay, pretend play, and open-ended toys. Hang in there, parents! You’re doing great.
Buying Guide: Kids Kitchen Playset
Buying a kitchen playset can feel a little like a Goldilocks story. You’re searching for the one that’s just right – the design to make you and your little chef happy, the quality to last through the years, and all the features to enable fun, immersive pretend play. To help you find your perfect play kitchen fast, we’ve laid out all the factors you’ll want to consider before making the big purchase! Size & Counter Height First, be sure to measure the space you plan to put your new play kitchen – eyeballing it is not the way to go here! Even if space is tight, smaller play kitchens can squeeze into little spaces and are ideal for toddlers. As far as finding the right size play kitchen for your child, it’s tough to go wrong – even bigger kids will still enjoy playing with smaller play kitchen sets, and the littlest little will grow into larger kitchens. But if you’re looking for that perfect fit, go for a play kitchen with countertops that are about the height of their hips. Materials Most kid’s kitchen playsets are made of either wood or plastic. Plastic play kitchens often come in at a lower price point, but often at the cost of quality. Wooden children’s play kitchens tend to last longer, look more realistic to your kids, and (real talk) look better in your home. Color and Design Speaking of looking better in your home… there’s no reason you have to settle for a bright plastic eyesore in the middle of your playroom. Our selection of wooden play kitchens come in just about every style and color you could hope for means you can pick the perfect play kitchen to vibe with your home’s aesthetic. Your Child’s Interests Another thing you’ll want to match? Your kiddo’s interests and preferences! Maybe you want a gender-neutral design so your little guy doesn’t think of play kitchens as a “girl’s” toy. Maybe you’re looking to recreate your child’s favorite parts about the real kitchen like using the ice machine or looking through the window above the sink. Whatever the case, only you know the features that will make a play kitchen the perfect fit for your little chef. If you’re buying the play kitchen as a gift for someone else, be sure to ask their parents what special touches they would love to have! Accessories Most play kitchens come with at least a few accessories like pots, pans, dishes and play food. While those cute little fake cupcakes are something to consider, they shouldn’t make or break your decision. You can always add additional play kitchen accessories later. Extra Features Of course, the best thing about play kitchens is that they encourage good old-fashioned pretend play, but a few extra features like working light and sounds can make that imaginative play even more immersive. Beeping microwaves, working ice machines, and stovetop sound effects can add realism to your kids’ kitchen playset and make it even more engaging, though some parents prefer noiseless kitchen playsets (hey, we get it). From large corner kitchens to tiny toddler kitchens, from pretty pinks to calming neutrals, our line of kids play kitchens has something for every little sous chef out there. Explore our selection for 2-to-4 year olds and 3-to-5 year olds now. Or, browse our full collection of wood play kitchens to find the one that checks off your wishlist!
Best Toys for Six Year Olds
From graduating kindergarten to losing their first baby teeth, six is a big year for your little one. And their play is changing at this age too. Thanks to growing imaginations and planning skills, they’ll start creating more complex structures with blocks and bricks and immersing themselves in complex pretend play for longer periods of time. Their social play is developing too as they learn to work with their peers and siblings to set the rules for their pretend worlds. At this age, they’ll love toys that allow them to explore their growing art and building skills and toys that support realistic pretend play...especially when there’s room for a friend to play too! Need some inspiration? Our list of best toys for six year olds is sure to have something they’ll love! Best Toy for Pretend Play: KidKraft Alexa 2-in-1 Kitchen & Market Only on Amazon Play kitchens are a classic way for kids to engage in role-playing and develop real-life skills as they play. The KidKraft 2-in-1 Alexa Kitchen & Market takes those real-life skills into the 21st century, letting kids practice responsible technology use with kid-friendly Alexa (parental consent and Amazon Echo dot required). Alexa will guide them to develop real-world skills as they shop and pay for their groceries on the market side and cook on the kitchen side. Even without Alexa, this kitchen offers a wealth of pretend play opportunities with interactive sounds and accessories. They’ll feel like the real deal as they pretend to own their own shop, create a menu, and prepare all their favorite meals. Love the idea of a play kitchen but need a budget-friendly alternative to the Alexa 2-in-1? Check out the KidKraft Boho Bungalow Play Kitchen only at Target. Best Toy for Encouraging a Love of Music: Lil’ Symphony Guitar At six years old, your budding musician is beyond the “hitting and banging” stage of playing with instruments and is likely interested in attempting real music. With Lil’ Symphony Guitar, they can get familiar with the parts of a guitar and practice tuning and strumming. They’ll love that it has the look of a real guitar – just like their favorite musician’s. With strings, tuning knobs, and a realistic neck and body, this toy guitar is as close to “real” as you can get while still being a toy. Best Educational Toy: Building Bricks Play N Store Table While you might not think of building blocks as an educational toy, constructive play is actually highly beneficial for your child’s developing math skills. In fact, how kids play with building blocks as preschoolers have been found to predict their math skills, even well into the high school years. The Building Bricks Play N Store table makes it easy to incorporate constructive play into your kids’ daily routine – without covering your floors in a building brick minefield (ouch!). The table has ample built-in storage, making clean up a breeze.Need an option that takes up less space? The On-the-Go Building Block Set ($24.99) may be tiny, but it holds a surprising number of bricks (100 to be exact!), allowing your kids to get creative anywhere. Best Toy for Arts & Crafts: Create N Play Art Easel Six year olds are nothing if not creative. (I mean where do they come up with those stories, anyway?) And every parent knows they love expressing that creativity in paintings, drawings, and crafts. You may also notice that at this age, they get a bit more particular about their artwork, attempting to draw more realistic pictures or being extra choosy about their colors. A full-size art easel is a great way to put that creative expression front-and-center, encouraging them to explore and expand their skills. The Create N Play Art Easel lets them do it all – dry erase, chalk, paint, and color – while staying mess-free with built-in storage caddies and paint cups. The Tabletop Easel is another great pick, especially when space is limited. Best Toy for Six Year Old Girls: Charlotte Dollhouse with EZ Kraft Assembly Six year olds are reaching another level with their pretend play as their storylines and “characters” grow more complex, and they’ll appreciate the extra details of a high-quality dollhouse. With beautifully detailed backgrounds and furniture, the Charlotte dollhouse is a hit with kids of all ages but especially school-age girls who love the realistic details it provides for their pretend play. This dollhouse accommodates 12”, the perfect size for your six year old’s Barbies and other favorite dolls. At four feet high, the Charlotte gives them enough room to play with friends and siblings for hours of imaginative play. Best Toy for Six Year Old Boys: Everyday Heroes Play Set 209.99 Dollhouse play is highly beneficial for both boys and girls as they immerse themselves in imaginative play and practice social situations. Unfortunately, boys often face pressure to stop playing with dollhouses once they reach school-age years. The Hometown Heroes Play Set solves that problem, providing all the benefits of dollhouse play while aligning with your little guys’ other interests. Both boys and girls love the Hometown Heroes set, but we’ve found that it’s a huge hit among boys who love all things first responder. The included firefighter and police officer are ready for the call along with their trusty canine side-kicks. Your kids can help them spring into action at a moment’s notice, sliding down the fire pole, or hopping onto the motorcycle, firetruck, or helicopter. When they’re not saving the day, the Hometown Heroes can get ready in this four-story playset with eight different rooms. Want more toy ideas for the six year old in your life? Shop all of our bestsellers for kid-tested toys they’re sure to love! *Prices are correct as of the publication of this article.
Best Toys for Five Year Olds
Five is a year of independence and exploration. Many kids are going to school for the first time, developing their reading skills, and making more friends than ever. As their attention span and love of social play increase, you’ll notice that they can immerse themselves in pretend play for hours, especially when they’ve got a buddy by their side. These kiddos will always be excited about toys that encourage pretend play and line up with their interests – whether that’s the fire station on the corner or the checkout line at the store. Our best toys for five year olds will help them learn about the world around them, play with their pals, and develop that incredible imagination through imaginative play. Best Toy for Pretend Play: Ride Around Town Train Set & Table The Ride Around Town Train Set & Table is great for more than building tracks and pushing trains. With four real-life scenes, kids can learn about the world around them as they play with included characters and animals in a farm setting, a little town, a construction zone, and an airport. No room for a full train table? Opt for the Bucket Top Mountain Train Set. It stores away neatly in the included plastic tote and still provides plenty of inspiration for pretend play with character figurines, helicopters, planes, and a picturesque mountain setting. Best Toy for Five Year Old Girls: KidKraft Disney Princess Dance & Dream Dollhouse Ahh, those fun years of dress up and princesses. It’s a magical time, right? The Disney Princess Dance & Dream dollhouse is a guaranteed hit with any little princess in your life. This magical castle fits 12” dolls, the perfect fit for all of their favorite Disney princesses. Features like the winding golden staircase and grand piano add a little extra magic to playtime, and the rooftop dance floor lets dolls spin and twirl to three different songs. You just might find your little princess dancing along too! Best Toy for Five Year Old Boys: Mega Ramp Racing Set Gas them up, wash them off, and then race to the finish with this deluxe car racing set! The high-speed ramp launches cars into the air, making races exciting and fun whether your little car enthusiast is playing independently or with a friend. But the Mega Ramp Racing is much more than a ramp – the gas station, car wash, and garage with elevator add extra elements to encourage pretend play as your little guy cares for his cars after the big race. Want more toy ideas for the five year old in your life? Shop all of our bestsellers for kid-tested toys they’re sure to love! *Prices are correct as of the publication of this article.
