It happens every time I get a screwdriver or a hammer out! My Son wants to use it…
The first time it happened, I used it as an excuse NOT to do the DIY job I was given. Boy, did I call that badly…I had holes in the walls and scratches on the floor! He needed his own DIY kit, and it needs to be tough enough to be used by a Toddler, but not tough enough to make holes in my walls! Here I take a look at the best 5 DIY toys for Toddlers.
Best DIY Toys For Toddlers
120 Piece Toddlers DIY Toy Shop Tools
Your Toddler will not know where to begin with this huge 120 piece DIY toy workbench!
This DIY tool toy bench has 120 pieces, which is too many to mention all of them in this post! But here is a rundown of the most important tools in this toy DIY kit:
- Saw
- Nuts
- Bolts
- Screwdriver
- Hammer
- Safety Glasses
- Pliers
- …and much more!
Let’s begin with the DIY bench. The most important thing here is the bench needs to be sturdy because Toddlers will be leaning all over it. If it is a flimsy build, then it will soon become yet another pile of toys on your Toddler’s floor.
You will be pleased to know that the build quality of Choi’s DIY Toy Bench is excellent! It is extremely sturdy and clearly built by people who totally understand how destructive a Toddler can be.
You will need some batteries for the drill, by the way…
I love the color theme of this DIY Toddler toy, although you may recognize the branding if you have a keen eye!
When a Toddler is choosing a toy, they are first attracted to colorful objects, making the bright yellow the perfect choice.
I mentioned early about the danger of ending up with a pile of toys on the floor, but there is no need to fear with Choi’s DIY Toy Bench because it can be packed away easily, ready to carry to another DIY location. This is easily one of the best construction toys for Toddlers!
This toy is the beginning of a full-on building set!
Manufacturers Recommended Age: 3+
Think Gizmos Pretend Play Sets
The Think Gizmo DIY toy is an excellent option for Toddlers! The kit contains every toy needed, and can be carried inside the toolbox!
The Think Gizmos DIY Pretend Play Set has 40 items, but it is still too many to list here!
A basic rundown is:
- Drill
- Screwdriver
- Hammer
- Wrench
- Pliers
- Nuts
- Bolts
- …and much more!
Similar to Choi’s DIY bench above, the Think Gizmo option also has a battery-powered drill, which is going to be the most popular tool that your Toddler will want to play with! I would put money on that…
In terms of portability, this DIY toy comes with a carry case so your Toddler can march around the house looking for various things to fix or break further!
This Think Gizmo DIY toy is well built and definitely strong enough to stand up to Toddler play time.
Manufacturers Recommended Age: 3+ (There are some small bolts)
Melissa & Doug Take-Along Tool Kit
Melissa & Doug are experts in creating awesome, educational toys for Toddlers! With over 30 years’ experience!
Melissa and Doug pride themselves on providing a wide range of well-built toys to develop your Child’s motor skills. The Take-Along Tool Kit is no different.
What stands out most about the Take-Along tool kit is that it is built from wood, which offers slightly better build quality than those made from plastic, but heavy play may damage the wood.
The Take-Along Tool Kit has a functional toolbox, which already has pre-drilled holes that your Toddler can use to practice using the nuts and bolts that come with the kit.
You may have also noticed that I rate Melissa and Doug toys very highly! In fact, I have recommended the Lock and Roll set in my search for the best lock and key toys!
Manufacturers Recommended Age: 3+
Workbench Kids DIY Tool Toy
This workbench DIY toy for Toddlers is excellent value for money, and contains all of the essential toys!
Here is another awesome toy workbench that is easily packed away to be carried over to the next important DIY task!
Filled with 12 toy tools, your Toddler will be fascinated with how they all work and what they can do with each.
The drill will need batteries, and as I mentioned above, these will be the most used tools in the set, so load up on batteries because you will need them!
In terms of price, this workbench offers the best value for money. When compared with the Choi’s DIY Toy Bench, there are certainly fewer toys but the build quality is the same. That is extremely important when your Toddler is going to be playing with it, right?
The only other difference is the manufacturer’s minimum age recommendation. This DIY toy is recommended for 2+, which allowed a smaller Toddler to begin learning about DIY and construction!
Manufacturers Recommended Age: 2+
Learning Resources New Sprouts Fix It
The Learning Resources DIY Toy Set is an awesome option for younger Toddlers!
This is a fun little toolbox that includes:
- Hammer
- Drill
- Saw
- Screwdriver
- Wrench
It is an excellent starter kit to develop your Child’s interest in DIY and construction. It does not include nuts and bolts, which are key to developing fine motor skills, but it is awesome for them to use these while you get on with the real DIY!
All items can be carried inside the toolbox to the next important DIY task, and the build quality is excellent.
I had to put this as an option simply because it has a lower minimum age, making it great for smaller Toddlers.
Manufacturers Recommended Age: 2+
Why a Toddler WILL LOVE A DIY Construction Toy Kit
Let me begin by naming just some of the skills that a DIY toy can develop in your Toddler:
- Fine Motor Skills
- Hand-Eye Coordination
- Manual Dexterity
- Problem Solving
- Creative Skills
Personally, I rate DIY construction toys as the best way to improve hand-eye coordination simply because Toddlers love playing with them, and the nuts and bolts require them to slow down and match up both items perfectly. Sure, there will be some frustration at first, as there always is when a Toddler cannot do something! The more they practice, the better they will be, and they can then apply the same patience and coordination to other areas of life.
Ultimately, Toddlers want to do everything that a grown-up can. When they see a grown-up performing some DIY construction tasks, they will want to help, and the best way of getting them to keep quiet is to give them their own set of DIY tools to perform the same jobs that a grown-up is doing!
There are a few optional extras that you may want to consider when looking at DIY toys for Toddlers:
It is not simply the construction-based DIY toys that grip a toddler’s attention. My Son spent hours as a Toddler playing with two other DIY based toys because he absolutely loves them:
It is well worth considering both of those as an option, although there is a common theme for both of those, which is a working drill!
On another quick note, these toys play very well with digging toys, which is an important part of the construction, right?
Conclusion
If you are looking for DIY toys for a Toddler, this page has identified 5 of the best and 5 that will suit any budget.
You can go for a full-on workbench or simply opt to go for a smaller toolbox. A Toddler will absolutely adore either one!
There are three things to bear in mind, though:
- Teach your Toddler to pack the items away after use (I know, easier said than done!)
- Watch how they use the tools, and make sure they are not doing anything dangerous with them!
- Always check the manufacturer’s recommended age.
Please take the opportunity to teach them how to use tools correctly. Have a goal in mind too! My Son wanted to use the real tools, and I promised him a small turn only when he had learned to use his tools first. That was clearly a bribe to help develop his motor skills a little more.
Construction toys are top of my Sons playtime list, along with fire station toys, and digger toys!
Good luck!
