The toddler years, spanning from 1 to 2 years of age, are a period of remarkable growth and exploration. During this time, children develop critical motor skills, language abilities, and cognitive functions. Montessori-inspired toys are designed to support this natural development, emphasizing hands-on learning, independence, and purposeful play.
At The Laughing Koala, you’ll find a thoughtfully selected range of Montessori-inspired toys that encourage toddlers to explore, problem-solve, and gain independence. Below are some of the best toys for toddlers, all available in their Toddler Collection:
1. Montessori Spinning Rainbow Tower
This captivating tower encourages toddlers to stack, spin, and observe. It’s great for child development and introducing early STEM concepts like balance and gravity. As the discs spin down the tower, they create gentle collision sounds that offer a rich sensory experience. The vibrant colours and dynamic motion captivate your child’s attention, sparking curiosity and encouraging exploration. More than just fun, the Spinning Rainbow Tower helps develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and colour recognition, transforming everyday play into meaningful early learning.
2. Montessori Stacking Toys
The Montessori Animal Stacking Game isn’t just a toy, it’s a gateway to imaginative learning that every toddler and preschooler will love. With its vibrant, animal-shaped wooden blocks, this toy turns simple stacking into an engaging, hands-on adventure that boosts your child’s development in all the right ways.
Each piece is thoughtfully designed to support essential early skills like colour recognition, matching, and imaginative storytelling. But it doesn’t stop there, stacking these fun animal figures sharpens fine motor skills, improves focus, and nurtures independent problem-solving. Whether your child is building towers or creating their own zoo scene, the Montessori Animal Stacking Game delivers hours of screen-free, skill-building fun, while forming the foundations for creativity, confidence, and lifelong learning.
3. Montessori Wooden Train
The Montessori Wooden Train is more than just a charming toy, it's a developmental powerhouse that combines fun, learning, and imagination in a way that truly supports your toddler’s growth. Designed with vibrant colours, smooth wooden textures, and easy-to-handle pieces, this timeless train set invites endless opportunities for creative play and exploration.
As toddlers stack, connect carriages, and embark on make-believe journeys, they are also building critical life skills. The hands-on nature of the train set encourages fine motor development, improves spatial awareness, and promotes creative problem-solving. It also nurtures essential cognitive and emotional skills such as storytelling, roleplay, and teamwork, making playtime not only fun but deeply enriching.
True to Montessori principles, the train set is made from eco-friendly wood and finished with non-toxic paint, ensuring it’s both safe for children and kind to the planet. Its durable construction means it can be enjoyed for years, growing with your child and continuing to inspire curiosity and confidence through screen-free, imaginative play.
4. Montessori Sorting Games
Montessori sorting games are more than just colorful playthings, they’re unique design lay the foundation for early cognitive and motor skill development. Built around the principles of hands-on, self-directed learning, these toys support toddlers as they explore the world through touch, colour, shape, and logic.
Take, for example, the Montessori Shape Sorting Bar. With 15 bright, wooden pieces in five unique colours and shapes, this toy helps children aged one to even three develop essential skills like colour recognition, counting, and categorization. As they sort and stack, toddlers are also improving their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving abilities. Crafted from 100% safe wood and painted with water-based, non-toxic paint, it provides a secure and stimulating learning environment for little hands.
Another excellent example is the Rainbow Wooden Friends set, a charming colour-sorting game that includes seven vibrant peg dolls and matching cups. This open-ended toy encourages children to identify and group primary colors while nurturing creativity, patience, and independence. It also supports early math concepts such as matching and one-to-one correspondence. Engaging and simple, it invites parents to join in the fun, turning learning into a shared, joyful experience.
Both toys, rooted in the Montessori philosophy, emphasise self-correction, tactile engagement, and purposeful play. All key aspects that help toddlers develop confidence and concentration while exploring foundational concepts at their own pace.
By incorporating Montessori sorting games into playtime, parents can provide their children with powerful developmental benefits wrapped in fun, colour, and creativity, giving them a strong start in both school and life.
5. Montessori Wooden Puzzles
Montessori wooden puzzles offer a wide range of developmental benefits for toddlers, aligning with the Montessori philosophy of hands-on, self-directed learning. The Montessori Wild Animal Puzzle is a thoughtfully designed educational tool that supports a child’s development through purposeful play. Featuring adorable, high-quality wooden animal pieces, this puzzle invites toddlers into a world of exploration, creativity, and skill-building.
At its core, this puzzle enhances visual perception, colour recognition, and fine motor development. As children fit each animal into its matching slot, they’re learning to observe details, make connections, and use problem-solving strategies, all essential cognitive milestones in early childhood. The easy-to-grasp pieces are perfectly sized for little hands, helping to strengthen hand muscles and improve coordination through repeated manipulation.
But the learning doesn’t stop there. Each animal character adds a storytelling element to play, encouraging imaginative thinking and language development. Children can create their own adventures, name the animals, and describe their habitats, which nurtures creativity and early communication skills.
Ready to shop the best Montessori toys for toddlers?
Every toddler deserves toys that support their natural development and curiosity. Montessori toys from The Laughing Koala are the perfect tools to guide your child through the exciting journey of toddlerhood, building confidence, skills, and joy along the way.
Browse the full collection here: Montessori Toys for Toddlers (1–2 Years)