We are BIG fans of Melissa and Doug over here. I don't think we have met a Melissa and Doug toy we didn't love! Their toys are high quality and very affordable. They prioritize open ended and pretend play that promote skill building. Their toys are designed to be timeless, so they will grow with your child. Of all the toys we have, Melissa and Doug have proven to last against the rough play of clumsy, curious toddlers.
Melissa and Doug use certified paper and wood to make all of their toys so, you know it is safe for even your teething babes. They are conscious of the toll that making these sustainable toys takes on the environment. That is why they are actively working with One Tree Planted to replenish the forest by planting 10 million trees by 2030.
As a toy enthusiast, I am always looking for toys that are durable, open ended, fairly priced and cute! That is why we seem to have so many Melissa and Doug toys! I feel they check every one of these boxes. But, you don't have to take my word for it- Check them out yourself!
Here are our 30 favorite toys created by Melissa and Doug. I have organized the toys into several different categories- Kitchen, Cars, Pretend Play, Skill Building, Books and Puzzles.
Kitchen Toys
Melissa and Doug's Kitchen themed toys are TOP KNOTCH. I put them first in this list for a reason. Both of my kids gravitate towards these toys the most.
The Ice Cream Scoop playlet gets used every single time my toddlers play in the kitchen. AND is the first toy pulled out when we have friends over. It is a favorite to all! It is perfectly shaped for little hands and it is easy to maneuver. Kids can play with this toy completely independently from age one.
The smoothie maker is another favorite. My daughter (3) does need some help with switching out the color sheets. But she loves blending the fruit and pouring it into her cup. It is a fantastic, well thought out toy. I love that it comes with a guide for children to follow to make their own smoothies.
Thirst Quencher is a new toy for us. But it has been a BIG hit. It is very easy to use. Watching the colors plop perfectly into the clear cup brings a level of satisfaction that I could watch over and over and over LOL.
Finally, the cooking utensils are just a plain necessity. Babies love drumming them, and toddlers love using them in pretend play!
LINKS:
Scoop and Stack Ice Cream Cone Playlet- Click Here
Smoothie Maker Blender Set- Click Here
Thirst Quencher Dispenser- Click Here
Stir and Serve Cooking Utensils- Click Here
Cars
My daughter LOVES playing with cars. In fact, we just converted our coat closet into a "garage" for her toy cars. I feel like you can't go wrong with toy cars, and Melissa and Doug make some of the best! Here are our favorite Melissa and Doug car themed toys.
Magnetic Car Loader- Click Here
Emergency Vehicle Carrier- Click Here
Animal Rescue Wooden Play Set- Click Here
Wooden Stack and Count Parking Garage- Click Here
Pretend Play
Schoolyard Tumble is a surprising favorite. My one year old plays with it every single day. It is the perfect size for little hands. The disk friends drop into the playground equipment perfectly and allows toddlers to work on their hand eye coordination, as well as grip.
These baby dolls are absolutely precious and a household staple. My son loves carrying these babies around and pushing them in their stroller.
Dust, Sweep, Mop is another one of the toys every kid who comes to our house gravitates toward. Kids love modeling after their parents and doing what they do! And how cute is it watching your toddler pretend to dust and sweep the house?!
I bought the Super Smile Dentist Play set for my daughter when before I took her to her first dentist appointment so we could talk about what to expect at the dentist. I love that tots can visualize what it means to brush and floss their teeth.
I am a big fan of the Horse Stable. We use the horses in sensory bins, for counting, lining up, and pretend play of course! It is an open ended toy that will get lots, and lots of use for many years to come!
Magnets are a favorite around here. I love to pull them out when I am making dinner and the kids want to be in the kitchen with me. This allows them to play near me, but not be right under my feet!
Puppets are another household staple. They are fun for newborns, all the way to elementary kids!
Schoolyard Tumble- Click Here
Mine to Love Twins Luke and Lucy Dolls- Click Here
Dust, Sweep, Mop- Click Here
Super Smile Dentist Play Set- Click Here
Take-along Show Horse Stable Play Set- Click Here
Wooden Animal/Dinosaur Magnets- Click Here
Jungle Animal Puppets- Click Here
Skill Building
The latch board is a fun one! It is actually a little challenging! It would be a great one to take on road trips. It is larger than the Melissa and Doug puzzles.
Stamps are one of our favorite activities. These letter stamps are great quality and can be used for SOOOO many different things. I love that this set comes with capital and lowercase letters as well as numbers.
If you child loves Play-Doh, they need this modeling kit! it is an absolute blast.
If you're a dork like I am, then you loved using these pattern blocks in Elementary school! I saw these and knew I needed to get them for Ellie. We don't use them a ton honestly. But I do think we will get more use out of them when she is a little bit older.
Play, Draw, Create is a fantastic resource for long airplane or car rides. I love that it shows step by step demonstrations on how to draw different farm animals. My three year old isn't quite old enough to practice drawing on her own, but she loves the magnets and the time we spend drawing together.
Poke-a-Dot Learning Cards are a favorite around our house. We love the counting ones because it helps toddlers internalize pointing and counting. The cards are well designed and so cute! We need to invest in the alphabet cards too!
My son loves to play with balls. He also loves farm animals! So finding this combination of some of his favorite things made it a no brainer to purchase. He loves carrying them around. They fit perfectly in his fat hands!
Wooden Latches Board- Click Here
Alphabet Stamp Set- Click Here
Shape, Model and Mold Modeling Dough Kit- Click Here
Pattern Blocks and Boards Classic Toys- Click Here
Play, Draw, Create Reusable Drawing and Magnet Kit- Farm- Click Here
Poke-a-Dot Numbers Learning Cards- Click Here
Safari and Farm Friends- Click Here
BooksI don't feel like I need to explain these books in detail, but I needed to mention them in our list because they really are great! The Poke-a-Dot books are so much fun. I love that the Ocean book focuses on counting. We keep soft books in my son's crib. This allows him to self sooth and play before he falls asleep. I catch him looking at the Alligator book often.
Poke-a-Dot: Who's in the Ocean- Click Here
Soft Activity Book: Whose Feet- Click Here
Poke-a-Dot Pet Families- Click Here
My First Activity Book- Click Here
Puzzles
Mellissa and Doug make the BEST puzzles. They are the perfect size for little hands. The sound puzzles are a blast and draw my kids' attention frequently. The safari puzzle is hands down their favorite puzzle. The animals are a great size and easy to work with. The Hide and Seek farm is my favorite puzzle LOL. I think it is such a creative design! My kids' love when we take all of the magnets out and I hide one puzzle piece at a time for them. All of these are winners!
Old MacDonald's Farm Sound Puzzle- Click Here
Vehicle Sound Puzzle- Click Here
Safari Chunky Puzzle- Click Here
Hide and Seek Farm- Click Here
The toys I have shared with you are just the toys we have and use that I can vouch for! I could create a whole new blog that lists out the Melissa and Doug toys I want. But, I will save that for Santa!
*Photos taken directly from Amazon*
*Affiliated Links*
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