There are plenty of parents who outright ban screen time for their children, especially if they’re on the younger side, and there’s plenty of research to back this decision. But if you, like us, find the idea of a whole week without a screen a tad bit daunting, here’s our selection of the 16 ultimate screen-free toys that your kids will find so mesmerizing, they may not even notice there’s not a tablet or techie toy in sight…
IMAGINATIVE PLAY TOYS
Whether you call it imaginative play, make-believe or dramatic play, pretend play is the magical cornerstone of childhood. And it’s an absolutely vital part of your child’s cognitive, social and emotional development.
While many toddlers start imitating grown-ups from about 18 months, the passion for pretend really kicks in from 3 years. Foster their next “Let’s pretend…” session with pretend play toys that mimic what they see in the world around them.
FOR TODDLERS
Back to School Bus Playset, $24.99
FOR CHILDREN AGED 3 YEARS+
Saddle Up Barn and Stable, $59.99
Helping Hands Hospital Playset, $59.99
Ice Cream Maker Playset, $34.99
FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 YEARS+
Dr Pine’s Pet Hospital Veterinary Kit, $22.99
WondAir Jet Playset, $26.99
Gas ‘n Go Service Station Playset, $19.99
FOR CHILDREN AGED 8 YEARS+
Tiny Troopers Big Battle Drum, $32.99
STEM & BUILDING TOYS
We’re firm believers in wooden blocks as the ultimate toddler toy. Not only are they wonderful for building fine motor skills, they also do a remarkable job of challenging children to be creative, and introducing them to the basics of math, engineering and critical thinking, making them ideal toddler STEM toys too!
Your child will naturally play with blocks differently as they grow and mature. That’s why a classic, 100-piece wooden block set is perfect for seeing your child through from 12 months right up to 6 years or more. With an assortment of shapes including rectangular prisms, cubes, cylinders, triangles and bridges, they’ll invent a myriad of ways to play as their skills and interests grow.
FOR TODDLERS AND CHILDREN AGED 3 YEARS+
100-Piece Wooden Block Set, $32.99
FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 YEARS+
From about the age of 5, your child’s desire to design, build, readjust and test becomes more sophisticated. Did you know that this natural inclination is actually them flexing their innate engineering skills? Encourage their pursuit of answers with screen-free engineering toys that develop cognitive and motor skills, get them focused on problem-solving, help them to think critically, and test out concepts like cause-and-effect.
Our popular Constructables set and the award-winning Crazy Forts range tick all the boxes for encouraging young minds and hands to tackle the engineering designs of their dreams.
Constructables! Pine Wood Building Planks, $32.99
Magic Science for Wizards Only Kit, $18.99
Crazy Forts 69-Piece Set (Flexi Forts), $54.99
TOYS THAT MOVE (OR MAKE THEM MOVE)
For most children, the allure of toys that move – trains, trucks, cars – is irresistible. One of our most popular toys, the two-in-one Alpha Block Cargo Truck, is not only enormous fun, it’s educational too. It hones fine motor skills and familiarizes young ones with the alphabet, as the blocks feature upper- and lower-case letters, helping them with letter recognition and simple spelling.
And just like wooden blocks, there’s a reason the humble train set is a winner with kids generation after generation. Inspiring creativity and a gold-medal winner at playdates, the train set is simply brilliant for a child’s physical, mental and social development.
FOR TODDLERS AND CHILDREN AGED 3 YEARS+
Alpha Block Cargo Truck, $19.99
Cruisin’ Car Carrier, $29.99
100-Piece Wooden Trainset, $49.99
FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 YEARS+
And finally, Screen-Free Week is the perfect time to get outside! Why not disconnect the whole family from tech, and play a backyard game? This Batter’s Box Take & Play Baseball Set includes an adjustable batting tee, bases and two safety baseballs, and is super-easy to pack up and take outdoors.
Summer is coming, the sun is shining… what are you waiting for?
Batter’s Box Take & Play Baseball Set, $69.99
