7 Best Toys for Babies and Toddlers Learning to Talk

Fish out of water. This rocking, talking bowl recites the alphabet, numbers, and shapes as Baby takes plastic sea creatures out and places them back in again, strengthening her hand-eye coordination. Make the experience even more educational by helping your little one identify the objects (starfish, crab, fish) and their colors (red, yellow, orange). 

For ages 6 months to 36 months.

Make storytime interactive. The pages of this playful book respond to your toddler's touch with words, sounds, and music to help expand their vocabulary by more than 100 words. It also helps teach fine motor skills and the alphabet. And with four different modes of play, it's a toy your tot won't tire of anytime soon. 

For ages 18 months and up.

Phone a friend. Toddlers can practice their conversational skills—hello, how are you, nice talking to you, goodbye—with Scout, the fictitious canine friend on the other end of this play phone. Its 15 activities, including voicemails and sing-along songs, help teach social skills and counting, too.

For ages 18 months and up.

Keep your kiddo guessing. As your child is learning new words, this game will teach them everything from animals and automobiles to clothing and home vocabulary. Beginners match tiles to pictures on the boards, while older kids can work on reading comprehension by matching the words on the challenge cards instead of images for the same objects.

For ages 4 and up.  

Learn to speak and read. Turtle, Tiger, and Monkey will introduce you to a whole new world—and 100 new words—in this fun, interactive book. Available in both Spanish and English for a full bilingual experience.

For ages 18 months and up.  

A fantastic educational tool. With five activity pages filled with engaging content, the VTech Touch and Learn Activity Desk is perfect for little learners. This interactive setup will help your child learn their letters and 100+ words. It will teach them their numbers—and time—and bonus: The VTech Touch and Learn Activity Desk turns into an easel and chalkboard, for additional play and discovery.

For ages 2 years and up.  

Good, educational fun. With four modes—ABCs, messages, games, and music—your little love bug will learn to spell, count, and more with the 2-in-1 LeapTop Touch laptop.

For ages 2 years and up.