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The Best Blocks for Toddlers – Our 2023 List


With technology taking over so many aspects of our life, it’s increasingly important to help our children use their imaginations. Toys that allow and encourage imaginative play are so helpful, and that’s why I’m excited about sharing the best blocks for toddlers! 

Best Wooden Blocks for Toddlers:
Best Magnetic Blocks for Toddlers:
Best Soft Blocks for Toddlers:
Best Stacking Blocks for Toddlers:
Most Unique Blocks for Toddlers:


linking cube set

Best Wooden Blocks for Toddlers

The Melissa & Doug Block Set includes the most basic blocks (100) at the best price. For alphabet blocks, the Melissa & Doug Alphabet Blocks and TOWO Giraffe Blocks are educational but the Giraffe Blocks set may be too advanced for young toddlers.

Melissa & Doug Block Set

Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Set - 100 Blocks in 4 Colors and 9 Shapes
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These classic Melissa & Doug Blocks are a treat! With 100 blocks of various colors, shapes, and sizes, your child will be able to create to his or her heart’s content. There is truly no limit to the wonderful things your toddler can build with this wooden block set. This set can keep your creative child busy for hours!

One downside to this set is that it doesn’t come with anything to store it in when not in use. But since most play areas already have a toy box of some sort, I don’t think this is too much of a dealbreaker.

TOWO Giraffe Blocks

TOWO Wooden Giraffe Alphabet Blocks and Number Blocks Jigsaw Puzzle 41 cm Large Size 2 in 1 ABC Number Puzzle - Wooden Letter Blocks Puzzle Number Puzzles Educational Toys for 3 Year olds
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Perfect for teaching letters and numbers in a really fun way, this Giraffe Block Puzzle is absolutely phenomenal! Your child will watch the shape of the giraffe come together as they correctly connect their numbers or letters (depending on the side they choose).

Not only do they get the experience of learning their numbers and letters with these blocks, but they get the satisfaction of building the giraffe every time.

Check out more of the best toys for 2-year-old boys and best toys for 2-year-old girls

Melissa & Doug Alphabet Blocks

Melissa & Doug Classic ABC Wooden Block Cart Educational Toy With 30 1-Inch Solid ABC Wood Blocks For Toddlers Ages 2+
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Teach your child their letters and numbers early with this set of Melissa & Doug Alphabet Blocks. These wooden blocks come in a storage box that is a toy in itself. With wheels and string attached, the box is more of a “trailer”, which allows children to pull it around from one place to another.

The versatility of this set makes it an exceptional buy for the price. 

Tegu Magnetic Blocks

14 Piece Tegu Magnetic Wooden Block Set, Tints
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Blow your toddler’s mind with these Magnetic Blocks! These blocks up the ante in creativity, pushing the possibilities even further with their built-in magnets.

Coming in all shapes, sizes, and colors, these magnetic blocks will afford your child countless hours of imaginative play. 

FAO Schwarz Castle Block Set

Want a huge set of plain wooden blocks? This set of FAO Schwarz Castle Block Setfits the bill! Boasting a whopping 60 blocks in total, these natural-finish, smooth-sanded hardwood blocks are a good ol’ classic. 

Although, these do have a couple of bells and whistles! The set comes with shaped blocks so kids can build stunning castles and marvel as they build the homes of the past. As a bonus, your child can paint them for a fun (albeit, messy) rainy day activity!

Melissa & Doug Stacking Train

Melissa & Doug Stacking Train - Classic Wooden Toddler Toy (18 pcs) - Wooden Train Set, Wooden Sorting & Stacking Toys For Toddlers Ages 2+
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Change things up with this cool Stacking Train from Melissa & Doug. These stackable blocks fit perfectly onto the train pegs. There’s no right or wrong way to stack these blocks onto the train, so your toddler will be able to experiment and have fun. 

wooden train block set, stacking

There are three train pieces: the engine and two train cars, which are loaded down with 15 brightly colored blocks.

This is the perfect combination of two favorite children’s toys: trains and blocks. And for the price, you can’t go wrong.

Best Soft Blocks for Toddlers

Both the B. Toys Soft Building Blocks and Architectural Blocks are designed with a variety of textures and are reasonably priced. On the other hand, the Foam Kids’ Blocks have smooth surfaces, are much larger, and quite a bit more expensive. 

B. Toys Soft Building Blocks

B. toys – Baby Blocks – Stacking & Building Toys For Babies – 10 Soft & Educational Blocks- Numbers, Shapes, Colors, Animals- One Two Squeeze- 6 Months +
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These Soft Building Blocks are hand-sculpted and perfect for a teething baby or toddler. 

The 10 blocks come in their own carrying bag made of recycled fabric. Each block has numbers and animals sculpted onto them. The colors are all the normal colors you’d expect, except in a beautiful muted tone, almost earthy. The entire aesthetic is uncommon in children’s toys, and actually quite lovely.

Another great use for these blocks is to use them as a fun bath toy for your child’s bath. 

The wide variety of uses for these blocks, as well as the entire age range that they benefit, make these a worthy investment for any parent looking for a toy that will grow with their child. These blocks are good for children ages 6 months and up.

Foam Kids’ Blocks

ECR4Kids SoftZone Patchwork Toddler Building Blocks, Foam Cubes, Assorted, 12-Piece
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Toddlers, children, and adults alike will enjoy playing with these large Foam Blocks! The dense foam core is soft enough for energetic children to use without injuring themselves or their playmates. These blocks are large, but not so large that a small child couldn’t play with them. In fact, these are recommended for 9 months and up.

The non-toxic polyurethane exterior is easy to wipe down with a damp cloth, so you don’t have to worry about these getting dirty! The price tag is a little high, but if your child is accident-prone these can give you peace of mind.

B. Toys Architectural Blocks

B. toys- Alphabetical Sort & Stack Developmental Baby Blocks- 26 soft blocks for kids & babys- Elemenosqueeze- 6 months +
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Give your child and visual and tactile experience with these soft Architectural Blocks from B. Toys

Each block in this set is hand-sculpted with letters and corresponding animals.The colors of these blocks are a little more muted than most toys, almost earth tones. Your toddler will be able to create cool architecture to his/her heart’s content, thanks to the various shapes included in this set, including arches, pillars, and blocks. 

These blocks are great all-around toys. Soft enough to be used as a teething toy, and water resistant for a great bath time treat. Perfect for introducing your growing baby (age 6+ months) to great toys. Additionally, this set comes with its own storage bag!

Melissa & Doug Soft Blocks

Melissa & Doug K's Kids Match and Build Soft Blocks Set For Toddlers, Building Blocks, Sensory Baby Stacking Toys
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Another great option for the accident-prone toddler, these Melissa and Doug Soft Blocks are a great deal for a great price. Smaller than the previous foam blocks, these are ideal for your toddler’s small hands. These fit comfortably into toddler-sized hands, making it easy to perfect one-handed building.

These blocks are lightweight. The various pictures and numbers allow your child to pair up animal halves, numerals and quantities, and activities. The amount of education built into these little blocks really packs a punch. You definitely get your bang for your buck with this set.

Finally, they come with their own plastic bag to store them in. I’m all for extra storage, so this is a definite plus in my book.

Best Stacking Blocks for Toddlers

The Melissa & Doug Stacking Blocks and Mega Bloks are classic stacking blocks for toddlers, with the Mega Bloks being the most popular stacking block set. For a twist on classic stacking blocks, the Battat Bristle Blocks are the most unique block set on this list. 

First Builders Big Blocks

MEGA BLOKS Fisher-Price Toddler Block Toys, Big Building Bag with 80 Pieces and Storage Bag, Blue, Gift Ideas for Kids Age 1+ Years
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These Mega Blocks are the perfect combination of creativity and safety. Their large size is safe for babies and toddlers to use, while their design makes them an incredibly versatile toy. The number of combinations that your child can make with this is truly limitless.

The fact that these blocks fit into each other really helps with usability. Little toddler hands might have a hard time stacking free-standing blocks, but these are designed to make it easier for your child to build their creations. 

With bright colors and lots of different shapes, these blocks teach hand-eye coordination, creativity, and imagination, fine motor skills, focus, and attention. They can also be used for teaching your child their colors!

An added advantage to this set is that it comes with a zippered bag for easy storage. When not in use, they all fit comfortably inside the bag, awaiting the next time they’re needed. No need for extra toy bins or containers. That’s a win, in my book!

Little Tikes Waffle Blocks

If you’re looking for some blocks that will help your child to be even more creative, I would definitely recommend these Waffle Blocks. The waffle construction of these blocks results in a toy that has limitless creative possibilities! They fit into one another, making it easier to build intricate sculptures, shapes, and buildings. 

There are 100 brightly colored waffle blocks in this set, and they come packaged nicely in their own storage/carrying bag. Definitely worth checking out if your child is eager to expand his/her creative outlets past classic blocks.

Melissa & Doug Stacking Blocks

Melissa & Doug Deluxe 10-Piece Alphabet Nesting and Stacking Blocks - Stack And Sort , ABC Learning , Stackable Toys For Toddlers Ages 2+
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Want some blocks that will take up the least amount of space possible? Stacking Blocks are your saving grace!

These nesting blocks are painted in fun, bright colors. Each block has pictures, letters, animals, and shapes to help teach multiple skills. Your toddler will have a blast stacking and nesting these blocks again and again. The best news? They don’t take much space to store!

Battat Bristle Blocks

Battat- Bristle Blocks- STEM Interlocking Building Blocks- 112 pc Playset- Developmental Toys for Toddlers & Kid- Basic Builder Set- 2 Years +
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This last, but oh-so-good choice, is certainly one to check out for your creative toddler! These bristle blocks by Battat are similar to the waffle blocks, in that they fit into each other. But the creative possibilities with these bristle blocks are even more astounding.

You get 112 pieces in this set, including 8 functional wheels! The brightly colored blocks come in all shapes and sizes, and the wheels add additional creative opportunities for your toddler’s imagination to run wild.

Honestly, these are a toy everyone in the house would enjoy playing with, which means that these bristle blocks will definitely grow with your child.

Comparing Blocks for Toddlers

The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed. The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the product compared to others in the table.



Laura Ohlman

Laura Ohlman is a Christian, wife, and mommy of 4-under-5. She enjoys her role as a professional home executive (aka, stay-at-home mom), and she finds time to write on the side. She's also a certified Birth & Postpartum Support Specialist (aka, doula)... which basically just means that she's a major birth nerd. ;) She loves writing about all things motherhood, pregnancy/birth/postpartum, and homemaking.



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