5 Must-Have Hand-Eye Coordination Toys for Ages 1-5 Toddlers

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Hand-eye coordination is a crucial developmental skill for young children, and there’s no better way to promote its growth than through play. Luckily, countless toys on the market are designed specifically to help toddlers develop their hand-eye coordination skills.

This article will highlight five must-have hand-eye coordination toys for ages 1-5 toddlers. These toys are fun to play with and help children develop their fine motor skills, spatial awareness, and overall cognitive development. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or caregiver, these toys will surely be a hit with the little ones in your life.

Best Hand-Eye Coordination Toys for Toddlers

1) NUGZIX Hammering Pounding Toys for 1-3 Year Baby Montessori Wooden Toddlers Early Development Learning

NUGZOX hammering pounding toy is made of wood, making them durable and able to withstand repeated use. The simple design and construction of the toy can make it appealing to both children and parents, as it provides a basic and straightforward option for play and learning.

The fact that the toy has two different ways to play, with the banging posts and spinning gears, is a nice touch that can help further to develop a child’s motor skills and talent. This hammer toy sounds like a solid choice for parents looking for a simple and educational toy for their kids.

5 Reasons To Buy NUGZIX Hammering Hand-Eye Coordination Toys

  1. Children can develop their strength and reflexes, color recognition, pattern recognition, finger dexterity, and overall motor skills by combining play with learning.
  2. The natural wood material and polished finish provide a safe and durable option for kids to play with, and the water-based paint is odorless for added peace of mind.
  3. Additionally, the toy can provide parent-child bonding and interaction opportunities, which can further enhance a child’s development.

Specifications

Product Dimensions

9 x 6.8 x 5.3 inches

Item Weight

2.14 pounds

Pros

  • The selection of materials, including the safe wood and rounded edges, helps prevent injury and provides a smooth surface for children to play with.
  • The 2-in-1 design allows children to develop their strength, reflexes, color recognition, finger dexterity, and more, making it an excellent educational tool for young kids.
  • It's enjoyable to strike the balls on the xylophone's surface. This function of the toy can also help develop the baby's musical skills.
  • This Hammering pounding toy does not contain small parts that are a choking hazard for babies.

Cons

  • To be honest, we did not come across any negative reviews about this toy.
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2) Sassy Stacks of Circles Stacking Ring STEM Learning Toy, Age 6+ Months, Multi, 9 Piece Set

The Stacks of Circles is a fun and educational toy that promotes early STEM learning. It features stacking rings that can be stacked in any direction due to the standardized size of the center of each ring, providing a frustration-free play experience.

This toy teaches children about important concepts such as sorting, size, sequencing, and building, making it an excellent tool for promoting early childhood development.

5 Reasons To Buy Sassy 9 Piece Hand-Eye Coordination Toys

  1. The Stacks of Circles is a toy designed for toddlers aged six months and above, providing a fun and educational play experience. The toy features stacking rings that can be stacked in any direction due to the standardized size of the center of each ring, providing a frustration-free play experience.

  2. This toy promotes early STEM learning by teaching children various important concepts such as sorting, size, sequencing, building, weights, and difference/similarity.

  3. In addition to promoting STEM learning, this toy also helps to strengthen hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

  4. The straight post accepts different-sized rings, helping to improve hand-eye coordination, and the chunky rings make it easy for babies to grasp, strengthening fine motor skills.

  5. Each ring is numbered, making it a fun and interactive tool for counting up to 8. Overall, the Stacks of Circles is an excellent choice for parents looking for a fun and educational toy for their toddlers.

Specifications

Product Dimensions

4.25 x 4.25 x 8 inches

Item Weight9.6 ounces

Pros

  • The fact that the set is BPA-free gives parents peace of mind regarding their child's safety.
  • The clear ring with colorful beads is a great touch, as it allows babies to connect the sound they create with the visual aspect of the toy.
  • Each ring's different textures and weights are great for exploring with the mouth and provide a textural variety that will engage a baby's senses.
  • The chunky rings are designed to be easy for baby to grasp, which will help develop fine motor skills.

Cons

  • It is not suitable for washing in the dishwasher.
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3) Manhattan Toy Musical Llama Wooden Instrument for Toddlers with Maraca, Clacking Saddlebags, Drumsticks, Washboard & Xylophone

The Wooden Musical Lili Llama Toy is a recipient of the prestigious 2019 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. This educational toy offers various musical activities that provide auditory and visual stimulation for children aged 12 months and above.

6 Reasons To Buy The Musical Lili Llama Wooden Toddler Toy

  1. Awarded the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award in 2019 in the Best Toys for Toddlers category.
  2. Features a 5-bar xylophone, removable maraca tail, washboard, clacking saddle blankets, and wooden mallets.
  3. Your little one will practice without even knowing.
  4. Features classic toddler activities with spinning dials and color-recognition shapes.
  5. Water-based, non-toxic finish.
  6. Packed full of auditory cause-and-effect learning and motor skill activities.

Specifications

Product Dimensions

12.5 x 7.25 x 10.6 inches

Item Weight

3.6 pounds

Pros

  • Rigorously safety tested
  • Manhattan Toy has been a trusted provider of imaginative toys since 1978, with a focus on rigorous safety testing and unparalleled customer support.
  • Super sturdy and ready to use right out of the box.
  • The musical instrument features a 5-bar xylophone, guiro-like notches, detachable wooden mallets, and two clacking saddle blankets that serve as drums. The llama's tail is also removable and can be used as a maraca.

Cons

  • The toy's tail and wooden mallets do not have spares.
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4) LEARNING ADVANTAGE Caterpillar Activity Wall Panels – Montessori Sensory Wall Toy – 6 Activities – Busy Board

Bring playtime to your walls with this multi-sensory busy board, featuring 6 engaging activities across 5 panels. This active board is a fantastic way to encourage exploration and discovery, from bead mazes to spinning patterns, textured surfaces, and interlocking gears.

With this Montessori busy board, children can develop motor skills, coordination, descriptive language, and reasoning skills. Offer an engaging and interactive playtime experience without the use of screens.

 

3 Reasons To Buy LEARNING ADVANTAGE Caterpillar Activity Wall Panels 

  • An Adventure with the Crocodile Busy Board

This busy board offers 11 thrilling activities for children to explore and enjoy, including percussive instruments, mazes, rotational pieces, interlocking cogs and much more, all housed within 5 panels.

  • Soaring Fun with the Airplane Busy Board

Embark on a playful journey with this busy board, featuring six diverse activities: a bead maze, a rolling disk with sound, a magnetic block slider, a trace and track toy, a clock with moving hands, and turning gears.

  • Twist, Pop, and Click with Fidget Cubes

Experience the satisfaction of twisting, popping, and clicking with this 100-piece fidget pack. Made of soft plastic, these Fidget Cubes come in 10 colors, each featuring different shapes on five sides.

Specifications

Product Dimensions

8.5 x 18.75 x 12.75 inches

Manufacturer recommended age

0-5 years
Item Weight 27.24 pounds

Pros

  • This busy board has been rigorously tested to meet the highest consumer standards and is suitable for children aged 18 months and above.
  • This activity center is an excellent decorative addition to bedrooms, classrooms, waiting rooms, or play areas while taking up minimal floor space.
  • The busy board has 15+ removable play pieces, including play food, a fishing pole, fish shapes, a compass and map, and more.
  • It includes textured surfaces with lockable doors, a color-mixing wheel, spinning patterns, rotational pieces, a bead maze, a bead wheel, interlocking gears, and a screw-in nose.

Cons

  • Although it is an excellent toy for quiet play and transitions, this toy can become boring for your toddler over time. On the other hand, your toddler cannot learn anything from a blank wall, but he can learn a lot from this interactive wall panel.
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5) RichChoice Giraffe Baby Educational Toys Activity, Travel Hanging Toys; Plush Portable Toys with Crinkle

This adorable giraffe toy has various functions and is easily portable with its convenient hanging feature. The toy also helps improve their grip strength and hand-eye coordination, as well as promotes the development of their hands, eyes, and brain.

 

4 Reasons To Buy RichChoice Giraffe Baby Toy

  1. Brain Sensory Toys: This plush toy for babies helps improve hand-eye coordination and overall development. Features such as a teething ring and crinkly ears can also help with tooth development and sensory stimulation.
  2. Rich Functionality: The giraffe toy includes a variety of textures and sounds, including a diamond-shaped teether, crinkly ears and feet, and a squeaker. These features help with hand-eye coordination, early grasping, and auditory stimulation.
  3. Safe and Environmentally Friendly: Made with high-quality, soft materials, this plush toy is safe for newborns and certified for USA use.
  4. Portable and Convenient: With a C-clip ring, this toy is easy to hang from a stroller, car seat, or crib. It’s also washable and perfect for travel.

Specifications

Product Dimensions

11 x 2.4 x 4.7 inches

Manufacturer recommended age

0 – 3 years

Item Weight5.6 ounces

Pros

  • The striking color contrast promotes the development of the visual movement in infants. This toy features an array of teethers for babies to chew on and satisfy their oral needs.
  • It is also conveniently designed to hang on a car seat, stroller, or crib, making it a portable and versatile toy for on-the-go fun.

Cons

  • The legs of the toy giraffe may seem a little long. But real giraffes have long legs too 🙂
  • It may have an above-average price.
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How can I improve my toddler’s hand-eye coordination?

  • Play with balloons: Batting around balloons is a fun way to work on hand-eye coordination as your toddler tries to keep the balloon in the air.
  • Playing with lacing cards: Lacing cards have pre-punched holes through which toddlers can thread string or shoelaces. This activity helps develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
  • Finger painting: Finger painting is a fun way for toddlers to work on hand-eye coordination as they create designs and shapes with their fingers.
  • Playing with sensory bins: Fill a container with items such as rice, beans, or sand, and let your toddler explore and manipulate the objects with their hands. This activity helps improve hand-eye coordination and tactile awareness.
  • Playing with stickers: Give your toddler a sheet of stickers and let them practice peeling and placing them onto paper.
  • Playing catch: Tossing and catching a soft ball or stuffed animal can help improve hand-eye coordination.
  • Playing with building blocks: Playing with building blocks, such as Duplo or Mega Bloks, can help improve hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness.
  • Threading beads: Give your toddler large, plastic beads to thread onto a shoelace or string. This activity helps improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
  • Using play dough: Playing with play dough or clay can help improve hand-eye coordination as your toddler molds and shapes the dough.
  • Playing with musical instruments: Playing with musical instruments, such as tambourines or maracas, can help improve hand-eye coordination and rhythm.
  • Playtime with toys: Encourage your toddler to play with toys that require hand-eye coordination, such as toy cars, trains, or airplanes.

What toys encourage hand-eye coordination? 

ToyDescription
Play kitchenEncourages toddlers to use hand-eye coordination to pretend to cook and serve food using toy utensils and dishes.
Magnetic building toysAllows toddlers to create various structures by matching and connecting magnetic pieces using hand-eye coordination.
Pop-up toysToddlers need to use hand-eye coordination to press buttons or levers to make objects pop up from the toy.
Push and pull toysEncourages toddlers to use their hand-eye coordination to push or pull toys along the ground or on a track.
Lacing toysHelps toddlers practice threading and tying laces, which require hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Painting setsPainting sets can help toddlers develop hand-eye coordination and creativity by applying paint to paper with a brush or finger.
Tactile toysTactile toys, such as squishy balls or textured blocks, help toddlers improve their hand-eye coordination as they explore and manipulate the textures.
Construction toysConstruction toys, such as Lego or Duplo, require toddlers to use hand-eye coordination to build and create various structures.
Water ToysWater toys, such as bath toys or water tables, require toddlers to use hand-eye coordination to manipulate and play with objects in the water. For example, pouring water from one container to another or scooping up floating toys.

What is the 5 easy drills to improve hand-eye coordination?

  1. Stacking cups: Have your child stack plastic cups into a tower and then knock them down with a ball or toy. This activity helps improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
  2. Obstacle course: Set up an obstacle course in your backyard or playroom using cones, hoops, and other objects. Have your child navigate the course while dribbling a ball or carrying a beanbag. This activity helps improve hand-eye coordination, balance, and gross motor skills.
  3. Ping Pong Ball Bounce: Drop a ping pong ball onto a hard surface, and have your child catch it with their non-dominant hand. Then, have them switch to catching with their dominant hand. This drill helps improve hand-eye coordination and reaction time.
  4. Laser Pointer Chase: Shine a laser pointer on the wall or floor, and have your child try to touch the spot with their finger. You can also move the laser pointer to different spots to make the drill more challenging. This activity helps improve hand-eye coordination and visual tracking skills.
  5. Catching Challenge: Toss a small, soft ball or beanbag back and forth with your child, gradually increasing the speed and distance of the tosses. This drill helps improve hand-eye coordination and reaction time.

There is no exact age at which hand-eye coordination is fully developed, as it can vary from person to person. However, most children have developed a good level of hand-eye coordination by the age of 7-8 years old.

During early childhood, the brain undergoes a significant amount of development, including motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Children can improve their hand-eye coordination with practice and repetition as they age.

Yes, puzzles can be an excellent tool for improving toddlers’ hand-eye coordination.

When toddlers work on puzzles, they need to use their visual perception to identify the correct location for each puzzle piece and their hands to manipulate the pieces into place. This process helps to improve their ability to coordinate their hand movements with their visual perception, which is an important skill for many activities in life.

Puzzles can also help toddlers develop fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and spatial awareness.

  1. Difficulty with delicate motor tasks: Children with poor hand coordination may struggle with tasks that require precise finger movements, such as buttoning clothes, using scissors, or holding a pencil.
  2. Poor handwriting: Children with poor hand coordination may have difficulty with handwriting, as they may struggle to control the movement of their hands and fingers to form letters and shapes.
  3. Lack of interest in fine motor activities: Children with poor hand coordination may avoid or become frustrated with activities that require hand-eye coordination or fine motor skills, such as playing with puzzles, building with blocks, or drawing.
  4. Difficulty with hand-eye coordination: Children with poor hand coordination may struggle with activities that require them to use their hands and eyes together, such as catching a ball, playing a video game, or using scissors to cut along a line.
  5. Difficulty with self-care tasks: Children with poor hand coordination may have problems with self-care tasks such as brushing their teeth, using utensils to eat, or tying their shoes, as these tasks require precise hand movements and coordination.

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