I am a blog ambassador for Lakeshore and am compensated for my work. I received product free of charge, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. INSIDE: Best Lakeshore toys under $20.
Great toys don’t have to break the bank!
Somehow a rumor was started that toys need to be fancy. They need to be flashy, they need to be big, and they need to be expensive. This is so far from the truth and we all know it is (case and point: that cardboard box your kiddo loves to play with).
When we’re looking for toys for our kids, bigger isn’t always better.
Fancier isn’t going to make them play with it more.
The price tag is not going to change your child’s opinion of that toy.
RELATED: Want to see more Lakeshore toys? Check out all my favorites.
We need to be vigilant with the toys we buy.
Toy are important. Toys are a big deal and it’s our job as the “gatekeepers” of toys to pick the right ones for kids.
We want open-ended toys.
We want toys that grow with our kids.
We want toys that will inspire hours, days, years of play.
DON’T MISS MY COUPON FOR LAKESHORE LEARNING. Use my COUPON CODE 2525 at checkout to GET 25% OFF a non-sale item at Lakeshore! Valid for one-time use in stores or online. Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid on items with shipping restrictions. Other exclusions may apply. See http://bit.ly/39YALq3 for details.
Where do you find great toys?
I find great toys at Lakeshore Learning. This is my go-to store for the best of the best toys for kids: toys that will last for years, will engage my kids, and will enhance their play.
Every year, Lakeshore releases their Gifts for Growing Minds catalogue and my kids can’t put it down. It’s always packed with quality, open-ended toys that my children love.
RELATED: Looking for non-toy gifts? See my three favorite non-toy gifts.
Remember – great toys don’t need to break the bank.
Quality toys are out there.
Quality toys don’t have to cost loads of money.
Some of my favorite Lakeshore toys under $20 are the best.
Great toys are out there at every price point.
Here are some of my favorites (in no particular order) with prices less than $20/each.
Hands down, these numbers (that transform into robots) are some of the most played with toys at my house. There’s something magical about them!
Giant Magnetic Letters – Uppercase
Alphabet magnets are a must-own in my book and this set is GIANT!! You can get them in uppercase (shown here) or lowercase.
You could make a case that this is the best toy on the list but I won’t play favorites like that. Just know that this oversized “Polly Pocket” like toy is amazing and life and unbelievably cool.
An art project in and of itself – kids LOVE using this paper.
This Lakeshore marble run comes with multiple instruction/design ideas and is a great, simple set for many ages.
We love this game – it’s like Jenga for kids. The pieces move smoother than traditional wooden pieces AND the big faces mean they double as a great toy / imaginative play opportunity.
I’m such a fan of these boards – so much so that we have two. They’re just the right size and even perfect for road trips.
When my daughter was 2.5, she got these “twists” (her name) and they’ve been such a fun part of her toy collection ever since. They’re just unexpected simple fun.
Always a hit – such a fun twist on catching bugs in the backyard.
I gave these to my youngest for his first birthday, and here we are – almost a year and a half later – and the love for these balls has only gotten stronger. They are the best little balls and I give them out as birthday gifts.
**updated December 9, 2020: The Little Hands Animal Balls are currently sold out online but are available in some Lakeshore stores.
Insect & Spiders Science Viewer
We love our A View from Around the World – Set 1, and I can’t wait to get this insect version for my daughter.
What would painting life be like without these?
We got these three years ago and they’re a staple of life here. They’re always in the mix of things being played with (and have aged with my kids from baby to elementary age).
Such a complete toy – it comes with the markers and the alphabet magnets, and everything stores in the toy for later use.
What sets these apart from other farm animals toys is their color, size, and mix & match capabilities. My kids use these the most in farm play activities, and are always mixing up the fronts and backs.
This puzzle is actually part of the Classic Hardwood Learning Toys – Complete Set. I love each of these puzzles/toys so much. They have been huge hits for three years in our house.
This is absolutely the COOLEST. It project space images onto the ceiling or wall and has inspired hours of outer space play for my kids. They turn this on and suddenly they’re astronauts!
We love this little guy! My oldest (5.5 years old) holds him in the car on long trips – keeps his hands busy – and also at night time as he’s falling asleep. It’s been just the right amount of sensory for him.
Great toys don’t have to cost great amounts of money!
It’s important to know the right place to look for quality toys. Lakeshore Learning has been my go-to for almost a decade now. I know the products are teacher-designed, kid tested, and absolutely wonderful to play and learn with.
DON’T MISS MY COUPON FOR LAKESHORE LEARNING. Use my COUPON CODE 2525 at checkout to GET 25% OFF a non-sale item at Lakeshore! Valid for one-time use in stores or online. Limit one coupon per customer. Not valid on items with shipping restrictions. Other exclusions may apply. See http://bit.ly/39YALq3 for details.
Subscribe to my free newsletter and I’ll send you “35 Easy Toddler Activities to Break Up the Day!”
Leave a Comment