29 Awesome Toys For Imaginative Play

All animal lovers or aspiring veterinarians will love this imaginative toy, a vet kit from Maisonette that comes with a plush puppy and tools any vet needs to get the job done. Above and beyond your average vet kit, this set opens up to reveal an examination table, in a clinic, plus spaces for the animals to rest (it’s a good fit for smaller stuffed animals, like Beanie Babies).

Kids will love to take on a caretaker role and practice empathy for their furry friend, plus it may make their own fears of the doctor a little less pronounced. This is easy to wipe down with a damp cloth if it gets messy.

Whether your child is preparing for surgery or just curious about what’s going on inside the body, this plush doll with organs is an adorable and educational imaginative toy that will help them start to understand the basics of human anatomy. Unzip the tummy to reveal six organs: lungs, heart, intestines, liver, spleen, and kidneys, which are all different colors. One reviewer said, “My sister says my niece adores Erwin and plays with him all the time, she spends hours taking him apart and putting him together and uses a doctor kit on him. Endlessly fascinating!”

The doll is cuddly and is a generous size, plus if your kid spills something on it or does surgery with stick fingers it’s no biggie: this is machine-washable on cold.

Your little rockstar will be starting a band in no time thanks to this Loog Guitar from Kido Chicago. This fun and imaginative toy is educator-approved, and it has real nylon strings and allows your kid to play real chords. Plus, it’ll teach them how to play using the included flashcards or the Loog Guitar app. The Loog mini is shown here and it’s best for kids ages 3 and up (there’s a pro version that’s a good option for older kids). Instruments both encourage pretend play and help kids learn a tangible skill, a real win-win.

Little princesses, knights, lords, ladies, and jesters will love this inflatable castle from Indoor Kingdoms. All you need to do is plug it in and it inflates in less than a minute, thanks to the built-in blower fan. The castle is really big; the height is 5 foot 7 inches and the width and depth are both six feet, so there’s plenty of room for multiple kids to play inside, plus the roof and the doorway are open air, so you can still hear and see kids. I actually have this castle, and my nephews adore it. I’ve blown it up inside and outside — the durable oxford nylon can endure a little roughness, and the bottom is layered in vinyl so it doesn’t scratch the floors, even if you drag it.

These large silk-screened wipeable building shapes for imaginative play are as gorgeous as they are fun. Inspired by the geometric shapes of the Bauhaus German architecture movement, the Bauhaus set from Follies can be made into mazes, forts, tunnels, and more, plus they pack flat when they’re done playing. One reviewer said, “My boys (6 and 4 years old) are loving their Follies. One made a rocket ship and the other one made a giant ant with antennae using the squiggle cutouts. Then they broke those down and made a fort with a restaurant and kitchen. It is so fun to see their creativity on display.”

Whether your child loves or loathes the doctor's office, this play doctor and vet kit will get them familiar with what to expect during their next appointment. There are fun plush accessories like a thermometer, a stethoscope, a cone for animals, bandages and more. Plus if your child wants to pretend that they're the doctor or the nurse and you're the patient, you may get a few minutes to lie down on the couch with your eyes closed for the sake of make believe, and there’s nothing better than a game that lets you “rest” your eyes for a few minutes.

Magnetic sets are always great because it’s hard to lose the pieces, especially when they come in a handy carry-on case like this one, which also travels well in a car or on a plane or train. This fun set of magnetic patterned 3D shapes that stick to the board can be used to make pictures of animals, vehicles, landscapes, or anything they dream-up. It comes with 42 bright wooden magnetic blocks which can be placed on the board to replicate any of the included 50 full-color puzzle ideas. One reviewer said, “Absolutely love the imagination patterns set. All the grandkids play with it, ages 3-10 and love it. Never wears out and will never go out of style. And doesn’t need batteries!”

For creative kids ages 5 and up, it doesn’t get more fun than this DIY coding kit from KiwiCo. It teaches problem-solving skills and gets kids familiar with the ideas behind programming. Little ones will have fun making a robot rabbit with a customizable track that the bunny can run along. They’ll write programs to solve puzzles and send the hoppy robot down the path they created. It comes with illustrated directions which are helpful especially if your child doesn’t read yet. “One reviewer said, “Developmentally appropriate. Did with vacation kids and they loved it! It was written and developed in a way that created great understanding and concept development.”

What’s better than a beautiful house plant that doesn’t need water? If your kid (and your bare feet) can handle over 1000 Lego pieces, then this Lego Bird Of Paradise set is sure to be a hit. While the product is technically designed for people ages 18 and up, older children who have a lot of Lego experience could certainly handle this imaginative toy, especially if it’s a project you work on together as a special activity that doesn’t involve a screen. This was one of Target’s most popular toys in 2021, and there are other sets in the plant line, including a bouquet and a bonsai tree.

Melissa & Doug are known for their toys that help cultivate a world of make believe, and this puppet theatre is no exception. You can buy a few puppets to go along with the theatre, or if you and your child are feeling crafty, you could try making the stars of the show by creating sock puppets or using a template to cut a funny puppet family out of paper. Kids will love making up all sorts of silly scenarios with this imaginative toy that really allows them to create whatever story or build any world they’d like to see.

You need puppets for your theatre, and this print out puppet from Etsy makes it super easy to make on your own at home (as long as you have a printer, as this is a digital download that will be delivered to your inbox after purchase). The body moves if you use brass fasteners, and your kid will have fun coloring in the puppet before dreaming up their own show. You can also glue this to cardboard or cardstock so it's a little sturdier. This craft is both fun to make and fun to play with once it's done, allowing for hours of entertainment for under $5.

I love that this superhero cape costume from Meri Meri is blue and glittery. It comes with the fully lined lame cape embroidered with sparkly decals, plus silver felt wrist cuffs and a matching eye mask with elastic hook and loop closures to fit comfortably over their heads. With this glitzy get-up, your littlest superhero will be saving the world in no time (in fact it may be a challenge to get them to wear anything else). If superheroes aren’t their thing, Meri Meri is a great place to get all sorts of unusual costumes from birds, to lions, sharks, or sparkly mermaids.

This play kitchen from Ikea won't break the bank but it still has fun bells and whistles like pot hooks and light-up burners (though the four double A batteries that make this possible are not included).They can make soups, bake cookies, and wash-up, all in a safe, not-too-messy way. Just be ready to "taste" all their creations. Best of all, picking up this kitchen will give you a reason to schlep to Ikea and pick up some other essentials. The Swedish store also has great accessories for the play kitchen including little bowls and plates, and a cute play pizza set.

You can't have a play kitchen without play food like the grocery set and scanner toy from Chasing Fireflies. Your child can pretend they're shopping at the grocery store (and I guarantee they'll love pretending to ring up the food). The set includes pantry staples including a can of tuna, butter, baguette, cookies, sweet corn, ketchup, olive oil, spaghetti, chocolate, and cereal, plus a basket and scanner stickers. The toys are made of sustainable rubberwood and are suitable for ages 2 and up. After your little one does their shopping, they can whip up a meal for the whole family in their cute little kitchen. Wouldn't it be nice if this game was real?

If your child can't go more than a few hours without running through your home screeching siren noises at the top of their lungs, then they'll love this fire station tent from Crate & Kids. Firefighters need a place to rest, and this one has all sorts of fun details like a hydrant, hose, alarm, and pretend garage door. It's made of 100% cotton canvas with sturdy metal support poles (so it pops up kind of like a camping tent). If you’re really going all out, you could also give your child a ride-on fire truck, and set the tent up outside in the yard.

Every doll lover needs a pretend diaper bag so they can take their baby on a make-believe outing. This bag comes stocked up with the basic essentials every (real and pretend) parent or caregiver would need, like wipes, two diapers, a changing pad, and a bib. You don’t need to, but if you or your child prefer to pack the bag yourself, you can use items you might already have in your own supply closet (real diapers, hand-me-down bottles and swaddles).

Just remember if something of yours goes missing (say your phone or wallet) don’t forget to check your kid’s diaper bag, as they’re notorious for “borrowing” grown-up items when they play.

For the kid who eagerly waits for the mail carrier or UPS person each day (a sure sign of a pandemic child), this fun post office pretend play set will allow them to emulate their mail carrying heroes. Kids will have a blast coloring in the large poster featuring the post office, that they can then hang on the wall and have as a backdrop to their game. The set also comes with cardstock bins to sort the mail and other paper accessories. Finally, you’ll have a place for all that annoying junk mail to go to good use.

They can blast off into another realm (well, in their imaginations at least) with this rocket ship building toy from Little Wonder & Co. It comes with 31 universal peg-and-hole pieces so they all fit together in different creative ways that won’t get boring. The wooden pieces are made from sustainably grown rubberwood and they’re finished with non-toxic, child-safe wood stains (the blocks are recommended for ages 3 and up).

This is a fun toy for parents and kids to play with together, but it’s also ideal for solo play, especially because it doesn’t make noise and isn’t frustrating to put together. You could even get them a little NASA suit to wear while they build.

This wooden dollhouse from Walmart is so cool I kind of want it for myself. It has three floors, a gliding elevator, plus all the furniture is included and has lights and sounds (the toilet flushes, for example, and the piano plays music). This one is made of wood and fits 12 inch dolls best, plus it will get them imagining what it would be like to be all sorts of different people all under the same roof. Just note that you will need to put this one together yourself (though most reviewers said it’s easy to build). It comes with 14 accessories including a few pieces of furniture, a cake stand, a hanging plant, and more, but you can also buy more accessories.

This science experiment kit comes with a washable lab coat, googles, test tubes, a name badge, and all the things a kid needs to feel like a real scientist. The kit contains a manual, but none of the supplies you'll need for actual experiments (though if you have some old cabbage and food coloring at home, you're already on your way to discovery).

If your kid just likes to pretend they work in a lab and doesn’t have a burning desire to actually do an experiment, you could fill the beakers up with colored water (or put some glitter in water) for a project that will keep them busy for a while.

Now your kids can build a fort that doesn't require ripping all the pillows off the couch and dragging them across the floor. The cardboard pieces in this build-a-fort kit look like wood (but they’re light and won’t hurt if dropped on someone’s toe) and there are even extras so they can build a storage container for the pieces when they're not in use. This will help hone problem-solving and spatial awareness skills, and when it's assembled, the fort sets the stage for so many imaginative games and scenarios. Plus, it offers a quiet, private spot for older kids to read or hangout in peace.

The child who always wants to "help" their mom and dad with home projects will love having their very own play workbench from Pottery Barn Kids. They can imagine what they'd like to build, and how'd they do it. This one’s made from solid pine wood and has a measuring tape built-in. It also comes with all the tools they’ll need to get the job done including a saw, hammer, wrench, screwdriver, two nuts, two bolts, gears, and nails.

Now when parents are working on home or DIY projects, kids can work alongside without actually needing to hold tools or assist. You can also give them some scrap wood to play around with.

This sweet s’mores set from Target has everything they'll need for a fun afternoon of pretend camping. The marshmallows are double-sided, so as they rotate on the stick to reveal the bottom, the marshmallows look actually charred and toasted. For hours of fun (or a great playdate game) set up some sleeping bags or a small tent and have them pretend they're on a camping trip. They can tell spooky stories as they use the included toy saw to pretend to chop down wood for their roaring fire. Just be prepared; these fake s’mores are so realistic they’ll probably soon be asking for the real thing.

Every child who likes to pretend they're a parent, a big brother or sister, or a babysitter needs a good doll. This realistic doll has a cloth body, vinyl limbs that can easily be wiped clean, and stylable hair. It's a popular 18-inch size, too, so you should have no problem finding more outfits for her.

This doll doesn’t have a name because the company wants kids to use their imaginations to think up the perfect name for her, but she does come with a sweet little bio that says she has a cat named Sparkles, loves math, going to the beach, and the color lavender, and she collects seashells and plays soccer.

Their dolls can get in on the beachside summer fun with this American Girl grill set that comes with a portable, fold-up grill, plus food that actually changes color and gets charred grill marks. Let the beach picnic commence, even if the beach is your living room and the sand is a paper bag (please don’t let it be real sand). American Girl has tons of fun accessories for 18-inch dolls, and you can find something that reflects whatever your kid is into. There are pets, musical instruments, dance shoes, and other sports gear, all in the super cute doll-size.

Get your little one cultivating a green thumb early with this imaginative toy. The fun flower building set requires a lot of patience and motor skills when it comes to building the flowers from the ground up. They’ll put together all parts of the brightly colored blooms including the base, leaves, pistils, stamens, and petals. There’s an included watering can too, and the flowers can get wet if you want to turn this into an outdoor activity. One reviewer said, “Well made toy that challenges their imagination and motor skills. My 4 (girl) and 6 years old (boy) were entertained for hours playing with this. I also love that they can play inside and outside with it! Fantastic buy, great company as well.”

This set of sculpting clay for kids comes with 18 cans of bright, non-sticky, non-toxic clay so they can bring the characters in their heads to life. The clay will dry and harden when left out for 24 hours (no firing in the oven necessary), then they can make up worlds using their creations. Working with clay helps kids build both fine and gross motor skills, and it helps with problem-solving and abstract thinking (i.e. how to translate an idea in their head into something tangible and 3D). Plus, it’s really fun and there’s something satisfying about making a toy you get the play with later.

Legos are always a hit when you’re unsure what to give as a gift. These Lego Gear Bots are cool too because they’re a little different from your typical Lego set in that it’s a book and a kit. Using STEAM principles, kids will learn how to create eight physics-driven kinetic robots that require learning about motion and movement using axles, cams, cranks, and other foundations of engineering.

From vet to astronaut, scientist to camper, there are so many things your kid can pretend to be, especially when they have toys and accessories to bring their world alive. This adventure dress-up box includes everything they’ll need to dress as an aviator, an outback explorer and an archaeologist. It’s understandably a little pricey but the costumes are high quality and include a ton of fun play accessories like a camera, flight goggles, a compass, a map, or binoculars, plus bags and the outfits themselves (plus a cute adventure-themed storage trunk). The costumes are designed to fit kids ages 3-5.