With camps canceled and day care centers and playgrounds closed, little ones have fewer opportunities to get the wiggles out these days. Which is not good for anyone: Toddlers, whose ages range from 1 (when they start “toddling,” i.e., walking) to about 3, when they typically begin preschool, don’t really pay attention for long periods of time, so “they definitely need to be active and constantly moving,” according to Dr. Giselle Tadros, a physical therapist and founder of In-Home Pediatric Physical Therapy of New Jersey. Parents and caregivers know this all too well, particularly those who live in a city where outdoor-space access is limited. So if you can’t bring them to Gymboree, what are the best ways to recreate your very own Gymboree at home?
We spoke to pediatric physical therapists like Tadros, along with other experts including a play therapist and a gymnastics instructor, about the toys and equipment that most strongly encourage active play for both younger and older toddlers. And while you can very well DIY a complete kiddie gymnasium with the following list, your home doesn’t have to be permanently overturned, as many of these recommendations are collapsible and/or closet friendly. Shop the options according to what you think your kid would enjoy best or what type of developmental benefit (e.g., balance, focus, imaginative play) they need most.
For ages 1 and 2
Things for bouncing
All four of our experts agree that a trampoline is a great piece of equipment for toddlers (as long as it’s used safely and always under adult supervision.) Play therapist Joseph Sacks says that while older kids can spend endless hours jumping on them, trampolines are great even for toddlers as young as 1, or once they start walking. Mina Marsow, owner of Prospect Gymnastics in Brooklyn, agrees that a small trampoline “is a great option to burn a lot of energy and increase core strength.” Speaking of which: Engaging their core is key to trampoline safety, Marsow notes. In order to get them to do so, Marsow recommends having your child first practice jumping while holding a soft object like a pillow or stuffed animal above their heads. “Or you can tell your kid to push their belly button into their back,” she adds. Also in the name of safety, Sacks says to make sure your trampoline choice is one that has padding around the metal frame, like this model from Avenor. For even more peace of mind, pediatric physical therapist Alexandra Buwalda, recommends a bar attachment, so that kids can hold onto it while they bounce.
Buwalda also recommends Rody, an inflatable horse that’s very low to the ground “and very child friendly”; perfect for young toddlers who can hold onto it and get on by themselves. From there they can either bounce up and down, or move the horse onto its side and use it like a roller. Buwalda likes that it encourages pretend play, like: “You can tell them to feed the horsey,” she says. (For a less expensive option, check out the bouncy horse that made our list of the best toys for 3-year-olds.)
An inflatable bounce house can be great for contained jumping, depending on how much space you have. Sacks likes how a rubber construction increases safety, “and you can deflate it for convenient storage,” he says. Plus, obviously, “kids love it.” While there are many varieties that come in a range of sizes, this one is compact enough to be used indoors.
Things for balancing
The Moluk Bilibo is a simple container that can be used for a variety of activities. “Young kids can fit in it and spin around and balance in it,” says Buwalda. “But you could also use it as storage, and if you turn it upside down, you have a step.” And, Buwalda adds, “I use it therapeutically for core strength,” as it requires balance for when kids use it to stand on and jump off. (It also made our list of the best toys for 2-year-olds.)
Buwalda also recommends the sturdy plastic Gonge Top, which is bigger than the Bilibo and essentially a giant top that can hold up to two small kids. Often used in therapeutic settings to help develop physical coordination, it spins, sways side to side, and can even be taken in the pool as a boat (with adult supervision), or act as a container for toys and balls. Buwalda likes that it reminds her of a spinner that you might find on the playground. (We happen to think that it looks a little like the Magis Spun Chair designed by Thomas Heatherwick.) Its raised edges prevent children’s fingers from getting caught while holding the rim.
According to Buwalda, “A ride-on toy is always great for young toddlers.” Kids sit on them “and just propel themselves forward with their feet.” Unlike an activity toy that’s powered by a battery, a manual one can be great for getting a toddler to sit up, strengthen his core, and move on his own. While there are tons of options out there, Buwalda’s favorite is the line of animals from Prince Lionheart that come in sizes small (18 months to 3 years) and medium (for ages 3 and up).
Things for climbing
“At this stage, everything is about climbing. When toddlers see a step or something that is a different height, they have to go on it,” says Buwalda, who encourages parents to create a safe space for them to scale obstacles. She recommends this system of modular foam blocks from Foamnasium to help them get a sense of different levels and how to move through them. And while they’re expensive, “Parents can create their own little gymnasium with these,” she says. The blocks are soft and come in multiple configurations and can be used as both furniture and for active play. This mini-set, which is appropriate for ages 6 months to 8 years, comes with a folding base and two wedge cushions that can be put together in a number of setups. You can also buy different pieces like tunnels and steps to enhance the experience.
A similar option, perhaps for when your kids get a little older, is something called the Nugget. Tadros, whose kids are 4, 10, and 12, play on it “for hours,” she says, making forts, ramps, and slides out of the base, cushion, and two triangle pillows. “You can get lots of imaginative play and gross motor skills out of them.” (It’s currently out of stock, but the company expects more to come later this month.)
Tadros also recommends this smaller set of blocks from ECR4Kids (for ages 9 months to 3 years). It comes with five pieces, including a roller, wedge, rectangular block, semi-circular block, and a low box. “They’re great for kids to run up and slide down them, and you can form them in all these different ways and encourage kids to play and climb,” she says. And no matter how you position them, “the kids are going to figure out how to play on them on their own.”
The Pikler Triangle is a sturdy indoor climbing structure that has been associated with the Montessori philosophy of learning but was actually created by Dr. Emmi Pikler, a Hungarian pediatrician who championed infant education. Tadros recommends it as a great tool for “encouraging little ones to practice gross motor skills.” Though it’s on the expensive side, Tadros emphasizes that it’s a piece of equipment that will last for many years; it’s suited for ages 6 months all the way up to 6 years. While there are many versions of the Pikler Triangle out there, they’re typically made of two to three main pieces that include a triangle ladder, a rock wall, and a ramp. “Babies will develop a sense of confidence as they physically challenge themselves, and it encourages curiosity,” says Tadros. “And because they’re climbing a ladder, it’s actually really good for promoting concentration, independence, and grip and core strengthening,” she adds — skills that she says are important for when they eventually enroll in school.
Things for crawling
Younger toddlers who are still crawling or are just beginning to walk start exploring more, according to Buwalada. For them, “it’s all about expanding their repertoire and getting them to enjoy movement.” She says that an inflatable roller or bolster like this one encourages them to move around. “They can roll over them and it’s fun,” she says.
Tunnels are, of course, great for crawling through, and an experience thoroughly enjoyed by most kids, according to Buwalda. (And as another top recommendation in our Toy Matrix, we’ve also noted how they’re a great toy for 1-year-olds to learn about spatial awareness and object permanence, which is the concept that something continues to exist even if it’s out of sight.) Plus, they’re inexpensive and easy to store away. Buwalda says that Ikea makes an affordable version, but you can find them virtually anywhere.
One step up from the more basic crawl tunnel, this five-piece pop-up playhouse recommended by Tadros includes two tunnels, one triangle tent, one square tent, and one ball pit with an attached basketball hoop. “You can create this whole big thing,” she says, “and what I love about it is that they pop up and you can fold them back down.” She (and her kids) also appreciate the fact that you can reconfigure it however you want. “It just gives you lots of different options, all for one really good price.”
“Toddlers are the perfect age for a parachute,” says Buwalda, “and there’s lots of things you can do with a parachute.” Great for both indoor and outdoor play, she says that you can “swing the kids in them like a hammock,” or have them “sit under it while you lift the parachute and drop it down on them.” It’s also great for toddlers who aren’t walking yet, as they can crawl under or across it, an activity that’s common at music classes where tots might have first encountered a parachute in the first place. The bright, rainbow-colored panels are also great for stimulating their senses, or for placing toys and noise-makers on top of so that the kids can reach for them. While they come in a range of sizes, this one that’s six feet in diameter is ideal for an apartment.
For ages 3 and 4
Things for swinging and hanging
Sacks highly recommends the type of little activity centers that can be installed right in a doorway frame or attached to a ceiling. On the same note, Tadros recommends this indoor playground from Gym1 that she says would be great “for kids who love American Ninja Warrior.” It features a patented doorway unit with motion stabilizers and Vise-Grips that make it safer than regular pull-up bars and allows for swinging motions. The doorway unit attachments include a swing, gymnastics rings, a climbing rope, ladder, and trapeze. Installation is easy and requires no drilling, and because the pieces are lightweight and portable, you can move them from one spot to another. It’s also safety tested and can support up to 300 pounds, allowing adults to use it, too. Plus: two New York City parents agree that Gym1’s playground is great for active children if you don’t want to disturb your downstairs neighbors.
If you want to splurge on a more professional, gymnastics-specific training bar, Marsow recommends this standalone unit from Ten-O that has a thin rail and easy grip for kids to learn skills on. It’s also sturdier than a doorway unit for the years ahead when they want to advance their upper body strength with more dynamic moves like pull-ups and rolls (it’s suitable for ages 2 through 7 and can withstand a weight limit of up to 75 pounds). As with all equipment, Marsow says that parents must supervise their children at all times. “If you are helping a child on a bar, always stay behind them,” she advises. “If you stand in front of them and they fall backwards you will not be able to help them at all.” As far as specific exercises to do on the bar, Marsow says “to let a kid just play around without giving them direction.” Or she says that you can look for basic bar conditioning videos on YouTube. “Developing upper body strength is really difficult when kids are not in school or on the playground,” says Marsow. “Right now they’re stuck at home, so they are really not using those muscle groups as much, which is why a small home bar can be a really great option.”
Yes, you do get rings in all-in-one sets like the Gym1, but if you want a more professional setup that’s dedicated to at-home gymnastics training, these rings combined with a sturdy training bar like the one above really do stand in for the equipment that your child might otherwise have access to at her gymnastics class. Marsow recommends rings for all ages, whether your kid is a budding gymnast or not: “They’re easy to set up, sturdy, and a lot of fun.” She says that there’s a lot of conditioning exercises kids can do with rings, or they may be perfectly entertained just hanging and swinging on them, too. “When they get a little more comfortable, they can do an inverted hang, or forward and backward rolls over the rings.”
Things for balancing
Marsow says that older toddlers can practice gymnastics at home even if they’ve never done it before. “That wouldn’t be a popular opinion among gymnastics gym owners, but I think anyone can get a balance beam or a bar,” she says, adding that she would be comfortable with 3- to 3.5-year-olds using one. Buwalda agrees, and notes that kids at this age have a natural desire to step up their balancing skills: “They see a narrow thing and they want to balance on it,” she says. Tadros gets a lot of use out of the balance beam with her kids, and says she likes to have them put toys on the beam and then have them pick them up, “so that they’re squatting and focusing on balance.” Otherwise, she has them run or do cartwheels across them. Whatever their skill level, they’ll make the beam their own: “You put it out and they’ll figure out how to play with it,” Tadros says. Her specific recommendation is this foldable model from Springee that she says is bouncy but doesn’t crush. “Even though it’s soft, it still maintains that shape,” she says. It sits flat on the ground, making it great for beginners, and has over 12,000 non-slip gripper dots on the underside to keep it from sliding.
If you want a balance beam for your kid who’s ready to practice rolling and cartwheeling on it, a better (if splurgier) choice is this sturdy, low-to-the-ground model that Marsow recommends for the older gymnast. It’s a good investment, Marow says, as she prefers a beam that is weighted. This one has a solid wood core to ensure stability and security while training (it’s then covered in the same synthetic suede padding found on competitive beams). It comes with legs, and you can also buy additional risers to increase the height another six inches. Because it’s still not that high off the floor, it’s relatively safe (and teaching your kid to be safe and responsible when using the beam goes a long way).
Things for punching and bouncing
Sacks recommends this large punching bag that bounces back from Brandy’s Bag of Air. “The punching bag is expensive but will last for years. Kids in my playroom love it,” he says. There are two sizes, and the smaller 36-inch one is good for kids ages 3 and 4, says Sacks. The bigger one works well for kids 6 and up. “There are a lot of cheaper similar products on the market but they don’t last very long at all and they pop in no time,” he says. “This one lasts for years of harsh abuse. You have to buy your own sand to weigh it, but it’s really top quality.”
A traditional pogo stick wouldn’t be suitable for solo use until your kid is about 8, as it requires more complex coordination, but this foam version is a different story. This highly-rated beginner pogo jumper for kids 3 and up has a foam block as a base (as opposed to a spring peg as on a traditional pogo stick), providing a stable pedestal for toddlers, and a bungee cord stick that makes it safe for indoor and outdoor use. “In the beginning, parents can hold it while the kid jumps until he learns how to do it,” says Sacks, who thinks pogo sticks are great for kids in general. He also notes that this one, which he calls “really new and unique,” is a great price.
And don’t forget the mat
Many of these toys and activities would benefit from being used on a mat that can help keep them stable (and save your floors), either while the kids are wailing away at the punching bag or moving into a forward roll off the balance beam. But finding a safe mat can also be tricky. “If you have a hardwood floor and you buy a cheap mat, then you’re better off without a mat,” says Marsow, because a sliding mat is more dangerous than a hardwood floor. “If your kid is doing a forward roll on a hardwood floor, if they do it right, they’re not going to get hurt. If they do a forward roll on a mat and the mat slides while they’re rolling and it’s slightly out of control, there is nothing that they can do to stop it, and they can get seriously hurt.” If you have carpet, Marsow recommends this mat from Tumbl Trak and suggests adding velcro to the bottom for added security. For hardwood floors, she recommends getting a weighted mat that doesn’t move or slide, or else putting a little bit of water between the mat and the floor to help it stick in place.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
