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Tuesday, April 5, 2016

The Best 2021 Educational Toddler Toys From Kmart

If you follow my facebook page or know me in person then you'll be well aware that Kmart is one of my favourite stores. I'm pretty certain I could go there every single week and still find more awesome things to buy. I'm totally obsessed with their homewares and craft items and lately they've been bringing out some pretty awesome kids toys as well. Now that bub is a toddler I've been incorporating learning into her play as often as possible and Kmart seems to have hit the nail on the head with a great range of educational toys for toddlers. I'm all for handmade and high quality toys, but sometimes the cheaper ones have their place too {and lets face it sometimes cheaper is better for the budget too}. So here's my favourite toddler toys from the current range and how we use them for learning.

*While this post was originally published in 2016, I aim to update it regularly as Kmart expand and change their toy range, however as Kmart are constantly updating their product selection I cannot guarantee all products in this post will be readily available*


MY FAVOURITE EDUCATIONAL TODDLER TOYS FROM KMART {2021 EDITION}


Open ended educational toys and resources from Kmart Australia


KMART CHUNKY ALPHABET PUZZLE

Kmart chunky alphabet puzzle

The chunky alphabet puzzle is hands down my favourite educational kids item I've bought from Kmart probably ever. We're obviously using it for bub to learn the alphabet, but there are many more ways to use it than just as a puzzle. We made a game putting all the letters in an empty wipes container where bub pulled out a letter, then said what it was and found the right spot on the puzzle. We use it to match up with letters in her abc book. We also use the letters in sensory tubs and we use this alfoil puzzle hack to make it even more interesting learn phonics. There are so many possibilities beyond using it as an actual puzzle. 

KMART WOODEN BLOCKS




You really can't go past a good basic set of wooden blocks. There are so many open ended play opportunities. We often build towers, houses, rockets, trees, bridges and castles with our blocks. I also originally taught my daughter colours while we were playing with wooden blocks and we started introducing basic shapes this way too. They're also great for stacking, sorting and counting.

KMART MAGNETIC TILE BLOCK SET

kmart magnetic tile block set

Magnetic tiles are an amazing open ended toy for children of all ages. They can be used for building and imaginary play as well as teaching shapes, colours, literacy and numeracy skills. Check out this post for over 50 different ways to play with magnetic tiles. The Kmart magnetic tiles are a great cost effective introductory set to try out before potentially upgrading to other brands like Connetix or Magblox


3 IN 1 BLACKBOARD AND MAGNETIC WHITEBOARD


kmart whiteboard with alphabet magnets
I bought this 3 in 1 blackboard for my niece at Christmas and have it on my list to buy for bub for her birthday. This product is great because one side is a magnetised whiteboard and the opposite side is a blackboard so there are many different ways for kids to be creative. It also includes chalk, pens and a set of alphabet magnets. The board can be used to learn the alphabet and practice letter recognition, to learn spelling and also for free drawing. I also love that its portable so it can be taken to appointments, restaurants and play dates.

COUNTING MONEY BOX

kmart money box colour sorting hack
This counting money box from Kmart has also been one of my favourite purchases as we hacked it into a simple fine motor colour sorting activity. The money box is a great tool for fine motor play and learning money value as is, however when we first got it my girls were too young to understand the value of money so we changed it into a simple colour sorting activity instead. To hack it we simply removed the backing board, turned it around and then stuck coloured dot stickers above each column. The girls have used it with plugging flowers, paddle pop sticks and metal rimmed counters. It's also easy to switch the backing board around and turn it back into a money box which we'll be doing now that my big girl is learning the value of money. My friend Holly from Simplify Create Inspire also hacked the kmart money box into a barefoot investor spend, save, give money box for kids.

KMART TRAIN TABLE



The Kmart train table is great as a train table {and also comes with a 70pc train set including tracks, bridges and trains}, however I think the real genius of the train table is that it can be converted into an inexpensive small world table. The simplest way to do this is to buy some artificial grass and get it cut to the size of the train table. From there you can add animal figurines, artificial plants, rocks etc to set up simple or elaborate small worlds. My friend Casey from Little Lifelong Learners has loads of ideas using their train table as a small world table and discovery table over the last few years, swipe across the image above to see just a few of her ideas and read this post to see exactly how to convert the kmart train table into a small world table.

KMART PLAY TRAY

kmart black play tray
The Kmart drinks tray, or as they're more popularly known the kmart play tray is my most favourite investment for play, so much so that we have three different colours. We've used ours hundreds of times over the years for various small world and sensory play set ups. The deep sides and metal base make it perfect for sensory play using either dry or wet materials.

kmart play tray small world play ideas

PLAY ACTIVITIES USING KMART PRODUCTS



For more Kmart play ideas join my Facebook Group Kmart & Ikea Play Hacks & Ideas where we share all sorts of ways to use Kmart and Ikea items for play. 





Disclosure - this post is not sponsored by Kmart in any way, I just spend most of my money there so thought I would share the things I've been buying lately. Please note Kmart are constantly updating their product selection and whilst I aim to update this post regularly, I cannot guarantee all products will be available. This post contains some affiliate links to non Kmart products for your convenience which means I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, should you make a purchase.

Would you like to comment?

  1. Oh my goodness, I haven't seen shape sorting eggs since I was a kid. I want to buy them just for the nostalgia value! I'd like to get those threading beads too. Punky loves threading (although she is a bit beyond the chunky ones now, she loves to thread really small stuff) but they would be perfect for Zee. And a little tip, not only are the blocks good for all of those things you mention, but I also got a set of plain, unpainted ones, which we use to paint with. Mine and Punky's favourite thing to do is use the butchers paper or art paper to stamp shapes on to with the blocks and paint, and then we use that paper to wrap gifts for people. I blogged about it here if you're interested...
    http://www.kyliepurtell.com/2014/08/toddler-craft-ideas-block-painting.html
    (I hope you don't min me sharing the link here)
    #teamIBOT

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    1. I definitely bought the eggs partially for the nostalgia value haha. I've never thought of painting with blocks, we'll have to try it!

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  2. My nephews have those eggs. I'd never seen them before. They look really cool. The girls still use their old blocks. These days though we go to Kmart for their great art and craft supplies for kids.

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    1. I could do a whole other post about the awesome art and craft stuff! So many cool things, I stock up on more goodies every time I go there.

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  3. Oh wow! Love them. LOVE that puzzle and the balancing pyramid. And we have the building blocks. When did the department stores start making good quality wooden stuff? And so affordable? Seriously excited!

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    1. I have a feeling some of their other stuff is imitation of bigger {more well known} wooden toy brands, just quietly, but I'm loving that they have so many affordable toys. We are a little in love with wooden toys so its awesome. Except that my house looks like a toy shop, but I can deal with that.

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  4. gosh I love kmart :) I think I need to get one of those ABC magnet boards, that looks really great and I think my girl would love it!

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    1. When we got it for my niece my daughter didn't want to give it to her because she wanted to keep it haha so I know it'll be a hit here.

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  5. They are so cute! Colorful educational toys make babies and mommies happy. I love the 3-in-1 chalkboard and the eggs! Great find Toni!

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    1. Yep educational toys make us both happy. The eggs are awesome, totally remind me of my childhood.

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  6. Oh Kmart, how I love thee. I have been avoiding going in for a while trying to save some cash. I'm not sure how I will go once Ikea and Kmart open new stores within 10 minutes from my house. Argh! I best get saving!

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    1. Yea I'm so screwed when they open they're ten minutes from my house too. I will be soooooo broke {but so happy}.

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  7. I loved shape sorting eggs!
    Thankfully we are past all of this now. Mind you birthdays are a lot more expensive these days :/

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    1. Shape sorting eggs are the bomb. Oh yes I'm not looking forward to when she wants technological stuff for birthdays. I can get all her presents for the price of one thing at the moment thankgod.

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  8. My girlfriends and I have been known to go on Kmart dates because we LOVE it and isn't the whole home wares range now just marvelous?? They're definitely staying up with the times and I do rate their toys range which are so affordable. I think the alphabet blocks are totally where we are at right now. I could go a set of them.

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    1. We once had mother's group at a shopping centre with Kmart just so we could all do a Kmart shop lol. The alphabet puzzle is so awesome we use it all the time.

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  9. Our boys love the blocks from Kmart too! Going to have get some of those threading beads :)

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    1. The threading beads are so cool, nice and chunky for toddler fingers :)

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