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Educational toys: how to choose
When choosing educational toys, look for pieces that build fine motor skills, colour recognition and problem solving through hands on play.
Children learn best through open experimentation, moving from simple shape and colour matching towards letters, numbers and early counting. In this collection you will find toy types to match each stage, including wooden games, puzzles and dice and dice games, alongside dedicated educational toys such as the Alphabet Abacus, Shape Sorter and Threading Beads. Fine motor and hand eye coordination feature strongly, alongside letter and shape recognition for slightly older learners.
When buying, check the suggested age tag on each toy and think about materials. Many pieces in this collection use FSC approved wood, and a good number are plastic free, which matters to parents who prefer natural materials. Prices in this collection are accessible, with most items under £20, so building a set of learning toys need not be costly.
Jaques of London has made games and toys since 1795 and remains a family owned British company. Customer service is UK based, returns are easy, and delivery costs are calculated at checkout, making it straightforward to shop this collection with confidence.
Written by Jaques of London, toy and games makers since 1795. Updated September 2026.
Why buy educational toys from Jaques
| Other Retailers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Materials used | Many toys are made from FSC approved wood | Often uses unmarked plastic of unknown origin |
| Age guidance | Every toy carries a suggested age tag | Often no clear age guidance |
| Reviews | 6,701 verified reviews, 4.8 average | Ask if independent reviews exist |
| Maker | Family owned British maker since 1795 | Ask how long they have been trading |
| Returns | Easy returns until 31 January 2027 | Ask what the returns window is |
Educational toys: your questions answered
what are the best educational toys for boys?
Boys and girls both benefit from the same developmental toys in this collection. The Magnetic Fishing Game, Farm Playset and Dinosaur Digging Toy all build fine motor skills and imaginative play, while the Alphabet Abacus supports early counting and letter recognition regardless of gender.
what are the best educational toys for girls?
There is no separate range for girls in this collection. The Threading Beads, Wooden Memory Game and Shape Sorter all build hand eye coordination and problem solving, and suit any child working on fine motor skills, colour recognition or early shape matching.
what are good educational toys to give as a gift?
The Teaching Clock, Alphabet Abacus and My First Calendar make thoughtful gifts because they combine learning with lasting play value. Wooden Baby Blocks also suit gifting for younger children, as they encourage stacking, sorting and early counting skills.
what are the best educational toys in this collection?
Popular choices include the Alphabet Abacus, Shape Sorter, Threading Beads and Magnetic Fishing Game. Each supports a different skill, from fine motor control to colour and shape recognition, and this collection carries a weighted average rating of 4.8.
what are the best wooden educational toys?
Look at the Wooden Memory Game, Wooden Puzzle Board, Alphabet Wooden Blocks and Wooden Alphabet Set. Many wooden items in this collection use FSC approved wood, giving parents a natural material choice alongside strong fine motor and shape recognition benefits.
what are useful and interactive educational toys?
The Magnetic Fishing Game, Shape Sorter and Teaching Clock all invite hands on, interactive play rather than passive use. They build fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and time telling, making them genuinely useful additions to early learning.
are jaques educational toys good value?
Most toys in this collection are priced under £20, including the Threading Beads and Fractions Shape Puzzle, making it easy to build a well rounded set of learning toys without overspending, while still choosing from wooden, plastic free and FSC approved options.
what age are these educational toys suitable for?
This collection covers a wide age range, with many toys suited to children from around 2 years old through to age 7. The Alphabet Abacus and Shape Sorter suit early learners, while the Teaching Clock suits slightly older children.
Easy returns · Making toys and games since 1795 · Secure checkout