Have you noticed that your child likes to “hammer” things – or hit things downward to see how their position changes? If so, hammering toys are something you should look into.
In this article, learn why children enjoy hammering and pounding things, what the benefits of hammering toys are, and get 9 awesome suggestions for hammering toys for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.
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Why do kids like to hammer things?
If you've observed that your child enjoys hitting objects with other objects (as a nail would be hit with a hammer), they may very well be in a play schema, such as the rotation or positioning schemas.
Children often play in ways that make little sense to adults, such as hammering and pounding things, but have important meaning to the child and their development.
If you notice that your child enjoys this type of play, it's a great idea to redirect their desire to items that are appropriate for hammering.
Since hammering nails unsupervised is certainly not safe, providing a child with hammering toys is the next best option.
The benefits of hammering toys
In addition to satisfying your child's need to hammer, hammering toys come with some other awesome benefits.
Listed below are just several.
- hand-eye coordination
- fine motor refinement
- pincer grasp practice
- self-confidence
- teaches cause and effect
- development of problem-solving skills
The 9 best hammering toys for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
Below is a list of 9 fun and developmentally beneficial hammering toys. Some toys on this list are geared toward babies, while others are more appropriate for toddlers or preschool-age children.
1. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Pound and Roll Wooden Tower Toy With Hammer
This Melissa and Doug pounding toy is popular in Montessori homes, likely because it is wooden and fits with the Montessori aesthetic.
It is quality-built and lets toddlers and preschoolers hammer the balls and watch them roll down the ramps and out of the tower.
2. Pound & Tap Hammer Bench
This hammering bench is a personal favorite of mine. My children have gotten a lot of enjoyment from hitting the colored pegs with the hammer.
Another thing they enjoy about this toy is that the pegs are not attached to the bench, which allows them to be used for matching games and loose parts play activities.
3. Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone
Hape is a great brand of well-made toys, and this is one that I really like a lot. This toy is appropriate for toddlers, as well as older infants.
Children can pound the balls down and listen to the sounds as they roll or they can slide the xylophone out and play it on its own.
4. Pound A Peg Toy
This hammering toy can be used by different-age children in a variety of ways.
Babies will enjoy simply hitting the “nails” into the board, while toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy using the tool that comes with it to release the nails from the board.
5. Hit ‘N' Roll Hammer Toy
With this toy, children get to hammer the balls and watch them roll down the slides and tubes.
This hammering toy is appropriate for babies and it's bright and colorful, which is appealing to young children.
6. Pounding Bench Toy
This hammering and pounding toy is similar to the traditional Montessori hammering toy (#7 on this list) you may be familiar with, however, the house shape adds an extra element of fun.
This is a great hammering toy that has an element of object permance learning to it.
7. Balacoo Wooden Hammer and Ball Toy
You've likely seen this hammering toy before if you've been interested in Montessori for long enough.
Similar to the previous toy on the list, this one allows children to pound the balls and watch them roll out of the door.
8. HABA Tap & Tack Jr.
Geared toward preschoolers, this is one of the hammering toys that comes with some of the benefits of risky play, as it does include the use of tacks.
The cork board that is included with the toy provides a different type of sensory feedback from the other toys on this list, which some children find very satisfying.
9. Montessori Screwdriver Board & Hammer Peg Game
This is a lovely Montessori-aligned toy set that includes a hammering activity, as well as a nuts and bolts activity.
This is a great hammering toy for preschool-age children. For the price, this is a great find, as it's two toys in one.
There you have it – the 9 best hammering toys for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Hopefully, something on this list will fulfill your child's need to hammer things!
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