20 Gender Neutral Toys That Are Inclusive for All Kids
These don't push the pink and blue.
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At their hearts, all toys are gender neutral. Whether they're building blocks, kitchen sets, superheroes, dolls or art supplies, you'll be able to find kids of all types who like to play with them. The term "gender-neutral" really applies to marketing more than to kids — and some stores, like Target, have specifically moved away from using gender-based signage in their toy aisles to reinforce the idea that any kid can really play with whatever they want.
With that said, there are times when it's extra helpful to have a list of toys in mind that aren't overly marketed toward one gender or another. It could be that you're hosting a playdate for a bunch of kids and want toys that are likely to appeal to everyone. (Who ever said no to a box of crayons and some coloring sheet, or a big, unsorted pile of LEGO bricks?) Or, you could be looking for a baby shower gift and the parents haven't revealed the sex yet. You could also be looking for a birthday gift, and might not know what the birthday kid is into. Whether you're shopping for baby gifts or big-kid presents, keep these gender-neutral toy ideas at the ready, and you'll be set for whatever comes up.
If you're in need of a just-a-little-something for a new baby and don't know the gender, this rattle is neutral enough to match almost any nursery décor. The ball at the end squeaks, and there are tags to pull. Ages 0+
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There are few toys as universally appealing (to kids, at least) as Play-Doh. There's just something too satisfying about rolling the compound into a ball, forming it into a shape, and smushing it down again. Keep the smaller tubs in the car or backpack to use while waiting for food at a restaurant. Ages 2+
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The bean-bag bodies of these animal toys are fun to grab and squish. They also feel equally at home living in a dollhouse or exploring a world made of bricks. (You can get a variety of human figures, too.) Ages 3+
Give that special baby in your life the best tummy time ever with this water-filled mat. Babies are so entranced by the fish, they'll forget how hard it is to lift their heads up. Ages 3+
Fat Brain Toys Dimpl
The appeal to this toy is deceptively simple: Kids push the brightly colored bubbles, and they indent with a satisfying pop. If you have fidgety hands, you might find yourself mesmerized by it, too. Ages 1+
This tablet is definitely a toy for toddlers and preschoolers, but it packs in a lot of functions. It can play 12 different interactive games that cover words, math, and music. Ages 2+
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Sorting shapes and matching colors helps kids practice very early math skills. This one has lots of features, including doors that open and keys that also help them practice their fine motor coordination. Ages 2+
Peaceable Kingdom Where's Bear? Board Game
Board games promote turn-taking and critical thinking skills. For this one, parents hide the bear under one of the stacking blocks, and kids have to find him. Ages 2+
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Melissa & Doug Wood Blocks Set
When they play with blocks, kids work on their fine motor coordination, and practice the earliest of STEM skills. They also set up worlds for their own imaginative play. Ages 3+
Manhattan Toy Soft Activity Shape Set
Manhattan Toy's Wimmer-Ferguson line is made of high-contrast black-and-white patterns and shapes, which matches a baby's visual development and just happens to be gender-neutral. In addition to the patterns, these soft shapes also feature different textures for babies to feel. Ages 0+
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Kinetic Sand Kinetic Sand
Kinetic Sand always feels like that perfect, wet, sand-castle-making sand. This set comes with two pounds of sand, plus tools that let kids scoop and shape it. (Just keep some replacement sand handy). Ages 3+
Peaceable Kingdom Gnomes at Night
Gnomes at Night is a cooperative board game, so you don't have to worry about sore winners or losers. Kids have to help each other make their way through a timed maze. Ages 6+
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Art supplies are some of most useful tools in your toy arsenal, and they let kids explore their creativity. This set comes with 16 classic crayons, 16 glitter crayons, 16 construction-paper crayons, 8 mini markers, 12 colored pencils, 30 coloring pages, 30 mini sheets of construction paper, one glue stick, 12 pieces of colored chalk, 8 markers and a tub to keep it all in. Ages 5+
Keep a bunch of musical instruments around, and you'll be set no matter how many kids drop by. This one comes with two tambourines, two wooden shaking bells, two whistles, one pair of touching bells, two castanets, two egg shakers, and two maracas. Ages 3+
Chop, chop! Kids love taking the wooden knife and slicing the fruits and veggies in this set. (They velcro back together). Parents love that these toys are made from sustainable wood from rubber trees. Ages 3+
Kid Made Modern My First Arts and Crafts Library
For rainy days, it helps to have a bunch of crafts supplies at the ready, so they can go where their creative muses take them. This one comes with more than 200 pieces to add to your craft-supply arsenal. As they get older, they can graduate to the big-kid Arts and Crafts Library. Ages 3+
Kids can practice working cooperatively when trying to tackle a puzzle together. This one from BeginAgain is challenging because the animals fit together without the familiar jigsaw shapes. When they're not interlocking, the animals can stand up on their own and be used as wooden figurines for imaginative play. Ages 2+
Kids can use this wooden toy to work on spatial relation skills, count pieces (there are five), and work on concepts like bigger and smaller. When it's all put together, it also makes a great nursery decoration.
Kids love building the LEGO sets that tie into their favorite movies and TV shows, but it's always a good idea to keep a tub of LEGO bricks on hand for some open-ended building and play. This one comes with 790 pieces, so they can make whatever they imagine. Ages 4+
This block set is a splurge, but it comes with more than just stacking pieces. There are also pieces that thread through a string, planks to connect structures horizontally, or magnetized blocks that attract and repel each other. You also get a booklet with more than 20 ideas for age-based play. Ages 18 months+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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