For battery powered excavators, we suggest looking to see if there is an “on/off” switch in case parents want to turn off the lights/sounds for a time. Along with building their creativity and self worth through imaginative play, when playing in groups, children learn to take turns and play with others. Analog options require the child to completely manually manipulate them. The pros of this include more fine motor skill development, encourages more open ended and imaginative play, and that parents don't need to replace batteries. Toy excavators are a fun way for little ones to get hands-on play time while also learning about STEM principles in a low-stress environment. Depending on the level of construction vehicle enthusiast you have on your hands will really determine whether you get a single excavator or a toy at in our opinion.

Your safest all around option when choosing a toy excavator that can grow with a child through the years is something large, open ended, durable and manually operated. Materials If you live in a colder climate and your child wants to use the excavator in snow, opting for something higher quality can be a safer option as some cheap plastic can become brittle and snap in extreme temperatures. Typically you always want to avoid letting any toy sit in water or or the sun. Which toy excavators are good for a sandbox?The best ride on toy excavator is the Kettler CAT Ride-On Excavator. Powered by a child's feet, the four wheel toy excavator features a rotating cab and multi-lever crane arm. We like that this option has one of the largest weight capacities of 75 lbs while also featuring a realistic design. Turn on your JavaScript to view content How To Choose The Best Excavator Toy: Drivability, and digging Beyond that, John Deere and Caterpillar make some of the more realistic and affordable options that tend to be more durable than TONKA, Little Tikes, or smaller brands. How do you care for and clean a toy excavator? For more detailed toy excavators, you may want to use a Qtip or air duster to get into hard to reach nooks and crannies.

Some ride on excavators feature lights and sounds, others are entirely operated manually with levers and handles. Sets vs. Single Items For truly detailed, realistic, high quality toy excavators you'll only find that sold as a single item. Both of these versions are generally referred to as excavators, especially in the toy space. You can find toy them in a range of styles too, including models made from plastic, wood, and metal options. Are excavator toys good for children? However, sets can be a great started option to see how interested your child is in construction vehicle toys, are more cost effective, and are better suited for multiple kids playing together. Price Developmentally, children gain physical, cognitive, and social skills. Depending on the excavator you select, children hone their fine and gross motor skills. Similarly, their ability to reason and problem solve are enhanced as they work through the process of moving dirt or objects from one location to another by using the excavator. This encourages independent play and is critical in developing their internal reward system, confidence, and self esteem.

For families following Waldorf or Montessori at home, this encourages a deeper engagement with the otys and encourage longer lasting play, versus light up toys that just entertained. Powered Metal construction toys will always be the most durable and longest lasting, and they have a price tag to reflect that. However, these typically also sell individual replacement parts, which is nice. Most hard sided toy excavators are made for sandbox use. Things to look for and consider before bringing your toy excavator into sand or dirt would be the wheel depth (how easily it can ride in sand) and how hard it'll be to clean sand off afterwards.

Depending on the type of toy excavtor, how these function will vary. Some require sole manual manipulation, others are battery powered, and others use a remote control. What brands generally make good toy excavators? Additionally, they build language skills whether playing independently or by playing together. Children are generally curious and will likely want to know all the parts of their new construction toy, a trip to the library to find some books to answer all of their questions can be great for developing language and a love of literacy too! How do toy excavators work?For remote controlled toy excavators, keep an eye on length of play between battery charges and whether or not the remote control is too complex for the child. Ride-on Yes! Excavator toys are excellent for children as they allow them to learn about the world around them through play. Beyond simply having fun, children of all ages and genders can begin to understand basic engineering concepts that relate to STEM learning, while building critical mental and social developmental skills. Toy excavators encourage a slew of skills and a respect for our farmers and construction workers.

Excavator toys offer educational and developmental benefits for children. From an educational perspective, children begin to learn about technology and engineering principles —two core tenets of STEM learning.