If you have a baby or toddler at home, chances are you have a stacking ring toy. It’s a classic toy with many benefits, and it’s such a popular choice for good reason. Stacking rings help develop eye-hand coordination, encourage problem-solving, and teach color recognition and size sequencing. The thing is, there are countless options on the market, and it can be difficult to tell the difference or determine the best choice for your child. With so many versions available, which one should you choose? Well, for starters, let's take a look at this very popular option by Fisher Price.
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This set of stacking rings is usually the first option that comes up in searches, and I’ve seen it sitting in almost every child’s toy chest. It is made of plastic and follows the classic primary color sequence of a typical stacking toy. The smallest ring can also double as a rattle for some added interest. It is definitely a popular choice, but is it really the most beneficial one? Let's explore a few other options, and you can decide for yourselves.
This stacking ring by Holgate Toys is visually very similar to the classic option above, except this one comes with 6 rings instead of 5. It contains 6 distinct primary colors that aren’t over-stimulating or distracting. The base rocks and spins for an extra coordination challenge as children work to stack each ring over the center post. I love this option for its durable wooden material and great quality.
This Shape Stacker’s pieces are heavier than the plastic rings and require more dexterity to stack. This can be used along with other building blocks as the child gets a little older to create unique designs. It is also wooden and comes with 6 different shapes to stack instead of just rings, providing an added learning opportunity – Octagon, Hexagon, Pentagon, oh my!
This sleek wooden stacking toy comes with 11 pieces instead of the typical 5 or 6, providing an opportunity to teach more colors, size comparisons, and numbers. Having more pieces also requires kids to maintain attention and engage in coordination activities for a longer time to complete the task. This one’s nice enough to sit out and double as a statement piece in your living room if you didn’t have enough time to clean up after playtime.
Here, the stacking pieces can also be used as teethers. Each piece has a different texture, providing extra tactile sensory input to the mouth and hands. The pieces stack interchangeably making it a great first stacking toy. This encourages kids to problem solve, coordinate and strengthen the hands as well.
Here is another wooden stacking toy that is simple, beautiful and great quality. Here, the peg is thinner than in the plastic Fisher Price toy, requiring a need for more precision when stacking. Also love that it comes with an adorable penguin at the top.
This Giant Stacking Ring toy is similar to the first one I showed you by Fisher Price. However, it’s extra awesome because it’s GIANT. Larger stacking rings can be used to promote gross motor skills in children and encourage crawling, walking, and standing. Lifting and placing the pieces onto the peg also helps to develop upper body strength and coordination of both hands working together.
These are only 6 stacking ring options that I feel are worth looking into. Of course, there are plenty of other excellent ones out there as well. I encourage you to take a look and do your research before purchasing, as they’re not all created equal and present different potential benefits for your child. It’s important to remember that the most popular options may not always be the most worthwhile ones.