8 Fun and Educational Toys That'll Get Your Little 1 Ready For Preschool

While teaching a child to read, it's important to not just rely on flashcards and pointing out important words. While most 2- to 4-year-olds can't quite hold a pencil or crayon to write with, they are adept at finding letters and shapes. Melissa & Doug See & Spell ($20) helps kids feel successful as they enter the challenging world of reading. The fun pictures also help provide context to the abstractness of the words.