5 Retro Toys That Improve Children’s Emotional Regulation and Attention Better Than Apps

by David Krasky, Psy.S. Licensed School Psychologist and author of Raising Future Adults

Parents today are surrounded by apps, tablets, and “educational” digital toys promising to boost children’s learning and attention. But research increasingly suggests that many traditional toys are actually better for developing children’s emotional regulation, focus, and executive functioning. In my work with children and families, I often recommend going back to the basics. Surprisingly, some of the toys that best support emotional development are the same ones children have played with for generations.

These retro toys encourage imagination, persistence, frustration tolerance, and sustained attention—skills that fast-paced digital environments often undermine.

Below are five classic toys that help children develop stronger emotional regulation and attention skills than most apps or digital technology, along with research explaining why they work.

Why Traditional Toys Are Better for Emotional Development

Before discussing specific toys, it helps to understand what the research says about digital play versus traditional play. Several studies comparing electronic toys with traditional toys have found important differences.

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that children engaged in less verbal interaction and produced fewer unique words when playing with electronic toys compared to traditional toys. Less conversation means fewer opportunities for language, social learning, and emotional development.

Similarly, research reviewed by the American Academy of Pediatrics has found that toys which encourage open-ended, imaginative play support stronger cognitive, emotional, and social development than toys that control the child’s play experience through lights, sounds, or automated responses.

Traditional toys also strengthen executive functioning, which includes:

• attention control

• impulse regulation

• emotional regulation

• planning and persistence

These are the same skills children need to succeed in school and manage stress.

1. Wooden Blocks and Building Toys (Magnetic Tiles)

Few toys support attention and persistence better than simple building blocks.

Unlike digital games that guide the child through predetermined steps, blocks require children to plan, experiment, and tolerate failure when structures collapse.

This trial-and-error process strengthens problem-solving skills and builds frustration tolerance.

Emotional and Attention Benefits

Building toys help children:

• develop sustained concentration

• practice persistence when structures fall or when siblings/friends knock them over

• improve spatial reasoning

• build problem-solving skills

• learn patience and delayed gratification

Best Age Range

Ages 2–10

• Toddlers: stacking and knocking down towers

• Preschoolers: imaginative construction

• School-age children: complex structures and collaborative projects

2. Dolls and Action Figures (Imaginative Play)

Pretend play is one of the most powerful tools children have for processing emotions.

When children use dolls, action figures, or playsets, they act out social situations and emotional experiences. This helps them rehearse how to handle real-life challenges such as friendship problems, sibling conflicts, or anxiety.

Developmental psychologists often describe pretend play as a child’s primary laboratory for emotional learning.

Emotional and Attention Benefits

Pretend play helps children:

• process emotions safely

• develop empathy and perspective taking

• improve storytelling and narrative thinking

• build emotional regulation skills

Best Age Range

Ages 3–9

• Preschool: family and caregiving scenarios

• Early elementary: social storytelling and problem solving

3. Classic Board Games

One of the hardest emotional skills for children to develop is waiting their turn.

Board games naturally teach patience, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Children must tolerate losing, manage frustration, and follow rules—skills that strengthen emotional resilience. Unlike fast-paced apps that constantly stimulate the brain, board games require children to slow down and think.

Emotional and Attention Benefits

Board games help children:

• practice turn-taking

• manage frustration and disappointment

• strengthen working memory

• improve social awareness

Best Age Range

Ages 4–12

Examples include:

• memory matching games

• Candy Land

• checkers

• card games

• strategy games

4. Art Supplies and Creative Materials

Art is one of the most natural ways for children to regulate emotions. Drawing, painting, sculpting clay, and crafting all combine sensory engagement, creativity, and emotional expression.

Many children express feelings through art before they can fully describe them with words.

Creative play also slows down the nervous system, encouraging children to enter a calm, focused state similar to mindfulness.

Emotional and Attention Benefits

Creative materials help children:

• express emotions safely

• improve patience and attention span

• reduce stress and agitation

• strengthen fine motor skills

Best Age Range

Ages 2–12

• Toddlers: scribbling and sensory art

• Preschool: imaginative drawings

• School age: detailed projects and crafts

If you want to incorporate technology as a way to encourage drawing, there are some great Youtube channels that teach children how to draw (https://www.youtube.com/@artforkidshub)

5. Jigsaw Puzzles

Puzzles are one of the best toys for building sustained attention and persistence.

Unlike digital games that provide immediate rewards, puzzles require children to tolerate difficulty and gradually work toward a solution. This process strengthens frustration tolerance and problem-solving abilities.

Emotional and Attention Benefits

Puzzles help children:

• build concentration and focus

• tolerate frustration

• develop persistence

• strengthen visual-spatial reasoning

Best Age Range

Ages 2–16

• Toddlers: peg puzzles

• Preschool: large floor puzzles

• School-age children: complex jigsaw puzzles

The Problem With Many Digital Toys

Many digital toys are designed to capture attention quickly but not sustain it.

They rely on:

• rapid stimulation

• flashing lights

• instant rewards (respawning = infinite lives, not like the old Super Mario days)

• automated responses

This type of stimulation can train children to expect constant novelty, which may make slower, real-world activities feel less engaging. Think of all the times your child didn't have an iPad or video game and said they were bored. Traditional toys, on the other hand, encourage children to generate their own stimulation through imagination, creativity, and exploration.

The Bottom Line for Parents

The toys that best support children’s emotional development are often the simplest ones.

Look for toys that:

• encourage imagination

• allow open-ended play

• require patience and persistence

• promote interaction with other people

Technology will always be part of children’s lives, but healthy development still depends heavily on real-world play experiences. In many cases, the toys that support children’s emotional resilience and attention most effectively are the same ones children enjoyed long before screens ever existed.

For more parenting insights on raising emotionally resilient children, visit Raising Future Adults and explore additional articles on child development, attention, and emotional wellbeing.