The Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds, According to Child Development Experts
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds](jpg/best-toys-18-months-nov-2022-722x40638e0.jpg?width=414)
What to Expect selects products based on real-life testing conducted by staff, contributors and members our user community, as well as independent research and expert feedback; learn more about our review process. Prices and details are accurate as of the published date. We may earn commissions from shopping links.
- Best Developmental Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Learning Resources Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog
- Best Puzzle Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Melissa & Doug The Wheels on the Bus Sound Puzzle
- Best Book for 18-Month-Olds : LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
- Best Baby Doll for 18-Month-Olds : Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella
- Best Fine Motor Skills Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Melissa & Doug Safari Zig-Zag Tower
- Best Musical Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Fisher-Price Classic Xylophone
- Best Outdoor Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Little Kids Fubbles No-Spill Tumbler
- Best Riding Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Little Tikes Rocking Horse
- Best Toy Cars for 18-Month-Olds : Fisher-Price Little People Helpful Neighbors Wheelie Garage
- Best STEM Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Excellerations Fun Pop Linking Beads
- Best Learning Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Piggy Bank
- Best Climbing Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Lily & River Little Climber
- Best Building Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Lego Duplo My First Number Train
- Best Toy Kitchen for 18-Month-Olds : Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen
- Best Arts & Crafts Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Alex Discover Tots Art Start
- Best Bath Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Nuby Floating Purple Octopus
- Best Activity Toy for 18-Month-Olds : VTech Smart Shots Sports Center
- Best Blocks for 18-Month-Olds : Lovevery The Block Set
- Best Obstacle Course Toy for 18-Month-Olds : Edx Education Step-a-Trail
Chances are, your 18-month-old is always on the go. And though you might get tired chasing after her, it’s actually a good thing, says Sarah Lytle, Ph.D., director of the Outreach and Education division at the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS) at the University of Washington. Your little one is constantly developing her motor skills at this age as she can now walk independently and is likely starting to try to run, too. So when you’re looking to add some new toys to your 18-month-old’s collection, Dr. Lytle suggests parents look for toys and games that encourage this newfound mobility and burgeoning independence.
As always, remember that toys shouldn’t replace time spent playing with your little one, but rather, enhance caregiver-child interaction to make the time spent together even more fun, educational and captivating. And, don’t forget that you can always make play time out of just about anything! Whether using household items to make up a game or turning a car ride into an educational opportunity to point out shapes and colors, there’s a limitless amount of opportunity to make everyday fun with your little one.
What to look for in toys for 18-month-olds
Before you purchase toys for an 18-month-old, take these factors into consideration:
Physicality. Seek out toys that encourage your child to move with her whole body, like music she can dance to or a ball she can kick, roll or chase. Many of these toys are also great for developing her fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, too.
Reading. Books are always a great choice for your little one, and reading with your child will help encourage her vocabulary development. Pick up some new titles from the library or add a couple books to your cart during shopping trips (whether online or IRL).
Imaginative play. At 18 months, your child is increasingly interested in engaging in pretend play to be just like you. Toys like a doll or pretend kitchen are sure to be winners.
Creativity. “Babies can start using crayons and paints when they’re younger, but at 18 months, you’ll really start to see children be creative,” Dr. Lytle says.
Safety. At 18 months, you still need to keep an eye out for toys with loose or small parts that could potentially become a choking hazard.
Know, too, that simple toys help facilitate open-ended play and foster your child’s creativity. A toy definitely doesn’t need to have lots of bells and whistles or a whopping price tag to be an enriching part of playtime.
How we chose the best toys for 18-month-olds
We asked three child development experts — Dr. Lytle; Natasha Burgert, M.D., F.A.A.P., a pediatrician in Overland Park, Kansas; Lori Caplan-Colon, a leading speech language pathologist and founder of Montclair Speech Therapy; and Sanam Hafeez, Psy.D, a neuropsychologist in New York City — what criteria parents should consider when shopping for toys for 18-month-olds. We then combed through countless online reviews and recommendations from moms and dads in the What to Expect community to find what toys their kids loved most at this age that will hopefully be a win for your child, too. After all, with so many different products on the market, we wanted to find toys that were tried-and-true successes for multiple parents and babies. We also included picks from our editors, who’ve road-tested the toys with their little ones at home.
Below, check out the best toys for 18-month-olds.
Best Developmental Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Learning Resources Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog
![Best Toys for 18 Month Olds: Spike the Hedgehog](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/learning-resources-spike-fine-motor-hedgehog.jpg)
Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog is more than cute to look at — it’s a quiet activity that helps your little one build upon their dexterity as they try to fit the quills into the holes on his back. That’s not the only way to play, though. You can also help your toddler learn colors, counting and — later — patterns by sorting the quills together. For easy storage, everything fits neatly inside Spike’s back.
Dimensions: 9.1 x 9.1 x 3.9 inches
Best Puzzle Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Melissa & Doug The Wheels on the Bus Sound Puzzle
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Melissa and Doug Wheels on the School Bus Puzzle](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/melissa-and-doug-the-wheels-on-the-bus-sound-puzzle.jpg)
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Introduce your little one to the concept of problem-solving with this school bus puzzle. It has six pieces that make up different parts of the bus like the wheel, door and window with easy-to-lift knobs that will work her fine motor skills.
The matching pictures of the bus, riders and driver on the board help baby understand where and how to place each piece to help build her problem-solving skills. The electronic puzzle plays parts of the “Wheels on the Bus” song as your tot lifts the pieces off. The wooden puzzle pieces are sturdy, which is a good thing, as chances are high your tot will like to bang them together.
Power: 2 AAA batteries
Weight: 1.2 pounds
Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.65 x 0.65
"We have a Melissa and Doug wheels on the bus puzzle that sings each verse with the part of the bus in the puzzle. She’ll redo the same piece like 5 times and sing along. (The puzzle isn’t super loud, but she is!)"
Best Book for 18-Month-Olds
LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - LeapFrog 100 Words Book](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/leapfrog-learning-friends-100-words-book.jpg)
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As your little one is starting to build her vocabulary, a book like the LeapFrog 100 Words Book will help her expand her language skills. It includes various categories such as animals, food and colors with a corresponding image for each word, so you can point to the picture and read your tot the vocabulary word. What’s more is that it also includes a touch feature so she can play independently, too. By pressing the picture, she’ll hear the word in English or Spanish, plus associated sounds and fun facts for building her understanding around each word.
Power: 2 AA batteries required (included)
Weight: 1.1 pounds
Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.2 x 1.9 inches
"I second this word book! My son has about a 10 second attention span but he will actually sit and play with this book for a bit independently."
Best Baby Doll for 18-Month-Olds
Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella Soft Doll](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Manhattan-Toy-Wee-Baby-Stella-Beige.jpg)
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Your 18-month-old loves to do things just like you, which makes this a great time to introduce a first baby doll. For an affordable, age-appropriate option, consider the Wee Baby Stella from Manhattan Toys. The 12-inch doll is adorable and comes with a magnetic pacifier, as well as a full outfit that comes on and off. It has a soft head and body that are both ripe for snuggling.
Around 18 months, most little ones show affection to familiar people — so try to encourage empathy by asking your little one questions like, “How is Baby Jenna feeling today?” or “What should we do when Baby Stella is feeling sad?”
Weight: 4 ounces
Dimensions: 2.5 x 4 x 12 inches
"Our daughter carries it everywhere with her when she crawls around and gives her the pacifier. We love it! Our best purchase, I'm considering buying more than one in case this one gets lost or ruined."
"My daughter has this doll and loooooves it. ... She's constantly making sure her paci is in her mouth. It's so cute seeing her take care of her baby doll the way I'd take her care of her."
“I used a Wee Baby from Manhattan Toy when I was expecting my November 2019 baby. My son was 2 at that time. I liked the size, that it was soft and there were different skin tones. My children are half Korean so the beige baby Stella was a great option for us.”
Best Fine Motor Skills Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Melissa & Doug Safari Zig-Zag Tower
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Melissa and Doug Safari Zig Zag Tower](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Melissa-and-Doug-Safari-Zig-Zag-Tower.jpg)
Exercise baby’s fine motor skills with this zig-zag tower maze. Tots get the ball, er, wooden pieces rolling by dropping them on top and then watching them roll down the tower. Baby will also need to figure out how to extract them from the bottom.
Each of the four smooth, solid wood pieces features a colorful animal face. Baby can also match them up with the corresponding animal paintings on top of the tower to develop cognitive skills. When she’s finished playing, all four pieces are stored in the tower as it’s turned sideways — though, it’s almost too pretty to stash in a toy box.
Weight: 1.92 pounds
Dimensions: 7.25 x 5 x 10 inches
Best Musical Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Fisher-Price Classic Xylophone
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Fisher Price Classic Xylophone](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Fisher-Price-Classic-Xylophone-Toy.jpg)
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Another way for your 18-month-old to express her creative side is through music. While she likely won't be composing symphonies just yet, this classic rainbow-colored xylophone plays eight soft notes that are pleasing to the ear (baby’s and yours).
Tapping or banging the keys helps develop her hand-eye coordination, as does using the mallet (which is attached, so you won’t lose it!). It also has a pull string and wheels so your little one can take it around wherever she goes, which also helps her develop gross motor skills. At just over a foot long, this fits nicely on baby’s lap when she’s seated.
Weight: 14.8 ounces
Dimensions: 12.4 x 7.28 x 3.03 inches
"[My baby] likes the Fisher-Price xylophone."
Best Outdoor Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Little Kids Fubbles No-Spill Tumbler
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Little Kids Fubbles No Spill Tumbler Solution Bubble Wand](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Little-Kids-Fubbles-No-Spill-Tumbler-Solution-Bubble-Wand.jpg)
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There’s nothing like blowing bubbles to get a tot moving! Kids love to chase after them and pop them, or jump around as a shower of bubbles rain down on their heads. Of course, one of the problems with most bubble containers is that in all that excitement, tots can knock over the bubbles.
This ingenious no-spill tumbler has solved that problem by creating a container with a small opening that’s just large enough for the wand to slip through. Encourage your little one to take a turn dipping the wand and blowing the bubbles — it just so happens to help her build upon fine motor skills, too, as she figures out how to get the wand in the hole
Volume: 4 ounces of bubble solution
"Fubbles no-spill container is a game changer! It actually doesnt spill!"
Best Riding Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Little Tikes Rocking Horse
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Little Tikese Rocking Horse](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/little-tikes-rocking-horse-primary-blue.jpg)
Does your little one have a lot of energy to burn? This durable Little Tikes rocking horse can help, no matter the weather. The toy can be used indoors or outdoors and is safe enough for the younger set to ride, thanks to a low, wide profile and easy-grip handles as they work on motor skills. A nice bonus: Because it’s made of a smooth plastic, it’s easy to wipe down after playtime.
Weight: 6.5 pounds
Dimensions: 17.5 x 33 x 10 inches
Best Toy Cars for 18-Month-Olds
Fisher-Price Little People Helpful Neighbors Wheelie Garage
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Fisher Price Helpful Neighbors Wheelie Garage](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Fisher-Price-Helpful-Neighbors-Wheelie-Garage.jpg)
For pretend play on a smaller scale, look for one of the Fisher-Price Little People sets. This garage comes with two chunky vehicles that kids can put on the platform and lift up so the mechanic can take a look. Baby will be able to engage in imaginative play and can also develop communication skills when you play with her. Meanwhile, she’ll enhance her hand-eye coordination and as she fills the tank with gas, places cars in the elevator, and turns the crank to raise the platform.
Weight: 2.43 pounds
Dimensions: 13.5 x 5.28 x 12.52 inches
Best STEM Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Excellerations Fun Pop Linking Beads
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Excellerations Fun Pop Lock Linking Beads](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Excellerations-Fun-Pop-Linking-Beads-Storage-Bin.jpg)
Baby can create a chain, crown or line with these snap-and-lock beads. When she’s done, she can pull this early STEM toy apart while working her fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
The 28 large, colorful and textured beads are fun to play with on their own, too. When baby is older, have her sort them by color or create patterns. The beads are made of sturdy plastic and can be wiped clean when inevitable messes occur.
Weight: 1.5 pounds
Dimensions: 10.7 x 6.5 x 5.4 inches
Best Learning Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Piggy Bank
![Best Toys for 18-Month-Olds - Fisher Price Laugh Learn Smart Stages Piggy Bank](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Fisher-Price-Laugh-Learn-Smart-Stages-Piggy-Bank.jpg)
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Caplan-Colon loves dump-and-fill toys, like the Fisher-Price piggy bank, because they promote hand-eye coordination. And this particular toy also allows ample opportunities for important one-on-one interaction with your little one, from singing together to counting to pointing out colors. Plus, she’ll develop her fine motor skills by picking up each oversized coin and dropping it into the cute bank.
Help your baby enhance her vocabulary by saying things like, "Can you put the yellow coin in the piggy bank, please?" The coins also have numbers on one side and animals on the other so you can practice counting and making each animal’s sound as she gets older. And, the more than 40 songs and phrases will keep her engaged and entertained. “This toy gives babies much room for exploration,” Caplan-Colon says.
Weight: 6.2 ounces
Dimensions: 6.69 x 6.1 x 6.3 inches
"My LO can play with this piggy bank toy for ages. She loves dropping coins in and then opening the door to get them out. Right now her favorite obsession is opening and closing doors."
Best Climbing Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Lily & River Little Climber
![Lily & River Little Climber](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Lily-and-River-Little-Climber-Only-Bamboo-Natural-Wood-Finish.jpg)
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If you have a little climber on your hands, they’re sure to love this U.S.-built indoor climbing gym. The climber is plenty strong for toddlers’ active lifestyles — it's constructed of strong, sustainably sourced bamboo wood and sealed with a non-toxic finish. There are plenty of add-ons to add to the play potential, including a rock wall accessory and a reversible ladder/slide. As they explore, there’s no doubt this climber will help your little one vastly improve their ever-expanding gross motor skills and balance.
Weight: 20 pounds
Weight capacity: 90 pounds
Dimensions: 31.5 x 31.5 x 24 inches open, 31.5 x 6.75 x 28 inches folded
"We got one for our little man and he loves it!! He’s always been a climber, so he took to it pretty good. ‘Lily & River’ always has sales, check them out — we love ours from them."
“We got the Lily & River climber for our son for Christmas. He’s been climbing everything since he could stand himself up. We have had it out since the holidays and when he sees it, he’ll climb it.”
Best Building Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Lego Duplo My First Number Train
![Lego Duplo My First Number Train](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/LEGO-DUPLO-My-First-Number-Train.jpg)
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Before your little builder gets into Legos, consider the brand’s larger, easier to grasp Duplo blocks. With this seat (and the help of a parent or caregiver), she'll be able to assemble her very own train using the 23 included blocks while practicing her problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination Once constructed, your tot will have fun zooming their train to and fro, working on her motor skills and potentially engaging in pretend play. Eventually, she'll begin to learn her numbers as she counts the cars on the train.
Weight: 1.2 pounds
Dimensions: 3 x 14 x 2 inches wide (train with wagons attached)
"My little boy has just turned three and loves his Duplo. His five year old sister is getting into Lego now but still loves Duplo. They play with Duplo every day."
Best Toy Kitchen for 18-Month-Olds
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen
![Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Fisher-Price-Laugh-and-Learn-Grow-the-Fun-Garden-to-Kitchen.jpg)
“Providing toys that allow for real-world play strengthens the developmental skills used for social connectedness and critical thinking,” says Dr. Burgert. “Although playing with a kitchen set, for example, may not seem very complicated to an observing adult, the skills a child uses during pretend play are foundational for social and emotional growth.”
With this Fisher-Price kitchen playset, toddlers can engage in open-ended pretend play to plant, pick, prepare and serve their own farm-to-table meals. The two-sided kitchen affords plenty of play potential, thanks to a home garden on one side and a play kitchen on the other. It also has stimulating lights and music to add to the fun. What makes this playset even better is that there’s plenty of opportunity for caregivers to play along, too, whether through expanding baby’s vocabulary by pointing out the different fruits, vegetables and animals or “cooking” a meal with her.
Power: Requires 3 AA batteries (not included)
Weight: 13 pounds
Dimensions: 17.4 x 22.72 x 30 inches
Best Arts & Crafts Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Alex Discover Tots Art Start
![Alex Discover Tots Art Start](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Alex-Discover-Tots-Art-Start-Kids-Art-and-Craft-Activity.jpg)
By the time your child is about 18 months old, they can begin to experiment with basic arts and crafts supplies, Dr. Burgert says. Think tactile toys (like finger paint and magic sand) for texture exploration and fine motor play, she explains. This set by Alex Discover is a great starting point, since it includes six simple activities to introduce your child to the world of art. Inside you’ll find easy-to-grip crayons, crinkly tissue and fringe papers, doilies, stickers and activity paper shaped like a tree and giraffe. You’ll be glad to have this toy at your disposal on a rainy day!
Dimensions: 12.13 x 12.13 x 2.13 inches
Best Bath Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Nuby Floating Purple Octopus
![Nuby Floating Purple Octopus](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/Nuby-Floating-Purple-Octopus-with-3-Hoopla-Rings-Interactive-Bath-Toy.jpg)
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that containers, floating toys and waterproof books help your baby enjoy time in the tub. So, your budding toddler is sure to love this fun, floating purple octopus. Dr. Hafeez says this type of toy — the kind that requires kids to manipulate their hands — encourages hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, making it a double-win. During bathtime, your little one will hone her skills while grabbing floating rings and placing them on the friendly octopus’s tentacles. Also nice: There are no small holes to let in water, so you won’t have to worry about keeping it clean and mold-free.
Weight: 6.7 ounces
Dimensions: 6.8 x 6.8 x 5.6 inches
"[My daughter] also loves this."
Best Activity Toy for 18-Month-Olds
VTech Smart Shots Sports Center
![VTech Smart Shots Sports Center](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/VTech-Smart-Shots-Sports-Center.jpg)
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This VTech electronic sports center is a basketball hoop and soccer net all in one. For active tots, it’s a great foray into the world of sports. Your little one can practice her motor skills by shooting or kicking the ball,pressing the interactive buttons and turning the spinning gears as her caregiver cheers her on. An LED scoreboard provides further encouragement and learning as it counts the number of baskets made, plus displays fun animations and plays lights, sounds and songs.
Weight: 2 pounds
Dimensions: 16.53 x 22.83 x 24 inches
"[My little one] has a VTech basketball hoop that he likes to put his ball into. He's obsessed with balls in general lately."
Best Blocks for 18-Month-Olds
Lovevery The Block Set
![Lovevery Block Set](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/lovevery-The-Block-Set.jpg)
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Blocks are always a favorite, but this isn’t your average block set. With 70 wood pieces in a rainbow of 18 different hues and 18 different shapes and tools, the Lovevery blocks provide endless play potential. In fact, it comes with a stage-based activity guide that features more than 20 fun learning and developmental activities ranging in complexity, which helps parents make playtime more fruitful. Plus, the blocks come perfectly packaged in a wooden storage box that converts into a pull car. But since stuffing all those shapes back into the storage box isn’t all that practical, it also comes with a drawstring bag for quick cleanup. Win!
Recommended age: 18 months – 4 years-plus
Weight: 8.1 pounds
Dimensions: 15 x 6 x 5 inches
"The Lovevery Block Set is another favorite. My daughter started playing with it when she was around 12 months old and it’s been a favorite ever since. Plays with it every day."
Best Obstacle Course Toy for 18-Month-Olds
Edx Education Step-a-Trail
![Edx Education Step-a-Trail](http://images.agoramedia.com/wte3.0/gcms/edxeducation-Step-a-Trail-6-Piece-Obstacle-Course.jpg)
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Bring the joy of playing at the playground to your home with this Step-a-Trail set. It's designed to look like brightly colored logs and tree stumps that will tempt your LO to practice walking and hopping along them, all while they develop motor skills like balance and coordination. Each of the six pieces included — three logs and three stumps — is made of a sturdy plastic with rubber grips on the tops and bottoms so that slipping isn't an issue. They're built to withstand more than 790 pounds of weight, so you can get in on the fun with your toddler, too. And don't worry if you’re short on yard space: this toy can be used inside or outside.
Weight: 6.35 pounds
Dimensions: 18.9 x 5.4 x 2.5 for the logs, up to 11.3 x 5.2 for the stumps
"Edx Education Step-A-Trail is great for indoors or out. Kids from 18mo-4yo in our family love it."
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Bathing Your Baby, March 2020.
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Choking Prevention, September 2019.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Important Milestones: Your Child By Eighteen Months, August 2022.
- KidsHealth from Nemours, Toddler Reading Time, August 2019.
- What to Expect, When Do Toddlers Start Running, Jumping, Kicking and Climbing?, October 2021.
- What to Expect, How to Encourage Pretend Play in Babies and Toddlers, September 2021.
- Natasha Burgert, M.D., F.A.A.P., Pediatrician, South Overland Park, Kansas.
- Lori Caplan-Colon, Speech Language Pathologist and Founder of Montclair Speech Therapy, Caldwell, New Jersey.
- Sanam Hafeez, Psy.D, Neuropsychologist, Faculty Member, Columbia University, New York, New York.
- Sarah Lytle, Ph.D., Director of Outreach and Education, Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.