We researched the top brands and products if your little helper wants to get involved in every aspect of your cleaning routine, paying attention to the recommended age, safety features, and accessories of each pick. The Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! Set is our best overall pick. The versatile set comes with a stand for easy storage and each piece is made of durable materials that work like the actual thing. Here, the best toy cleaning sets for kids. If you have a child that loves to help around the house, this cleaning toy set from Melissa & Doug is a realistic and fun option, earning our best overall spot. The set includes a mop, hand broom, duster, and dustpan along with a sturdy stand from which to hang each cleaning tool. Top features of this cleaning toy set for kids include the quality of the components and how much they look like the real deal. Your child will really feel part of the household chore routine when using the real wood handles and realistic features like a rope mop head or broom bristles. Parents find that kids gravitate towards these toddler-sized cleaning toys, but they’re also functional enough to use in a pinch for sweeping up small messes—a frequent occurrence in a house with children at play. Price at time of publication: $43 When your child’s cleaning session is complete, it’s easy to wash off any sticky substance or dirt, since these plastic toys can be cleaned with a quick rinse or a soap-and-water wash. Price at time of publication: $24 The cart makes for easy storage space and makes it simple for kids to transport their toys from one part of the house to the other. This set goes beyond others with more parts, more ways to play, and more things to learn with different cleaning products. Price at time of publication: $41 This toy vacuum for kids also includes various attachments, and you can use it as a handheld vac as well—just like the real thing. There is real suction power, although it’s reportedly faint. Keep three AA batteries on hand so this vacuum will always be ready for hours of cleaning fun for kids. If it picks up a little stray pet hair along the way, consider it a bonus. Price at time of publication: $30 Adding to the imagination of this cleaning toy set are the included felt cobweb and dust bunny that your child can clean up any time. Price at time of publication: $30 The versatile modes of this cleaning toy for toddlers ensure that it won’t become boring any time soon. Whether your child enjoys using it in learning mode or “cleaning” mode, this vacuum for toddlers is sure to be a big hit. Price at time of publication: $25 A child’s broom, like the Schylling Littler Helper, is a great solution. This realistic-looking broom set includes both a soft-bristle broom for general sweeping and a smaller, handheld broom for small tasks. The dustpan makes it easy for little ones to capture any dirt they’ve swept up and dispose of it. It clips onto the handle of either broom for secure storage. The larger broom has a 30-inch handle and features long, soft bristles that are surprisingly good at handling real messes, too. Price at time of publication: $15 Users say it’s sturdy enough to handle even robust play. Note, while you won’t be able to detach the mop head for machine washing, it’s easy enough to spot clean the mop if a section becomes dirty. Price at time of publication: $51 One of the best features about this cleaning toy set for kids is the fact that the handles on the broom and mop extend from 21 inches to 36 inches. Even the stand, which all cleaning supplies hang from, extends to accommodate the longer handle lengths. It’s a set your child can grow with and enjoy for several years as his or her abilities and chores increase. Price at time of publication: $30 This cleaning toy set for kids is great for little ones that want to help on laundry day, and it’s also popular when paired with a washer and dryer play set. Price at time of publication: $24
Safety
When it comes to cleaning toys, safety is important, because some are heavy or long and awkward for little ones to handle well. You’ll also want to be particularly mindful of toys labeled 3+, as these toys might have small parts which can be a choking hazard for children under three and for those who still mouth toys, says Kristin Morency Goldman, senior advisor of strategic communications for The Toy Association.
Accessories
Though there are some standalone products, many cleaning toys come in sets. In general, the sets are worth the investment, since they’ll hold your child’s attention for longer: They’ll get the opportunity to mimic more of your own actions, from sweeping to mopping and beyond.
Why Trust the Spruce?
This article was written by Erica Puisis, a freelance writer who has contributed to The Spruce since 2017. Her areas of expertise include small home appliances and vacuums. To find the best options for the list, she considered capacity, CFM, filter type, and attachments of the most popular shop vacs on the market. Additional reporting was done by Julia Fields, a lifestyle writer for The Spruce covering all things surrounding toys, gifts, and the holidays since October 2021. Before that, she covered similar topics including toy reviews, product roundups, expert-focused articles, and more. “Although playing with a cleaning set may not seem very complicated to an observing adult, the skills a child uses during pretend play are foundational for social and emotional growth,” Burgert says.
More Toys for Kids
When it comes to toys for kids, our team has you covered. The Verywell Family team of editors (who are parents or have nieces and nephews of their own) have tested, gifted, and personally recommend every item we feature. Find more of our top toy picks for every developmental stage and personality phase here:
The Best Christmas Gifts for Kids The Best Developmental Toys for Babies The Best Tummy Time Toys The Best Active Toys for Toddlers The Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers The Best Toys for Toddlers The Best Educational Toys for Toddlers The Best Phonics Toys for Preschoolers The Best Toys for Learning Letters and Numbers The Best Construction and Building Block Toys The Best Musical Toys for Children of All Ages The Best Montessori Toys to Encourage Thoughtful Play The Best Sesame Street Toys The Best Outdoor Toys for Kids of All Ages The Best Dinosaur Toys The Best Toys for Fine Motor Skills Development The Best Toys for Independent Play The Best Indoor Toys and Games for Active Play The Best Snow Toys for Kids The Best STEM Toys for Kids Best Laptop Toys for Kids The Best Social Emotional Learning Toys The Best Robot Toys The Best Ride-On Toys The Black-Owned Gift Guide
