Empathy, grit, perseverance, patience — these are just a few of the emotional skills that we want to help kids nurture through play. For children, the imaginary world they enter during playtime is a safe outlet to discover feelings. Whether sharing how their day went with their favorite doll or dressing up in a costume to role-play, daily play experiences can effortlessly support emotional growth. We’ve picked a range of plush animals to cuddle, dolls with no back-story, costumes for dreaming, and other inventive open-ended toys for children’s emotional development.