The concept of space is a lot for a little mind to comprehend, we know. So, that's why we've made it our "outer space" mission to help you find the best toy rockets for your little astronaut. Your little one may have so many questions about the universe around them – about stars, galaxies and planets. Unless you’re an astrophysicist, you’re not going to have all the answers – and that’s OK!
One of our main jobs as a parent is to support and facilitate learning. Sometimes this is done with a chat or discussion – and sometimes, with toys; this is arguably the more enjoyable option. Toys help with so much development in the life of a child, so it's only natural to opt for a toy to help with their curiosity about something.
Well, this is where we come in.
Related: The best space toys for toddlers
If your child is curious about all-things outer space, buying a toy rocket is a great introduction, not only to science but to the big, wide universe as a whole. Armed with their little rockets and starships, your little ones are going to make up little adventures of their own at home, roleplaying all aspects of space exploration: new planets, new species, new technology - and lots of new possibilities. Isn’t that exciting?
Your children are going to get curious about the world as they grow up – and arming them with a toy rocket will send their imagination soaring into outer space!
Maybe, soon, they'll become a space fanatic - and demand space-themed bedrooms and birthday parties.
But, that's for another time, perhaps.
In the meantime, check out our rundown of the best toy rockets for all ages available to buy today.
Best toy rockets:
Made from FSC certified wood with water-based paints, this rocket is great for helping your tot learn to stack, and the magnets inside the pieces will help them stay in place.
Review: "My two-year-old absolutely loves this rocket! We have since got some other toys of the series and they weren't as great but this rocket really is amazing! He builds it on his own so proudly great for them little skills."
Got a Ben and Holly fan on your hands? They'll love this rocket which has take-off and landing sounds, four fun phrases, a torchlight (with flashing and steady modes), rotating magic jelly fuel and a carry handle for fun on the go.
Review: "Little 2.5-year-old boy absolutely loves it. He plays with it constantly. I was quite worried about some of the reviews that the rocket doesn't stand on its own, but it does?! The sounds are great, the light is great, Ben elf is great. The only problem little one has is opening the door as it's quite difficult, easy to open for an adult with a fingernail but not a little one. Either way, he loves it."
Suitable for children six and above, this realistic play figure set comes with one Mars rocket, three figures and 109 accessories. It's a great one to do together and has a genuine launchpad, movable maintenance platform and removable space capsule for lots of role-play fun.
Review: "Bought for 5 and a half-year-old - he absolutely loved it. Took just the right amount of time to put together - long enough to be interesting but not too long or complicated to get frustrated. Lots of bits and accessories to play with. He particularly liked putting people in the rocket. The sounds and lights are very good - quite realistic! A good toy."
A brilliant way to help your child get used to getting their hair wet in the bath, dunk the rocket underwater to fill it up to watch the starfish bobbing about inside as the level rises. Then as you hold the rocket aloft, the water escapes in a dome shape your little one will adore.
Review: "My grandson (toy bought when he was aged 18 months) has had endless fun with this lovely toy. He has played with it for over a year. The clever design makes it very versatile and there are no parts to come off. Playing with it helped my grandson get over his nervousness of having water splashed on his face. It gave him great scope to use his imagination because he could post various small toys inside it eg mini action heroes, plastic animals and rubber snakes."
Your younger will learn the basics of simple construction and engineering while building fine motor skills with this Design & Drill designed especially for little hands. Build the rocket with the kid-safe toy drill, then pop the Bolt Buddy astronaut and puppy pal into the cockpit ready for blast off. And that's not all as the eco-friendly packaging unfold to become a fun playset too.
Review: "Good toy for my little one as he loves rockets and the spaceship is good build quality, not a cheap plastic."
This impressive four-tier rocket ship is a sturdy wooden toy that your youngster will adore, coming with 20-pieces to build and play with. Although it's big, it's easy to set up, pack up and store away.
Review: "This spaceship is amazing! Hape toys are of excellent quality, I'd buy their full range if money was no object. But for £45, this spaceship is an absolute bargain. I’d happily pay double. The attention to detail is fantastic, Hape really has thought of everything."
Here's a rocket toy the whole family will enjoy; simply step on the pressure-activated pump to send the rocket soaring into the sky. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor fun, the toy will help your child learn simple physics while having a blast.
Review: "I have an 8-year-old girl, a ten-year-old nephew and a 6-year-old niece - ALL of them loved playing with this down the field. It is easy enough for children to be able to use and still be powerful enough to shoot very far away. Love that it is safe, the 'bullets' are robust enough not to fly off over the nearest hedge and get lost, and it is light and easy to put together (and take apart when done). Really really pleased with this one, I can certainly recommend to others, we had great fun and will do it again!
www.kidly.co.uk
This gorgeous wooden play rocket perfectly combines construction and role-play in one with 12 different themed rooms including bedrooms, operation rooms, laboratories and more. Using the little wooden accessories and characters, your tot can let their imaginations run wild and close up the rooms ready for lift-off by screwing the solid wooden screws into each panel.
Review: "My son has Christmas and a birthday within a week of each other so I wanted to get him something special for his birthday that would be set apart from his Christmas presents and this certainly fits the bill. I’m really pleased with the quality and style."
www.scandiborn.co.uk
Made from sustainable rubberwood, this eco-friendly toy will help your child enjoy some space-fuelled pretend play. With a fun, retro design that will look great on your child's bedroom shelf, the rocket has removable flames and comes with a couple of spacemen.
Review: "We needed a rocket for our two-year-old and this was it. We looked at many rockets but this was the only one for us and so excited for her to play with it. Beautifully wrapped in paper inside the box and no plastic to be seen anywhere!"
How we test and choose recommended products
Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.
Our thriving mum community on our Facebook group #mumtribe consistently provides great insights into which products mums like best and why, helping us highlight the products that will meet your needs.
For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.