Cranes are great for fine motor skills, helping children understand cause and effect, and perfect for spending time with your child.
So get one of the best toy cranes on this list and start your own magic.
Your inner, and actual, child will thank you.
Best Toy Cranes – The List
These toy cranes offer a lot of options for different ages and ability levels. Cranes are excellent for practicing engineering thinking and give children a lot for their imaginations.
Plus, there’s nothing better than a brightly colored construction vehicle. Let’s take a look.
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
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Bruder Mack Granite Liebherr Crane Truck |
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Bruder Scania R-Series Liebherr Crane |
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Bruder MAN Crane Truck |
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Top Race 15 Channel Remote Control Crane |
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Dickie Toys 48″ Mega Crane and Truck Vehicle and Playse |
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Metal Construction Vehicle |
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Dickie Toys 24″ Light and Sound Construction |
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Best Toy Cranes Reviews
#1 Bruder Mack Granite Liebherr Crane Truck
Specifications:
- 26 x 7.3 x 10.6 inches
- suitable for ages 4 years to 10 years
- no batteries required
The first crane option is the best all-around toy for durability and functionality. Cranes have to withstand some force and keep on ticking, and that’s precisely what this particular toy does. It features a stable wheelbase with bright yellow color and a crane that extends over four feet.
It comes with stabilizers and a counterweight that can fill with sand to support the crane. It includes sliding glass panes for the cabin and an integrated toolbox for realism.
The cable wench features a locking mechanism to protect it and an overload protection function that’s perfect for childhood enthusiasm.
It doesn’t have any accompanying sounds or lights, but that means you won’t have to buy any batteries or get sick of annoying sounds. It’s suitable for young elementary children and older, while younger toddlers may be too overwhelmed to appreciate it fully.
#2 Bruder Scania R-Series Liebherr Crane with Lights and Sounds
Specifications:
- 24.4 x 7.3 x 10.6 inches
- requires 2 AA batteries for sound and lights
- suitable for ages 4 years to 10 years
Bruder brings a durable toy to the table but with a lot of bells and whistles suitable for slightly older children. This one has a massive crane arm that extends over four feet. It includes stabilizers to keep it upright and noiseless operation.
It does have lights and sounds to encourage focused play, but the truck operates well without it. The body is durable and bright yellow, a plus for most children, and it wipes clean with a damp cloth.
It comes with a toolkit for realism, and you can fill the back with sand or water bags to encourage stability. The truck is best for slightly older children because of the elaborate counterweight and arm operation, but ages four years should be old enough.
This one is suitable for outdoor play as well as indoor, a nice change from some of the delicate options on the list. It functions well batteries or not, but it does take two AA batteries if you want full use of the lights and sound effects.
#3 Bruder MAN Crane Truck
Specifications:
- 6.9 x 9.5 x 16.7 inches
- suitable for ages 36 months to 8 years
For children on the younger age spectrum, a solid, reliable toy is necessary. This one is a bright yellow (toddlers will love that) and features a steady and supportive truck with a simple, manual crane. It’s easy for toddlers to control and extends to 30 inches.
It’s easy to clean and doesn’t have any extra lights or sounds. The operation is smooth and comfortable for your child to master. It comes with stabilizer legs to help keep it upright, and it’s best for ages three and older and offers simple play options.
It may be too simple for older kids, but as a beginning construction crane, younger kids will love it. The front folds out so they can get a view of the engine block, and it comes with a little toolkit for realism.
This one is a simple, affordable option for beginners. It may offer some relief from other sounds and lights, but older kids could be a little disappointed.
#4 Top Race 15 Channel Remote Control Crane, Professional Series
Specifications:
- 22 x 10 x 8 inches
- requires 2 AA batteries
- suitable for ages 8+
Now, this is an impressive toy. It features a fully remote controlled movement suite with features just like the real thing. It moves forward and backward on a fully treaded base, while an actual metal boom hook raises and lowers. It has a flexible motion with a full swing and is 1:14 scale with the real thing.
You can operate controls up to 100 feet, so make sure you have a system for finding lost remote controls. It’s suitable for older children who are comfortable with a remote and also children who can talk (so they can help you find the unattached remote if it’s lost).
It can lift loads of up to a pound or so in weight, but it’s a massive and heavy toy itself. It won’t be suitable for toddlers or very young children because of the weight, but older children will love its massive size.
The crane itself runs on a rechargeable battery (90 minute charge time with a continuous 25-minute playtime), but the remote will take two AA batteries. This is a lot of power and fuss for children that aren’t old enough to appreciate it. It’s best for ages eight years and up.
#5 DICKIE TOYS 48″ Mega Crane and Truck Vehicle and Playset
Specifications:
- 35 x 14 x 48 inches
- requires 6 AA batteries
- suitable for ages 36 months to 8 years
Do you know those super tall, stationary cranes at construction sites? This option mimics those with a massive 48-inch tall crane toy and a separate construction truck. It’s an RC powered crane, so it provides excellent movement and a lot of fun for children able to manipulate its controls.
The cabin rotates 350 degrees with the push of a button and raises and lowers the same way. It’s really stable for a toy crane and provides realistic movements just like a construction site. It includes various attachments so that you can move different products around and also has a cute character in the cabin.
It’s best for older children who can manipulate the RC controls without frustration. It requires six AA batteries, which isn’t that power-hungry, but the controls may be challenging for toddler fingers.
It’s also best to supervise this one so that your child doesn’t pull on the arm or topple it over. It’s designed to sit on a flat surface and may not work quite as well on carpet.
#6 Duturpo 1/50 Scale Diecast Crawler Excavator, Metal Construction Vehicle Models Toys for Kids (Crawler Excavator)
Specifications:
- 8.6 x 2.7 x 2.4 inches
- requires 4 AA batteries for sound and lights
- suitable for ages 6 years to 15 years
This realistic crane offers the bright yellow of classic construction vehicles with a 28-inch crane arm at its full length. The boom is hand-operated, but it does come with lights and sounds. The crane is movable; just opt for a tethered remote or a push-button operation, and you’ve got a really fun toy on your hands.
It’s perfect for children who are bored with their classic toys and want something with a few more operational bells and whistles. The cab opens, so your child can supply his or her own small figures, and the truck can operate with batteries or manually.
It’s lightweight, but that does make the crane a little fragile. If you have young children, it’s best to supervise play. You want to make sure they don’t put too much pressure on the crane, or they could break it.
It requires four AA batteries, so it’s recommended for elementary-aged children who can fully appreciate the sounds and movements. Otherwise, that’s a lot of power.
#7 DICKIE TOYS 24″ Light and Sound Construction Crane Truck (with Moving Ladder)
Specifications:
- 26 x 7.3 x 10.6 inches
- requires 2 AA batteries
- suitable for ages 4 years to 10 years
Dickie toys bring a sturdy construction and a fair amount of realism to the table with this 24-inch crane toy. It features the classic bright yellow of most construction vehicles, and realistic lights and sounds really help your child get into the spirit.
The battery-operated crane really works. The arm swivels from side to side rise up and down, and your child can lower and raise the hook once the arm is in position. A sturdy hook can carry light toys, and the truck comes with little safety cones for realism.
It requires two AA batteries to operate, but the arm moves regardless. It could snap off under duress, so make sure your child isn’t leaning or putting too much pressure on the arm because it can snap off.
It’s best for older toddlers to younger elementary school children. It’s simple to operate, but you can take out batteries if you get sick of the lights and sounds.
#8 WolVol Friction Powered Construction Crane Truck Toy with Lights and Sounds for Kids, Crane arm can Expand to 18 inches
Specifications:
- 26 x 7.3 x 10.6 inches
- requires 2 AA batteries
- suitable for ages 4 years to 10 years
Cranes and Your Child
Cranes offer excellent practice for fine motor skills and engineering thinking.
As children learn to manipulate the crane, whether simple or complex, they learn to experiment and try things out in their environment.
Plus, it’s a fun, realistic toy that allows children to live out their fantasies of being on a construction site and working a really cool piece of equipment. What’s not to love?
Which crane are you thinking about getting for your child? Let us know in the comments below.
