Aside from learning numbers and the value of coins and bills, your little one will be able to use their imagination to create scenarios with a toy cash register. Here are our top picks for the best toy cash register, from simpler models that encourage imagination to advanced registers that are more interactive.
Best Toy Cash Registers with Scanner
The LeapFrog Register is a great starter cash register with basic accesories and a fun touch-screen. Compared to the LeapFrog, the Velocity Toys Register includes more accessories and is more realistic.
LeapFrog Count Along Register
The Count Along Register has the major benefit of having larger pieces, making it a great choice for kids two and up. It counts, talks, and sings along to encourage learning.
3 AAA batteries come included, however, the manufacturer recommends replacing them for home use. There are twenty pieces included. Aside from the register, eight pieces of food, ten coins, and a shopping card are included. Once set up, the items can be scanned. Then, a shopping card can be used or your child can insert the right amount of coins.
The singing feature is nice and engaging for younger kids. The one downside is that the drawer becomes jammed if they insert coins while it is open. You’ll need to open it and unscrew the whole tray to get them out.
Pros
- Fun, engaging songs and talk
- Helps your child learn how to count
- Comes with several grocery’ items to be scanned
- Bigger pieces included for younger kids
- Bright and colorful
Cons
- Drawer gets jammed if coins are inserted while it’s open
Velocity Toys Cash Register
The Velocity Toys Cash Register is designed for ages 3 and older. It has working lights and sounds, as well as a working calculator to encourage your child to practice math.
This set includes the register, a basket, working calculator, moving conveyor belt, and credit card swiper. It also comes with several shopping items, a key to the register, and play money. The calculator has addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division functions. It does require 2 AA batteries to run.
The conveyor belt does move, but it has to be moved manually. With this feature, the working calculator, and the working microphone, this is similar to the experience of running a cash register in a real store. Many kids also appreciate the working microphone.
When you press a key to open the drawer, it dings. There is also a beeping sound when items are scanned or a card is used. It only comes in a pink/purple color scheme. The other downside is that the cash is too large to fit in the drawer without being folded.
Pros
- Conveyor belt moves
- Working calculator and microphone
- Comes with groceries, bills, a basket, and coins
- Working lights and sounds
- Encourages your child to practice math
Cons
- Cash is too large to fit in the drawer without being folded
- Only comes in a pink/purple color scheme
Most Realistic Toy Cash Register
Melissa & Doug Grocery Store
The Melissa & Doug Grocery Store is a great choice for kids who want a realistic experience. This is a large playset complete with shelves, a bagging area, a realistic beeping scanner, a cash drawer, a card swipe machine, and a hand-cranked conveyor belt.
This is more expensive because of its size but it has the quality that you expect from a Melissa & Doug product. There are two distinct sides, one for the shopper and the other for the grocer. The shopper places items on the conveyor belt and the grocer can crank it and ring them up. Scanning the groceries creates a realistic beeping sound.
One downside of this toy is that it does not come with the groceries or pretend money your child needs to play. You’ll need to purchase them separately or have your children use some toys they already have on hand. Once you have the toys, they can be placed on the beautiful shelves and refrigerator area that make it easy for your little one to use their imagination.
Something else to keep in mind is that this will need to be assembled. However, this is a fairly easy thing to do.
Pros
- Very realistic playing set
- Beeping hand scanner, moving conveyor belt, and bagging area included
- Easy to assemble
- Has shelves and refrigerator for groceries to sit while the shopper is browsing
- Distinct sides make it easy to be the grocer or the shopper
Cons
- No extra accessories like cash or food included
- Needs assembled
Best Educational Toy Cash Registers
While the Fisher-Price register is a fun retro register, the Learning Resources Register includes more buttons and has a cash drawer that opens. It is also much more popular than the Fisher-Price register and considered a best seller overall.
Learning Resources Cash Register
The Learning Resources Cash Register is designed for children ages 3 and up. It has large bills and coins that are perfectly sized to teach your child about money including different size bills and pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Altogether this is a 73-piece set.
In addition to the coins and money, this comes with a working calculator and credit card. It is solar powered so you never have to worry about batteries. The working calculator teaches basic math skills and has addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division functions. The cash register also makes a cha-ching sound when it is opened.
Something to note is that even though there are four bill types included (1, 5, 10, and 20), the drawer only has three money slots. This can be confusing for younger children.
The buttons on this are large and durable and the cash register seems to be built well. One thing to note is that if your child picks up or moves the register around too much with coins in it, the drawer can become jammed shut. Smacking the side to dislodge the coin is the easiest way to fix this but sometimes you’ll need to take the entire bottom side off.
Pros
- Solar-powered so you don’t need batteries
- Has a working calculator
- Drawer makes sounds when it is opened
- Realistic money (bills and coins) and a card is included
- Durable construction
Cons
- Not enough cash slots for the bills included
- Drawer sometimes gets jammed
Fisher-Price Cash Register
The Fisher-Price Cash Register is designed for ages 18 months and older, having larger pieces that are not a choking hazard for babies. It comes with six large plastic coins and teaches skills like recognizing colors and counting. Being modeled after the 1975 classic model that was a favorite of many parents (and toddlers), this is a guaranteed hit for electronic-free playtime.
To play, your child puts the coins down a ramp. Then, they crank a lever that makes a bell ring and the drawer opens to exchange coins. This classic toy is perfect for parents who don’t want to worry about batteries.
One downside is that Fisher-Price strayed from some of the features of the original model with the newer retro’ design. The coins are all the same size and just different colors. Even though it is still an opportunity to learn counting and colors, there are no different-sized slots for the coins. This means your child won’t be able to learn about the value of money or sizes as easily as they would have with the original model. There are also fewer accessories with this model than some of the others reviewed.
Pros
- Comes with larger coins that are suitable for younger children
- Does not require any batteries
- Fun to put coins down a ramp
- Working lever and drawer
- Modeled after the popular retro design
Cons
- Does not have different sized coins or slots
- Does not come with any groceries
Comparing Toy Cash Registers
The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed. The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the product compared to others in the table.
| Melissa & Doug Grocery Store | 9.7 | 9.6 | 191.99 |
| Learning Resources Cash Register | 9.9 | 9.4 | 40.44 |
| Fisher-Price Cash Register | 9.7 | 9.4 | 29.99 |
| Velocity Toys Cash Register | 3.9 | 8.8 | 27.99 |
| LeapFrog Count Along Register | 9.4 | 9.4 | 21.99 |
FAQs – Toy Cash Registers
What can my child learn from a toy cash register?
Toy cash registers have a number of benefits. Even if your little one is not yet ready to understand mathematics, cash registers are perfect for encouraging imagination. Restaurants, grocery stores, and any other scenario your child invents can come to life in a fun way.
Once your little one can use the numbers, the money in toy cash registers can be used to teach basic addition and subtraction. If you involve your child in grocery shopping at the store or allow them to collect an allowance, it can also encourage a better understanding of money management. When built young, this skill can help your child throughout their entire life.
How can I encourage my child to play with their toy cash register?
Creating imaginary scenarios is one of the best ways to encourage your child to use their register. Clear off a table or a bookshelf and help them set up a store using toys, stuffed animals, or toy food. You could also help them open a restaurant, giving them the option to serve food and then collect payment.
Imaginative play has several benefits. It strengthens the bond between a child and their parent, sibling, or caretaker. It also encourages them to solve problems as they arise and use their critical thinking skills. Finally, imaginative play encourages social, emotional, and language development.
Don’t limit your child to playing with the included grocery products; empty cereal or cracker boxes, oatmeal containers, and other food containers from your kitchen can be used for play.
