Some toys are designed for a specific developmental phase, but what are the toys that you can buy for your child that they will love and use for years, preferably 5 years or longer. Children can outgrow some toys in 6 months, or never really play with a toy if not developmentally appropriate or interesting. Let’s take a look at the toys with some of the longest use for young children.
Outdoor Toys Children Will Adore
Let’s start with the outdoors. A swing set is one of the most versatile and longest lasting toys you can buy for your child. Although they can get quite fancy and large, a simple one with two swings and a slide is perfect for 1 to 3 children to enjoy for years. This one is advertised for ages 3 to 8, but change out a swing for a baby swing, and children can enjoy this starting at around 6 months or so of age when they are able to sit up.
The next item for the outdoors is the humble sandbox. Really any sandbox will do, but for the longest use, something at least 4 ft by 4 ft will allow for children to sit in it and enjoy it to its fullest. You can build a simple sand box, or buy one, just remember a cover to keep it fresh longer. Children can enjoy a sand box from before they are even one to around the age of 7. Buy some simple sand toys to go with it or build a mud kitchen next to the sand box, and children will entertain themselves.
The next toy for the outdoors, or indoors if you have the space and flooring, is a water table. A slightly larger one that has the option for flowing water will be one of the toys your child will use for years. Adding a pump will also increase the usability of a water table. Little ones just learning to stand while holding on to something will love this water table, as well as children up to around the age of 6.
Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table
The final item that can be for the outdoors, or the indoors, is a basketball hoop for young children. This one is for 1 ½ to 5-year-olds and can be adjusted to different heights. I would argue this is good till age 6 or 7, depending on your child’s height. A larger basketball hoop for big kids can then be bought for children ages 8 and up, but this one is perfect for younger ages.
How to Make My Backyard Better for Preschoolers – hummingbirdhomelife.com
Bringing Magic to Imaginative Play
Moving indoors, let’s look at imaginative play. Imaginative play helps children learn about real life and practice daily life skills. Imaginative play also sets children up for success with abstract concepts later on in their schooling. A set of high-quality toy animals can entertain children and be one of the toys your child will use for years. Toddlers will throw them, cuddle them, and make the animal noises. Preschoolers will build homes for them or knock them over with cars. Older children may use them to guard castles they have built or create a pretend zoo. Realistic toy animals that easily stand up can come alive in children’s imaginations and be used from ages 1 to 7.
Safari Zoo Animals Figure Toys
One of the most unexpected toys that appeal to a wide range of children is a cleaning toy set. All of the cleaning tools in this set are useable, so children can learn simple chores like cleaning up a mess with a broom or hand broom just their size. Children as young as one will enjoy mimicking the adults around them by pretending to sweep with a real broom, while preschoolers can start to learn how to clean for real and can have fun playing house with this set. These cleaning tools will appeal up to about age 6.
One of the most widely loved imaginative toys for children is a barn and farm animals. Farms that do not make any noise or use batteries will be played with longer as children use their own imaginations to make the animals make sounds and move around. Buttons and noises tend to focus the child on one aspect of play to the exclusion of others leading to limited play and moving on to another toy. A more open-ended toy can engage a child longer and a simple barn with animals can entertain children starting around 15 months up to age 6.
Big Red Barn with Figure, Animals & Tractor
The next imaginative play item is a dollhouse with furniture and small dolls. Although thought of as a girls’ toy, a dollhouse may appeal to boys as well as girls. Starting around age 2, children will enjoy making these dolls come to life. They can arrange the furniture and play out scenarios from their own life. They can give the dolls names and make stories for them. Children can play with a good dollhouse up to age 6 or 7.
Another classic children’s toy that has stood the test of time is good quality metal cars. Children will do best with cars that do not make noises and metal cars will last longer than plastic ones. These realistic cars will appeal to older children and are recommended for ages 3 to 12 by the manufacturers. I would say they are perfect for ages 2 ½ to 8. Although cars are sometimes thought of as boy toys, they may still appeal to many girls as well. Cars can race across the floor, crash into each other, roll down ramps, and be used in imaginative play.
Building Toys your Child Will Use for Hours
Wooden blocks are a classic children’s toy. From banging blocks together as an infant, to knocking small towers over as a toddler, to building elaborate buildings and castles as an older child, a good set of wooden blocks can be used from about 9 months till age 6. Some children may use them longer. They are one of the best open-ended toys out there that can provide years of building fun and imaginative play. Blocks with colors may appeal to some children more than wood colored blocks, but both are a wonderful toy for children.
Kids Building Blocks with Storage
The next building toy that has wide appeal is Magna-tiles. Starting at age 2, Magna-tiles are an entertaining and engaging toy that children up to age 8, or longer, can enjoy building with over and over. They develop wonderful spatial skills as children figure out how to build a cube and use squares and triangles to build all sorts of buildings and structures. There are also plenty of add ons so that children can build cars and trains out of Magna-tiles as well, but the basic original set of Magna-tiles will engage children all on their own for years.
Magna-Tiles Classic 32 Piece Set
Indoor Movement Play You Can Pack Away
One of the areas that is most important for children is indoor movement play. Anything that allows them to use their whole bodies in play. This will depend greatly on space, but here is one option for smaller spaces. These stepping stones will appeal to children from about 18 months to age 6. They can be used as bowls or can be used to escape lava. These stepping stones are sturdy and stack into a tower or to have different height stepping stones. They are versatile and can be used as seats or stepping stools.
Another indoor movement toy that does not use up much space is a balance board. Balance boards are just curved pieces of flat wood for children to balance on, use as a slide off the couch, or use as a bridge. They can be used in a variety of ways, even in imaginative play as a castle wall. They can be used as a desk, or as a pretend bed. Children as young as 9 months can practice climbing up an incline and sliding down the other side, or may enjoy laying and rocking in it. These are generally good up to age 7, but if a child enjoys using it as a rocking seat or a desk on a bed, potentially much longer.
One of the next indoor movement toys that is versatile for smaller spaces is a tent and tunnel for children to play in. They will enjoy these from the time they are able to crawl to around age 6 or 7. These tents and tunnels can be folded up and stored when not in use, but they can be used in imaginative play for years. They can be caves, houses, or castles in your child’s imagination. The tents can be used as quiet spaces or reading spaces filled with pillows.
Let’s Take Up Space Indoor Play Toys
For indoor movement, nothing can beat a Pikler triangle set. They do take a fair amount of space. Pikler triangle sets generally have a climbing triangle, a climbing arch and a two-sided board with a slide on one side and a climbing board on the other. It can be used in different configurations with the board acting as a bridge between the two climbers, or the climbing arch acting as a boat. A pillow to help with turning it into a boat or rocker is sometimes included. Pikler triangles can also be used imaginatively with blankets thrown over them to create tunnels and homes. These sets will appeal to crawlers up to age 5 or 6.
The next indoor movement toy is the very popular nugget. You need the space for this, but the nugget play couch can be used to create obstacle courses, forts and imaginative play structures, as well as function as a couch or two chairs. Although there are imitation play couches now, the original remains the best option and can appeal to children from ages 1 to 9.
Nugget – The Original Play Couch for Kids
The last one that will last for years of play inside is an indoor jungle gym. This requires significant space, but it includes a slide/climbing rocks, climbing nets, upright ladder, monkey bars, round swing, regular swing, rope ladder and climbing ladder. It is advertised for ages 3 to 6, but I would say children as young as 18 months can start to enjoy the slide and practice learning to climb. Especially for very active children, this could be a great investment.
Sensory Play
Sensory play is not just for toddlers. Children of a variety of ages can benefit from it. Having a sturdy set of wooden sensory bin tools can improve children’s sensory play. Use a large bowl, or a sensory table or bin, and your child from 9 months to 5 years of age will love pouring, scooping and playing with dried rice, beans, corn, or sand. This allows your child to practice their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills while enjoying their play.
Sensory Bin Toys Scoops and Tongs
The next sensory experience for children is play dough. You can make your own or buy play dough from the store. Having a simple set of playdough tools can help your child create and smash play dough for years. Look for a set that has scissors, knives, and rolling pins for best results. Children as young as 15 months, with supervision, up to age 6 will love the texture and have fun with playdough.
The final sensory play item is also an art item, and that is fingerpaints. Washable, nontoxic fingerpaints can be used with fingers, paint brushes, potatoes or sticks to create wonderful art projects. The paint can be used with construction paper, a large roll of paper, regular computer paper, cardboard boxes, junk mail or paper packaging left over from shipping boxes. Children as young as 18 months can start painting and the desire to paint for many children never goes away. Many adults love to paint, though budding artists may appreciate more grown-up style paints starting around age 8 or so.
Crayola Washable Finger Paints
What toys did your children use for years?
Happy Playing!
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