Tried and True

Christmas is coming and parents are all shopping for surprises for their children.  Over the years we've found that some toys are classics.  Our children have played and played and played with them.  Other toys are fun initially but eventually lose their appeal. 
You don’t have space and money to buy every wonderful toy out there, but by choosing carefully you can ensure that your little ones have toys for playtime that will encourage them to learn and create and use their imaginations.

I put together a list of toys and materials that I feel have been the classics in our home over the years. 

The Dress up Box –pretty dancing dresses, (especially ones that go out when you spin), old Halloween costumes, a few old things of Mom and Dads ( ties, shoes, hats), all kinds of pioneer costumes such as skirts and bonnets and aprons. I also keep some inexpensive face paints around.  Children go through spurts where they are painted or dressed up almost every day.

Building Toys – for boys and girls – Lego, wooden blocks, Large Duplos ( I have found that it is better to choose one kind of building set or another and add to your collection occasionally, than to have smaller sets of many types of building toys.)

Dolls/Animals – really anything to “Play family” (including strollers, and baby beds often made with cardboard boxes.)  My boys and girls alike love to play family.  They incorporate "store" and "library" and "riding in an airplane" into their games

Cash Register - $40, solar powered.  We bought ours years ago and it is still going strong.  Every other year or so we restock the play money.

Kitchen and play food

Craft Supplies – We make a fun trip of restocking when school supplies go on sale.  We walk through the craft and school supply section at Walmart and have a ball.  These are also great birthday gifts and stocking stuffers.  Besides the typical markers, glue etc.  here are some other things to keep around.  Cardboard boxes – all sizes – bigger is better for some kids, balloons, contact paper, popsicle sticks, duct tape, envelopes from junk mail, supplies for making their own books, homemade playdo, beading supplies, yarn, watercolors (don’t underestimate how young a child will like these – Emily began to paint at about 18months old)

Outdoor and active things – a sandbox, balls, bikes, scooters, frisbees, kites

Weapons – swords, rubber band guns, popsicle sticks and other supplies to make weapons

Tools – handsaws, hammers, nails, scrap wood

Science toys – magnifying glass, binoculars, magnets, Snap Circuits, Capsela, microscope,

Musical Instruments – old guitar, trombone, ukelele, recorders

Forts in the living room – need access to lots of blankets, heavy books and clothes pins

…..puzzles, yoyos, marbles, jacks, juggling balls, and long skinny balloons and a pump to make balloon animals are also lots of fun.

I would rather my children have a few toys that they really love and use every day, than a playroom full of toys that are just taking up space.  We regularly go through our toys and find some that we are not using or have outgrown that we can give to someone else.  My kids love the idea of blessing someone else with a toy that they no longer need.  And our toy shelf is much easier to keep tidy and organized when there is not so much stuff.