Best Investment in Toys

Legos last forever and they are honestly fun for the whole family.

I have two girls (5 and 2) and the best advice I got in terms of toys was to get things I would want to play with along side them. It creates great bonding time. I suggest art kits, legos, cooking sets, anything creative really.

For my daughter's 5 birthday she got a gardening kit. I think it is the most excited I have ever seen her when I explained she would get too grow her own flowers come spring.

Legos. Start buying them and setting them aside. Just the basic building sets. Given a chance my kids (now age 32-26) would still play with them in a heartbeat.

Little Tykes giant semi truck! My 2 boys played with it for 10 years until they finally broke it this week. Gonna miss it

I love unit blocks for this age, if you don't have them.

You know, I stumbled across this around the holidays: a pvc pipe fort kit. I think these are better than the smaller ones. (We ended up making one for Kiddo ourselves complete with enough pieces to make a fort over his bed.) It's a bit of an expense, but will last forever:

http://fortmagic.com/

Personally, after looking at the kits per piece, etc and all of the work I did in measuring, prepping and cutting pipes, if I could go back and do it all again, I'd go with one of the kits on that site. The great thing is that it is also very functional-- summertime, bring it out and make shady tents or forts; wintertime you can make tunnels for your little one to crawl through and play in, plus the kit has clips for blankets (which is a huge evolutionary step up from the safety pins we are using!). All in all one of the best 'toys'.

Snap Circuits are one of the best toys we have bought. They are made by Glenco.

We are a minimal battery building type of toys kind of family. We too own magna tiles and magformers and love them.

I highly recommend Goldieblox.It is packaged for girls but all the engineering concepts within is unisex. If that's an issue just put them in a lidded tub. My girls have learned about belts and wheels, pulleys, hinges. They've built zoetropes, dunk tanks, floats and tons of random stuff.

Another product we love is makedo. Its pretty much hinges and locking clips and a safe tool to make holes and saw cardboard. They sell them it kits to make cardboard rockets, houses etc. It's best to just get the just the hinges and clips and add your own cardboard. the kids can build villages, tunnels or an animal using paper cups. We even used it for halloween costumes (we built roller coaster costumes)

In the future when the kids are a little older, I recommend the Lego EVO3. It is a build and program. Not just turns and spins but color sensors too.

Have fun deciding!

Outdoor toys also, children really need to be moving. The Twizzler, trikes, bikes, wagons, swings.

Maybe an indoor rebounder/trampoline? My kids love it on days too cold/wet to go outside.

ETA: I agree with Lego/Duplo as well! And we like the brand Learning Resources too.

my boys loved their big tonkas so much that we've got 'em put away for the grandkids (may the gods grant i get to see 'em.) other than that, i really can't recommend building toys enough. great for boys and girls. legos, lincoln logs, and the bigass blocks (can't remember what they're called.)
and marbleworks! i paid what seemed like a small fortune for that from discovery toys, but dang! my boys LOVED it!
khairete
S.

Some building supplies.
Lincoln logs, the big duplo blocks, heck even the expensive foam multi shape blocks.

My boys build stuff, so it's my first thought.

M oldest is 11 & he would still use all of these as tools in his arsenal of play.

I've just been cleaning out the basement with my 8-year old son and these were the old toys he does NOT want to get rid of:

- Legos, of course. Always his first go-to. He doesn't want to get rid of the old Duplos either
- Matchbox or Hot Wheels cars - these are like $1/per car, so definitely worth the $$. I remember when my brother and I used to make our own racetracks and race these around his room on rainy/snowy days.
- I don't know if they make these anymore, but Matchbox had these activity sets that fold up into a little suitcase (e.g. construction site, airport, crocodile attack). He still loves these things after 5 years. They are kind of cool
- Playmobil - you mentioned you have these
- Magnatiles - ditto above
- Imaginext - I bought him the Batcave used through eBay years ago - he still plays with this thing though he complains it's not the newest version :/
We also own a bunch of the superhero figures
- Plastic food/dishes/etc. - you would think an 8-year old boy would not be interested in these anymore, but he still hauls them out every now and then
- Pop-up tent/cubes/tunnels - he's on the verge of outgrowing these, but they've been great for making impromptu forts
- Stuffed animals
- Costumes. I thought he would be out of this stage by now, but no way

Look for used big trucks. People are always trying to to unload these because they take up so much space. I'm going to give his old ones to his new baby cousin. The truck craze only lasted until he was about six or so.

I suggest a cool marble run. Both our kids really loved one of these!

Lincoln Logs, Duplos (the big Legos, so the 1 year old can play).
Art supplies.
More books and musical instruments! :D

Easel, chalkboard, paints, chalks, rolls of paper.
Lincoln logs
Sturdy USA made blocks
Cars/trucks
Wooden railway & table pound for pound of use was the BEST money spent.

If you encourage outdoor play?? Tonka trucks!! I loved Tonka trucks growing up...I'd play them with my brother!! Those AWESOME metal trucks! I think they are plastic now - but still - Tonka Trucks!!

Lego's - expensive but great - if you can purchase JUST bricks and allow your children to free-build - I like that better than the sets...it seems that the focus for Lego's has been "set building"...our elementary school had a LEGO club - we had free build and it was a blast!

hello
our son never wanted a lot of toys, but one of the things we did buy was an easel... from about the age of 3 on, he used that easel over and over. We taught him the ABCs on it and many other things. Additionally, he would not only draw pictures, but because he likes maps and traveling, he would and still does write down various statistics on it.. That toy more than any other has been well worth every penny we paid for it. it has a chalkboard on one side and dry erase on the other.. he is now 13 and although he is much taller than the easel, he still has it in his room and uses it to write on..
no other play item has gotten this much use and for so long...

Of course every child/family is different but here's what got the most bang for the buck in our house, one boy, two girls:
nice play kitchen, play store with cool beeping register/scanner, sandbox and preschool quality water table, Legos, Barbies, Flying Turtle (google it) Playmobils and LOTS of dress up/pretend play stuff.

My 4 year old LOVES his Tinker Toys. Interesting too... one night my 14 year old was in the living room and he was showing her what he was building and she sat down and starting building stuff with him!!!!

He got the 200 piece basic set and there are a couple other kits that you can buy to add on. I would definitely recommend it.

Skip the trucks, buy rescue bots instead. Better yet, come to my house. I have an expensive back-hoe-the electrical type-all metal, and a metal dump truck. They are yours if you want to make the drive. PM me. With that said, we have FOUR big fire trucks. All were gifts or hand me downs. My son did play with those for a long time, and his latest is a remote for outside.

In terms of toys, my favorites are the kitchen-even my 7 year old still plays with it, we got it when she was two, and my son loves it too. My son plays with our cardboard blocks-the big red, yellow and blue block- every day, and has for 4 years. My oldest plays with them a few times a week. I highly, highly recommend. Even the toddler is starting to build with them. They are my favorite toy.

Skip the trucks and go for the blocks. That's what they will still be play with in years to come, and like I said, you are welcome to our two trucks. My son preferred his rescue bots, and after about 6-8 months of playing the trucks, just moved on. Waste of time and space-all were gifts.

I have to say Legos or mega blocks too... (They're interchangeable) whichever is the better deal. My kids love them and they never get old. You really can't go wrong and they're good for sharing. We have quite a lot of sets now, for various bdays and holidays. The best part is they all dont need to be in their seperate boxes like puzzles or other toys. We put them all together and the kids make whatever they want. My kids never try to make what it was intended to be. They always come up with something totally original and awsome. :)

I have 2 boys, 7 and 4. Our best toy investments have been:
An easel with a dry erase side, chalkboard side, and room for a roll of paper
A Playhut set- ours has one big "tent," two small tents, and 2 tubes that all connect, come apart, and most importantly collapse flat for storage!
Play kitchen
Imaginext sets- these are sturdy, they all work/fit together, and my older one has played with them for the last 4 years so they have great longevity. They can also take a beating!

The best investment for toys we have made has been the kitchen play set and the baby dolls (remember little boys grow up to be daddies). With the pretend foods, etc.. This is also the most popular when her friends are over (boys and girls).

I found a really nice one on Craigslist for about $75 (in the box) that sells new for $150., it was pricy but still works for her age and size (she is eight and very tall).

No matter what you choose check for gently used toys. This way the kids have fun and it costs you less.

This is what we have:
http://www.cymax.com/kidkraft-kitchen-53181.htm?src=PLA&a...

Legos are expensive but really worth it. My son gets so much use out of his and really loves playing with them. We are also big into board games, so I would recommend getting some games that you could enjoy playing as a family.

My 12 yr old still goes back to his Legos, but they are expensive.

You can't go wrong with a real metal Tonka dump truck. Yes, they're a bit pricey, but they're great toys that last for years and allow for tons of creative play, indoors and out.

Wiggle cars are also a huge hit. We had 4 when my kids were small and since they have a weight limit of 200lbs, we adults loved chasing the kids around the basement on them. :-) Great fun and tons of exercise.

cozy coupe is hands down the most entertaining toy my kids loved

Legos have been a solid favorite for over five years and going now for both my girl (7) and boy (10). They are expensive but once the kit is made they don't stay made they get turned into a million different things.

We have a plasma scooter and razor scooters...lots of playtime.

My son loves figures from his favorite video games. My daughter is really into her American Girl Doll and accessories (which are all from Target...shhhh don't tell her!!)

I find some of the old school toys are the ones that get constantly used in my house. I like Melissa and Doug for that, or just do a search on timeless toys to get some specific ideas. Then buy on Amazon.

My kids love their cash register, broom set, lincoln logs, etc...

May have already been mentioned, but I wanted to make sure it was mentioned. Imaginext has fantastic and durable playsets and figurines. My boys have the Dragon Fortress, a castle, 2 pirate ships, the dragon, the ogre, and a ton of little figurines. They play with them all the time (I have 4 boys, ages 1-8). The castles have been hurled down a flight of stairs more than once and are just fine. They do have some noises, but you don't have to have the sound on, and it isn't terribly loud.

Tonka trucks - the big metal ones that the kids can fill with dirt, etc. my sons love the dump truck.

Play kitchen (mine are 5 and 6, a boy and a girl, and they adore it)
Marble Races (get 2 sets - pieces can go missing, and they can build larger with more)
Big white boards with Dry Erase markers for all 3
Legos (buy the Basic Bricks sets, not the specific sets - they can use their imagination and build for hours) - I know that the younger two are not likely to play with them yet (although my son started at 3), but they will sooner than later and they are a really big investment.

We have my brothers' Tonka trucks from 1970. Sams had them for $25 after Christmas. No electrons, including those little trains that are so fragile.

Here's what we have used for our family and guests that everyone loves and most people don't seem to have these days(all bought at ToysRUs).
Tonka dumptruck and backhoe
Tinker Toys(largest can filled with 2)
Lincoln logs
Wood marble run(arrange differently, also build other things)
wood blocks
2 small babies with beds, bath, highchair
arts and craft box with everything except glitter(glitter is from Satan)
classic board games(no tv character version)
dollhouse

Do you have a kitchen? Boys and girls both love kitchens.

I'd say anything that simulates life, they will love. How about a playhouse for the backyard. You can hose it down and bring it in in the winter for year-round fun!

Also, since you are in Chicago, you should look at online tag sales on Facebook. They are so amazing. Join ones in the better suburbs and you'll find some amazing deals. If you want a plastic playhouse for the backyard, put in ISO Plastic play house for $50. Will pick up immediately. And I bet you get a few responses!

My son got several sets of "Curious Bonz" at age 5 or 6 and really loved them. More than 10 years later he still occasionally noodles around with them. We recently cleaned out the toy closet and they were amongst the few items he chose to keep (along with his Legos and Playmobile sets).

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&field-brandtextbin=Cu...

I just want to say I'm relieved to read your question this morning, given that you have focused on non-battery operated toys! Yeah for common sense around babies!

Have you seen this news article about an 8m boy who swallowed a lithium battery? It's a tragedy.

http://www.kidspot.com.au/warnings-after-another-battery-...

The best purchase we made by far was a red Wiggles Big Red Car riding toy. We got that when our son was two and he's turning 12 next week. We keep it in the backyard for when younger kids are over and it's still an instant hit. He rode the heck out of that thing, then our daughter did. Stickers are long gone but it's held up beautifully. We talk all the time about how we got our money's worth and more on that one. Not sure if they still make it, but wow, it was a great purchase!

little tykes makes 2 big trucks one is a semi and the other is a garbage truck. my son played with those for years and years. I think til he was about 8 or 9 and then would still get in the floor and play with his younger brother til he was in middle school. Can't go wrong with those. they last forever. also if you don't have one a little tykes dollhouse. get the blue one not the pink one that way the boys will not balk at playing with it. my sons used my daughters as a castle, hide out, fort etc for years. also a fisher price castle. one f the old ones not the newer imagiex one. the one we had was a tan color looked like stones. the grandchildren are playing with it now that makes it 30+ years of play for that one castle alone. do you have knex, legos etc? my son is 26 and will still sit down with his neices and nephews and get lost in the play lol.

My vote would be on arts/crafts items (paint, smocks, brushes, paper) or Duplo Legos!

I cannot believe how much my daughters (4 and 7) love the barbie mega blocks sets (lego knock off). So basically legos, or megabucks (which are compatible). Great for boys and girls. Netted trampolines (we started out with a small one and it was such a great hit and great exercise we sprung for a big one)

but all kids are different and here were some investment that flopped for our kids: (daughters): stuffed animals, doll house, American girl dolls
(son) any train, car or tuck that didn't make tons of noise or need batteries.

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I second the play kitchen, and chalk board easel