Real Toys for Real Kids

I absolutely love real toys for kids. What you say is a real toy? In my definition, a real toy is one that engages the child, body, and spirit.A real toy has longevity.

• A real toy inspires creativity.
• A real toy can be be used in more than one way.
• A real toy lasts through several kids.
• A real toy does not require batteries. if it came with batteries a kids will still play with when the batteries run out.
• A real toys does not care if it a girl or boy toy.

So what are some favorite Real Toys around these parts?
Blocks and Legos - allow a kid to learn so much, like how many blocks does it take to cover the table and encourage creativity. After building the kit item you  can use Lego pieces to build things only a kid can imagine.
Baby Dolls – every household, even those with boys needs one of these. When my son was little he went out and bought him his own boy baby doll, so he had one to play with.
Art Supplies –basics to have include crayons, paper, sidewalk chalk  and kid friendly scissors.
Bubbles – so many ways to play with these.
Recyclables – Ever notice that when  a kid gets a package in the mail like a birthday present they are just as excited about the empty box?  Let them create with toilet paper tubes, boxes and other clean recyclables.
Construction Toys – As a child I enjoyed playing with Tonkas an so did my oldest daughter. My mother still has Tonkass that have lasted over 40 years at her house.
Bikes and other Riding Toys – big wheels, bicycles, tri-cycles anything that kids can ride on.
Something to build a fort with – there are all sorts of kits but sometimes an old sheet works best. Best part is it can be used for so many other things
Musical Toys  - these can be as simple as a tambourine you make your self with paper plates and beans, or a drum made from and oatmeal carton  to a child size guitar or keyboard.
Classic Toys  like jump ropes, stilts, hula hoops.
Teddy Bears and Stuffed Animals  Stuffed animals are so much more than
Balls – of all types and sizes, basketball, soccer, bouncy balls
Chess/Checkers/Chinese Checkers. we are a big fan of board games here, and these are the mother of all board games.
Wagon  a child will come up with a dozen uses for a wagon if you let them.
Toy Cars – all sorts to choose from, no need to have them all. But a child can spend hours playing with just a handful of play cars.
Train Set  I bought the first train set for my oldest daughter when she was about 2 . My youngest is still playing with them 11 years later.
Dress Up Clothes - these need not be extensive or new. I have acquired a collection of dress-up's some home made some thrifted some left over Halloween Costumes. The hat you see my son wearing is an old hat of mine. It is a cowboy hat, Indiana Jones hat, hat to wear when the weather is cold hat.

This post was prompted by the recent behavior of my children. You see they are playing with toys that are almost as old as they are. The stick horse has been through three children. The baby doll was given to my daughter when she was a toddler.  When my mother gave my second daughter a Madame Alexander baby doll at the age of 18 months I was not happy. I thought it was a frivolous purchase. I guess quality stands the test of time

What are some of you favorite must have toys for kids?


You may notice one category absent from here and that is books, while I absolutely love books for kids and believe me our book shelves are straining at their load, today I am limiting myself to toys.

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