Legos: The longest lasting toy through four kids and many painful random steps goes to Legos. All of my children love Legos and it bridges the age gap. The whole family can sit and build together. My husband’s collection from his childhood is still played with today.
Miniature Plastic Character and Animal Toys: You know those tiny plastic toys you wonder why your kids keep around or carry with them. They come in a variety of name brands to dollar store specials but they are loved equally. We have a box filled with princesses, toy cars, safari animals, sea creatures, and more. The kids play with them outside in the dirt, in the sand, and even take them in the bath. It is story telling and imaginative play at its best.
Art Supplies: Paper, pencils, and paint in plentiful supply make for playful afternoons. Whatever the art medium the kids are fully engaged and the years never mute the drive for creativity.
Dollhouse: I almost hesitated to place my daughter’s huge dollhouse in my living room. I now know that had I placed it in her bedroom she never would have come out. She is a teenager now and I am thinking of doing the same with her phone. Through the years, many little families have moved in and out of the dollhouse. It think for a few years it was played with on a daily basis. All my girls and even my son, when he was a toddler, have enjoyed this type of imaginative type of role playing.
Balls: Soccer, basketball, football, baseball, tennis, whatever ball exists we have it. Every summer we buy more of those plastic balls you find at the grocery store. Just throw a ball into the yard and its a party at our house.
Toy Phones: My oldest daughter has traded her toy phone in for a real one and my son traded his in for a video game controller. However, when they were young, both loved to carry around their silly plastic toys with buttons that made all sorts of unrealistic sounds. I almost wish my phone was as interesting. My two younger girls think toy phones are the thing to have in their purses. My four year old spends quite a bit of time talking on her phone and sometimes insisting we all hush while she has her conversation.
Bikes: Not sure you would consider it a toy but every one of my kids spent many fair weather hours riding bikes.
Board Games: We love playing games in our family. We don’t mess around…even in Candyland.
Play Cookware: During those times the kids are not allowed to help in the kitchen or the cook is taking a much needed break, play cookware comes to the rescue.
Play Doh: I have to admit I love Play Doh as much as the kids. We clear the dining room table and begin creating amazing things only to mix and squish it so it packs back down in the container for the next time.