Let's share imaginative toy recommendations!

[squirrel]

For younger children the Duplo has kept them busy and also the train tracks.

The older children I watch even enjoy playing with the one baby toy the baby likes- It looks like a gum ball machine and it's made by Parents. I don't know where you can buy it as I picked it up at a second hand store. It came with 12 balls and three ways to make the balls drop down. Some of the balls make noise. The 14 month old comes to my daycare 2X's a week and he plays with it every time (about 3 months)!

 

[MomtoGKC]

Anyway, here's the link: http://www.familypastimes.com/ If you live near Olympia, WA, visit "Wind up Here" in downtown Olympia for tons of wonderful toys and games. I love that place. It makes me wish I still had little kids.

This site looks great - thanks! I've got a 4 year old who can never compete with his 6 & 8 year old sisters - these games could be perfect!

My kids still love their play food and the girls go hot & cold on their American Girl Doll stuff. My 4 year old is really into his unit blocks right now, he even asked for another set for Christmas so he could build bigger things. He's not into Legos yet - we bought him a basic set last year and he only plays with them when I bring them out.

I'm having a hard time with stuff for my girls this year - I never thought it would be hard to find toys for 6 & 8 year olds! Luckily they're getting a Disney trip so I don't need to get too much other stuff.

 

[stsomewhere]

My DD-8 loves dry erase board and markers. She plays with them every day. We have started giving them as birthday gifts.

 

[HLDisney]

One of the best gifts my best friend got my DD was a stand-up easel with a chalkboard on one side and a whiteboard (dry-erase board) on the other side. It has been used for playing teacher, used for pretending to stage a TV news show, used for messages for me, etc.

The other thing that has had the most staying power was going to a teacher supply store and picking up a whole bunch of teacher stuff, like a pointer, a wall calendar, an attendance wall chart, name plates/tags, a daily schedule chart, teacher plan book, etc. My DD played with it for almost 2 years straight and still plays with it at least once a month nowadays....and it's a favorite activity on playdates.

Helen

 

[3boymthr]

My middle DS' favorite "toy" right now - the black fleece balaclava and the black snow boots I got him for this winter. He and his friends like to dress up and play GI Joe. So he's wearing it as a Ninja Mask along with the sword backpack he got for Halloween so he can be "Snake Eyes". His best friend is "Duke". Other favorites include compasses, army gear (camo pants, utility belts, vests, etc.), head lamps, flashlights, a tent (yup a real one - I got it for $35 at Target) that they set up as their base camp. My basement is currently an army bunker (The walls of the bunker are rubber floor tiles they've linked together) complete with laser cannons and missiles (Nerf Guns are wonderful things) and...

They've been playing out of this bunker for several days now.

 

[merekc]

My dad bought these for the kids and I think he's pretty excited about it.
http://www.amazon.com/Imagability-W...e=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1259190216&sr=1-1

I bought finish the doodle books in the bargain section at Borders and I'm excited about them.

 

[MSSANDRA]

wooden blocks are wonderful. DSG now plays with the set I got as a child.

Legos (freestyle sets), lincon logs, tinker toys, knex,wooden train sets, big trunks that don't do anything on their own!, lots of open ended art supplies!
balls, wagons, ride on toys without batteries!
book are great gifts too.

 

[bweagle]

K'Nex Jr....my 6 year old still loves them as much as he did when he was 2.

We also love our potato heads with the parts we've purchased from Disney. They kids like to see how wacky they can make theirs by combining characters (think cruella deville with darth vader's face)

My son also loves his Fisher Price Imaginext Pirate Ship. There is some serious creative play happening when that's out. He'll be getting the Imaginext Jungle and Firehouse for Christmas. I think they are really a good line of toys.

My daughter loves her kitchen with play food and dishes (and chef hat with apron) and, of course, her princess dresses and play jewelry.

 

[katie111]

Just wanted to say what a great thread this is! I've already ordered 2 of the items and put 3 more in my cart at Amazon to decide on later.

 

[deva]

I also ordered Snap Circuits after reading about them here on the DIS. I'm also trying Connectagons this year (several catalogs have them). I also like some of the sceince kits - most have a lot of cool experiments.

I can't wait to try out the Crayola window markers that I found at Target. I also got a window cling kit from Hearthsong (just a bunch of shapes in different colors) so with that we can go to town on our large sliding doors. I always tell people art and craft supplies if they can't think of anything else. One of my kids' favorite gifts last year was a paper doll kit (Rose Art, maybe??). We all (even my 7yo DS) had fun designing our own paper dolls - from Princesses to Star Wars guys.

Funny thing about the person who mentioned the boxes...my neighbor had a new fridge and stove delivered yesterday. He kindly gave us the boxes. Too bad I couldn't have wrapped them up for under the tree...the kids are having a blast with them

 

[Mom2Ben02]

I am soooo excited for DD5 to see her gifts! I bought several things on Etsy - it doesn't look like this seller is taking more Christmas orders, but I know several ppl sell similar items...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33805195
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=21357666

I heart Etsy

 

[Reagan&Co.]

My dad bought these for the kids and I think he's pretty excited about it.
http://www.amazon.com/Imagability-W...e=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1259190216&sr=1-1

I bought finish the doodle books in the bargain section at Borders and I'm excited about them.

These ARE cool! I really enjoy playing with them too! (These are Wedgits- a unique building toy. Very sturdy.)

 

[djmeredith]

Several people recommended the "Plasma Car" riding toy to me. The recs came from people with kids from ages 6-13!! Apparently, the older kids love to goof off with them and the little kids just love to ride them. I think they are sold at specialty toy stores and online. I purchased two of them for my 2yr old nephews since these toys do not have pedals.

 

[Colinsmom]

Magnatiles have been a huge, huge hit here. But our boys (7yo and 3.5yo) keep on coming back to hot wheels/matchbox cars. They have a large collection, and are always pulling out a handful to set up some kind of scenario. If I had to get rid of all of our toys except one type, I'd keep the hot wheels/matchbox cars around.

We're getting Automoblox this year - another open-ended toy that I hope the boys like!

 

[summerrluvv]

Gears! Gears! Gears! are great...we have the Wacky Wigglers set and DS loved them when he was smaller and now I've passed them onto to DD and she loves them too.

 

[summerrluvv]

I am soooo excited for DD5 to see her gifts! I bought several things on Etsy - it doesn't look like this seller is taking more Christmas orders, but I know several ppl sell similar items...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33805195
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=21357666

I heart Etsy

Love those!! I want to get the tea set for DD! Thanks for posting

Okay I missed the part she isn't taking anymore orders right now, but I'll have to order for DD's bday. I did find super cute donuts and cookies, and some pink tea bags from another seller. I just ordered, she's going to love them!