Which brands of toys these days are built to last?

[aristocatz]

Many toys of my childhood were made well and built to last. It seems like many toys now-a-days are flimsy and cheaply made.

Which brands of toys these days are built to last?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

IF you don't mash them, Hot Wheels & Matchbox cars will last forever. Legos are pretty much forever as well

 

[Sorsha]

Play-Mobile.

Legos.

Real wooden Thomas the Tank Engine sets.

Melissa and Doug.

Kidcraft.

 

[MIGrandma]

I know what you mean, OP. I looked for a birthday gift yesterday for our DGD, and so many toys are just cheap plastic. Even Barbie dolls, clothes, and Barbie playsets aren't as sturdy as they used to be. I hate paying for flimsy plastic toys. Even Fisher Price toys arent' made like they used to be made. The farm and house used to be wooden, with wooden little people, now it's all plastic.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

I agree. My daughter just turned 2 and many of the toys he received for her birthday and christmas were junk! They fell apart easily or broke to the point we couldn't fix it. I am sure people spent good money on them too. The better toys she has gotten over the last 2 years are Melissa and Doug products, wooden blocks, books, baby dolls and coordinating accessories, anything from Lakeshore, and the fisher price little people sets that while plastic have proven to be very durable for us. I hate to say but the poorest quality toys for us this year came from the disney store!

 

[bas71873]

For larger items, we found that Step 2 products were really well made. DD had an art desk and still has the doll house that's large enough for her AG dolls and she uses it with Barbie & Polly Pockets.

 

[EeyoreEma]

Anything Imaginext is AWESOME! My son loves them, and they can really take a beating! They are great - and I have to admit, I really like them too! DD is into barbies, but they are the same as they ever have been - hair tangled in about 10 minutes, shoes gone into the black hole that sucks all Barbie shoes are in!

 

[SaraJayne]

I know what you mean, OP. I looked for a birthday gift yesterday for our DGD, and so many toys are just cheap plastic. Even Barbie dolls, clothes, and Barbie playsets aren't as sturdy as they used to be. I hate paying for flimsy plastic toys. Even Fisher Price toys arent' made like they used to be made. The farm and house used to be wooden, with wooden little people, now it's all plastic.

I'm 38 and my Little People were plastic when I was young.

 

[Sorsha]

Even Fisher Price toys arent' made like they used to be made. The farm and house used to be wooden, with wooden little people, now it's all plastic.

They aren't wooden anymore, but they are still very well made. They were DD9's favorite toys from about age 2, and she collected quite a few sets of them - the zoo with the train, the pirate ship set, and a few others. She played with them daily for years and they still look brand new - we have kept them for when the smaller cousins or neighbor kids come to play (and I think DD9 still plays with them when no one's looking. )

 

[aristocatz]

I know what you mean, OP. I looked for a birthday gift yesterday for our DGD, and so many toys are just cheap plastic. Even Barbie dolls, clothes, and Barbie playsets aren't as sturdy as they used to be. I hate paying for flimsy plastic toys. Even Fisher Price toys arent' made like they used to be made. The farm and house used to be wooden, with wooden little people, now it's all plastic.

It's so true! I was searching on Amazon one day for a Christmas present for my 4 year old niece & was excited to see that Fisher Price revived the old musical record player toys

http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Fun-Fis...33&sr=8-1&keywords=fisher+price+record+player

LOVED this when I was a kid! I immediately bought it for her & she likes it, but I was disappointed to see how cheap they changed the materials! The musical part is no longer that sturdy music box they used to use that did not require batteries & it just looks like it's not going to last very long. I am actually keeping my eye on Ebay to find a vintage one for my own daughter (when she is old enough to enjoy it), because I'll bet a used vintage one will work & last longer than the new reproduction!!

I'm glad to see Kidcraft on here. I am interested in purchasing a bookcase shaped like a dollhouse from them, but I was wondering if they use good quality materials.

 

[Sorsha]

I'm 38 and my Little People were plastic when I was young.

I am 40 and I think I fell on the break line - most of my Little People were plastic. The Tree House and the Sesame Street house and the House Boat were plastic. Most of the people and the vehicles were plastic. But I did have one older set - the barn - and people that went with it (quite a lot of them) that were wood. Generally my plastic ones have stood the test of time better - the wooden ones are looking quite faded and the paint has worn off their faces. Yes, I still have them - my kids inherited them and loved them.

 

[MIGrandma]

I'm 38 and my Little People were plastic when I was young.

Our DS is 36 and DD is 34. DS had the Fisher Price Farm (barn) and DD had the little house, both were wooden as were the little people inside. I think I still have them somewhere in the junk room, I should try to find them.

 

[Janepod]

Bruder
Quercetti
Quadrilla
Lego
Playmobil
Haba
Manhattan Toy Company

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

There's quite a lot of long-lasting toys. There always has been.

 

[Sorsha]

Our DS is 36 and DD is 34. DS had the Fisher Price Farm (barn) and DD had the little house, both were wooden as were the little people inside. I think I still have them somewhere in the junk room, I should try to find them.

If they are in good shape, they are considered collector's items and are worth serious bucks on eBay. I was wanting to get some for my kids when they were smaller and played with my old ones a lot. I got priced out of the bidding REALLY quick.

 

[aristocatz]

I had a mixture of wooden & plastic Little Peoples growing up. The wooden ones had plastic heads and wooden peg-like bodies. Those ones were probably passed down to me from my older cousins (who likely played with them in the late 60's/early 70's).

I'm making a list of the brands you guys are mentioning. I hate buying cheap toys. I would much prefer to spend an extra few bucks so they last (especially in case we decide to have another baby!). So far we have been very happy with the Fisher Price larger baby equipment we have gotten.