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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think most toys are utter shite

107 replies

babysoupdragon2 · 21/01/2023 16:56

I have two winter born children and with Christmas as well we've had a new influx of toys. The general quality is dreadful.

Why can big brands/ shops get away with this?

Examples include-
A playdough hairdresser set where the mould doesn't fit together without constant help from an adult
Craft kits where it is physically impossible to recreate what is on the box.
A remote controlled car which broke after 3 days
A chad valley doll which is meant to drink and wee but is so impossible to make work that you end up with a frustrated child and water everywhere

Please could I have some recommendations of quality and consistent brands for a 3 and a 5 year old?

So far I can think of Lego, magnatiles and maybe sylvannian families (although we only have older second hand bits.)

OP posts:
Sleepwalkingintothewall · 21/01/2023 19:36

Brio trains and brio mec, Lego, Playmobil, ravensburger puzzles and character toys (like sleich animals but Disney etc) are the most played with in this house.

I hate generic plastic toys because the quality is so awful. I'm also not a fan of MDF wooden toys because they are usually poorly designed and still shipped from China

Ottil · 21/01/2023 19:39

Playmobile, Lego and Lottie Dolls are all great, imo.

Puffalicious · 21/01/2023 19:39

I agree with others. I have 3 DS and things that lasted through all 3 are:

Lego (we have loads from DH from 40 years ago!)
Playmobil
Hotwheels- Inc the sets, plastic but really robust.
K'nex
Monster Trucks
Bombproof wooden car garage/ Fort/ kitchen (now passed on)
Thomas metal trains and track.
Thomas minis
Boardgames
Jigsaws
Happyland
Dress up outfits
Bakugan
Queretti toys (Italian- I see them still in TK Maxx at times).
Finger skateboards (can't remember the name!)
A pogostick which refuses to die 😅

Finally, the best thing we EVER bought is an inground trampoline. 7 years old and counting. Used every day, even in winter.

teddyclown · 21/01/2023 19:40

Shameless plug, I have a website full of lovely quality mainly German toys and collectibles and I'm really passionate in what I do.
Gotz make beautiful dolls. Sigikid are a lovely company, find Erwin The Little Patient - he's adorable as well as educational.
German Steiff bears and British made Merrythought are also fantastic.
Take a look at Selecta wooden toys.
www.krbearsanddolls.com

Sucessinthenewyear · 21/01/2023 19:42

Galt
Melissa and Doug
V Tec - fucking annoying but never breaks

Sparklehead · 21/01/2023 19:44

Winning toys for my 3DC when they were that age were:
duplo/lego
Things for make-believe play. Favourites were a hairdressing set, medical kit, tea set and wooden food that you cut, construction kit, pushchair and baby items
orchard games - there’s lots of them. Mine loved the shopping list game
marble run
brio train track
Paints, crafty stuff, big sheets of paper
and, wherever possible, buy second hand and from charity shops. I’d say two thirds of their toys have been second-hand, then you don’t stress about spending lots of money plus better for the environment.

Reugny · 21/01/2023 19:45

A large cardboard box that they can fit in.

My DD 4 has gone through a few.

Most of the time it is because she has decided a newer box is a better shape than the current one.

She says her box is her home, her bed, her shed, her aeroplane or her rocket.

JuneOsborne · 21/01/2023 19:46

I liked quercetti toys for quality. My eldest son had a saxoflute and then the tubations. He played with them solidly for 5 years. When I was pregnant with his brother, he put them away so that he could enjoy them when he was old enough. My eldest is now 18 and we still have these knocking about in a tub because they've lasted so well, I keep them about for when friends with younger kids come.

The gears were great too.

Do not buy a plastic marble run. Mine were given a couple of them over the years. Biggest pile of shit ever. I bought a wooden one that you can add to and that was much better, but £££.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 21/01/2023 19:50

Imaginative play then I would look at den building kits.
Loads of people hate them on here but we have one that is a massive fan favourite.
We've had loads of fancy dress and toy kitchen, shopping trollies, tills etc etc

Keiki · 21/01/2023 19:53

Mine love wooden train sets, stamping sets, puzzles, wooden marble runs, magnetic building blocks, hotwheels and lego. These get interchanged and joined up!

AliasGrape · 21/01/2023 19:57

DD was given the play doh hairdressers for a Christmas gift, she was so excited and wanted to open it immediately and it’s really really shit! Really tricky to fit together, the dough gets stuck everywhere other than actually where it needs to be to make the ‘hair’, and even I as an adult find it really bloody hard to get it open again.

She was actually given a supposedly inferior knock off version too, one of the gifts you get when you visit Father Christmas, it’s really small but actually much better in terms of her being able to do more of it independently.

We have an ice cream stand from Great Little Trading Company - can’t fault the quality though it’s pricey - good sale though usually.

I’ve been pleased with the stuff we’ve had from Jacques of London too.

anxiousatnight · 21/01/2023 20:00

Mainly Playmobil and Lego here. The Playmobil construction site stuff was a huge hit with my 3 and 5 year old boys this Christmas.

AliasGrape · 21/01/2023 20:03

Also - DD has tons of Lanka Kade wooden animals and sets because I loved them,
started buying them whenever they were reduced when she was tiny and suggested them to people for birthday. They’re great quality but she couldn’t give less of a shit about them!

Im just embracing the plastic now and trying to either get second hand or keep in good condition so that it can be passed on (and on) so I don’t feel as bad.

Puffalicious · 21/01/2023 20:06

Yes

3D Gears- brilliant
Jaques of London I've used for loads of presents the past, few years. Have been very appreciated and hits with the kids.

MrsHGWells · 21/01/2023 20:07

many toys are wasted money and fill up land fills.
we kept encouraged g parents to follow simple present buying : to books, art & craft, dress up outfits, schelich, duplo, Lego, playmobile, , den making kit, play silks, hape, pintoy, and later as children grew up invested in hobbies/music lessons.

honestly at your children’s age the fun of a large cardboard box is priceless, cardboard tubes, masking tape, funnels - use recycled containers, make marble runs.

Hollyhead · 21/01/2023 20:08

I was surprised but all the paw patrol toys got a lot of heavy use at that age and we’re good quality.

Whycanineverever · 21/01/2023 20:08

We had lots of wooden food - stuff like boxes of cakes, breakfast hamper with plates etc, sandwich set.

Lovemydoggiesomuch · 21/01/2023 20:08

Playmobile ,Duplo and Bikes were the main hits when my lot were young…over 20 years ago !
All the plastic tat lasts 5 mins .
Brio was ok but involved too much parental input .
Cuddly toys were also ignored and play dough ok but not ideal for independent play until 7-8 !
Baby toys were a bigger hit when the children could actually understand what to do and have the dexterity. So age on box 18 months but age 3-4 when they actually enjoyed playing with them !

Skyeheather · 21/01/2023 20:10

Mine love their playhouse, play kitchen, shopping trolley and play food and Vtech Ice Cream Cart - they love role play.

Older DS loves Lego, younger one not so much. Both love board games and jigsaws. Also Hot Wheels and Playmobil.

SpideyCraw · 21/01/2023 20:17

It can be a pain but mine of that age will play for hours with kinetic sand. We have had the same lot for over a year and it’s still fine

SBAM · 21/01/2023 20:31

Galt marble run - the fancy wooden Hape one falls over too easily.
lego/duplo is popular and indestructible.
we have the aldi wooden dollhouse and done sylvanians to live in it.
Melissa and Doug water drawing pad.

cptartapp · 21/01/2023 20:39

Mine are older now but one of the most used toys was a play kitchen with lots of pots and pans and pretend food etc.
We put it outside and played with it with water in the summer. They had it for years.

AxolotlEars · 21/01/2023 20:39

Lots of kids here......Toys we love are dressing up clothes, wooden toys, Lego, Duplo, Playmobil,
Playmobil,
Playmobil,
Playmobil,
Playmobil and more Playmobil!

The joy of Playmobil is that it just all works together in an imaginative world....well anything does really!

Art materials, pens, pencils, glue, craft papers etc. But not craft kits as they are often useless!

We would always direct people to buy Playmobil for birthdays and Christmas

sunnydayhereandnow · 21/01/2023 20:46

Flying Tiger is good for gifts for birthday parties: sticker/colouring/painting books; foam swords (ours get used tons by all the kids who play in our garden); giant chalk.

Puffalicious · 21/01/2023 21:22

cptartapp · 21/01/2023 20:39

Mine are older now but one of the most used toys was a play kitchen with lots of pots and pans and pretend food etc.
We put it outside and played with it with water in the summer. They had it for years.

Yes!

DNiece (age 20 now!) passed on a Little Tikes bomb-proof kitchen. It did my 3 boys - inside and out- with pots, cutlery, plates etc. It's now with my other DNiece (age 5) in their garden and going strong.

We still have our Little Tikes car- 17 years old- in the garden for visiting wee ones. Despite DS2 launching DS3 in it against a climbing rope for years- it's still perfect (if a touch faded!). Wonder what they make that stuff with!?😀