To think most toys are utter shite

[babysoupdragon2]

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.)

• climbing rope wall

Oh and for gifts at that age, you can never go wrong with art and craft supplies: paper/ coloured card/ sequins/ glue/glitter pens/foam stickers/ feathers etc. Hit Home Bargains/ B&M/ The Works. Often The Works has 'How To' books for a few pounds to go in with the bundle.

Hubelino marble run, it fits onto duplo blocks. Classic My little pony, the one that's the same as the 1980's version. If either of them like watching Thomas the tank engine get the wooden Thomas engines to go on their Brio track. Creatimber balance board. My youngest loved Toot toot drivers before he got into his Brio.

This looks really good www.amazon.co.uk/VTech-Adventure-Construction-Electronic-Colour-Coded/dp/B095X7QD3T/ref=asc_df_B095X7QD3T/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=534969412451&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9951703019533679628&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046516&hvtargid=pla-1396207969379&th=1

Wooden foods and kitchen have been very popular in our house. Still going strong and much loved 11 years later. Plamobile pirate ship and Castle, small table and chairs with stationary, doctors kit with proper stethoscope, schliech dinosaurs and other animals, small to soldiers, orchard games such as shopping list.

Tender Leaf toys are brill!

tenderleaftoys.co.uk/

The best things I've bought for DD that is getting used still now (almost 4 years now) are magnetic tiles, blocks, and a lot of open ended stuff like wooden boards and boxes. Doll houses get played a lot too. The ones that don't last are character based ones so i just let DD's interest on a particular character pass now and not buy any more.

Playmobil is totally brilliant!

Ds also liked Lego, Brio (or similar wooden train set/road set type things) and Brio builder system (construction stuff a bit like Meccano but chunkier and with some wooden/plastic elements).

I always found Playmobil very disappointing. Very brittle and not very easy to fit together. Lego and duplo is much better quality.

Those plastic tracks that come in wavy strips that you fit together are brilliant value, they usually come with a couple of battery powered cars. You can manipulate the track to make bridges and bends.

Tubs of dinosaurs, tubs of knights and horses. If you got a old lego or wooden castle, they are really good for making dinosaur Island. Dressing up outfits and accessories.

Ah well, we love Playmobil. I did have to help with the initial assembly of some sets, but once assembled it was great to play with. And ds enjoyed the construction part and soon became a dab hand at it.

He's now 22 but I still make scenes with the Playmobil even now!

Those plastic tracks that come in wavy strips that you fit together are brilliant value, they usually come with a couple of battery powered cars. You can manipulate the track to make bridges and bends

These are fantastic. We had 2/3 and joined them all together

Playdoh is a con. My son was bought the dentist playdoh set for Christmas and it's utter cheap plastic and you can't even mould the teeth properly.

WOW Toys are a brilliant brand. We had them fir so many years and so many visiting children would pick them out to play with

Also imaginext

Hate to say it but barbies and the clothes have stood test of time too

Playmobil looks good but god all those tiny pieces

Lego / Duplo
barbies
Sylvanian families
playmobil
dolls and accessories that don't wee etc - just nice basic dolls
Polly pocket for travel / cafes etc
happyland
playdoh but not the 'machines' - just cutters etc
decent doctor kit / vet kit and animal carrier

Wow toys also i thiink made in the uk not chinese factories

Over the years we have got some bits that have just lasted and lasted. I was only thinking the other day how my eldest is nine now, and his younger siblings still play with things he got eight years ago.
For example
A wooden dolls house
A wooden kitchen
Dolls
A toy buggy
Cuddly toys
Jigsaws
Farm set
Dinosaur set

Mine are teens now, but alongside Lego/ playmobil/ sylvanian families/ brio the Pintoy wooden safari toys were a favourite... expensive ( we asked family for small sets for birthdays and Christmas to build up to full set alongside what we bought), but good quality and okayed with a lot... not sure they make them anymore but you might find second hand on eBay... a wooden puppet theatre and some cheap hand puppets was also a huge success.

 

Played with not okayed with 🤦‍♀️

My 7 year old is my little pony obsessed, not the 1980s ones, the mid generation ones. She hates the 1980s one and the new generation.

Plan toys
maileg mice
candy lab cars

Green toys www.greentoys.co.uk/

Made from recycled plastic, nice and chunky. They seem indestructible! Their boats are the some of the only bath toys that haven't gone manky after a while.

Playmobil folk - what are the best sets to start off with? My kids are 6 and 3 and I am a bit worried the little one will be too rough with the small pieces etc

With the 'normal' Playmobil probably one of the most successful for mine were camper van and swimming pool. You can get younger Playmobil as well.

Playmobil - I hate, hate the stuff but it keeps my three entertained for hours (literally!) Mine are 7, 4 and 2...we picked up the western set on ebay - the older vintage pieces seem to be better quality than the newer bits we've bought.

Those magnatiles have been a huge hit here- we make zoo pens, superhero prisons, towers, car roads with them very versatile and lots of different uses.

Lego lasts forever.I've still got Lego from when my siblings and I were young,so it's now over 60 yrs old.My DC loved playing with it along side their own Lego sets and I'm sure my grandchildren will too when they're old enough.