When visiting children come around they complain there aren't any toys to play with.

[Lawks]

I feel as though my children are spoiled rotten, and we have plastic rubbish coming out of our ears.

I suppose we do have far less than many people, but that's because so many people seem to house an entire warehouse of Toys R Us for their children!

Perhaps we don't have much in the way of games to play with friends. And I guess we haven't updated things for a while, maybe everything is a bit young for dd and her friends?

My question is, what are good toys or games to have that would get played with when friends come to visit?

Children are nearly 3 and nearly 1. (Obviously the above applies mostly to nearly 3 year old and friends).

(Also, I am not complaining about visiting children saying there's nothing to play with. Children say what they think with no agenda and I am not offended or upset! Just wondering what to do.)

Why don't you suggest they bring something with them when they come to visit? This way, you won't have any more shite in your house and they can play with something they enjoy. It's a win-win situation.

My DS has a cousin the same age - cousin comes over and asks; "where are the rest of the toys?"

3 is a great age for dressing-up, maybe you could have a box of fancy dress bits you can pull out when friends come? Works well here - they play for ages with that stuff. A quick trip to a charity shop should do the trick...

Boys or girls?

We have the entire island of Sodor at home and it is very much played with. In fact, it is pretty much the only thing that DS will play with.

Having said this, we had a girl over for a playdate last week and they played mothers and fathers - they pretended his football was the baby and cuddled it

So you don't necessarily need many toys.

When DS's have friends over they tend to just run around like mad things.
That could just be a boy thing though

Is your DD happy with the toys she has? Does she manage to occupy herself? If so then I wouldn't worry, you just prob haven't got the same/volume of toys as these other children have.

Actually, it might be a gender thing.

Dd mostly likes to play with soft toys, dolls, little figures and animals. She doesn't have cars, trains or footballs. Maybe she needs some more traditionally boyish toys. The visitors were boys.

I have had boys say this too

Dressing up stuff
Crayons & plenty of paper
Duplo

At nearly 3, children like puzzles and you can start introducing simple games like snakes & ladders, dominoes, memo, the goose game etc.

A doll's house is great too.

Pretend food (the lovely wooden Haba stuff) and plates etc to have a picnic are a great idea for three year olds, too.

A box of cars and a train set will keep my DS going all day. My DD tends to play imaginitive games with her friends so usually a few blankets / duvets and couple of dolls/ soft toys keep them perfectly happy.
Most children can be quite inventive. Wy don't you keep a big box folded flat for the next time they are round- this is considered the ultimate fun by my dd (4.5) and DS (2.5)

Wen ds1 (2.11) has friends over the only toy they really play with is the toy garage and matchbox cars (boys and girls). The rest of the time they run around (do laps of the sofa) or play dangerously on the stairs. They seem to take or leave the rest of the toys (we also don't have masses of toys).

I have 2 the same age but boys and the games DS1 likes to play most with friends when they visit (and me when they dont!) are:

Elefun
Buckeroo
Hungry Hippos
Tea set
Marble run
Puzzles

Pens, paper, play dough, playmobil, farm set with animals, cars with road mat, Julip model horse set and stables, bricks, dressing up box, meccano, duplo, puzzles, books galore,actionmen and car, Thomas the train tracks and carriages. Most given to us or picked up from car boot sales, all kept neatly in box of same type, all used all day every day. Children help set out and put away as kids will generally not play with a big pile of mess/jumble (even if they created it). I hate Toys r us as it's overpriced and over packaged. Good second hand is best then you can give it away if children don't play wit it. If all else fails, arts and crafts, or play outside, pot a plant, go on a nature walk, bake cakes... I don't think I've ever had bored kids here. Children need to develop their imagination so it's good if children to learn to play w/out constant adult supervision, but at such young ages as your children, it is important to at least watch them.

Sometimes children need a bit of direction re toys iykwim. Dd1 is 5 so I might lay out 2-3 activities/games (a bit like they do at toddler groups, but obviously age appropriate)

Perhaps some craft supplies on the table, or cakes plus icing to decorate. A game on the floor. Dolls/betty spaghetti or similar?

Outdoor toys if weather ok. We have plenty of toys, but not that many by many people's standards so I think I understand your situation.

Play kitchen, pretend shops...shopping baskets...my old purse, cash register with pretend money...Pretend food and drink, kitchen bits and bobs are always a winner with boys and girls and still going strong with DD nearly 6...I got a few bits every so often from GLTC sales!

everyone plays dressing up at my house.

Mind you - my dressing up wardrobe is a source of great pride to me. I've picked up some super bits from Asda and other places over the years. I go very classic and not too gender specific - so we have monkey costume, duck costume, senorita costume, zebra costume, assorted hats, loads of accessories (costume jewelry from charity shop).

The other things that have really earned their keep have been some 'pop up' IKEA bits. In particular, IKEA do this blue pop up tunnel. Guests always end up rolling around in it, pretending to be earthworm monsters etc etc.

Dens of any description can be good.

Singalongs (i.e some age appropriate well known music) are popular too.

Craft is good to limit damage to your house when they start climbing the furniture.

opposite problem here... we are the toy wharehouse household

favouites tend to be the toy kitchen and shop, ride on toys, dressing up stuff and dolls house.

if it's any way decent weatherwise though the kids get booted outside. we have a sandpit, trikes, bike and will be buying swings this summer and some toys like plastic animals and ride ons are allowed out in the garden and on the street. far prefer them making a mess out there than in here!