Most long lasting, most played with toy? For 1 year +

[Fourleaf]

DS's first birthday (and Christmas) is approaching, and we're planning to buy him a present or two... plus others are asking what to buy.
What are the best value toys that you have bought for your older baby/toddler? I want to get something that he'll really play with and enjoy, preferably for longer than a few months. Obviously all children are different but it would be good to see what others have found to be worth getting. TIA! :)

Mega blocks

duplo
brio toys - ie - www.johnlewis.com/230401470/Product.aspx
ELC - www.elc.co.uk/Shape-Sorting-Bus/116058,default,pd.html - got this when my DS was born and he still plays with it all the time 2.5 years on

A push-along trike like this Honestly, you will get so much wear out of it.

If he can't walk yet, a walker/toddle truck, we had this one
It was well used by DD1 and is still in good nick and ready for DD2 when she is big enough.

oh, and board puzzles like this one , and 2-piece jigsaws

Building blocks in a push along trolley have had a lot of use - banging together at age 1, simple towers when he got a bit older, larger towers and more imaginative things now he is 3. They've never been his favourite toy but they've been played with consistently since he was 1.

We've also got a small table and chairs (from Ikea - fairly cheap!) that my mum bought when he was 14 months old. I was a bit at the time but we've had so much use out of them. He uses the table for drawing and other arty things, playdough etc. The table can also be brought into the kitchen for cooking and it's somewhere that he can sit when he has friends for tea.

Stacking cups. DD who is 4.5, still plays with them.

One of those v tech push along things with lots of buttons to push - my son loves pushing it around and is now really getting into all the buttons on it. And it has an off switch!

He also has a beloved John Deere tractor and landrover defender from Britains toys that go everywhere with him.

DD1 got one of these for her first birthday. She still rides it lots and she's 3.2.

Wooden train set-starter set now then lots to add in
ELC garage
wooden push along truck
Little Tikes transporter [wonderful buy]low and strong enough for ride on + two chunky toddler-proof cars to load inside-bought this for dgs2's first birthday and he and dgs1[4] play with it most days
I also support mega blocks :)

duplo
bobby-car

this has lasted 3 dc, and I finally sold it at a bootfair within 5 mins for £4 after 12 years playing

Wheelie bug - DD still uses her small one at rising 4.
Also agree with toddle truck with bricks. Again going strong.

Duplo
Wooden Blocks

both mine have had these pop up men, all their friends too that i've bought for. much loved.

Mega blocks. You can keep buying shit extra bits to add to it. I think we could re-build our house totally out of mega blocks now. DD loves them and so does DN (7) when he comes to visit.

Our toy with most longevity has been an elc keyboard on legs with microphone to sing into. My dd 4.5 loves it but it is also played with 1 yr olds coming round to play and the odd 10 yr old visiting. Agree also lego type things, wooden train set - can start with push along and then move to battery operated. Also play scenario type things - my DD had a teletubby house for her 1st birthday and various happyland houses - where all the furniture is fixed in. She still plays with these 4 years later.

All the fisher price stuff has married quite well with the happyland stuff here too.. So we have a school and a plane from Fisher Price but the fairies live in a Happyland house and they are not at all funny about sharing with the Little People etc etc

Honestly, I'm talking 3 years play so far..

I can't abide toys that don't fit in with others. Probably because I have no room for them, I need to be ruthless..

Toy kitchen. DS1 loved it from day 1 (got it for his first birthday). It's his little corner of heaven. :)

stacking cups - cheap and cheerful but dd is nearly 3 and still plays with them

one of those vtech things that you can push along. It helps with learning to walk and has lots of music, numbers and songs on it. You'll see them in all the shops but can't remember the proper name. DD LOVED that and still plays with it now!

A ride-on. She still loves scooting up and down the hall on it! She used it outside in the summer too.

Toy buggy for dolly/teddy. Gets played with every day.

Wheelie bug - they still like it at 5,7 & 8!
Small toy kitchen
Dressing up clothes
Duplo bricks

All these things are still in use.

Wheelie bug! DS is almost 8 and when we go to our to stay with our friends he and their 5 year old DD still squable over hers...