What types of toys does your DC play with

[sjxoxo]

Just back from a play date with DS 12mo. I was a bit shocked by the sheer quantity of toys at the house and the type of toys- almost all electronic, plastic light up things so buttons and flashing stuff; a variety of things like instruments or steering wheels etc but all press buttons and light up. All ‘new’, modern toys. My DS has a lot of wooden simple toys; lots of cars, balls, play tent, tunnels etc and a couple of electronic gadgetry things but not many. It made me feel a bit like maybe I’m holding him back by not having more modern toys- made me think about the things I’ve got for him and maybe they’re crappy 😐 what types of toys does your dc predominantly have and play with? Also if you’ve got older dc interested in hearing about any toys that have been great for the long term and particularly enjoyed. Feel a bit like I’m not in the know!! Xx

My 17 mo's absolute favourite toy is a ball. Any size will do, bouncing preferred. He's recently figure out that rolling it along a table will create a big bounce when it fell off the end (that created some great fun!)

He also really likes the giggle and spin giraffe, though he's more interested in the balls you put in it

Stacking cups has created hours of amusement

Big yellow school bus is the recent favourite addition.

Play kitchen set is also something he plays with a lot. He also loves books.

You're not going to damage your child by not giving him elecronic flashing lights. He learns more with old school toys, and he'll get plenty of experience with electrics in the future. No need to introduce them early

Cardboard box and access to the saucepan cupboard where my kids favourite things at that age.

If your DC enjoys their toys then stick with what they like. My 12mo likes mostly whatever their big brother is playing with, or pulling all the Tupperware out of the kitchen cupboards and then bashing them about

We have a mixture. My 1.5yo does enjoy a flashy noisemaker, but I don't think you need tons of them as they basically all do the same thing. His favourite at the moment are a phone that plays lots of songs and a ball that rolls by itself and has buttons on.

The toys he plays with most are the open ended ones - cars, balls, stacking rings, blocks.

Most long lasting things have been role play toys - toy kitchen and accessories, tool kit, doctor's kit. And toy cars/trains with the wooden track, figurines (animals, dinos) - you wouldn't need to go out and buy all of these tomorrow, but I would consider them the next time you buy toys.

The nice thing is all can be added to over time, so you could start with a simple circular train track and single train, or even just start with wooden cars/trains designed for that type of track, then upgrade it with more track, splitters, tunnels, bridges, electric trains etc.

For the other toys start with some kitchen accessories, later add play food, add the actual toy kitchen later, upgrade the accessories/food, etc.

My son loves balls too. Little ones, foam ones, squishy ones, footballs…he loves them all.

Stacking cups, the Tomy eggs, cars that you pull back then let go and they shoot across the room, wooden pegs you hammer, xylophone, bubbles. He’ll play with anything!

He has a motorbike he can sit on and it plays music etc, and a walker that does similar. He loves those too.

Don’t feel pressured into buying certain things. As long as he’s hitting his milestones BSc having fun, he’s fine.

At that age mine loved:

Ice cubes in a bowl
Anything that could be chewed
Dental floss box (fun to open and close)
Things to push eg dolly buggy
Balls
Teddies
Spoons, spatulas etc from the kitchen

I'm not personally a huge fan of plastic electronic toys that flash and play music eg fisher price type stuff so I avoided buying it. Don't worry your child isn't missing out on anything. They have a lifetime of exposure to electronic devices ahead... let them enjoy simple pleasures while they can

By far the most played with toys in our house are magnet tiles and cardboard boxes. Kids are 8 and 6 but for years these have been their favourites.