Chances are, you own too many toys. If you’re just starting out, you can be smart before you start amassing your collection. Take this advice before your toy closet is overflowing!
If I had to redo some part of motherhood, I’d redo the toys. Perhaps I’d need to negotiate with the kids on the exact number, but I really think they don’t need most of the toys they own. Did you ever notice that most toys aren’t actually played with; they’re just “taken out” and then they all need to be cleaned up. Perhaps 10% of the toys we own are actually played with.
We always think that more toys will keep kids busy, but the opposite is true. They actually play more if they have fewer toys, but with toys they actually like.
Most kids play with actual toys only until age 9-10. After that, they prefer more puzzles, board games, crafts, and specialty toys that become a hobby (such as Legos). There’s also the active/outdoor type of toys that get a lot of use, like sporting goods (the classic basketball hoop), jump ropes, and scooters, but these items are not typically kept in a toy closet.
But you still need to get to that point! So, this is a short list of the toys that will actually get the most use! Yes, we know it’s a very short list, but it’s really all you need. Trust the moms with experience. Once you have these, it’s better to build on what you have vs. filling up the toy closet with more variety.
Everything else? It’s mostly gimmicky. Other toys might be fun when they bring them home from the store, but they won’t play with them long term. For example, they might take out that box of puppets once in a while and play, but the infrequent use doesn’t justify the space these types of toys take up.
** It’s best to only invest in one or two types of building toys that you can keep adding onto. Building toys are more fun when you can do more with them! The more pieces, the more colors, the better. It’s not as functional to have small sets of different types of building toys. Magnatiles and Clics are the most popular. (Note that not all brands of magnetic tiles are compatible). Clics has two volumes of an “Idea Book” (available at Judaica and local toy stores) which makes building with them even more fun.
Yes! yes! yes! This is 100% true. My kids have outgrown the toys stage, and this list is helpful in deciding what to keep and what to donate.
Playmobil and Lego!! You can start small and add to them slowly. You don’t need to invest in the huge, expensive sets. Adn, DON”T EVER GIVE THEM AWAY-even when your kids age out. Guests and grandkids will love them!
Along with the toy food, a set of dishes, pots and and pans etc. That is a huge seller in my house for all ages and in my mothers house too for all my nieces and nephews.
anywhere I can buy inexpensive accessories for the mentchies?
Good list! Any good puzzle recommendations/ links for 4-5 yr olds?
My 4-5 year olds love the ABC melissa and doug floor puzzle and an Aleph beis floor puzzle.
I own a couple of these Jewish themed floor puzzles from Kinderblast and my kids love them.
https://kinderblast.com/collections/shop-by-type-puzzles
It’s also a great site to stock up on seasonal, cheap crafts. The products are all bright, cheerful and super kid-friendly.
Agreed! I don’t like extra toys and this list is exactly what’s in my toy closet with the addition of one bin of Mr potato head and one bin of play dough. In my house play mobile doesn’t justify the price it gets lost and broken too fast however some of my kids keep a set or two in their bedrooms and that’s where they stay and it does last longer there. The melissa and doug floor puzzles are great for puzzle lover kids. Mine are 20 years old and still enjoyed quite often
Great list, I would add play dress up clothing.
Totally on target!
Just mentioning- MItzvah kinder is currently running a huge sale! Great time to stock up…
https://mitzvahkinder.com/
The food sets from Learning Resources are a bit more pricey than the Melissa and Doug sets but are worth the price, as they are very realistic looking and made of a rubberized plastic that will never tear or break! And they come in small sets that make it easy to grow your collection slowly
In the same category as mentchies, plastic animals are very important for little boys.
There’s definitely a concept of too much toys and the need to constantly weed through the toys to chuck or give away broken or unused toys that are cluttering up space. However, there’s also the very important concepts of interest and variety. The list you mentioned will get stale after two-three months in the winter . It is so important to have interesting new things for kids to look at and play with. (This goes for the youngest of infants!) Keep in mind that the Morahs your kids go to most probably have the same or very similar toys which your kids are playing with all day every day (clicks, magnetites,i mitzva kinder etc) please please be kind to your children and figure out a way to give them variety and interest , whether it means a rotation system and keeping some toys locked away until it is time to rotate etc etc … I even feel the same applies to Morahs’ toys – it is so important to change it up! That being said, we can all relate to having too many things and many toys going unused .. a little trial and error will teach you to be able to differentiate between a toy that will get one or two uses or a toy that will be more worthwhile.. and there’s a place for those less used toys or activities to pull out once in awhile too 🙂 a little thought in how to set up the toys so they aren’t overwhelming and when to introduce them so they’re not all out at the same time will enable your kids and students to have a rich, varied, and fresh repertoire without getting out of hand or most of it going to waste!
Duplo legos are one of the most used toys in my house. My 3 and 7 year old play with them multiple times a week. Toddlers as young as 18m can play with them easily, making them one of my most recommended toys. (In contrast, giant lego blocks for babies don’t last so long, so they’re not the best investment and take up room to store.)
Also, in addition to menschies, small animals/dinosaurs are also one of my kids most used toys.
Picasso tiles are significantly cheaper than magnatiles, I’ve had mine for years and they’re in the same condition since day 1. Definitely recommend Picasso tiles, other than for specialty sets (magnatiles have more specialty sets, and are totally compatible with Picasso)