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Best Open-Ended Toys for Toddlers (Minimalist Toy Guide)

Best Open-Ended Toys for Toddlers (Minimalist Toy Guide)

Hi friends!

Let’s talk about toys today. Now that we are 5 years into the world of toys, I think it is safe to say we have a good idea of which toys have staying power vs. those that are bought and quickly forgotten about. Hands down, open ended toys get the most use and playtime. And not only that, but they are the best for imagination, fine motor skills, logic, engineering, and creativity.

So without further introduction, here are the toys that my nearly 3 and 5-yo kids are enjoying the most.

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Classic & Most-Used Toys

DUPLO LEGO

At least once a day, the DUPLO are dumped out and played with. We started with a basic set like this and have added to it when birthdays roll around (my girls like the Disney sets like this Minnie Mouse and Daisy one and Frozen). Eventually we will upgrade to LEGO but for now, we like the size of DUPLO!

Play silks

This 6-piece silk set… I honestly was hesitant to buy because, really? Silks? But truly… kids love these things. They use them to make forts, cribs for their babies, blankets for their babies, costumes, capes, dancing scarves… so many uses. If you are a skeptic, take it from another skeptic… these will be played with!

Baby Dolls

We have quite a few baby dolls and they just love to be mommies. We like these simple dolls from Target. Over time, we added in baby bottles and strollers. The strollers in particular are used all the time for babies and stuffed animals.

Wooden blocks

You cannot go wrong with a classic wooden block set. These have lasted for years.

Magnatiles

Can you tell we love building materials? But Magnatiles are worth every penny. We continue to add to our collection each year and they never tire of them!

Animal Figurines

Great for imaginative play and acting our scenarios. We have a few different sets, from African to farm to dinosaur to arctic… and everything in between.

Dress-Up

My girls are changing a million times a day thanks to the dress-up bin. I am sure you can relate! We keep a nice stock of different dresses, hats, shoes, glasses, doctor’s kit, tutus, wings, etc. A good way to add to your dress-up bin inexpensively is shop for Halloween costumes after Halloween when they are discounted.

Dollhouse and Figurines

A simple dollhouse and figurines will spark a lot of imaginative play. We have this house and my girls use a variety of small figurines. They really like Little People as well as Disney character collections (like Bluey, Mickey and Friends, etc.) My youngest also loves these Daniel Tiger ones.

Puzzles

Puzzles of all kinds! Floor puzzles are a blast as well as tabletop. Some of our favorites:

The Dollar Tree has a great selection of kid’s puzzles (24, 48, and 100 piece in particular).

Loose Parts

If you have really young children, you will want to wait because choking hazard, but my girls are finally past that stage. I keep lots of nature bits and pieces on our nature shelf (think pinecones, acorns, rocks, shells, crystals, etc.) My oldest started a rock crystal collection and she is constantly organizing and cleaning them and reading her rock guide along with it. It is amazing what kids will do with loose parts! This also includes math manipulatives. A few that we have are these math cubes, tangrams, and counting chips. Through loose parts, my kids sort, organize, count, and make up the most random games (it’s really fun to watch when they are deep in their play).

Play Kitchen

Last but not least, one of the best investments was a play kitchen (IKEA) with play food, pots, pans, etc. I also love going to the thrift store to find measuring cups, measuring spoons, whisks, funnels, whatever. My kids are constantly playing restaurant and whipping something up in their kitchen.

Musical Instruments

This set from Melissa and Doug has everything you need, really. She also has a drum that she is very into and will march around the house with.

Tea Set

She’s always serving up tea to someone! She’ll set her stuffed animals up around the kitchen table for tea parties all the time. It’s great. We love this set from Green Toys.

Art Supplies

This one might be catered to 5-6 year olds (it really depends on what kind of toddler you have!)

One of my strengths as a mother is allowing my kids to create freely and exercise their artistic license. I do not stress too much about the mess (even the dreaded glitter) and I keep the majority of our art supplies out within reach. I keep a a decent stock of art supplies on the ready. I did not get this all at once (we have added over time and a lot are these things are gifted for birthdays or Christmas). But here’s a list to pull inspiration from:

Outdoor Toys

Backyard Discovery Swing Set

When I say big ticket, I pretty much just mean this. But this swing set has been the best investment because it is going to grow with both girls and just seeing the look on Willow’s face when she saw it was worth it. She exclaimed “MY PLAYGROUND!” It’s a simple one with just two seats, rock climbing ladder, chalkboard, and slide, but it is just enough. She asks to swing every. single. day.

If you are looking for a swing set on the affordable side and doesn’t take up too much backyard space, I highly recommend this one.

It took a while to set up but instructions were straightforward and we had no missing pieces (thankfully!)

Water “Table” & Aquatic Animals

From the most expensive to the cheapest. Instead of buying a water table, I found a large bin we had around the house and place it on our table outside. I fill it with water, aquatic animals, dirt/sand, flowers, and some kitchen utensils and Willow will be busy for over an HOUR with this. It’s the most simple form of fun and deserved a spot on this list.

Kiddie Pool

We’re not going to get a pool (personally, we feel like summers are too short in New England to invest in something like that) but we can get down with a kiddie pool. It’s a small investment for endless summer fun. PLUS there are so many cute ones on Amazon – we got one similar to the above but please go check out all options.

Sprinkler

We were gifted the above sprinkler and it provides a lot of fun and relief from those hot summer afternoons (for kids AND adults). We were gifted this flower one but honestly, any sprinkler system goes!

Construction Vehicles

Green Toys is one of my very favorite brands to support and their construction vehicles are awesome for transporting dirt, sand, flowers, you name it. We love this one and this one.

Gardening Tools

For the little gardener in your life, a small set of tools and watering can is a must.

Magnifying Glass

I think everyone can relate to a kid who is very much interested in any and all bugs outside.

Binoculars

“Can you see the woodpecker in the tree?” is something I say A LOT. A cute pair of binoculars will keep your little explorer busy.

Shovel, Pails, and Sand Toys

A must-have! You can find these cheap at the Dollar Store near you, too. We have a set similar to this one.

Sidewalk Chalk

Nothing better than a fresh set of sidewalk chalk for the spring and summer.

Bubbles

We always load up on bubbles at the beginning of the season. Find at your local Dollar Store. Linked ones similar to what we usually have above.

Radio Flyer Tricycle

Another gift from grandparents. Our girls’ first tricycle! She isn’t 100% there yet but we are working on it.

ThoughtsOn Encouraging Imaginative Play

“Mom can you help me build a crib with this?” My oldest daughter holds up a play silk. She wants me to tie them to our dining room chairs and fashion a crib. I did this once and it has stuck for years and years. We had a baby’s crib… an actual wooden one. We donated it. It was never used. My youngest holds up another silk: “My too” she declares in Toddler English. Both girls get their cribs, thank me, and continue on as mommies. I can hear Willow quietly singing “La La Lu” to her baby doll (exactly what I sang and still do sing sometimes before bed). Fiona is giving her baby a bottle. I’m sipping my coffee and prepping some food. All is wonderful in this moment.

Imaginative play is probably the number one way my girls play throughout the day. From day one, I have been careful to curate a play area that is full of open-ended toys because this is exactly the scenario I pictured. Continued encouragement has paid off and my kids are delighting me and their loved ones with their made-up games, stories, and scenes. They are learning in these moments. They are problem-solving and building empathy. They are doctors, dreamers, firewomen, builders, superheroes, artists, parents, grocery store clerks, chefs, and visionaries.

When they go outside, they are farmers, gardeners, athletes, explorers, paleontologists, bakers, pirates digging for treasure. They are whoever they want to be. How empowering it is to be anything and everything.

Let’s stop and think for a minute about what happens when your child goes outside. If your kids are anything like mine, their pockets are full of pine cones, acorns, sticks, leaves, rocks… if it fits, it is there. I watch them running through the evergreens (‘Mom, we’re in the forest!’ they exclaim), using sticks as tools, digging in the dirt to plant seeds, pretending to feed imaginary chickens with small buds off my shrubs, playing castle in their jungle gym tower, baking cakes and pies with mud, water, and anything else they can get their hands on. The imaginative play that happens outside is my absolute favorite to watch. I truly could watch their scenarios all day. It is so so so important to go outside with them.

And when we are inside, there is just as much opportunity. I’ll be in the kitchen and hear Willow acting out an entire conversation between her animal figurines. Fiona sets up her little people in her dollhouse and uses different voices to have them talk to each other. Multiple times a day the play silks are used a baby swaddles, then cribs, then capes.

In between all that pretend play, we read. I love to keep a number of books on hand that encourage imagination and creativity. There are some of our favorites:

Let your home become their stage. If they need help finding their creative voice, sit down for a second with them and set up a scenario. I would often times build a castle with their blocks or magnatiles and bring all the little people over. I would make roads and pretend to have cars driving down them. They squeal in delight and start to pick up on ideas themselves. Before you know it, you are inching away and they are completely immersed. Start small and watch their worlds become more elaborate over time. Imaginative play is a beautiful piece of childhood that doesn’t last very long in the grand scheme of things. Encourage it now and hold onto these moments tightly before they slip away.

Best Open-Ended Toys for Toddlers (Minimalist Toy Guide)

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