Must Have Toys

[Unregistered]

I'm having an issue lately with the kids making choices, every toy I offer they don't want, I need a list of must have toys that you all recommend. I will list what I currently have....

I have...
Dolls, furniture, etc
Kitchen set, food, dishes, etc
Blocks
Balls
Cars, trucks, trains, tracks
Puzzles
Books
Stuffed animals
Tents
Barn, animal figurines
Musical instruments.

What am I missing? The kids can't ever seem to pick a toy or set of toys and stick with it.

[Scout]

my kids love to play bowling and I find that they play together "nicest" with the kitchen. They play house and make each other dinner, breakfast, and stuff! It's very cute. They love their puzzles too.

Train tables are good as well. Ours was $119 at christmas from Toys r Us and my dad spent hours glueing and screwing down the pieces. Only one of the upper tracks is since off so it is holding up pretty well. I love it also because hot wheel cars fit in the tracks and I have at least 100 of those! I think it's made by Imaginarium.

[NeedaVaca]

Choose toys for them for a while and set a timer, when the timer goes off have them rotate. Once they get used to that you can start letting them make choices again but stick with the timer so they play with it for a set amount of time.

[Blackcat31]

Choose toys for them for a while and set a timer, when the timer goes off have them rotate. Once they get used to that you can start letting them make choices again but stick with the timer so they play with it for a set amount of time.

This is what I do too ^^^

I choose which sets/bins etc of toys are available at certain times. I rotate when necessary.

I also think that a lot of times when providers have issues with the kids not wanting to choose, play or use anything, it's not always because you don't have the right toys or enough but because you have TOO MANY.

Having too many choices is overwhelming for kids and when faced with a multitude of things to pick from, they usually just stand there or do nothing.

[LK5kids]

What are their ages?

My kids are young.....so that makes a difference. 2 3/4 is the oldest, 2 1/2, 20 months, 18 months, 6 mo old.

They use the two grocery carts all the time. Filling them with mostly dishes, purses, and stroll around!

Housekeeping area gets lots of use.

Those ball toys where the balls roll down

Rocking toys get lots of use. I have a rocking horse, moose ( ikea), dinosaur

Doll blankets get lots of use!

The book corner gets a fair amount of use

One older v-tech toy gets lots of use...it's kind of like a dashboard. I put duck tape over any & all speakers! To muffle sound. I usually have one or two electronic toys...I know many have none. I' m not a HUGE fan either, but I like one or two.

Playdoh gets a fair amount of use and plain paper and crayola oil pastels & washable markers do too.

Also, a random thing....I have four-five gift cards....subway, McDonalds, Wal-Mart....they always have one of those in their hand. I call them debit cards. They see their patents with them....they love them!

I have a 2 1/2 yr old returning in August. She does engage in more complex, involved play and hopefully she gets the others doing the same.

I always have a good selection out (but way less than I see in some photos of child care environments) and rotate them. They all get a bit of attention, but not a ton! I have never felt I have too many toys out....there's really not an overwhelming amount Of choices.

Right now I have one playing with that v-tech toy (20 mo old), one in the book corner, she was just putting her dolls to bed there and is now looking at books & the infant. Small group today!

I am not one to limit kids, set out bins , set timers & rotate kids.....just a personal preference.

[Angelsj]

Here, duplos get a lot of use (legos for older kids in a separate area), the kitchen (it is out on the porch, so not available all the time), the tool bench, and wooden blocks buckets.

I have a few weebles/fisher price pirate ship and noah's ark that all get played with together. Buckets of hot wheels, and some plastic animals get play.

I keep the more set/educational type stuff up, so I can control the pieces, but they can ask for those things. They also have to ask, or I offer, art supplies and playdo. I know a lot of places keep that stuff out, but for me, it is just asking for a giant mess when the littlest get into stuff.

We have other things, but those are the items that the kids play with most.

[coolconfidentme]

This is what I do too ^^^



Having too many choices is overwhelming for kids and when faced with a multitude of things to pick from, they usually just stand there or do nothing.

I only have a select amount of toys out for them to play with. I rotate them out every 4-6 weeks. They think they have new toys that way. My biggest hit are non toy items. I save coffee creamer bottle & the kids use them as bowling pins; they use the lid (like a hockey puck) as the ball. Stuff like...

[Laurel]

I'm having an issue lately with the kids making choices, every toy I offer they don't want, I need a list of must have toys that you all recommend. I will list what I currently have....

I have...
Dolls, furniture, etc
Kitchen set, food, dishes, etc
Blocks
Balls
Cars, trucks, trains, tracks
Puzzles
Books
Stuffed animals
Tents
Barn, animal figurines
Musical instruments.

What am I missing? The kids can't ever seem to pick a toy or set of toys and stick with it.

The most popular at my house are:

-telephones-any and all kinds

-the fold up doll strollers-they put everything in them not necessarily dolls but those too.

-play kitchen and dishes

-hot wheels

-corn poppers by Fisher Price (but we use them outside)

-those pop up toys where to you have to push, twist or turn different levers to have the animals pop up. We put small blocks on them so they go flying too.

-the large lego duplos

-their favorite of all lately is empty spice bottles from my kitchen. :: I originally gave them to them so they could learn to twist off the tops and now I put them in the play kitchen and they haven't stopped playing with for months. I leave the labels on now so they have spices in their kitchen.

-the stethoscope that goes to the doctor kit

-beach balls inside

plus the things you already listed

Are you changing things out often enough? I leave things out until I see them not playing with much of anything which is usually a week or sometimes sooner.

Laurel

[Blackcat31]

-telephones-any and all kinds

I have a huge basket of non-working cell phones...the kids love them!

I recently purchased an old rotary style phone. The desk top kind... like this:



The very first day I put it out for the kids to use....almost all of them looked like this :confused: :confused:

One little guy (age 4) said "Um, I think this is broken."

I said "Why, what makes you think that?"

He said "It doesn't do anything"

I said/did: :: :: :: and a little bit of

[My3cents]

kitchen and table, play foods

books board books are the best they hold up well

weebles- my kids love them

babies

cars, trucks etc...

anything art

puzzles

blocks all different kinds

trains

rice, play dough, sand

I switch things around but don't rotate as much as I would like. I don't have the space to do this effectively.

[LK5kids]

Oh yes, definitely phones and the dr. Kit!

I love the creamer idea! I have one in my water table they love. That and those snap open gum containers!

[MarinaVanessa]

I have a huge basket of non-working cell phones...the kids love them!

I recently purchased an old rotary style phone. The desk top kind... like this:



The very first day I put it out for the kids to use....almost all of them looked like this :confused: :confused:

One little guy (age 4) said "Um, I think this is broken."

I said "Why, what makes you think that?"

He said "It doesn't do anything"

I said/did: :: :: :: and a little bit of

On top of the idea that sometimes kids have TOO MANY options I think that sometimes the kids just don't know how to play on their own. Many times children are playing with things that "stimulate" them and "do things" which keeps them occupied (like BC said about the telephone).

I now have TONS of toys and supplies out in centers and I still have more that I can rotate stored in my children's room, in the closet and in the garage. For me, I found that the children simply just had NO IDEA how to entertain themselves. I had to pick up dramatic play items and pretend with them to show them WHAT they could do with them. My own DS and DD (2yo & 8yo) have great imaginations and can play with each other or by themselves FOR HOURS and they are great teachers for my DCK's and show them what the possibilities are.

If having less toys and/or supplies out doesn't work for the daycare children and they still don't play or don't stay entertained for long then you could possibly just have a situation where they just want to BE ENTERTAINED by something. Often this happens with children that watch a lot of TV, have a lot of "screen time" (handheld electronic games, computer games, game consoles, tablets/iTouches/iPads etc) or toys that a lot of blinking lights and/or sounds at home. They just don't know how to play because at home they are being entertained by something and not actually have to entertain themselves. Try teaching them how to play with toys that don't have all these gadgets and flashy things. Get right down with them and show them how much fun pretending and playing on their own can be.

[Unregistered]

On top of the idea that sometimes kids have TOO MANY options I think that sometimes the kids just don't know how to play on their own. Many times children are playing with things that "stimulate" them and "do things" which keeps them occupied (like BC said about the telephone).

I now have TONS of toys and supplies out in centers and I still have more that I can rotate stored in my children's room, in the closet and in the garage. For me, I found that the children simply just had NO IDEA how to entertain themselves. I had to pick up dramatic play items and pretend with them to show them WHAT they could do with them. My own DS and DD (2yo & 8yo) have great imaginations and can play with each other or by themselves FOR HOURS and they are great teachers for my DCK's and show them what the possibilities are.

If having less toys and/or supplies out doesn't work for the daycare children and they still don't play or don't stay entertained for long then you could possibly just have a situation where they just want to BE ENTERTAINED by something. Often this happens with children that watch a lot of TV, have a lot of "screen time" (handheld electronic games, computer games, game consoles, tablets/iTouches/iPads etc) or toys that a lot of blinking lights and/or sounds at home. They just don't know how to play because at home they are being entertained by something and not actually have to entertain themselves. Try teaching them how to play with toys that don't have all these gadgets and flashy things. Get right down with them and show them how much fun pretending and playing on their own can be.

I have a child JUST like this!!! This child has No idea how to play and after being with me for 2 yrs still has a very hard time. I give lots of open ended toys to play with. I've tried the timer with the child and the child will just sit there and stare at me. I've gotten down at the child's level and said what do you think this could do/be..etc. and this child can tell me all about the movies and tv shows they have watched. :/

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

On top of the idea that sometimes kids have TOO MANY options I think that sometimes the kids just don't know how to play on their own. Many times children are playing with things that "stimulate" them and "do things" which keeps them occupied (like BC said about the telephone).

I now have TONS of toys and supplies out in centers and I still have more that I can rotate stored in my children's room, in the closet and in the garage. For me, I found that the children simply just had NO IDEA how to entertain themselves. I had to pick up dramatic play items and pretend with them to show them WHAT they could do with them. My own DS and DD (2yo & 8yo) have great imaginations and can play with each other or by themselves FOR HOURS and they are great teachers for my DCK's and show them what the possibilities are.

If having less toys and/or supplies out doesn't work for the daycare children and they still don't play or don't stay entertained for long then you could possibly just have a situation where they just want to BE ENTERTAINED by something. Often this happens with children that watch a lot of TV, have a lot of "screen time" (handheld electronic games, computer games, game consoles, tablets/iTouches/iPads etc) or toys that a lot of blinking lights and/or sounds at home. They just don't know how to play because at home they are being entertained by something and not actually have to entertain themselves. Try teaching them how to play with toys that don't have all these gadgets and flashy things. Get right down with them and show them how much fun pretending and playing on their own can be.

I have been finding this more and more. I once had a 6 year old that could not play. He kept asking to see my cell phone and was befuddled when I said I didn't have one. I gave him crayons and paper and he made a cell phone to play with.
Yesterday, my one now that has a hard time playing, had a block in her hand and was pointing it at several stacked blocks (the tv) and the block in her hand was the control for a video game. She was playing a video game. She is my one that watches tv in her bedroom every night etc.

In answer to the question, I don't think there are any "magic toys". I personally stay away from any character toys. Open ended, multipurpose toys. I limit and rotate. If they aren't playing well I know it is time to switch. My best "toy" is outside. They behave and play so much better out in the yard and honestly, there isn't a lot out there! Space to run, things to climb, balls to kick.
I do think in the electronic age, it is harder to engage some children.

[Jewels]

My most popular toy right now is magna tiles, they are expensive, but the kids love them and they are played with every day, I also rotate my toys in and out every couple weeks, and another thing I do is set soemthing out most mornings, like for me the large legos and wooden blocks and lincoln logs and zoobs, never get played with until I take them out, but when I take them out and take the lid off and set it in the center of the living room, all the children swarm to them. My dc kids on their own love, books, games, the shopping cart and baby stroller get play every day, barbies, I have an imaginext batman castle and dragon castle I rotate out, and those are popular. I will bring back out the doctor kit this week and that will be popular, my crafts are always in use, barbies, the blow up balls that you can bounce on with handles, and the ride ons. I also have some drill sets for kids, where the drills really work, and they can build the motorcycle, or drill screws , those are very popular.
But trading toys out, and bringing stuff out on my own are the best, this morning I pulled out the large legos and they have been played with all morning but have not been played with until I brought them out.