Most Used Toys?

[LVG]

What toys do you find are played with most in your daycare (mainly for ages 3-5)?

For mine, the rubber dinosaurs made by learning resources, and cardboard puzzles (not the wood peg ones) are a big hit.

As Christmas approaches and I try to figure out what to buy my own kids (ages 2.5 and 4, and one on the way), I want to try to buy things that will be as well loved as the dinosaurs and puzzels. Each year I feel like between extended family and ourselves, we buy things that just sit and rarely get used (and it always seems to be the more expensive items that don't get played with). When I bought the dinosaurs last year, I figured they would be barely used, and to my surprise they are the most used! I know all kids are different in what they take an interest in, but I would love to know what toys are a big hit for your kids to get some ideas!!

[ChelseaB]

For me, it's always between the building blocks, baby dolls, or play cell phones. Lol. All of that interactive play, I suppose!

[mamamanda]

My kids love the dinosaurs too! Safari themed toys are a big hit here. We have a bucket of animals, jeeps, magnifying glasses, large rocks, bugs, & bug boxes. They love that. Blocks of all kinds. Books & puzzles. The one thing that really surprised me was silk scarves. They love to play with those in all sorts of ways.

[littletots]

I agree with blocks, large Lego's, Lincoln logs, cardboard blocks. Then again our bubble machine is always fun.

[LindseyA]

Magna-tiles! My dcks absolutely love them!

[Cat Herder]

Magnifying glasses, hand mirrors, magnet wands, cardboard boxes and musical instruments.

[MsLisa]

I only have 3 five year olds. The 2 girls absolutely love play-doh and water color paints. Also making bracelets with beads and string. The boy loves building with big wooden blocks and playing the Wii with the big kids.

The rest, 7-9 year olds, are obsessed with Littlest pet shops (customizing them), the Wii (sport games), small legos and beyblades.

[e.j.]

Dinosaurs, farm/farm animals, dollhouse/dolls, baby dolls/strollers, kitchen and food, garage/Matchbox cars, waffle blocks, legos, wooden train tracks/trains, puzzles, manipulatives, lap top (toy), bristle blocks and books are my kids' current favorites.

[spedmommy4]

Magna-tiles! My dcks absolutely love them!

Mine love these too! I also have this old motorized train set from when my 13 year old was in preschool that the kids love. I have 9 boys in my group and parents keep asking me where I got it but this thing is like 10 years old.

[Unregistered]

Mine mostly boys love hot wheels cars, any big cars (tow truck, garbage truck, monster truck) and they love action figures they dont do anything but they do so much with them.we have a couple costumes they love to dress up im looking to get more costumes .I also have tons of different kinds of blocks/legos soft, hard, small, huge they really like the huge blocks so they can build a tower bigger than them almost to the roof.also they like gears, Lincoln logs

[BabyMonkeys]

My boys are still a little young..under 2, but anything Little People is a huge hit. I've read that older kids like them a lot too.

[mommiebookworm]

Favorites at my house are: baby dolls, dinosaurs, train set, legos, toy kitchen and accessories, and horses.

[Josiegirl]

I have all girls, ages 15 months-3 1/2 years. They love their dolls, and Little People stuff. Anything to do with painting and glue and making a mess. I bought a 3 floor dollhouse(plastic) at a yard sale for 10 bucks and I'd have to say that's been the most played with item for the past 2 years. It came with all the furniture and the kids love it.

[Josiegirl]

And they love all those hard plastic animals you can buy, I think they're Schleich? Kinda pricey but last forever(if your dogs don't eat them)

[LVG]

These are all great ideas! Most of them we do have, but for whatever reason they just rarely play with them. Some of the items could probably be refreshed, like our kitchen stuff, and they may pick back up with playing with that. This definitely gives me some ideas though of things we don't have that may be good to add to our list!