Boys Toys

My DGS loved his toy hoover when he was 2 but then eventually dropped it in favour of little figures from Playmobil and Imaginext. They both do a range for younger children. He also loved cars, diggers and trucks so we bought him a playmat with a road lay out and he played for ages moving the cars around the roads. You can get some good chunky vehicles in the Early Learning centre. It sounds funny but at 2 his favourite pastime was when I pulled the blinds up and he (armed with a squirty bottle of water and a cloth) “cleaned” my windows. Happy days

Now he’s 9 and just sleeps, eats and breaths sport.

Mega blocks are big hit in my house all the grandchildren love building towers and knocking them over.

I also have the mega bocks table they can build on.

You can also buy sets that build into characters.

ride on scooter, push toys like a wheel barrow, climbing frame, garden house, water/sand tray, paints, jigsaws, small world play like a farm/zoo, cars and car mat, exploratory things like torches/magnets/magnifying glass. Take him to Smyths or The Entertainer, now Toys R Us has gone , and let him look around himself.

Oh yes my little GD (16 months) is just getting into Megablocks too. She also has the little table which is an ideal height for her .

If my son was anything to go by diggers, diggers and more diggers....

My grandson loves crayons and paints- I will buy him an easel for his birthday this month.

My grandsons used to love scoot along toys that they sat on.
A digger was a big favourite, and the ones where you could lift the seat and put stuff inside.

At that age they love lots of empty boxes, cartons, etc to make into garages for cars and build into towers. Anything with wheels to run along the floor. Squishy dough (home made or bought). Old sheets over the table to hide in. Anything that makes a noise. Wooden animals and blocks.

I used to trawl the charity shops when my granddaughter was a toddler.
I got some great toys for very little. I returned them when she outgrew them.
The Fisher Price garage was always a winner.

DS2 adored his Tonka crane and we also had a heavy duty Tonka tipper truck. Recently, I found a little plastic (shh don't tell anyone) digger in Aldi of all places and gave it to my neighbours' little daughter. Girls also like things with wheels - I know I did! My DSs had a Playmobile motorhome with a family of characters. I gave one of my GSs a red ride-on tractor which was duly handed down to his brother. But be aware that if you give a big toy, the great attraction is likely to be the box.

Our DGS1 loves cars, cars ,cars and oh more cars {wink]

I found a good website for more unusual toys. You put in the child's age and gender (ooh in this day and age!!) and see what they suggest. I'm not advertising. but its called 'Wicked Uncle'. Their suggestions have been great. My DGSs only know what they see advertised on TV which drives me nuts. No imagination. This is why I really the Wicked Uncle stuff -and so do they!

Those big wooden jigsaw puzzles, finger painting, large push along cars, large building blocks, stacking toys, my eldest grandson loved a miniature supermarket trolly, loved filling it with various bits and pieces

Jane

I agree, I’ve bought a lot from Wicked Uncle.

My son and oldest grandson loved Lego, and my son was digger mad, my younger grandson spends hours playing with his paw patrol stuff, but last Christmas he asked for a reborn doll, which he loves.

My 2 yr old GS loves cars and his brother has always enjoyed building anything but often uses other things than actual toys.

What about wooden train set which you can buy a basic one and add to over the years. Brio is the original but the others all seem to fit as well.

Does he watch CBeebies? If he does he will probably have a favourite character you can buy things of.

Our love music and we bought the old fashioned Fisher Price record player although he might need help winding it up at the moment.

Just to say that he's not too young for the simplest Duplo, which can then be added to other Duplo as he grows. Our great niece, aged 15m loves her Duplo train!
Agree with all the above, and have always promoted gender neutral toys.
I do think that Brio is brilliant - but only good value if it is going to get a lot of use - ours is 40 years old. However, a market stall near us sells a large carrier bag full of Brio for £20 when they get some.

He has a toy garage and has JUST started playing with it. But mostly uses it to straddle and sit on. Ironic, when he won't sit on his bike or ride-on toys.

Just been online and looked at Duplo, BUT the dimensions of some of the blocks are VERY small and I think might still be a chocking hazard. But quite by chance, I discovered Lego Quatro (no longer made) which is as it sounds, twice as big as Duplo. So I've been on Ebay and found and ordered some.

I did drawing with him this morning (daughter who is now an artist would sit and draw from a year on). In the past, he's not liked it, but this morning he managed about 20 mins. Then he started eating the pens so we drew that episode to a close. I might get him some non toxic felt pens. He's not keen on crayons but liked a biro this morning.

I think some BIG jigsaws might be good too.

Cars cars and more cars, my youngest GS is now 6 and has a large car collection he just loves them and never tires of lining them up and playing races, books of all sorts and his soft football, for indoor play.

* Jane10* yes, I've used the Wicked Uncle website. Think that might be where I bought some little creatures that lived in their own aquariam. Seem to remember they started off as eggs. They did die eventually though.

We had country caravanning holidays and DS became obsessed with the Britains range of farm vehicles. Had a very good collection in the end. He still has them, of course.

Gonegirl

My son had tons of that Britain farm stuff, is it still around?

DGS adored his workbench & tools. I think he was about 18 months when he got it and for well over a year he played with it daily.

I never found Duplo to be too small, DGs got it for Christmas when he was 18 months. IKEA have a great wooden train set in fact DGS now 7 has just spent an hour setting it up here. Available online I find there service good.
I have had a few interesting conversations with parents with regard to age related toys. Some are so determined to go by what the manufacturers recommend and not what the child is capable of playing with. I have also asked a few times when no 2 comes along what they plan to do with no 1s toys. Be safe but do not overthink things, Mine all loved the Tupperware cupboard, dressing up bag and playing with scrap material. Have fun.

I agree with Nannarose & felice. Duplo and Brio type train sets are great. Sometimes they can be bought second-hand and/or acquired in charity shops. (My DS, DGS and DGD all enjoyed both these toy sets.)