It happens every December – kids end up with a barrage of new toys. With this year being especially challenging, it’s easy to want to spoil our kids with new forms of entertainment, and waking up to a Christmas tree filled with presents is undoubtedly fun and magical – but there is one common problem, and that is that many of the toys we tend to buy our kids are “one and done” types of toys that don’t teach, inspire, or grow with them, and they most certainly do not keep children’s attention for hours at a time. When a toy has only one purpose, kids will show interest in it only until they are done exploring that purpose, and when there is nothing new or interesting to do with it anymore, it gets tossed aside. These types of toys are meant to entertain your kids, not for your kids to learn how to entertain themselves.
Luckily you can inspire your child’s imagination and creativity with open ended toys that will keep them busy for hours and last for years. Open-ended toys encourage problem solving, real world connections, creativity, and the ability to focus and act intentionally. Open ended toys allow children to engage in play that can be continually changed up and made new.
So which toys are worth the investment? Fortunately we have done some hard work for you! The following open ended toys are screen free, sustain interest, and please parents (I.e. nothing large or that make a ton of noise), all while being educational, entertaining, and teacher approved.