I've found 4 children's toys that keep my boys entertained for hours – and I'd buy them all again
I wish I'd known about them much sooner!
Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.
After eight years of buying Christmas and birthday presents for my boys, I've learnt a thing or two about children's toys. Mainly that the one you've spent weeks researching will sometimes be abandoned within ten minutes, while the cardboard box it arrived in provides entertainment for the entire afternoon. Brilliant. Could have saved myself a fortune.
But there are a few toys in our house that have genuinely stood the test of time. Not because they flash, sing or come with 76 different accessories (which inevitably end up under the sofa), but because there isn't just one way to play with them. With Christmas approaching, here are the four I'd happily buy all over again.
1. Stapelstein stepping stones
If you haven't come across Stapelstein yet, they're colourful, lightweight stacking elements that can be used for pretty much anything. Stepping stones? Yes. Obstacle courses? Absolutely. Towers, seats, drums, sand and water play? All possible. And the games change as the children grow.
My eight-year-old and I have recently invented our very own Garden Olympics. The challenge is to stand on top of three stacked Stapelstein elements while throwing another one between us, counting how many times we can catch it without losing our balance. Sounds easy. It isn't. Especially when you're 37 and your balance isn't quite what it used to be.
They also make smaller Stapelstein Mini elements for younger children. I've just sent one to my best friend's little one, who is about to turn one. Starting them young!
Stapelstein also makes a clever modular seating set called the Dynamic All Set, which we're planning to get for our eldest. It combines a base, wobble board and two stepping stones to create a seat that encourages movement rather than sitting completely still. He finds ordinary chairs a little tricky, so I'm hoping it'll be a good fit for his desk. And because all the pieces can be used separately for play, it's another one of those things that can do more than one job. Although I already suspect I'll be borrowing it when working from home. Sharing is caring, after all.
2. A cardboard cutting machine
If your children are anything like mine, you'll know that cardboard is apparently one of the most valuable materials on the planet. Every delivery box is a potential spaceship, garage or something that absolutely MUST NOT go in the recycling because they're still working on it. Even if it hasn't been touched for three weeks.
Our cardboard cutting machine is from Beaverbot, and it's been brilliant for turning those ambitious ideas into actual creations. It cuts cardboard, paper and fabric, opening up endless possibilities. A castle with working doors? Go for it. A miniature town? Why not. A contraption nobody, including its inventor, can explain? Excellent.
I'd particularly recommend one for younger, craft-loving children who aren't yet confident with sharp scissors, following the machine's age guidance and supervision instructions. My boys are pretty good with scissors now, so I wish we'd had one a few years earlier.
And the best bit? The main material is free. Just don't expect to ever throw away another delivery box without permission.
3. Magnetic tiles
I firmly believe every home with young children should have magnetic tiles. There. I've said it. I've gifted them to so many friends that I'm probably becoming predictable. But they're just SO good.
Colourful magnetic shapes click together to create towers, houses, garages, patterns and whatever else children dream up. They're particularly brilliant for ages two to five, although my older boys still find ways to play with them.
You can stick them to the fridge, combine them with chalk drawings on the floor or use them to explore colours, shapes, counting and symmetry. Or, if you're feeling slightly less educational, attach them to a metal clothes rail outside and let the kids shoot them off with water guns. Highly recommended.
Just choose a well-made, age-appropriate set with securely enclosed magnets.
4. Air-dry modelling clay
And finally, something wonderfully simple: modelling clay. Less mess than playdough, endless possibilities and, perhaps most importantly, my boys can happily get creative without needing me to supervise every move.
Tiny animals, food for imaginary restaurants, questionable sculptures of family members. You name it. One word of warning: check your dressing gown pockets before putting it in the washing machine. I learnt that one the hard way.
And buy a set with little containers and proper lids. Otherwise, your lovely soft clay will turn into a collection of colourful rocks before you know it.
That's what I love about all four toys. They don't tell children exactly what to do. They give them the freedom to invent games, make things and occasionally come up with ideas that leave me wondering how on earth they thought of that.
After eight Christmases, I've realised the best toys aren't necessarily the ones that do the most. They're the ones that let children do the most.
And preferably don't require me to replace 47 tiny batteries.
