There are so many reasons to give our kids open-ended toys and engaging activities that will keep them busy. Some of them are very altruistic reasons: We want them to learn, and we don’t want to harm the environment by buying cheap toys they ignore after five minutes. But also, we have selfish reasons: A good, open-ended toy means our children can be occupied by themselves (or at least with minimal input from us) for hours.
This has been a secret to parenting since we lived in caves: Children are happier and easier when their imaginations are churning. Nowadays, we need toys to keep our kids busy when we travel with them, take them on errands, and when we’re all stuck inside and trying to multitask.
We also want our children to have fun, obviously. So while there are no shortage of flashy, trendy toys that they’ll beg us for because they saw them at the store, the playground, or TV, you’ll spend your money (and your space) more wisely if you can get them something that will stimulate their minds and inspire them to pick it up again and again.
Some of the toys we list here are open-ended toys, meaning there are no rules for how children should play with them, and they can come up with new ways to use them time after time. Anything from a doll that comes to life in a child’s mind to a box of LEGO bricks and blocks that can turn into entire cities and new species of animals qualifies as an open-ended toy.
Because all children play differently, we also included a few options that aren’t open-ended, but that stimulate their minds in other ways. That’s why we also included a science-experiment kit, an audiobook player, and two different kinds of puzzles.
Some of the toys here are on the bigger side — keeping kids busy while they’re at home. Others we listed are good to take on the road — whether that’s just across town or for a long trip during the holidays. These are all occasions in which we’re so very tempted to tether our children to a screen to keep them out of our hair. That’s OK too, but since we want them to grow into independent thinkers and problem solvers, we should probably pull them away from the devices from time to time and put some of these toys in their hands instead.
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A Next-Level Busy Board
Image Credit: BusyBusyBoards. So many skilled woodworkers and tinkerers on Etsy want to keep your toddlers very, very occupied, that you only need to decide just how big a busy board will fit in your play space. You can choose something small and portable, or go for the big four-walled version like what we’ve pictured here. This is a fantastic way for your child to learn fine motor skills while staying out of everything else in the house.
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Small-Scale Dress-Up
Image Credit: Melissa & Doug. A magnetic set like this is great for kids to play with before they have the fine motor skills to dress up three-dimensional dolls, or themselves. In addition to training them to be tiny stylists, this kind of play sparks little ones’ imagination and gets them role-playing like adults or big kids. Ages 3 and up.
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A Wooden Puzzle With (Almost) Endless Possibilities
Image Credit: Coogam. We could have listed a regular jigsaw puzzle, but if you want to get more play hours for your buck, why not get a puzzle with multiple challenges and solutions? Plus, it’s suitable for ages 3 and up, including adults.
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A Doll With Hair They Can Style
Image Credit: Healthy Roots. This once meant only porcelaim-skinned dolls and Barbies with long silky blond or brown tresses, but now kids have a few more options, like the Healthy Roots doll Zoe. Not only does she have some enviable curls, but she comes with empowering messages for young Black girls. There are styling tips for both kids and their dolls on the Healthy Roots Dolls website.
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Audiobooks on Tap
Image Credit: Yoto. If you’re not keen on handing over your phone or tablet to your child, several new devices offer an alternative way for them to listen to audiobooks on their own. The Yoto Player allows them to insert a physical card for the book of their choice in the screen-free (and ad-free!) box. A range of books (including all the works of Roald Dahl) are available for separate purchase or bundled with the player. Ages 0-12.
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The Most Epic Forts
Image Credit: Tiny Land. Sure, back in our day, we just made forts out of blankets, pillows, and furniture, but modern times call for much more advanced architecture, given just how many fort-building hours our kids have had on their hands. And once they’ve honed their engineering and building skills, they can also settle into their new structure and play something else. Ages 5 and up.
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A Lightweight Building Toy
Image Credit: Toyish Labs. As much as we love LEGO, it’s not exactly a portable activity. Clixo pieces are flat, lightweight, and flexible, but when kids click the magnetic ends together, they turn into three-dimensional, dynamic creations, occupying young minds and hands. Ages 4 and up.
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A Video Game Come to Life
Image Credit: 3 Otters. Even after taking hours to master getting the ball through this 3-D maze, it’s fun to try all over again. This trains kids’ motor skills and problem solving too. Ages 6 and up.
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A LEGO Set for Everyone
Image Credit: LEGO. If the whole family is in the mood for a collaborative project, there’s little that can unite you like a huge LEGO kit. Once you build this city from 1,517 pieces, your kids can then do some imaginative play with it, too. Ages 6 and up.
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Science Experiments Led by Bill Nye Himself
Image Credit: Abacus Brands. Almost everything you need to conduct a slew of educational science experiments is contained in this kit. What really sets it apart is the fact that Bill Nye is right there with your child to provide context for those baking soda volcanoes and food coloring concoctions and balloon tricks, Just download the app, hold up a phone to the book, and he’ll chatter away. Then they can strap on the VR goggles to really immerse themselves in the lessons. Ages 8-12.
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