Best Toys For 1 to 3 Year Olds

**Little Pumpkins** · 05-01-2008, 01:21 PM

Hi

I was just wondering what everybody views as being essential toys for 1 to 3 year olds, as I am going to the states soon and want to stock up for my childminding.

thanks

**Rubybubbles** · 05-01-2008, 01:29 PM

gosh lets think

I have play kitchen, pushchairs, puzzles, art and crafts (play doh, paints colouring, sticking and glueing), small world, dulpo, music, water tray (kitchen only on my terms lol), shape sorters, push alongs, bricks

I've loads more but can't think of top of head!!

**Spangles** · 05-01-2008, 01:40 PM

On top of the above I've got lots of cars as both boys and girls seem to be obsessed with them! Oh, and tractors and trains!

Wooden shape puzzles, lots of books, musical instruments, tea set, baby dolls, nursery rhyme CD's and DVD's and a Tumble Tots DVD which is great to get them up and dancing and singing!

Oh, for outside - an electric car, a push along lawn mower, ten pin bowling, ball pool, tent and toy golf set! They're the faves!

Can't think of anything else!

**Raggydolls** · 05-01-2008, 02:20 PM

see im having problems with thinking of toys for the older children, they dont want to be playing with dollies and prams, i know i can do more crafts and games etc with them but other than that im stumped. my 9 year old likes playing on his ds but i cant let any older children *****mind do that all day. any help is greatly appreciated.

leanne
xx

**Spangles** · 05-01-2008, 02:25 PM

I've got no older children but from friends children they do still seem to like cars, computer games, finding things out on the internet (if you can supervise), hama beads, craft things, barbies (I liked them for years! What a saddo! Ha ha!), games like snakes and ladders, children's scrabble and things, dressing up?, dancing to music and making up songs?, I used to really love colouring those massive posters too.

No, I'm stumped now!

**emler** · 05-01-2008, 02:26 PM

Favourites for the little ones in my house are:- dressing up clothes, mini kitchen, dolls & prams, cars, play dough, jigsaws, anything crafty, books, bricks, paints, musical instruments, dance mat & probably lots more that I've missed out.
Hope it helps

Emler x

**fionamal** · 05-01-2008, 04:07 PM

In my house we have wooden kitchen, shopping trolley with food, teaset, Boxes of cars, lego, sticklebricks, Mr Potato Head, dolls and prams, playdough, Magnetix, drawing, beads, jigsaws, brio train set.

Outside :- Swing, slide, bouncy castle, seasaw, bikes, scooters, footballs, hoopla,

I could go on and on.

**angeldelight** · 05-01-2008, 05:55 PM

I have all the above but the dressing up clothes for whatever age are very very popular
The big box of bricks from early leaning they play with these every day
Also the tea- set is very popular

Angel xx

**berkschick** · 05-01-2008, 09:33 PM

Hi,

My daughter is 1. She loves her dollys and their buggy, play kitchen with all the pots, pans, tea set, etc and dolls house. She also LOVES her aquadraw, it is out every single day and makes no mess and takes no clearing up!

Love

Debbie

**angeldelight** · 05-01-2008, 09:46 PM

oh yes my grandson loves his aquadraw too

xxx

**Schnakes** · 05-01-2008, 10:08 PM

When I got my first "big kids" I was woried too, (9 year old girl, 10 year old boy) but found that most of my toys suited them..they just played more grown up games with them! For emaple, the boy loved the garage I have from ELC and the girl spent hours playing with the toy shop and kitchen. What I did though was one their first day I got out the Argos catalogue and got them to do a collage of their fave toys from there. Then when they had finished their pics I had a good idea of other stuff they liked playing with and invested!

Hope this helps with older ones,

Sx