The Best Open-Ended Toys For Children

Children don’t need a lot of toys to keep them happy and engaged. By investing in some high-quality open-ended toys, children will find many hours of fun while learning problem-solving and communication skills at the same time. In an article for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Professor Trawick-Smith shares that ‘Basic is better’. His studies found that the highest-scoring toys so far have been quite simple: hardwood blocks, a set of wooden vehicles and road signs, and classic wooden construction toys.

Open-ended toys are toys that can be played in multiple ways, depending on the child’s imagination. They encourage creativity and exploration. Because these toys can be used in so many ways, they can grow with the child. Children can enjoy them for many years. As I have 3 children, this has brought me great economies of scale since one set of toys benefit all of them. These toys are classic and timeless, well worth the investment. This is my curated list of the best open-ended toys for ages 3 and above, after checking recommendations and comparing products. They are also based on what my children and my friends’ children enjoyed. If you read to the end, you will learn about my shopping philosophy too.

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Building and Construction

• Lego. Is there any kid who doesn’t like Lego? A standard set offers many types of pieces for creative construction. You can add extra pieces, car wheels and characters later on to build your whole city.
• Marble Run. Really fun for kids to build tall structures and see marbles roll down. More suitable for the child who is no longer putting things into the mouth.
  
  Magnetic Tiles
  Magnetic Tiles are really cool and I would recommend getting the largest set you can afford so that your kids have enough pieces to create fantastic structures. Then, you won’t need to spend more money buying extension sets.  It’s a worthwhile investment as they are really durable.
• Magna Tiles. Most popular among parents. Easier for little hands to hold compared to Magformers. It can stack upwards as the bottom of the tile is flat. Go for this if your child is still putting things into his mouth. Magna Tiles is made of 100% non-toxic plastic. Piccasso does not have such certification yet.
• Magformers. Good for the child that needs more guidance on what they can build because Magformers offer many free educational resources and construction ideas (See picture below). My oldest was 4 when I bought Magformers so those instructional guides were really useful. 8 years on, my youngest child is now starting to enjoy the set of Magformers.  My top pick is the Magformers 100-pieces Inspire Set.
• Picasso Tiles. Choose Picasso if your child loves to build elaborate constructions and large shapes. They have stronger magnetic connection compared to Magna Tiles. Cheapest among the 3 brands too.  
• Earth Tiles. These are magnetic tiles made of wood sustainably sourced.

Wooden Blocks

• The Melissa & Doug set comprises of 60 natural finished, smooth sanded hardwood. Really stable even when you build tall structures.
• If your child likes colourful things, then go for coloured blocks. The blocks in this set are a little lighter than the Melissa & Doug which can be easier for smaller kids to handle.
• Rainbow Stacker. Makes a great gift. Fun addition to the wooden blocks as you can make arches over the towers.

Fort Building

• Fort Magic. Solid set that can build amazing structures. Definitely one of the best in the market if your child likes to create their own secret hideouts. Due to its size and weight, I feel it is more suitable for age 7 and above.
• Obuby Kids Fort Building Kit. This is good as a starter kit for younger children (4-5 years old) to handle as the sticks are light. However, that also means it is not as sturdy as the Fort Magic.
• Get some scarves to cover the fort structure. If you are willing to splurge, get these silk scarves. Very comfortable on the skin. For a more affordable option, get the Kizihaus scarves which is made of polyester. Scarves are really useful as you can use them for other pretend play.
   

Pretend Play

Pretend play toys bring kids into the world of chefs, doctors, farmers etc. They are great for developing imagination and conversations where kids can learn and use technical vocabulary.

Kitchen Play

• This Play Food set is award winning. Superb quality. Some cheap plastic food toys get flattened or chipped easily. My kids like to chop vegetables. So this Food cutting set offers good value for money. With 73 pieces to play with, I don’t mind if a few get damaged and thrown away. It’s also a popular brand among parents.
• Pots and Pans. Made of stainless steel, durability is a given. This set will last for years.
• Wooden Play Kitchen. Sturdy, high quality wood and compact design that won’t take up too much space in your room.
• Plastic Play Kitchen. Also very popular in reviews and more affordable compared to wooden sets.

IKEA has lovely kitchen playsets and toys too. Check out your local store.

Animals

• For animal figurines, Schleich is highly rated. They have realistic figurines and are perfect as gifts. Alternatively, go for Terra by Battat. Much more affordable than Schleich and also popular. You won’t feel the pain if your child loses an animal in the park.
  
  Construction Tool Sets

• The Kidzlane Tool Set is made of super strong plastic, making it one of the most durable in the market. It has really realistic tool functions, especially the pretend drill. The set is made of gender neutral colours and comes with storage case. 
• iBase Toy Kids Tool Set. This is an all rounder in terms of quality, realistic features and number of pieces. However, it is currently not in stock on Amazon.
  
  Workbench
• For wood ones, go for the award winning Master Workbench by Hape. It is extremely well made. The little groves really teach kids to use screws, bolts, gears and more for creative building.
• For the best plastic option, my favourite is Toy Choi’s Workbench. The strength of this set it that it has an impressive 83 pieces to play with. Great value for money and the plastic is of good quality.
  

Play Sets

• Farm House. If you already own Lego duplo, you can also get their barn set so you can build a more extensive farm with existing pieces. That’s what my kids did.
• Wooden Barn. Well-liked by parents because it is portable, easy to store and clean.
• Dollhouse. Forget the plastic ones. Made of wood, this Kidcraft dollhouse is sturdy and can last for years. It has a gliding elevator, lamp that lights up, toilet and piano makes sounds. I’ve had mine for 5 years and all the parts are still working. I like the compact size too compared to the rest. Kidcraft have smaller doll houses in other designs too.
• Doctors Kit. The Kidzlane kit has devices with sound effects that kids will love. The cell phone features a range of exciting tones, and the stethoscope produces an authentic real-life heartbeat and coughing sound. If you don’t like electronic parts, get the Melissa and Doug set. It has 25 pieces to play with, which is more than typical sets in the market.

Transportation Toys

• For trains sets, the IKEA set is really pretty and affordable. For something fancier, opt for the Kidcraft Bucket Top Mountain Train Set.  It has more pieces than the IKEA set to play with. I also love the track that goes up a mountain.
• For car sets, Hot Wheels is unbeatable. The City Ultimate Garage is my top pick. With multiple tracks, garage and a T-Rex all in one set, this will inspire many hours of scenario planning and play. If you have an adrenaline junkie, go for Hot Wheels Corkscrew Crash Track. It even comes with 3 high-speed boosters to watch those cars fly into the air and crash. You can always get some extension tracks later on to build your F1 city.
• If you are looking for a wood vehicles set, definitely get the Melissa & Doug. The pieces are easy to maneuver and are suitable for younger kids.

My Toy Shopping Philosophy

Durability

I prefer to buy the original toys instead of cheaper imitation because they are made of better material and more durable. However, if there are extension sets to the original from other companies, I don’t mind buying them.

Priority and Budget

Money is finite so I need to prioritise what toys to get. The toys I have at home are accumulated slowly over the years. I buy toys for my children twice a year—on birthdays and Christmas. It also helps me keep to my yearly toy budget and limit the number of toys I buy. Typically, I look at the most educational toys suitable for their age, then see which would best match their interest at that point in time. In my research, I look into the material used, price and features before choosing the best that I can afford. I also go for range and buy different categories of toys such as construction toys, art or pretend play. For instance, once I have decided on a set of magnetic tiles, I will not buy another type of magnetic tiles. Instead, I will choose a different toy category the next time I buy toys.

Impact on Children’s Values

As I only buy toys on birthdays and Christmas, my children have learnt not to expect toys at other times of the year. I want to teach them self-control, responsible decision making, thrift, and contentment with what they have. When my children grew older and have a desire for more toys, I teach them the principle of prioritizing. Which toy do they want more badly and which toy can wait for? Which one is more value for money? They do the research online themselves and let me know what to get. Such research is educational. When they start having pocket money and wish to get an extra small toy, they save up themselves or work for it.

I think toys are necessary for a child’s development. However, we should not spoil them with too many toys. The whole process of selecting and buying toys can offer many teachable moments about financial literacy and positive values. I hope this post has simplified your decision-making process in toy shopping. If you have great toy recommendations, do share with me too.