Toys for a toddler

amother

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 4:40 am

We want to buy my soon to be 3 years old a toy or two (or three if not too expensive:)). He has great imagination, has been playing mostly with cars, trucks and menchies till now. He has a lot of them and I see he is getting bored of it by now (he puts the menchies in and out of the cars in certain order, tells me stories about them sometimes etc.). He also likes Lego but not for too long. He used to play for hours and hours by himself (telling me things meanwhile but really engaging in the game) and he doesn't anymore and I feel bad because it seems he is bored.

I want to buy him a puzzle because we had one that was cheap and broke and he loved it.
We have cards game for his age (lotto as it's called here in Israel) and he liked it for a while but is bored of it now.
We have coloring books and different types of crayons.
He has lots of books.
He has domino which he doesn't like.

What toys do 3 YOs play with?

Dev80

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 4:49 am

Ideas for things you can get here in Israel at affordable prices

My 3YO loves play food (we have a few different sets - wooden pieces attached with velcro that he can 'cut', play dishes, play pizza, other items he can put together or pretend is a shabbos seudah

He also loves one of those not too expensive kiddy keyboards (music keyboard), the last one we had broke since he threw it a few times. He is always asking me for another one but we're trying to save it as a prize

play dough

crafts (I know that's not a toy) but safety scissors, painting, stickers, etc

little animals that he plays with his cars/mentchies/blocks - just adds to the 'story'

Bimba of course!

Edited - said play goods, meant to say play foods!

Last edited by Dev80 on Sun, Dec 14 2014, 7:53 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 5:18 am

Dev80 wrote:

Ideas for things you can get here in Israel at affordable prices

My 3YO loves play good (we have a few different sets - wooden pieces attached with velcro that he can 'cut', play dishes, play pizza, other items he can put together or pretend is a shabbos seudah

He also loves one of those not too expensive kiddy keyboards (music keyboard), the last one we had broke since he threw it a few times. He is always asking me for another one but we're trying to save it as a prize

play dough

crafts (I know that's not a toy) but safety scissors, painting, stickers, etc

little animals that he plays with his cars/mentchies/blocks - just adds to the 'story'

Bimba of course!

Thanks!!
So... he has a bimba which he loves and bike too:)
he has crafts- I think I should sit with him on this more often!
He has play dough
We have some musical instruments at home...he does want a microphone - I wonder if he would play with one if we bought him!
Im going to look for the play goods you mentioned!

Dev80

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 5:39 am

They have really cheap microphones (like 10 shekels) you can try that and see how he likes it. We have a 50 shekel one that plays music and claps and things but I dont think my kids really understand the microphone feature since it doesn't have that same hollow sound as the cheap ones (but the cheap ones break...)

Dev80

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 7:52 am

Another thing I wanted to add to this is that age 2/3 is when kids need to be taught how to play with certain toys still, so I often get things I know they have in Gan. If your son is in Gan you can ask him about what toys he has there or ask the morah what he likes to play with so you can get things he enjoys, but if it's something new to him you may have to 'teach' him how to use it.

Happy toy shopping!

amother

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 12:58 pm

Seeker we have that- he plays play dough but onyl with me and only a few minutes at a time then he gets bored.
bnm- we have some of IKEA toys like the dishes and stuff- bores him. But the train is a great idea!

I'm liking the kalpla idea - I thought he may be too young but worth a try!

amother- he has a barn with animals from Ikea actually he has never played with it. Also from baby playmobile and he doesn't play with that either.
I'm going to search what magformers are Smile

It's as if he got bored with all these things a year ago and he's ready for the next step...I thought that was typical 3 YO. I;m definitely going to ask his morah what he plays in gan..
THANKS ALL OF YOU!

Dev80

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 1:26 pm

Sorry I realize I had a type before, that should say play foods not play goods (play pizza set, wooden food peices attached with velctro etc).

If you are willing to spend on a big toy magna tiles/play mags are really the best for that age (okay I guess my opinion is biased since that's what we have!). My son plays with them everyday. I think Kapla are really for a kid a bit older and who knows how to play with them. He may enjoy stacking them up but you can do that with regular wooden blocks that they sell. Just my two cents if you are looking for something he'll really enjoy at this age.

amother

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 1:51 pm

Dev80 wrote:

I googled magna tiles- have never seen these before! Do they sell them in most stores? looks like a great idea!

amother

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 1:52 pm

mommyla wrote:

If he likes to pretend and you have the room for it, a kitchen set is a great toy for that age. And it's not only for girls!

So expensive though!
Ive looked at one when he was younger and was shocked with the prices.

Dev80

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 1:54 pm

They're a fortune here in israel, playmags the knock off are 400+ shekels for 100 pieces... that's why I didn't originally suggest them if you're looking to buy here.

Clics are a more affordable building toy and you can buy smaller sets but it's one of those things I'd only get a 3 year old if he plays with it in gan, or wait until he's four or so. But maybe I'm underestimating a 3 year old

....you can tell I put a lot of thought into my kids toys lol

amother

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 1:58 pm

Dev80 wrote:

LOL.
Will ask his morah tomorrow and maybe will buy him something else for chanuka and get someoen from the US to bring me the magnatiles on their next trip...

seeker

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 3:01 pm

My somewhat advanced 2-year-old is entertaining herself endlessly with Bizzy Bits these days. They are easier than clics, which I find require more strength and coordination to click together and apart. (we have some of both) They were less expensive too (Don't know where you are but Amazing Savings in various NY locations has them)

Play kitchen can often be found secondhand cheap (Craigslist, yard sales, ask friends with older kids...) and are also good to have.

It sounds like maybe your kid is just the type who needs people more, though. You seem to have a bunch of age-appropriate toys but you say he only plays with them for a short time without you. Maybe he's just lonely. Also you need to tune into the type of things he enjoys - all kids benefit from a variety of activities, but if you're looking for what will engage him for longer amounts of time that depends on the personality. For one of my kids it's art/crafty things, for the other it's the building type toys (hence the endless bizzy bits, she also went through a very intense lego/duplo phase...) Your kid with the cars and mentchies seems like maybe he enjoys pretend play or role play more, in which case different types of figure playsets, dress up, kitchen, etc would probably be a good bet. Maybe the pretend shul/abba set?

lkwdlady

Sun, Dec 14 2014, 9:59 pm

ahuvah4 wrote:

snappers are the best! Its like clicks, all colors just easier to click in and a little bigger. I have it for 10 years by now. Its great for age 2 to 5/6.

can you paste a link for snappers? I would like to see what these are and can't find them. Thanks