Top 10 Toys That Are Built to Last and Appeal to Both Girls and Boys
- Ashley Pierson
- Oct 26, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 15
As a mom of two kids, girl (4) and boy (2), I have spent a lot of time researching, purchasing, and throwing away toys. I try to give toys away when I can, but often toys turn “yucky” or break after being in the hands of my kiddos. Yes, my toddler son loves to throw toys across the room, and my daughter enjoys cramming toys into bags, buckets, and toy refrigerator compartments. I put together a list of toys that have maintained their integrity and continued to peak my children’s interests over a long period of time. It was challenging to come up with 10!
HERE WE GO!
#1 Melissa and Doug Match and Roll Shape Sorter
$9-$14-dollar range
A brightly colored wooden shape sorter great for color and shape recognition. It challenges children to use problem solving and manual dexterity to remove and replace shapes back inside the sorter. My 2-year-old son uses this toy as intended. My 4-year-old has mastered the toy. How do we keep it relevant for her? We time her to see how fast she can get all the pieces back inside. Then we see if she can break her time. Mom and Dad play along too!
#2 Activity Cones
$13-$24-dollare range
Activity cones are great for obstacle courses! Our kids run and zig zag through them, do color challenges, kick them down and pick them back up with their feet, dribble soccer balls through them, and stack them. We also ride scooters and riding toys through them at the end of our cul-de-sac.
#3 Bag of Bugs
$10-$15-dollar range
My kids hide these colorful bugs in sand, dirt, rocks, containers, and planters. They are simple, educational, and great for sensory bins. Caution – don’t leave your kids alone with these bugs if they are still putting things in their mouths. They can be a choking hazard.
#4 Dancing Talking Cactus Mimicking Toy
$14-$16-dollar range
This toy will drive you crazy and you might hide it but, your kids will love it. My kids record their voices, say silly things, sing, and laugh listening to the playback. The music setting is fun and will get your kids giggling and dancing. My kids have dropped this toy on tile and thrown it several times and to my dismay it still functions well.
#5 Velcro Fruit and Veggie Play Food
$10-$35-dollar range
The Velcro Fruit and Veggies are a hit in our home. I prefer the plastic ones that are mid-priced (not too cheap). My son throws things, so the wooden ones are a little scary and the paint chips easily. My son uses this toy to learn his fruits and vegetables and to work on his fine motor skills, taking pieces apart and putting them back together. My daughter plays pretend kitchen with them. She loves making food for anyone willing to place an order. As a plus or maybe minus, our cat loves batting the pieces across the floor. Our set is from Sam's Club and they are currently out of stock. So, I found the closest set I could find to ours.
#6 Kid’s Toy Shopping Cart
$20-$70-dollar range
We have two kids shopping carts at home. We purchased one in store and bought one second hand from OfferUp. Our kids loving filling the carts with toys and wheeling them all over the backyard. Even on the grass. They are great for pretend shopping play and your kids will fill them with anything they can find – dogs, cats, stuffies, and shoes.
#7 Vtech Explore and Write Activity Desk
$45-$57-dollar range
I thought this activity desk was going to be a bust. My daughter didn’t show much interest in it until she was 3. I almost gave it away, but I am thankful I did not because it’s very educational. My son loves pressing all the buttons, especially the ones with fire trucks and police cars. My daughter now sits down and does her alphabet and plays the counting game regularly. I just discovered Vtech sells an expansion pack of interactive pages for ages 3-5. I already have them in my cart!
#8 Magna-tiles
$30-$50-dollar range
I almost didn’t include Magna-tiles because they are so obviously wonderful, but I must. They are colorful and can be used to build garages and towers. Stacking them requires technique. My son is still trying to figure it out but, in the meantime, he loves knocking them down CRASH! We have the safari animal set. My daughter makes little cages and garages to hide animals and my son’s cars inside.
#9 Play Kitchen
$80-$200-dollar range
In our home we have experienced an indoor play kitchen, BBQ playset, tool table, and an outside mud kitchen. The indoor play kitchen receives the most play from both my daughter and son. The more compartments the better. We did not buy ours new. We got one second hand from OfferUp for $30 and it was in great shape. The play kitchen promotes pretend play which is so great for littles and the Velcro fruits and veggies pair well. Now all you need is some toy pots and pans and GO GRAB YOUR SHOPPING CART!
#10 Dump Trucks – the larger sized ones.
$20-$40-dollar range
We have two large dump trucks that we leave outside. They are well made and can withstand some good rain and hot sun. Our kids enjoy filling the dump trucks with rocks, toys, sand, and anything you can think of. These are also fun to bring along to any park with sand (bring some shovels too).
#11 Kids Electric Ride on Jeep
$240-$300-dollar range
Our electric Jeep was well worth the purchase. It’s rechargeable and comes with a remote, so you have full control if your child is not ready to steer on their own. It also has buttons for kids to play fun songs. My daughter enjoyed riding in the jeep almost daily from ages two to three. Now that she has mastered scootering, my son has moved right into her spot. As I am writing this, I can hear him telling me “Jeep!” “Jeep!”. The Jeep has withstood several long trips to the park and back. It’s funny, passerby’s always think my two-year-old is driving and are SO impressed with his skills. They don’t realize we have the remote control.
#12 Adventure Force Ultimate Dino City Garage, Die-Cast Vehicle Playset, Multi-Color, Age 3+, 45" Length
$50-dollar range
We purchased this Dino City Garage for my son about six months ago. It has withstood so much play already that I feel confident it will stay intact and be relevant for at least another year. I will admit that my son likes to pull pieces apart from it, so we do spend some time re-attaching things. My son loves cars, so this purchase was a no brainer for him. I didn’t expect my daughter, and our cat, to enjoy this toy so much. The track is busy with two different racecourses, a car lift, a dinosaur that eats cars, and a tunnel. There is a train and some pop out dinosaurs that roar loudly. This is a cool toy for boys and girls. It does take up a lot of space – Perfect for a playroom!
I wanted to add a couple extra toys my kids have enjoyed that are great! I just can’t vouch for how long the toys will last.
#13 B. Toys - Ice Cream Shoppe- pretend play
$60-$90 dollar range
My daughter and son love this pretend play ice cream shop. They play with it everyday. The shop is adorable and has so many neat features including a gum ball drop, ice cream drop, credit card machine, and brightly colored ice cream pieces. The shop is easy to put together and seems very sturdy. I highly recommend this toy either for your kiddos or as a gift.
#14 Cardboard Color Castle
$27-$40-dollar range
The Cardboard Color Castle got the whole family involved. My husband and I took turns sitting down and coloring with our kids. The kids decorated the inside of the castle and used it as a playhouse throwing sheets over top of it to for a hidden escape. If you are the type to sit down and color with your kids, I recommend this castle. The castle does take up a lot of space and you might get sick of looking at it after a couple months. It's also a great idea for birthday parties.
I am constantly seeking great suggestions for children's gifts and toys for our household.
If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to reach out to me at authorashleypierson11@gmail.com. I'll include them in the list - Moms supporting moms!
Have a GREAT day!
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