Kids toys - without buying plastic mass-produced cr*p

[acresswell]

I've had a lovely day at home with my daughter (almost 11 months old).

I dislike all the plastic injection-moulded stuff that comes out of toy shops/ supermarkets/ argos and particularly object to the way that childhood has become so commercialised.

So it's really made me happy to see me daughter ignoring her selection of mass-produced plastic toys (it's not easy to dissuade other people from buying the stuff) today and playing almost exclusively with four toys:
 1) an old water bottle with a few pebbles inside
 2) the cardboard inner from a toilet roll
 3) an old telephone I found in the loft.
 4) a scrunched up ball of junk mail

So, calling all parents...  what other "recycled" toys can you recommend?

[mikey9]

Totally agree with your points about the commercialisation of childhood - could have been us talking - and I too hate the platic C$£p - however there is some excellent stuff - made from plastic too.

When our two were in the first year or so - the enjoyment they got from the simplest things was very entertaining. Now they are hading for 3 and 5 - they are getting more sophisticated in their choices - but still simple - requiring added imagination seems best.

We are big charity shop/tip and friends hand me downs fans (and ebay and my own old toys kept by my parents).

Bear in mind we have boys....

Lego - (plastic mass produced but still excellent - and the new bits fit with my old drawer full from 30 yrs ago!)
Tonka - Metal Cranes/trucks/jeeps etc  - all 30 yrs old and barely any damage - other than a little rust!
Toy cars and a car mat/cardboard roadway set - old matchbox/lesney - new Siku (German tractors and trucks are an excellent modern interpretation - which look like they ill last like matchbox have.)
Brio - (and other wooden train track sets)
Kites - from the simplest to the fancier ones
Wooden climbing frame and swing (just scrounged a huge mooring rope from a beach up here to create a tightrope to a nearby tree...)
Sand Pit - we have two - one in the veg plot - both are used every day  the weather allows - and even in the snow!

I must give a vote for Playmobil which - although injection moulded plastic made in China - we find it almost indestructable - and have much handed down from a work colleague.

Top Trumps (remember them - excellent for learning numbers, decimals, hundreds etc. and understanding attributes)

[guydewdney]

friends / family wooden toys - mine (12.5months) loves his trolley to walk with - and eating rocks.....  
pens, screwdrivers, screws (wood, sharp..   ) usb cables, bits of string.... all on the bad parent list no doubt! But to be fair - he hasnt hurt himself, yet.

Brio track - with leccy train (ok - new - but the track will last a lifetime)

[acresswell]

Guy,   you've just reminded me - she also spent almost half an hour (a lifetime!) playing with a particularly round pebble on the patio!

Please keep the suggestions coming...

[danny stardust]

Recycling toys is a good plan, as kids grow and develop so quickly that there must be tonnes of redundant stuff out there already that could be passed on to others as their kids grow into that stage where it is useful.
In fact talking of Lego, I have a couple of decent sized boxes lying in my shed gathering dust. If anyone wants it just cover the courier and I could send it down. It is not new and may need a wash but recall there is loads of stuff. Pics could be emailed if required. PM if interested.

[clockmanFR]

I agree about Lego, my boy's  4, 7 and 11 are always building houses with very wacky designs. Playmobile is good as all my 3 have the camper vans.

But best of all is our Acre wood and stream at the bottom of the field, some wood and rope and away they go for several hours.
In fact just come back from my weekly inspection, not pleased, as they have been borrowing/stealing messy farmers, (1/2 mile away), tyres from his junk heap and a metal cage pallet?. So all early to bed tonight. Over the years I have spent days cleaning out that stream and the surrounding area and my off spring junk it again. ?

Oh yes, 3 to 4 tons of slightly damp building sand, its amazing what garage structures and pebble gardens they can invent. (trouble using the mortar because of die cast dinky cars).

[billi]

i know hard to  avoid all those tons of plastic imported by who  ever  into ones  house  , battery operated ones are a nightmare  and i had problems/ failed  to  provide enough rechargeable ones  charged in time  

I guess many  usefull toys are a miniature of   "our"  daily tools / things we use , and kids  use them

So beside toys i found that my 3.5 year old son has lot of joy to  help me   while  digging the garden , putting stones in the wheel barrow ,  planting  ,  and harvesting  tomatoes ( he prefers to pick the green ones   )
Good thing is that we have some animals  on site or near by   ducks , hens, cat , horses, frogs, spiders, worms, caterpillar , newts ,lizards ....

A week or so ago , i took him with me to finish a landscaping  job      at a private garden for an hour or two , surely not the most efficient way for me to work  , but he   found friends on site  his age and older  that where playing  with plastic   swords     ( mine likes these as well by the way ) , but he started to find worms  in the soil i was preparing and collected them to bring them home for his hens and ducks   (Melly, PJ, George, ..... and others )

The other kids got interested  in that "strange" hobby      of picking worms   and came close to him with their swords  .... but  my little one chased them around the house  with a worm in his fingers    

They all had fun  and i got my work done

Billi

[renewablejohn]

Mr Lister and box of spanners

Carpenters tools and toolbox

Bicycle and repair kit.

Greenhouse seed trays and seeds.


And I wonder why I grew up with such a practical mind having all this by the age of 10.

[SteveH]

 For any child under 2, the box is much more interesting than it's contents.... Pity we lose this understanding....!

[danny stardust]

Spent the morning sorting out this pile of Lego. Couldn't help myself and had a little play.

Looks like some maintenance and repair is required at the wind farm!

[clockmanFR]

Danny stardust,

Just sent you a PM regards Lego, My boys just came in my office saw the Lego photo, "Dad"....

[danny stardust]

Jeepers, I wish I had shares in used Lego.
This forum seems to be full of Legoholics. 
No more PMs now please or I will have to get a saw out and start cutting up individual pieces to satisfy demand. 

[clockmanFR]

Thank you for the Lego, all tipped out and general mayhem on the carpet, and some fine structures under construction

Thanks.

[martin]

Proper Meccano! - I've managed to pick up quite a lot of it very cheaply from my local markets, and some "period" Hornby Dublo train sets/engines/tracks - my grandson is only 10 months old, so it'll be a little while before he's let loose on it, but it's giving me the chance to play with both again! I reckon Meccano teaches kids so much about how things work....

[smegal]

As above,

Meccano.

As a child, my favourite "toy" was a plug and screwdriver.