5 Classic Toys To Keep The Kids Entertained

 Image courtesy of 9bytz

 

If your house is anything like mine, tackling a to-do list with two lively kiddos is darn near impossible. Especially if it requires sitting down at the computer. It seems no matter what they are engrossed in, as soon as I sit down in my office chair they need 100% of my attention or are hanging like monkeys from my arms.

Recently, I really needed to get some things taken care of and started searching the cabinets for entertainment for my little ones. I pulled out the Lite-Brites. Yes, we have the original from way back when, and you know what? They were completely entertained for a good 40 minutes.

That’s when I realized that classic toys, like the ones I played with in the 80s, are some of the best busy-makers for kids. There’s always Lego’s, and my 6 year old is content to play with those for quite a while. But my 3 year old requires a bit of variety and something more engaging.

 

Here is a list of classic toys that are sure to keep your kiddos quiet while you conquer your business:

 

Image courtesy of Hasbro

 

Lite-Brites: If you don’t already have the original, they have a few new versions on the market. The Lite-Brite Flat Screen is great for independent play at the table or on the floor and has a self-contained compartment to store the pegs in. The Lite-Brite Four-Share Cube opens up to four separate panels of play space so multiple kids can play at the same time. Genius! I’m considering investing in one of these so my two don’t have to fight about who gets to play first.

 

Tinker Toys: I loved these when I was a kid. Most of the new ones on the market now are plastic, but I searched and found a few wooden sets from various online retailers. The classic wooden ones are great, but there are a few new plastic sets that offer a variety of specialized building so your little ones can make cars, buildings and even animals.

 

 Image of SodaHead

 

 

Lincoln Logs: There are a lot of new sets in toy stores today, each with a set of instructions to build 3 to 4 different structures per set. But once you put them out, little hands will work to create their own masterpiece barns and houses. Ours came with a horse so my three year old always builds a spot for him first.

 

 

Image courtesy of Shopping Nexus

 

Wood Labyrinth: These are fun and if you have a puzzle lover, they’ll be entertained by this for sure. I didn’t even know these were still being made, but they are, and they’re well worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

Play-Doh: It’s been around forever and it keeps on entertaining. I used to have anxiety about the colors being smushed together the moment we popped open the cans, never again to be identifiable by a single name. But recently I realized that was the allure. And the new accessories are pretty cool too. We recently received one of the Dessert sets with Play-Doh Plus (a softer version of the original), and while all of it is now one big ball of Play-Doh, the kids love baking it in the pretend oven and making decorations for their pies.

 

 

Image courtesy of Huffington Post 

 

 

With all the new technology it’s easy to overlook old-school toys that require hands-on, brain powered interaction. Electronic devices and televisions are great babysitters but kids will get so much more from classic, kid-powered toys.

 

What are some of your favorite childhood games?

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