36 Open Ended Toys Kids Will Play with for Years

Kelly R. said:  This high-quality set features cool trick pieces that kids can use to build an endless assortment of domino races.

Kelly R. said:  All of the Schleich animal figurines make the best toys for 4 year olds, and will see many hours of imaginative play over at least the next couple of years. They are so much more durable, realistic and beautiful than other brands, and our trusty T Rex still looks pretty cool in our tween's room years later!

Alexandra F. said:  These chunky bricks have been been used pretty much constantly in our home for the last 15 years, and are one of my favorite open ended toys because they can be used from such a young age and still be fun to play with even when kids are ready for the smaller LEGO sets. A couple of building plates, a set or two of classic bricks, and a few DUPLO figurines have been some of our most played with toys these last couple of decades.

Alexandra F. said:   Stuffed animals are a classic open-ended toy, and all four of my kids have used theirs in some of their most creative, elaborate and imaginative games over the years. I don't love how they tend to accumulate, but I’ve found there are a select few that get used over and over, so I just do a purge of the others every once in a while! My kids especially love having “moms” and “babies” for their games, and animal toys over any branded characters. Jellycat makes some of the softest, cuddliest stuffed animals I’ve found, but my kids also love the Wild Republic stuffed animals they always seem to sell in zoo gift shops.

Alexandra F. said:  Little fairy and gnome dolls are classic Waldorf open ended toys made to inspire imaginative play! In the Waldorf tradition, they also encourage kids to play outside, create their own fairy homes, and act out stories from their imagination. Their small size makes them great Easter egg or advent calendar fillers, too!

Alexandra F. said:  Dollhouses are made for open-ended play, and this heirloom quality dollhouse is one that will be cherished for years by any child who likes playing with miniatures. My daughter had both a Barbie Dreamhouse and a smaller wooden dollhouse when she was young, and while she liked both, it was the wooden dollhouse (and its accompanying wooden dolls) that really captured her imagination, and that she and her brother played with most often.