Our top 10 open-ended toys

Open-ended toys are secretly taking over our toy cupboard. That's why I thought it was time to share our top 10 of our favorite open-ended toys. I love reading these kinds of lists from others.

1. Playing side
Our play silks are definitely number one. And that's not because I make them myself . They're played with every day. All day long. And that's why it deserves the top spot. In my blog "Activities with Play Silks," you can read how our children play with them.

2. Balls in all shapes and sizes
Kids absolutely love toy balls. They can roll them, throw them (outside), and play with them on our balance board or in the stacking stones. Our Grapat balls with cups often become ice cream or they can turn them into gifts in a play surface. The Tickit sensory mirror balls are also a big favorite! They make fun sounds, and each ball rolls differently.

3. Connetix magnetic tiles
Endless building with Connetix ! These magnetic tiles are so much fun, and they're used by all ages. Every child who comes in starts building with them. Our children find building with them easier than with a wooden block set. Also important: the quality is top-notch. Nothing has broken yet, even though they're being played with so intensively.

4. Animals
I love the wooden Holztiger animals, and they stack nicely. We have a lot of Schleich animals at home. These are plastic instead of wood. I chose these animals because they're so realistic. Even the footprints are realistic. They're great to combine with clay (you can thank me later). Realistic animals are more in line with our Montessori approach, which we use as much as possible at home.

5. Balance board We Rock
I hesitated for a long time between a Wobbel and a We Rock. Ultimately, we went with a We Rock balance board because it has a rim that prevents fingers from getting pinched. The We Rock is used with great love as a slide from the coffee table, a wobble board, and a step. It also serves as a ramp for cars and anything on wheels. Sometimes it's a bridge with the Way To Play highway, and other times it's a bed for the doll.

6. Sensory bags
The sensory bags were the first toy I made for our eldest daughter. Sensory bags are often found in Montessori schools or homes where Montessori is practiced. I've already written a blog post about the endless possibilities . We use them for balancing, to learn to throw accurately, as play cookies at tea parties, and as a bed for the Schleich animals. This is why it's a bestseller in my webshop.

7. Stapelstein
Stapelstein's stacking stones are truly wonderful, durable toys with 101 possibilities. They're used as stepping stones, as seats, as steps, as bowls, or to sit in, spin, and wobble. They're also regularly taken into the garden or to the bath. Because they can easily get wet.

8. WaytoPlay + wooden cars
The WaytoPlay flexible race track is really great! Hema also has a budget option, but what I love about the WatoyPlay is that it's very durable and can get wet. So it's safe to take outside and in the bath. And I love toys that can be used in so many different ways. Add a set of wooden cars and the fun is complete.

Our wish list still includes a set of Grimm's cars . These are neutral wooden cars and can be a bus, camper, or a regular car one day. A blue car with flashing lights and white stripes will always be a police car, so the possibilities and imagination are limited.

9. A play box with sensory materials
A wooden play box with play rice, for example, is indispensable in this top 10. Our children can endlessly scoop and scoop rice into the boxes. Kinetic sand is also a great material for a play box. Grennn is a wonderful company that handcrafts play boxes and rice. They also sell many other handmade products.

10. Grimm's Wooden Figures in Trays
I think this was the first open-ended toy we bought. And it was a hit! At a young age, the figures were mainly put in and taken out of the containers. Later, they were sorted by color. These days, they're incorporated into all the children's imaginative play.

I hope you enjoy these kinds of lists as much as I do. I hope I've inspired you, and I hope to see you again in my webshop.

Love,

Patty