Getting some new things and want to ask for ideas for open-ended, non battery operated toys (specific brands or items would be great!)

so far, I have or am getting: plain wooden blocks, water blocks, cardboard blocks, wooden cars (my husband made us a huge set), play silks, animal figurines, nice quality play food and dishes

What other ideas do you have?

Also, what success do you have with stacking or nesting toys? I hate it when we get a set and the kids quickly lose one piece.....but Id like to introduce a few nice sets into the room. Right now I only have the colorful plastic stacking bowl type toys.

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Toys with little parts, or toys that things get lost to, always get put at the children's tables they eat at. They are activities they can do in that particular spot and that really helps.

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Right now I am loving the wooden maze toys.... like these:








I have a couple stacking/nesting type sets but they drive me crazy because none of the kids (no matter what age) seem to understand the concept of nesting or stacking.

I also have a pretty extensive set of discovery bottles. All homemade with various things in them. All very colorful. I have magnifying glasses next to them too so the kids can really look close.

I have a nice set of dress up clothes (not the whole outfit) just the accessories. Hats, vests, shoes, purses, briefcases, accessories etc..
I HAD the whole outfit but had the same issues you did in your other thread...they became tattered and the kids insisted on having to undress rather than just put it over their clothing.

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I've said this on here before but you can not go wrong with a Bilibo

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000UE...&robot_redir=1



Or the Bilibo minis are nice too!

http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_comp...FRFp7AodDAUAwg



Honestly ours is so used and so awesome! Every kid I have ever met loves these things!

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My big wall maze is in the time alone area so that tells you who uses it...

Bilibo is well loved here! They love spinning!

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Just checked this out on amazon. Any recommendation as to how many you should have? They are a little pricey, so just wondering how many you would recommend for a small group of kids. 2-3?

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I really love the Land of Nod "tower of babble" the kids love the designs, and it has stood up to infants and toddlers.

http://www.landofnod.com/tower-of-ba...blocks/s156116

These building blocks are really beautiful, and the kids love the lid. The toddlers know how to put their finger in the hole on the lid, and get the blocks out. Great!

http://www.landofnod.com/bucket-o-bl...blocks/s417831

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Two of the favorite, most-used toys here are
--a matryoshka doll set (mine is from IKEA; I have the set on the left in this photo). I rotate toys, but never put this away because someone is always using it. It's especially favored by toddlers and twos.
--a wooden nesting bowl set. This, too, is always on the shelf. They don't always think to pull it out to play with. But when I set it out on the table, they love it. We sometimes use it for stacking or nesting, but more often for sorting things into. (or, honestly, for teething; it's a favorite for that, too)

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We have two of the full size! but I didnt realize they made minis, how fun

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I have at most 8 kids here but generally 5 or 6 kids at a time. I have two of the large Bilibos and they get played with all the time. I think two big ones and one set of minis would be ideal for a small group.

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Ok, what do they do with the Bilbo's?

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I have a costume idea for you if you still want to have them. I started replacing my little kid dressup clothes a few years ago with halloween costumes from yard sales and clearance racks. BUT I buy size 8-10 and cut off the extra length on the bottom and on the sleeves. They are super easy to get on over clothes and I've totally eliminated undressing. That being said, the things they dress up most in are vests, capes, skirts, hats and accessories but the do love the full costumes which are holding up well.

Other than that my guys love sensory bins, sensory bottles, blocks of all kinds, little animals, men, dinosaurs, pom poms and pipe cleaners more than anything else.

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Thanks!

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everything! sit in them and rock or spin, carry things in them, turn them upside down and stand on them. this said, my oldest during the day is a very well behaved almost 3 year old. I have some four and six year olds occasionally here and sometimes i have to reign them in but the younger kids play well with these, not too wild.

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