I’m not sure how I got here, but here I am. I’m the mother of four sons who are growing up, leaving the nest, and embracing adulthood.
None of my kids are looking to get married the day after tomorrow, but as fast as time flies and as quickly as seasons change, I can see weddings and gorgeous daughters and beautiful grandbabies as I peek around this corner. It’s ridiculously exciting as we pray and trust God’s timing and plans for our sons.
This is where my brain lives now, so don’t mind me. But do take note as you think about what toys to buy for little ones for Christmas. You might want to consider those that are worth keeping around forever.
At our house, we’ve gotten rid of all the junk toys. Gone are the toys that were fun for five minutes before they broke or the toys that were trendy but got boring quickly. What’s left? Well, toys that I’m keeping for my future grandbabies. Toys that are worth keeping. Toys that are such good quality that they lived through four boy children drop-kicking them across the house twelve times each day for over a decade.
My friend Kim helped me put this list together of “Timeless Toys.” Toys that never get old. Toys that are of high quality and are very durable. Toys that are wonderful to have for young guests to play with. These are the toys we recommend most highly!
Timeless Toys You’ll Want to Keep Forever
Building Toys
- DUPLO
- LEGO
- Knex
- Lincoln Logs
- Tinker Toys
- Wooden Building Blocks
Cars and Trucks and Toys that Go
- Green Toys (I think these are fabulous!)
- Hot Wheels
- Wooden Train Set
Puzzles of Good Quality
- Wooden Puzzles with Peg Handles
- Melissa and Doug Wooden Puzzles
- Melissa and Doug large floor puzzles
Board Games
Click over to look at our great big list of family Board Games! But for younger kids, we recommend:
- Hi-Ho Cherry-O
- Candy Land
- Memory Game
- Connect Four
- Uno Attack
- Spot It!
- Life
- Blink
- Headbandz
- Sequence
- Clue
- Apples to Apple Junior
- Boggle
- Monopoly
- Sorry
- Yahtzee
- Farkle
- Pass the Pigs
- Huskerdu (great for younger kids – still fun for adults)
- Skipbo
Dolls and Accessories
- Lottie Dolls and Accessories
- Melissa and Doug Dolls and Accessories
Toy Sorters and Stacking Cups
- Green Toy Versions
- Fischer Price Stacking Cups (I remember my babies playing with these over and over!)
- Melissa and Doug Wooden Sorting Toy
- Playgro Rock and Stack Toy
Tools
- Melissa and Doug Wooden Pounding Bench
- Learning Resources New Sprouts Fix It Tool Set (the cutest!!)
- Fischer Price Drillin Action Tool Set
- Little Tikes Tough Workshop
Toy Cash Register
- Boley Kids Toy Cash Register
- Fischer Price Cash Register (a classic!)
- Learning Resources Cash Register
Fischer Price Little People
Check out the huge variety of toys and play sets!
Little People Toys and Play Sets
Play Kitchen with Toy Food and Dishes
- Melissa and Doug Wooden Play Kitchen
- Melissa and Doug Wooden Food Pieces
- Melissa and Doug Kitchen Accessories (Pots, Pans, Dishes)
- Green Toys Cooking and Dining Set
- Green Toys Tea Set
- Green Toys Pizza Parlor
- Learning Resources Dinner Food Basket
What are some of your family’s favorite toys that you plan to hold onto forever?
This post contains my affiliate links.
I agree with all these ? I would add playmobile figures and sets for the 6-12 yr crowd. And we still have (20+ yrs later) marbles and a marble run maze. And the refrigerator cardboard box from the appliance store! Ours lasted literally years in our playroom as a store, post office, house…. Best. Toy. Ever.
As a mother of girls, I would add our American Girl doll collection. I also agree with the Little People playsets. My girls still play with the Playsets my mom saved. Still debating on our play kitchen set and lego duplos. However a girlfriend and I had this discussion once, since babies/toddlers put everything in their mouth, do we really want our grandkids chewing on 30 year old plastic? That led me to garage sale or donate most baby/toddler toys.
I love your list, Laura!
Ours would be Americal Girl dolls and the Breyer horse collection (my two girls)… and for the boys, definitely Legos and Thomas the Train toys!
I still have the baby doll I played with as a little girl, as well as the paper dolls and clothes my mom made for me. Timeless toys are definitely worth the investment and the memories. xoxo
The wooden puzzle that is pictured, looks like a tangram for kids…is there a link to that? I’d love to get it, but I can’t find it!
Thanks!
(The one with shapes to make the bunny, etc.)
Hi Jane,
The puzzle you are looking for is Melissa and Doug and is on the 2nd page once you click on the wooden puzzle link! Very reasonably priced at just $15.18 for 120 shapes and 5 double-sided panels!! Hope that’s helpful!
Blessings, Elizabeth
Here it is! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JZCG?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwheavenlyho-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B00006JZCG
We bought a set of jumbo Lego type blocks on Amazon a couple of years ago and enlarged our set with more last year. Those are the best toys I’ve ever purchased. My kids literally play with them every single day, even now, almost 3 years after the initial purchase. I’ve never bought any toy that has held their interest this long. They are awesome!