Are you shopping for a kid between the age of 3-10? I’ll make your life easier. I’ve already done the hard work of talking with lots of moms about which toys have staying power.
Meaning, which toys get played with every time they’re pulled out of the toy box even years later when the newness has long since worn off?
So what kinds of toys are toys with staying power? Usually it’s toys that can be played with in more than one way. Toys that let the imagination take over.
I asked other moms to weigh in on what toys they see standing the test of time at their house. I noticed a lot of similarities. Many of the same kinds of toys were mentioned repeatedly.
So I’m sharing with you our list of toys with staying power in hopes it helps if you’re shopping for a kiddo or so you can pass this list on to people who are asking what they should get your kiddo(s) as gifts.
Keep reading to find out which toy was recommended most by moms.
This list is full of affiliate links to Amazon. I do earn a small commission on anything you purchase through the link from this site. However, this is not a sponsored post. I only link to items I truly think others will find valuable. You can read my disclosure policy here.
Artistic Toys
Art Supplies: We started with only washable paints, but our cabinet of supplies has filled with much more over the years. I pieced together our own supplies, but I’m linking to this set to get your little artist off to a good start.
Xylophone: Just admit it, even YOU want to play with the xylophone. It NEVER gets old. Ok, after the kiddo has been banging on it for a while, it gets old to the parent, but not for the kid. Just when I thought we were done with our xylophone, I realized how helpful it is to practice some musical concepts (such as solfage) to help us with piano practice.
Dress Up Clothes: In our house, capes and fairy wings and wands continue to get lots of play time.
Outdoor Toys
Sidewalk chalk: For outdoor fun, this just never gets old for little kids and for older ones too. We try to add new accessories to our collection whenever we see them. These stencils provide a great jumping off point for the imagination.
Bubbles They just never get old! They’re fun for kids of all ages. Even adults really (as long as you’re not the one blowing them the whole time). For that idea alone, a bubble machine is worth it.
Scooter: We’ve had this scooter for three years. It gets ridden a lot and is still in very good condition. It’s adjustable so it can grow with the child.
EzyRoller: We’re going to add another pair of wheels to the backyard in the form of this EzyRoller. I’ll be ordering one for Pooky for Christmas. I can’t yet vouch for it personally, but it has been recommended by other moms and has a 5 star rating on Amazon. It’s definitely an investment, but I believe it will provide years of entertainment and exercise since it’s recommended for ages 4-14 (up to 150 pounds). There is a mini version as well recommended for 2-5 year olds.
STEM Toys
Blocks: We have so many different kinds of blocks, it’s kind of silly. But they are all fun in different ways.
Legos: We do have some of the kits, but a big bucket of bricks allows for great imaginative play.
Tegu Blocks: Yes, these magnetic wooden blocks are definitely an investment. But they are a quality built toy. We’ve had ours for three years and the paint hasn’t worn off and the wood hasn’t chipped at all. They still look brand new even though they’ve seen lots of play time by lots of little hands over the years. Because they’re magnetic, they provide great entertainment in the grocery cart, and they’re great for travel too. I’m so excited that they make a set for babies now.
Foam blocks: These large foam blocks provide fun for kids in a variety of ages. I like this set in particular because the pieces are larger than those in most other sets so it doesn’t have any choking hazards. They are soft, which means when they come tumbling down, no one gets hurt and they’re practically noiseless.
Crazy Fort: If your kid likes making blanket forts (and who doesn’t), then they’ll love this as much as Pooky does. We’ve had the Crazy Fort for three years now, and we’ve had lots of fun with it. We made a castle as added fun for her Princess birthday party one year. We’ve made lots of blanket forts with it. Currently, Pooky’s favorite thing to do is put dark sheets over it and call it her tiger cave. Originally we had to help her assemble it, but now she can do it independently.
Magnatiles: Yes they’re pricey, but we’ve had ours for 4 years and counting. They’ve provided a ton of entertainment for lots of littles in our lives ages 2 and up. (Although their recommended age is 3+) This is the No. 1 Toy with Staying Power recommended by every mom I talked to in preparation for making this list.
Other Toys
Indoor trampoline: Pooky (and her friends and cousins) can not get enough of the indoor trampoline. It’s such a great way to burn off energy when you’re stuck indoors.
Board Games and Puzzles: There’s something about sitting around a table together with snacks and family that draws kids in. Here I’m including a couple of Pooky’s favorite games that she’s always excited to play.
Stuffed Animals: Pooky never gets tired of these, and from what I hear, that’s true for so many kids in this age range.
Tablet: If I’m being honest, this list of toys with staying power wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t include a tablet. I love this Fire Kindle Kids edition. It’s so durable. Ours has seen years of use.
I think you’ll see that most of the items on this list have one thing in common. There’s more than one way to play with them. In fact, there are pretty much endless ways to play. The only limit is the imagination. So use that as your guiding principal when shopping for toys with staying power.
Do you know of another toy with staying power that isn’t on this list? Please mention it in the comments, I’m sure other readers would appreciate the suggestion.
Be sure to pin the image below so you’ll have this list for later.
For gift ideas for younger kids check out my list of Gender-Neutral toys.
My son loves making forts! I have the crazy fort on his list for Christmas!
Wonderful! I’m sure he will love it.
Great list of toys that kids will enjoy for years! I also find that blocks, Magnatiles, board games and art supplies end up giving your kids the biggest bang for your buck. I would add a play kitchen to this list. My kids never get sick of playing grocery store and restaurant.
Thanks for the suggestion. I love things that encourage imaginative play.
Great list of toys with staying power! I totally agree about the board games- families can get so much use out of those! And art supplies are great ones to keep going back to and re-use in different ways.
Thank you. And yes, I really love anything that can keep getting re-used in different ones. Thanks for stopping by.
You have a great selection that will keep kids happy and busy for a while. Arts and craft sets are a winner for this age group.
You’re right, arts and crafts are great for this age. Some of the kits are hit or miss though because they’re either too complicated or require a lot of help from the grown-ups. Thanks for stopping by.
Magnet blocks are a favorite in our house! And I love that they’re fun for adults, too! And they’re safe for my baby to chew on, so we can play with them all together!
Yes! Toys like that are the best. We have a lot of little cousins that come visit, so we try to keep out only toys that are safe for them too.
These are some great ideas! We can definitely use some more board games and art supplies instead of videogames and the newest Xboxs
I agree! And I didn’t list those because it seems like they’re constantly changing and kids just want the newest one and get tired of the old one. Thanks for stopping by.