Looking for ideas on TOYS

[Caveman]

I grew up in the 70s with Lincoln Logs, Legos, Tinker-Toys, Hot-Wheels, etc... I still think these are some great toys for little boys to spend hours on because they encourage creativity and sharpen thinking skills...

I have a few little boys now and plan to get them the things mentions above, but I'm looking for suggestions on other things I may not have thought of.

My focus is creativity and learning... Any suggestions?

 

[MrChad]

Ages of the kids would help.

 

[MyThirdEye]

Wii.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Get the Lego Mindstorm kits. They're really expensive and complicated. The good part is you can play together with them and help implement ideas they have.

 

[Queasy]

Telescope. Just don't do what I did and get a telescope when it is either too cold outside or the moon isn't showing.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
Get the Lego Mindstorm kits. They're really expensive and complicated. The good part is you can spend hours building them for the little monsters and once they're destroyed you can never figure out how to put them back together again and your kids will cry.

fixed

 

[Bryophyte]

Art supplies (a big roll of butcher paper is a great addition to the supplies of crayons, colored pencils and markers, scissors, glue, tempura paints, etc.), Knex, Lego, Rokenbok, Klikko, lots of books, wooden train sets, blocks, puzzles and board games, a big box of noisy musical toys (maracas, drums, etc) for occasional sessions of chaos, puppets, 'boy' baby doll with lots of clothes (young children, even boys, like to play 'parental' roleplaying and it promotes the growth of the nurturing parts of their personalities), playdoh, a cookbook and a parent to help them (helps them learn how to read, follow directions, fractions, etc. Help them figure out how to double or triple a recipe.) They would also have a blast with a big box of precut pieces of PVC pipe and connectors, building all sorts of things indoors when the weather is nasty (they could cover their forts with a sheet) or outdoors when the weather's nice.

Spend time watching shows like "How it's made" with them.

 

[imported_Imp]

Playmobil: kinda like lego, but much less blocky and oh so cool. Loved it back then, but was a bit expensive.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Queasy
Telescope. Just don't do what I did and get a telescope when it is either too cold outside or the moon isn't showing.

hehe, i got a telescope for myself (a nice and expensive one too) and i barely use it. its either too cold, too hot, or i'm too lazy to drag it out. its bulky and heavy too.

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Queasy
Telescope. Just don't do what I did and get a telescope when it is either too cold outside or the moon isn't showing.

hehe, i got a telescope for myself (a nice and expensive one too) and i barely use it. its either too cold, too hot, or i'm too lazy to drag it out. its bulky and heavy too.

That's my problem, to use it, we need to drag it outside and let it sit for awhile to acclimate to the ambient outdoor temperature or else you see nothing but fog. That, combined with the grey Oregon skies, keep the thing indoors most of the year.

 

[videogames101]

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
Get the Lego Mindstorm kits. They're really expensive and complicated. The good part is you can play together with them and help implement ideas they have.

seconded,

but giving them a laptop with ubuntu or other linux installation on it and forcing them to figure everything out on their own will build skills way faster...

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: Queasy
Telescope. Just don't do what I did and get a telescope when it is either too cold outside or the moon isn't showing.

hehe, i got a telescope for myself (a nice and expensive one too) and i barely use it. its either too cold, too hot, or i'm too lazy to drag it out. its bulky and heavy too.

That's my problem, to use it, we need to drag it outside and let it sit for awhile to acclimate to the ambient outdoor temperature or else you see nothing but fog. That, combined with the grey Oregon skies, keep the thing indoors most of the year.

speaking of skies, from my back porch i only have about half the sky visible. the north and west directions are either blocked by trees or the house or both. i could move it out further in the yard, but again, more work plus the ground isn't level. otherwise, the skies are pretty dark when its not cloudy.

and if i hate dragging 15 feet to my back porch, i'm really not looking forward to packing it into the car and hauling to another site, setting up, then hauling it back home.

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: videogames101

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
Get the Lego Mindstorm kits. They're really expensive and complicated. The good part is you can play together with them and help implement ideas they have.

seconded,

but giving them a laptop with ubuntu or other linux installation on it and forcing them to figure everything out on their own will build skills way faster...

Or kill any interest they might have in it, depending on the kid's age & temperament.

 

[videogames101]

Originally posted by: rivan

Originally posted by: videogames101

Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
Get the Lego Mindstorm kits. They're really expensive and complicated. The good part is you can play together with them and help implement ideas they have.

seconded,

but giving them a laptop with ubuntu or other linux installation on it and forcing them to figure everything out on their own will build skills way faster...

Or kill any interest they might have in it, depending on the kid's age & temperament.

well, i was speaking for myself i guess, what do the kids like?

 

[nanette1985]

Doesn't matter what you buy for the kids. They're gonna play with the cardboard boxes instead. And the bubble wrap.

 

[IronWing]

Cordless drill if under eleven.
Cordless Super-Sawzall if over eleven.

 

[BlackTigers]

We got my brother a kit of little magnetic rods and metallic spheres, called 'Magnetix'.

He loved them, he's 10 by the way.

 

[Jhill]

Teach your kids about saving money with this.

 

[308nato]

I grew up in the 60's/70's as well. Get them a 1968 Roadrunner to restore.....if that won't work Estes rockets are a favorite with my kids. I have built those since I was little. A lot of quality time there with the young'uns. Picking them out, building, painting, customizing and of course launch day. They love counting down together and hunting them down. You can underpower them and shoot them in the backyard if you can't get to a good/large site all the time (we have a nice farm with lots of room )......of course, the fire, noise and smoke get you big hugs

 

[Caveman]

Thanks all for the ideas...

My kids range in age from newborn to 5-1/2. I'm also looking ahead though to when they are older.

 

[sdifox]

Mastermind.