I personally like to buy my grandbabies “educational” toys. Growing up I had to use my imagination and pretend a lot. Outside play, riding bikes, playing in the sandbox, playing on the swing set, jump rope, board games and hop scotch. Electronics hav... Here I'm recommending and reminiscing popular toys today and popular toys from back in the day.
this is similar to one of the very first toys I remember as a child - the spinning tops
Choral Spinning Metal Top
remember See 'N Say? everyone had to take a turn pulling the cord to see which animal sound would play next
Fisher Price See 'N Say Learning Toy
check out this updated version of the original Fisher Price record player, we would sing along to nursery rhymes
Fisher Price Music Box Record Player
remember making potholders on a metal loom like this one? Now I can make them with my grandchildren
Classic Potholder Making Kit and Extra Loops
we used to have something similar to this at our school carnival fall events, now this is a popular outdoor game to play during parties, family reunions or summer fun days
Portable Bean Bag Toss Game
I remember playing this and opening the door, to see if your attire matches that of your mystery date, if so you win.
Nostalgia Edition Mystery Date Game
cards would be all over the place! but it was always fun playing with my siblings all of the card games
Classic Kid's Card Game, Set of 6
our checkers game growing up was a cardboard game mat with plastic red/black game pieces
Classic Wooden Checker Board Game Set
trying to learn the tricks you could do with yo-yo's was so hard, I remember trying to learn "around the world" and "walk the dog"
Duncan 1955 Super Tournament Replica Yo-Yo
I remember having a game box that had several different games included and Chinese checkers was one of the games
Classic Wooden Chinese Checkers Game Set
I received spirograph as a Christmas gift one year and played with it for hours
Original Spirograph Deluxe Set
my oldest grandbaby is a stem baby and would love a magnetic lab kit
Magnetic STEM Lab for Kids
we never really played croquet games, just had a big back yard and would hit the balls around
Six Player Croquet Set With Trolley
my grandkids have fun going down the driveway to check the mailbox, now they can take turns delivering mail
Flybar USPS Electric Ride-On Truck
definitely an updated version of the original Barbie airplane
Barbie Dreamplane Transforming Playset
for my granddaughter who always likes to play mommy
12" Baby Doll
lots of outdoor fun, whether they are chasing the bubbles or pushing the mower to make the bubbles
Bubble Lawn Mower
multicultural dolls, soft and cuddly
Soft Baby Doll
playing store was one of my favorite things to do as a kid, sometimes I would change it up and play drive-thru
Teaching Cash Register from Learning Resources
I did have the original metal slinky, now my grandkids have plastic slinky toys
Classic Slinky
my grandkids love rolly polly bugs and snails, I can't wait to make bug hotels so they can set them outside and observe
Design A Bug Hotel
I have always loved miniatures, I just may need this
DIY Miniature House Sam's Study
oh my, another cute miniature kit (for myself)
DIY Wooden Miniature Kit Cathy's Flower House
we saw a "friendly rock garden" at a small local park a few days ago and the grandkids want to paint rocks and add to that garden
Kid's Rock Painting Kit: Cool Faces
I found just the perfect gift for my niece's birthday
Loopdedoo Spinning Loom Deluxe Kit
paper dolls back in the day were not stick on peel off, they were really paper and cardboard with little tabs that folded to hold the clothes in place
DJECO Paper Dolls - Massive Fashion
great toy for encouraging imaginative role-play and endless scenarios
Wooden Grocery Store Playset
reminds me of the show Happy Days, kids these days don't really see diners like this
Melissa and Doug Star Diner Restaurant
my best friend as a kid had an awesome handmade sand box that her dad made and we would sit and play and talk for hours digging and covering toys in the sand
Simplay3 Sand & Water Bench
much different from the teeter totter back in the day, this one children can even flip over for active and imaginative tunnel crawling fun, indoors or outdoors
Simplay3 Rock & Roll Teeter Totter
great for clean up and storage so we don't step on the little cars around the room
Mighty Motors Heavy Hauler Toy Carry Case
all little boys want to work like dad out in the garage
World Tech Toys Spider-Man Tool Bench
my son had a dinosaur one, I was surprised how long he kept up with it having to feed it, walk it and play and let it sleep too
GigaPets The 90's Reinvented Toy
now it looks like they come in different colors, we used to have one option: RED
3D Viewer Toy With 6 Reels
a loud educational toy but kids love making their own music
Bluey's Magic Xylophone 7 Piece Band Set
I mean why not, the playdough gets all mixed up anyway
Play Doh Swirlin' Smoothies Toy Blender Playset
Ms. Rachel has an interactive show that kids love to watch, now she has a doll for kids to interact with
Ms. Rachel Speak & Sing Doll, 16” Interactive Toy
a jumping toy that encourages fitness, back in the day our pogo sticks looked similar but it was not foam
My First Foam Pogo Jumper
my grandkids have fun serving up ice cream
Melissa & Doug Wooden Ice Cream Counter
I like to play with the grandbabies this educational fishing game, we are learning with numbers and letters, and fine motor skills, concentration, colors
Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game Toy
a great educational hands on toy that has lots of learning opportunities
Montessori Learning Farm Train
we used to have a sit and spin, this is a little different and is a sensory chair for autistic children
Sensory Swivel Chair
keep this in the diaper bag when traveling to keep the baby busy and helps with teething
Baby Sensory Montessori Toy
I didn't even know they had a LAVA board game, my grandkids pretend the floor is lava and jump up on the sofa and loungers to avoid the lava
The Original The Floor is Lava!
little boys love the lights, sirens, noise of these emergency vehicles
4 Pack Emergency Vehicle Toy Playset
this learning toy has a daily-life themed design, equipped with telephone, car, dog, house, door, key helps with fine motor skills and is a bilingual toy as well - Spanish/English
Montessori Learning House Toy
our poppity pop toy back in the day was a walk and push poppity pop stick handle toy
Fisher-Price Baby Toy Poppity Pop Dump Truck
I love reading books to the grandkids and this storage shelf in the playroom helps them pick books out easily and encourages them to want to read
4-in-1 Montessori Bookshelf with Seat & Storage
we raise chickens and few other farm animals and the grandkids like learning about the farm and the different animal sounds
Farm Animal Toys with Portable Large Wooden Barn
great for school aged kids, I think it's important for them to learn basic information, climate, general knowledge and fun facts about the 50 States
My USA Interactive Map - Educational Talking Toy
we had disposable cameras that you had to drop off at the photo shop to get developed and pick up the pictures later
Instant Print HD Digital Video Camera for Kids
TaTa doesn't keep slime at her house, but the older grandkids do have slime at their house they enjoy playing with
Newest Crunchy Slime Set, Soft & Non-Sticky
Tata also doesn't keep play-doh at her house, but the grandkids love to spend time rolling out play-doh and being creative
Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Sweet Snacks Truck
loved by kids, great for stem kids, make dozens of cool electronic gadgets
Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Electronics Kit
an educational game, I like to limit screen time and this is an alternative to keep kids off of cartoons, YouTube and too much social media
Speak & Spell Electronic Educational Toy
I didn't have a book to teach me to make cat's cradle, cup and saucer, Jacob's ladder, I just had string and to memorize and play around until I made it
Cat's Cradle (Klutz Activity Kit)
I remember my brothers having a Hot Wheels race track like this
Slot Car Race Track Set
now you can add a stunt component to the race track for exciting additional fun
Hot Wheels Track Builder Deluxe Stunt Box & Car
many days I spent from morning til night riding my bicycle all over the neighborhood
Dynacraft Everest 20-Inch Girls BMX Bike
my DIL finds this so easy to push the 2 little ones around for her morning / evening strolls to get her daily steps in
Step2 Side-by-Side Push Around SUV Blue Two-Seater Stroller Push Car for Toddlers
are these taking the place of Trolls that we had back in the day?
𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓 6PCS The Monsters Multicolor 6.3" Plush Toy
grandkids play out at the farm while we do chores, this helps strengthens core muscles and arms while improving balance, motor skills
PonyCycle Ride on Unicorn Horse Toy
my brother's collected Hot Wheels and I want my grandkids to collect them as well
Hot Wheels Boulevard 25-Car Factory Set
my son used to collect classic cards and play pokemon with his friends
Pokemon Card Packs
I remember driving around town to different stores when Pokemon first came out to find the packs of cards because they sold out fast everywhere
Pokemon Trading Card Games Charizard Premium Ex Box
I have him in my collection of Beanie Babies, I collected them before the fall when they were all worth so much money
Beanie Babies Spunky the Cocker Spaniel Beanie Baby Plush
if I still collected Beanie Babies I would have to get him, I love everything camels
Ty Beanie Baby: Niles the Camel
we had an above ground pool when I was a kid, but my cousins who lived in the country had this slip n slide, now days they have fancier ones
Heavy Duty Large Slip n Slide
looking for a swing set for the grandkids, this includes a playhouse which is a great addition
Backyard Discovery Cedar Cove Cedar Wood Swing Set, Slides, Clubhouse, Rock Wall, Grill
we had just a metal swing set with a tall metal slide, now they are making swing sets safer and saucer seats!
Sportspower Triple Swing Metal Swing Set Saucer Swing, 3 Adjustable Swings
the kids love to jump and play so set up a trampoline outside and let them exercise and play
14 FT ULTIMATE MULTIPLAY Heavy Duty Outdoor Trampoline with Dunk Zone Basketball Hoop system
Nana keeps at her house for when the kids come over and want to play with play-doh or painting, and then wipe it down for dinner time
Homy Casa Kids Table and 4 Chairs Set
I love a toy that has a carry case/storage case to put all the pieces in when not being played with
Anpro Train Track Toy Set, 139pcs City Shop Themed Electric Train Set
new and improved Skip It
Skip It Retro Outdoor Toy, Light Up Ball and Digital Counter
oh, the click clacks!! trying to get the hand-eye coordination down was not easy but you got it, you got it.
Click Clacks
as a kid we just played with it because everyone had one, not realizing that it inspires creativity and helps develop fine motor skills & hand-eye coordination
Lite Brite Ultimate Value Retro Toy
I don't remember having so many silly parts to interchange and make potato head so different
Mrs.Potato Head Silly Suitcase Parts And Pieces
this was a fun game to play with siblings or alone practicing to beat them the next time we played
JA-RU Vintage Toys Metal Jacks Set
I used to have this Crissy doll and my cousin one day decided to cut all her hair off
Vtg 1970 Beautiful Crissy Doll Hair that Grows Turquoise Dress W Box
I remember watching the Sonny and Cher show every week, I still like Cher and her voice is unique. I remember loving the first song of hers I heard - Half Breed
Barbie 70s Cher Bob Mackie Collector Black Label
I asked my grandkids about getting this and they said no thanks, they don't like going to the doctor. I told them their baby dolls would be going to this doctor, not them.
Get Well Wooden Doctor Activity Center
the grandkids want to set this outside to sell our eggs and veggies, they won't last long outside as it is very hot
