The Savvy Five: Our Favourite Toys

“The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.”

If you don’t consider yourself to be open-minded, don’t blame your mom (that’s just mean). Make sure your kids are though, by picking out some ‘open ended’ toys that will help nurture their imagination. Open-ended toys are powered by a child’s imagination (not batteries) and the ways of playing with them are endless.

Here’s a round up of our top five picks to help you narrow your search (and maybe help with your holiday list too).

Bilibo
Why It Made the List: It’s the perfect example of an open ended toy because it can be anything a kid wants it to be. At first glance the bilibo is a roly-poly seat, a turtle shell, a hat, an awesome hide-and-seek spot or a doll’s bed (just to name a few). It can even be used in the snow. The beautiful part? There is no right way or wrong way to play with this toy—it’s up to the child to decide. ($34.95, Age 2+)

Green Toys Recycling Truck
Why It Made the List: It’s a lean green fighting machine. This multi purpose toy is fun for kids ages 3 and up (including parents). It’s a truck, it’s a lesson in recycling, it’s an example to us all. The cardboard box it comes in (also recycled, naturally) sports images of bottles, cans and paper that parents can cut out for kids to sort and load into the truck’s slots, then cart away and dump in the nearest bin. Made of recycled milk bottles, this toy brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, ‘it is what it is’. ($29.95, Age 3+)

Perplexus
Why It Made the List: It’s a ball, it’s a maze, it’s a puzzle challenge and it’s pretty addictive. Unlike traditional flat-surface mazes that are composed of one path, perplexus challenges players to maneuver a small marble around complex barriers inside a transparent sphere with three dimensional tracks and 100 barriers. Great for motor and dexterity skills, as well as hand-eye coordination. ($24.95, Age 8+)


Crazy Forts
Why It Made the List: It’s better than a stinky old blanket and a few chairs. Kids build the Crazy Forts with the balls and sticks provided—any shape works—which leaves more for the imagination. Kids create and build their fort as they like and then play inside their own tea house, castle, dog house, igloo…the list goes on (it’s very open ended). ($49.95, Age 4+)


Melissa and Doug Grocery Store/Lemonade Stand
Why It Made the List: It’s the perfect big impact gift for grandparents who are looking for a toy that will last. We love that this toy can double up as a fresh produce market for kids who love to shop or be used as a lemonade stand that even the older kids will use. It’s equipped with lots of accessories to add on at any time and is popular for both boys and girls. ($134.95, Ages 3+)

So if you are looking for some new toys, keep an open mind.

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