It’s safe to say that with four boys we have gone through our fair share of toys. Some of those toys have stood the tests of time and have been handed down from the oldest boys to the youngest as they have grown. I know how hard it is to sort through the toys that are out there, but here are a few Tried and True Gift for Boys. (Yes girls can like these too. And, I understand that not ALL boys will like these things. I’m just raising my boys and sharing my experience of what my boys like.)
Tried and True Gifts for Boys
These are all toys that I personally own and have watched my boys play with them time and time again.
1. Foam Blocks
My oldest son received a bag of foam blocks when he was about 2 or 3 and it has been the best gift ever! Here is what I love about these blocks:
- They can’t break anything if your boys throw them! Bonus! I know my boys get rough and can throw things even if they are just playing. You don’t have to worry about these breaking things or hurting anyone.
- You can build SO many more structures than you can with other blocks because of the friction these foam blocks create. They kind of “stick” to each other so there are several possibilities for building tall structures.
We have a couple different tents but my favorite is the School Bus Tent. And my boys have always wanted the Fire Truck Tent
but we haven’t purchased it yet. They are just great because you can fold them up really small to put away and then my kids play with them hours on end. We’ve had our School bus tent for about 7 years and it continues to be played with.
I think it is pretty common knowledge that boys love LEGO but as a mom of boys with numerous LEGO sets I can tell you that if you boys aren’t asking for a specific set, you should get them a box of plain LEGO bricksand watch their imagination get to work. I love, LOVE the details found in some of the different LEGO sets (I’m pretty sure LEGO engineers have the coolest job on the planet) but I also love when my boys just get creative and don’t follow a certain set
.
4. Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels are another one of those toys that you know your kids will love. From my experience though, I have found that my boys play with their plain Racetrack much more than any of the fancy sets. They can hook it up to their bunk bed and watch their cars speed down and through the loop over and over again.
5. Hopper Balls
My boys would play on a Hopper Ball for hours. I love that they are a GREAT way for boys to get their extra energy out.
We had a TinkerToy construction set when we were kids and my parents still have it. It is one of the first things my boys go to when they visit. So many cool things they can build and I love watching them come up with their own creations. And, apparently the original cans are really hard to find now! I had no idea. They do have newer boxes that you can get. I bought my boys a can about 5 years ago and they love them!
What little boy doesn’t love dinosaurs? We have Dinosaurs that roar and snap their jaws, Dinosaurs that chase you around
, and even Dinosaurs that convert to cars
but it seems like the think my boys play with the most is just the plain Dinosaurs
that don’t do anything at all. I love watching their imaginations come to life!
This one might seem a little different than what you would expect but my boys request flashlights for every birthday and Christmas and their favorite type of flashlights are the ones they can wear on their heads. They love exploring or just staying up at night reading.
We have a fun Playmat that my boys have kept on the floor of their room for years and they have all gone through a stage where they played with it constantly. There are so many different ones to choose from that you can find one for every personality.
I’ve never had to worry about pirate toys getting played with! These are all out constantly and my youngest boys have a blast with them. These are our favorites:
- Pirate Play Set
- Fisher Price Imaginext Pirate Ship
- Playhut Jake and the Neverland Pirates Play tent
- Jake and The Neverland Pirates Accessory Trunk
- Playmobil Pirate’s Take-Along Island
- Mickey Mouse Pirates of the Caribbean Pirate Ship
What can you add to my list?
Is there a toy that you have had for years that your kids continue to play with? Let me know and I’ll add it to our list.
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My sons are now in their thirties and they played with just about everyone of these! I don’t remember the head flashlight back then, but they loved any flashlight! The playmat has been passed down to our grandson and boy does it get some use. Best thing I ever bought-hot wheels and a playmat. Those darn Legos were always underfoot-ALWAYS. I have to say, though that any big cardboard box was a boat, rocket ship or race car. If it was big enough for Dad to get in there with them, so much the better. I am enjoying your site so much, thanks for all the ideas…Merry Christmas to you and yours.