The best toys are the ones you don’t think of as toys!

You spent hours searching for that perfect toy and then on Christmas morning the only thing your child was interested in was the box. Or the wrapping paper. And, despite your attempts to make this toy more appealing (“How about if I talk about it in this funny, high-pitched voice?”), they still haven’t shown a jot of interest.  

But you can’t get them to leave the hoover alone. They will scale the kitchen side to have a touch of the fruit bowl. A spatula is apparently the most interesting thing in the house.  

Which in many ways is a positive thing because money might be a bit tight after Christmas. 

It can be easy to think that the toys that will benefit your child most would be the all-singing, all-dancing, top-of-the-range educational toys that cost an arm and a leg. But we are here to reassure you that you don’t need to spend a load of money and that you might just have everything you need under your own roof. That, actually, the best toys are the ones you don’t even think of as toys.  

‘Non-toy toys’ at home  

There are many objects that can be sourced in or around the home that are free, cheap and can be used in many ways. Children are naturally more curious about objects that they have not seen before or about objects that they have seen you use. When they are, items that are safe for them to explore can provide them a whole host of different benefits.  

Here are some examples.

Kitchen cupboard  

Cups  

Cups can be used for multiple purposes in play. Children can use them to sort objects by different properties, such as colour, shape or size. They could even use them to stack, build, and create imaginative structures. They can be used in the bath or in the garden.  

Pots and pans  

Pots and pans are another household item that children love to play with. A set of measuring bowls will be played with for a long time in lots of different ways. Paired with a wooden spoon, they make a great drumkit for your child to explore sound and rhythm. Chrome pots and pans are also fantastic for children, in terms of how they look and feel. Children can also experience their own reflection.  

Muffin tray  

Muffin trays are brilliant for sorting, enclosing, counting and hiding. You can add muffin cases or use tape to promote fine motor development. Spoons and balls are also great to develop hand-eye coordination. They can be used with play dough, mini pompoms, shells – the list goes on. 

Cans  

Food tins are brilliant for construction. When they do not have a ring pull, they make a brilliant resource for stacking, transporting, rolling and standing on. They are also good for challenging thinking around how some things are heavier and lighter than others.   

Recyling 

Tubes 

Wrapping paper tubes, toilet roll tubes and kitchen roll tubes are brilliant for being creative. They can make tunnels for toy cars and homes for toy animals. They can be used as a bat to hit a pompom or for construction – there are so many possibilities. You can attach them with tape to kitchen cupboards and make shoots for balls or line them up as castle turrets. These are a good thing to keep in a bag for that moment when a car just has to have a ramp or you want to use them for painting – no one wants to have to unravel a whole roll!  

Cardboard boxes  

Cardboard boxes have endless possibilities! Depending on the size, they can be used in whichever way your child wants. Big boxes can be made into dens, palaces, cars, or even a pirate ship to go on a treacherous crusade! Smaller cardboard boxes can be used as houses for play figures that your child already has (or even dolls that they make themselves). They could even make animal habitats, building blocks or tiny worlds for elves or fairies. Cardboard boxes are also a great resource for junk modelling.  

Egg boxes  

Great for collecting, sorting, counting and carrying around your treasure. We like an egg box to take out on a walk to collect special things.  

Sheets and blankets  

Don’t throw out your old sheets! Old blankets and sheets are great for play. They can used for den-building alongside other items, both indoors and outdoors. They can be used for role play, can be decorated or turned into a parachute or costumes. They are even handy for setting up pretend play areas.  

Old clothes and accessories  

Children are bought lots of fancy dress costumes but during their pretend play they generally just want to act out their home life and the people they know well. So, why not give them some old scarves, hats, sunglasses and whatever else you can find? Sometimes these items will be used as something else! 

Natural items  

Going on a walk outdoors with your child to see what objects interest them is a good way of sourcing objects to play with. This could be anything from crunchy autumn leaves, pebbles, chunky stones or even knobbly sticks. Natural objects are great for playing with and the different textures, shapes and sizes of objects provide a fun sensory experience, while also supporting fine motor development and an understanding of the natural world.   

Benefits of using real-life objects for play  

Real-life objects are great for encouraging creativity and open-ended play in your children. If you think about it, giving your child a toy cake means that they can only play with it as a cake but if you provide them with a plain piece of cardboard, it could be a cake, a sandwich, a remote control, a book, a hat – the possibilities are endless!  

Also, using real-life objects for play supports language and communication skills. As your child is exploring these new things, they will be encouraged to use new words and descriptive language to share their thoughts and feelings about these objects. This is also a great way to encourage children to play with others and as they play and discover together, they will be taking turns in conversation, as well as listening to one another.   

Finally, real-life objects in play can also be beneficial for gross and fine motor development. When playing with objects, your child will be developing their grip, especially when handling smaller, unusually shaped items. They will also be playing with objects that may not be a regular shape in the same way that their man-made toys are, meaning that they will be handling a range of textures, shapes, and even items that have different parts to explore.   

Want us to show you how? 

Within our app you’ll find that we are committed to creating activites that are cheap or free and quick to set up. We love using natural resources and allowing children to play freely. To us, this comes easily because we have many, many years working in childcare between us, but we know that for lots of parents, figuring out how an egg box can fill twenty minutes isn’t so obvious.  

Watch out for our FREE pre-recorded classes where you can get your friends round (if you fancy), pop the kettle on and watch along. Everything you’ll need will be stuff you can gather from around the house (or pick up cheaply) and as well as being great fun we’ll be sharing the science behind why these activities will support your child’s development. More details coming soon!