The best open-ended toys for toddlers and preschoolers

Looking for toys that add life and not junk to your child’s playtime? Deciding what to put on your wishlist can be overwhelming. And you don’t want to waste your money on something that will quickly loose their interest or be so obnoxious that you want to throw it in the trash in a month.

Over the years I’ve fallen in love with higher quality toys that my kids keep choosing again and again. And most of these favorites are made from natural materials, can be used by a variety of ages, and encourage open-ended and imaginative play.

Arthur attends a preschool that’s Waldorf-inspired and Montessori-minded, and their materials have inspired my own purchases and toy “philosophy” over the years. These well-crafted, natural material toys can last for years, if not decades. It’s been inspiring to watch the wonderfully rich play children have with these “simple” toys, void of screens, buttons, loud noises, and cartoon characters.

In full-disclosure, we definitely have a mix of natural and non-sustainable toys at our house. Many of the toys on this list have a cheap, plastic alternative. But if a price point doesn’t fit within your budget, do what I do and look for gently used items on eBay, at a second-hand toy store (check out Ana’s Toy Depot in Austin!), or Facebook toy-selling groups. It’s all about finding balance and which items are worth an investment for your family.

More than anything, I want to encourage imaginative play with items my kids will treasure, that don’t introduce unnecessary toxins into our home, and that won’t break our budget. So I’ve compiled a list of those things here for you!

These are some of my favorite open-ended toys for ages 1-5 (or younger!), perfect for kids to grow with and for families with multiple kids. The toys included here are ones that are easy for both my 18-month old and 4 year old to play with together. This is by no means an exhaustive list, simply our favorites that get the most use. I’ve picked toys that we own and a few that I’ve observed in use elsewhere that balance quality with affordability. Hope you enjoy!

When you buy something using the links in my posts, I may earn a small affiliate commission. Thanks for supporting my work!