In this blog you'll read (or watch) all about what open ended toys are, how they can be used, why you should invest in them and also some of our favourites for babies that can be used all the way through to big kids (and beyond). Even you will enjoy playing with these!
Watch the video or keep scrolling to read below.
We have been using open ended toys in our home since my children were babies - they are currently 7 & 5 and still love and use these same resources!
What is open ended play?
Open ended play is play that has no set or fixed way that a toy should be used. There is no set outcome and no 'right' or 'wrong' way for the toy to be used. This is why these toys can be used by children of many different ages and stages.
This kind of play encourages creativity and problem solving and gives children the opportunity to play however they please. This can often lead to more focused play and also longer moments of independent play.
When children are offered open ended toys they are free to explore and use them however they please following their imagination.
As parents and carers the best thing we can do to encourage open ended play is to not have expectations in how things should be used by a child. By doing this you will be allowing so many more things to be open ended and their play will be much more child led.
We love to incorperate open ended toys into our play with recycled items like tissue boxes, jars etc to keep the play new and exciting without breaking the bank.
What is an open ended toy?
An open ended toy is an item that has more than one use and can be used in a range of ways without rules or instructions guiding their play. It is a toy that can be included into multiple different play scenarios.
As an example wooden blocks have so many uses. Children could use them to build a house or city, stack a tower, bang together, match colours, make patterns, be a car, currency in pretend play, a cupcake... you get the idea!
Below I have linked a few blogs that will give you an idea as to how many ways just one item can be used and then you can apply this thinking to many other toys you own or think about this when thinking about growing your collection.
For some more play ideas for babies have a look at:
What is a closed toy?
A closed toy is one that has only has one way to play with it. For example as spoken about in the video linked above if you think about a toy cow. No matter how you look at the cow it is always going to be a cow.
Now think about a puzzle. There is only one way to complete a puzzle so there is a right and wrong way to use it. Closed toys often make children correct how they are using it in order to complete the task or use it.
Now if you're thinking of getting rid of your closed toys... don't! They still have a purpose! They teach children to focus on a skill that is needed and they will continue to work on it until it is mastered.
It's best to have a mix of open and closed toys in your playspace.
Is it too late to introduce my child to open ended toys?
It's never too late to introduce a child to open ended toys but they might need some ideas as to how to play with them.
I find incorperating a child's favourite character like Bluey or Paw Patrol with open ended toys can be beneficial so they can see how well they work together and what they can create with them.
How do I get them started in playing with them?
I would reccommend starting with some simple invitations to play and also sitting down with them and playing alongside them. You can give them ideas as to what to do with the toys and I'm sure they will also do the same for you!
An invitation to play can help to catch their attention. You can create one on the floor or low table by taking out a few toys and setting them out in an inviting way. They will often come over and start playing as they are already out.
I find this is really bennificial not just for younger children but school aged as well. After a long day at school sometimes they don't have the energy to think about what to do so having something that is already out as an option can help to ease into the transition of the afternoon.
Keeping their space fresh can also help to inspire more play.
We rotate the resources in our playspace every 2 weeks up to a month depending on how they are playing.
We either change the way they are displayed on the shelf or what is available.
If you'd like to read more about toy rotations see the blog, When and How to Rotate Your Playspace.
What shoud I start with?
When we started our open ended toy collection we started with the Grapat Nins Carla paired with mates, followed by the Grimm's Large Rainbow, Building Boards, Semi Circles and 6 Rainbow Balls.
Our collection soon grew to include other favourites such as playsilks, blocks and magnetic tiles.
Before we invested in these toys though we did a lot of DIY activities and only had simple things such as balls, pom poms, paddle pop sticks, boxes, tins, sticks etc. and with these I would still create many different activities.
These items serve the exact same purpose as the quality toys we stock but don't last as long. Play with items such as these is still of course open ended play though, you don't have to own everything!
Start by picking one or two things and grow your collection slowly. Another great reason for owning open ended toys is having less because with them you can do more!
Why should I invest in the quality items?
Up front some of these toys can be a bit of an investment but over time you will find you will spend less as you can continue to change the way you use the item for your baby all the way through to school age children.
You could buy a $30 toy 3 times but often children will grow out of that stage of play.
Instead for $90 or less you could have bought the Nins, Rings and Coins, a set of blocks or a few playsilks. These are some of our favourite open ended toys and below I will list some of the many ways these toys can be used for different ages and stages to give you an idea of exactly what I mean.
They are sure to be well loved for many years to come!
Another one of my favourites is the Totli Box. It incorperates so many aspects of play that can be replicated with recycled items like tissue boxes, containers etc but they are all together in one box that is built to last!
Older children can still enjoy this as well so it can be used past baby and toddler play. Some play ideas my children have come up with are a letterbox, cash register, microwave and a helicopter (after sticking a whirly squigz on top).
Top 5 Open Ended Toys
1. Grapat Nins, Rings and Coins
The Grapat Nins, Rings and Coins was our first open ended toy purchase when my eldest was 15 months old. She is 7 this year and we still play with this same set of loose parts!
These sets are so versatile and can be used in a variety of ways for children of different ages and stages.
The most simple ways to use it are colour matching, sorting, stacking and threading but there are SO many more ways to play.
2. Playsilks
Playsilks can be so many things and they are one of the most open ended toys that you could own!
We have owned ours for many years and they are without a doubt used daily. I grew our collections slowly adding a silk every couple of months and started with blue and green which are well loved in small world play as water and grass.
3. Blocks
Having a good block set is such a great investment as children grow as they are so open ended!
Children can start by stacking just a few blocks and knocking them over learning about cause and effect, balance and also patience.
As children grow older they are sure to use them to stack towers and as loose parts but also in small world play such as making houses, steps, fences for animals and imaginary play such as a phone or currency too!
4. Magnetic Tiles
Connetix Tiles are used daily in our house. We have owned them since Big Sis was 2 and have used under supervision with my youngest from about 15 months*.
They are used for building cities, houses, stacking, refractions in the sunlight, patterns and shapes, eftpos card and that's just a few examples!
*please note Connetix Tiles are reccommended from 3+ years due to containing magnets.
5. Balls, Pom Poms & Stacking Bowls
Balls and pom poms are such a wonderful loose part that can be well enjoyed by children young and old.
Wooden balls are great for rolling and posting whilst felt balls can be great for safely practicing to throw and catch.
Balls in combination with the Grimm's stacking bowls are a favourite of mine for balacing.
I hope that this has helped to educate you on open ended play and some of my favourite resources!
If you would like to read more head over to our other blogs or follow along on Instagram over at @littletoytribe.
- Alison