Safe toys with multiple kids

[hehateme]

DS1 is 3 years an 4 months old
DS2 will turn 1 this month

As I look for Christmas presents for our kids it is very challenging to find toys that are safe for both of them.
For example I have heard nothing but good things about Imaginext Castle and my DS1 will love it. But I am concerned about safety of DS2.


What are other parents doing?

Are their toys that are safe for both of them?
Should I deprive DS1 or should I get him things he likes and try to keep the older kid toys separate. This may not be practical because they love playing together.

Thanks

[edurnemk]

I'm struggling with this, too. DS is really into Lego, Playmobil, etc. now. We have a few toys that are not allowed outside his room. He's not always compliant so I'm contemplating putting them in a special bin, to be kept in a higher shelf and only to be given to him during DD's nap times. I don't want to deprive him of using those toys, but I do worry about DD's safety in a few months.

Other toys that I'm OK with him having around DD and eventually sharing are: duplos, musical instruments, larger toy cars, some toy story toys, play food, stuffed animals, sport stuff (soccer ball, etc). And of course, all of DD's toys (most of them inherited from DS), which funnily enough have sparked a new interest in DS.

DD is not mobile yet, but she grabs anything within her reach and pretty soon she will be mobile so I'm trying to prepare for that. I figure DD will only be allowed in DS's room with direct supervision, but at least the rest of the house is safe. This is the reason I refused to have them share a bedroom and use the 3rd BR as a shared playroom.

[mnosky1]

My girls are 5 years apart so this was obviously an issue. When my youngest was born my oldest already had and liked stuff like playmobile, littlest pet shop and Polly pockets.
But here's some thoughts- if older child is mature enough he/she can keep stuff away from little sibling and clean up appropriately and if not then they'll have to do without that toy. Some toys just avoided- magnet stuff, smaller Legos.
They both liked Barbies and calico critters and snap dolls (Barbies and calico critters took away small pieces - these are not <3 but at 2 we used).
They both have played with and still play with unit blocks, duplo Legos, and wedgits, stuffed animals to play vet and little people off and on. (My girls are 4 and 9 and my oldest is a great big sister!) There's a lot else they play with together now with smaller pieces too. One thing I never did was move to regular Legos for my older DD until the youngest was ready to move. She'd never want to play duplos with friends but we build a lot of stuff because we have a lot ton of blocks and base boards so she's never complained. Oh and stuff like store, kitchen, house, playing school doesn't involve small pieces and works well with older/younger kids.

[MommyAllison]

We are dealing with this more now with dd2. When we found out we were pregnant with her, we became more conscious about what toys we were bringing in, knowing it was easier to keep things out than to take them away later. So we only have Duplos, no small Legos, and have never done tiny things like Polly Pockets. When dd2 started playing in the playroom (9mo-ish) I went through and took out any small pieces to things (Barbie shoes, small dollhouse accessories, etc) and put them in a ziploc bag to bring back out when dd2 is out of the mouthing stage. We've actually liked Imaginext for its toddler-friendliness so far. We had to put away a couple of the swords, but most of it isn't bad.

[hehateme]

DS1 would have loved imaginext castle but from the pictures it seems that it may have many small parts so we will find another toy.

Thanks

[georgiegirl]

Magnatiles!

Dd was almost 3.5 when ds was born, and we turned a large closet off the living room into a "chokeable" playroom. We put a baby gate up at the door so we could still see/interact with her. Even though ds is almost 3.5 now, we still call it the "chokeable room."

[sidmand]

I was thinking Magnatiles too! We were lucky that DD never was much for sticking things in her mouth (like DS!) but DS was almost 3 when DD was born. We would take the very tiny things away (some of the Playmobil pieces were really too small for either of them). There were some thing he could only play either at the kitchen table (which was too high up for her to get to) or when she was napping, or I've heard of people keeping the older kid in a playpen type thing so you could contain the little pieces instead of vice versa.

DS was okay with those rules and understood some toys could only come out when DD was sleeping (Hungry Hungry Hippos, the marble run, etc.).

[jenstring95]

I agree with PP - Magnatiles would be great. They have magnets, but they are completely enclosed and (as far as I can tell) completely unswallowable. Also, Stomp Rockets would be great; a plasma car or scooter, etc.

If you want to get toys with smaller parts, maybe keep them inaccessible to both DC so that a parent has to get them out when it is ok for them to be played with, and then maybe play with them on a table where your 1yo can't get to them? (That seems like a really long sentence, sorry!)

[abh5e8]

we keep games, puzzles and art supplies on a high shelf, where dd or ds1 have to ask an adult to get them down. i am waiting on legos, as dc#4 is due next summer (although i may let them in next christmas, with some rules). dd was only 3.75 when ds2 was born (ds1 was 22 months when ds2 was born) and she LOVES baby dolls et al, so we didnt' have much of a problem with choking hazard toys. it think it will be much harder this time around...dc will be 6.5, 4.5 and 2.5 when new baby comes.

[ett]

My boys are 3.5 years apart. Toys that were safe for both kids when DS2 was young included ...
magnatiles
alphabet blocks
unit blocks
floor puzzles
musical instruments
play food (larger sized ones)
duplos

Toys that were choking hazards like the regular sized legos had to be kept in DS1's room.

Fortunately, DS2 stopped mouthing toys pretty early on, so he was playing with small toys well before 3. He's been playing with the regular sized legos since he was 2.5-3.

[vonfirmath]

DS1 is 3 years an 4 months old
DS2 will turn 1 this month

As I look for Christmas presents for our kids it is very challenging to find toys that are safe for both of them.
For example I have heard nothing but good things about Imaginext Castle and my DS1 will love it. But I am concerned about safety of DS2.

My 5 year old is getting the Imaginext Castle een though I have a 1 year old at home (though she is 16 months). While we can watch, we may play with both the Castle and the Little People house she is geting on a table in the front room.

The Castle will go back in 5 year old's room when we are no longer going to be around to watch and he can play with it there. OR we'll just pick up the smaller pieces. She does fine with the people and such.

I expect we only have another year before she'll be fine with such things.

She can already play (safely) with his Magformers, Twig blocks, and Duplos.