2.5yr old boy toy help!

[alleyoop]

Maybe some of you BTDT mommies can help me. I am in need of some new toys for DS. He is 2.5 and lately is driving me up the wall with his need to take EVERYTHING apart. Leave him alone for a minute, and he is up on the counter taking the toaster apart. Feed his sister, and I find him in the garage, taking the wheels off my bike (and even I didn't know how to do that!). I need some construction, assembly toy that he can really get into that is still choke safe.

I don't think that he would get into Leggos(despite the choke issue) because you have to start from scratch with an idea and he doesn't have that sort of creativity just yet. We do have a huge thing of Mega-blocks, which he likes if you play it with him. I don't think the big parts really satisfy his want to practice his new fine motor engineering skills. Ff there was something that was already assembled that he took apart or rearranged then he would be brilliant at it.

Anyone have experience with toys like this or have suggestions on how to segregate small-part toys from younger ones?


Thanks so much! -Heather

[alkagift]

Heather,
I found a great site for stuff like this. The only issue is that the site is sorted by brand, not age, but they have SOOOO much stuff.

With just a quick look, check out the Matador brand, Kid K'Knex, and under the Erector section, look for Erector City. Honestly I think they've still got some smaller parts on the Erector one, but it certainly will be within his capability!

http://www.constructiontoys.com/


http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/27676.jpg


Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, who is TWO!

[sweetbasil]

Heather,
I don't know if this is a little too old for him, but Kellen really likes his MegaMagz and has for over a year now. They have them in the 3 yo class @ preschool, although they're mostly recommended for kids over 5. But K really gets into them. And the fact that they're magnetic makes them take less effort/planning and they're more forgiving when designing things than we've found Legos to be.

http://www.farmgoodsforkids.com/toys..._pt-m1697.html)

Also, when K was 2.5, we started getting into more complex puzzles- it took a little Mommy-and-Me time together for the first few times, but he was totally into it and almost completely self-sufficient at assembling puzzles after that.

HTH,

[mudder17]

I'd be a little afraid of them choking on the small pieces. However, if you were there playing with him, it might work. I've actually been very intrigued by these toys and if Kaya hits a stage where her Duplos are not sufficient entertainment (and she hasn't reached an age where she's ready for regular Lego), I might let her play with these with supervision. They look really awesome. Plus, if your kid is mostly into taking things apart and not sticking them in their mouth, it may actually work.

Kaya is much younger, but she does enjoy her Duplo preschool table. She enjoys sorting, and like your son, she definitely enjoys it when I build things up for her to take apart. :)

Do you have wooden stacking blocks? You could have him build towers and then throw bean bags at them (or something along those lines). I remember playing with a 2.5 year old boy and he loved that game.

I somehow think I'm going to be in your shoes in about a year because Kaya is always trying to take things apart or open them, etc. When she can't, she'll hand them to me because she's convinced they should open (most of the time they do). I'd be interested in what other suggestions people have.




Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ies/candle.gif

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...n_gold_12m.gif , 15 months & counting
Kaya's cousin, due October 9th!!!

[muskiesusan]

Have you seen Gearation? My kids are fascinated by it.

http://www.kidsurplus.com/ggpt.html

I will try and think of other things, but this popped in my head first.

Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

[darby24]

What about a tool bench? My tool/taking things apart obsessed nephew would love this:
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/27701.jpg
there is a bigger version as well; http://www.sensoryedge.com/buildingtoys.html

My nephew’s favourite things are his tools. I picked up a play set and then bought a real plastic toolbox at the dollar store (it's a smaller size.) He's constantly trying to take things apart with "his" tools. Of course he prefers real tools, last week when I was over at thier house, my nephew had taken a real screwdriver and had removed the knob from his dresser! This is also the kid that carries an extension cord around where ever he goes.

Or what about these? I've never seen them before, but they look age appropriate.
http://store.yahoo.com/rubymountaintoys/giantstars.html

I'll have to ask my sister and maybe we'll have more ideas for you.

[JElaineB]

What size megablocks does your son have? We have moved up to the Duplo size Legos, and they are a good size for DS at this point. We have a large green base plate and that helps him to build.

Do you have wooden trains? DS loves to build train layouts, definitely a good "construction" type of thing. He also makes (and takes apart) long trains once the track is set up. Most of the train pieces are pretty big, so not a whole lot of choking hazard worry for your younger child either.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[alleyoop]

Thanks for all your suggestions! I am going to buy a couple things (Erector City and Kid K'NEX) and see what he likes and can handle. I think I might just have to be very very careful for choking hazards.

I know that part of the draw of taking our stuff apart is that those things aren't toys... Why to toys for this age always look like baby toys? Big beads in bright colors and such. Do these toy makers have kids? Maybe we just need to get him a big 'ol box of real screws/nuts/things and some wood with holes in it and let him at it.

[josephsmom]

I like the pps' ideas of train sets and tool benches. Little Tikes also makes a couple of different workshops, and I've seen some cool things at TJ Maxx recently. I'm not sure of the name or the brand (sorry), but they are large vehicles that are meant to be taken apart and re-assembled and come with tools. I think they're called something like take-apart trucks. Good luck.


Helene
Mommy to Joseph, 12/29/01

[August Mom]

I was thinking of tools also. LT has a workshop that's pretty neat. We don't have it, but one of DS's friends does. It comes with tools that fit into various pieces. So, the screwdriver fits in the large plastic screws. The screws fit in shutters that you can use to attach to the window, etc. The parts are pretty big and I wouldn't be concerned about choking.

http://www.epinions.com/kifm-Toys-Al...Sided_Workshop

I'm thinking the one I've seen may have been discontinued and replaced with this:

http://www.littletikes.com/toys/Toys-Detail.aspx?Product_ID=2527&Description=Swirlin'+S awdust%e2%84%a2++Workshop&ProductCategory=ROLE+PLA Y