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How to Buy Toys That Are Easy for Kids to Share

Looking for toys that are easy for kids to share? These tips will help you find the perfect family present for your kids.

Toys that are easy for kids to share

How to Buy Toys that Are Easy for Kids to Share

One of my top priorities as a mother is for my kids to get along. There are many things I do to raise children who get along. The easiest way to find gifts that are easy for kids to share is to look for gifts that encourage siblings to play together. These are the things I look for when shopping for toys to prevent arguments and fights.

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Toys that encourage siblings to play together

Invest in Construction Toys

Construction toys are wonderful for collaborative play. So long as you have enough pieces, children will build together. Sometimes my kids choose to collaborate on a larger structure like a tall tower, and sometimes – as you see above – they each build their own structure. Can you see how eight-year-old Johnny and seven-year-old Lily clearly influenced one another as they were building above? Here are a few of our favorite construction toys:

  • Bulk Dominoes
  • Wooden blocks, including plank blocks
  • Foam blocks (these are particularly nice to have if you have a child who likes to throw toys. They won’t hurt!)
  • Magna-Tiles. These clear ones are a little more expensive than the solid ones, but kids love building something, putting a toy inside, and being able to see the toy through the blocks. The clear ones are also amazing for light table play.
  • LEGO DUPLO bricks

Provide Open-ended Pretend Play Props

love when my my kids get a solid pretend play plot going, because it usually means they can play for hours – without conflict! Here are some of our favorite open-ended pretend play props:

Create a Family Maker Space

Making things together is a wonderful way for children to get to know one another – and you – better. My kids and I love to bake our favorite cookies, play with polymer clay, paint, and sew together. We also enjoy a lot of cardboard crafting.

Not sure where to start? Try putting together a simple home makerspace. The kids will do the rest!

Model Play

If your children are not used to playing together, you may need to model this first. Sit down and start with something simple – like my tall tower or bridge building challenge. Or, start role playing with a few math counters. Build your bear family a house, or design a wolf-proof house. Help them put together a menu for their play kitchen. Design a cardboard space shuttle to take them to the moon. Or maybe Mars?

Find the perfect family present for your kids

More Holiday Gift Guides

Still searching for the perfect gift? Check out these holiday gift guides from previous years:

What are your top tips for buying toys that are easy for kids to share?

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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

6 thoughts on “How to Buy Toys That Are Easy for Kids to Share”

  1. Natalie PlanetSmartyPants

    Helping kids to play together is so important. I also love the idea of a family makerspace!

  2. Elisa | blissful E

    Yes! I love it when my kids play happily together. :) Now that we have lots of most of these toys, I wish we could stop buying toys for the next several years!

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