The season of gift giving is upon us. This year, we are scaling back and observing our children. What ignites their curiosity and creativity? What makes them think and use their senses?

Here is a list of open-ended toys and gifts that are perfect for inspiring independent and authentic play for your children. I have split our list into two categories: store-bought items and do-it-yourself or “find them” toys that may be in your house already, but simply need to be repurposed! Here are our favorite toys to encourage open ended play for children!

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Blocks and items for purchase….

HABA Technics Wooden Blocks {See our recent review here.}

Tegu Blocks

Grimms Four Elements Building Sets

MagnaTiles

Basic Building Blocks

Fort Magic {see our review here}

Spielgaben

Kapla Blocks

Zoobs

Montessori Knobless Cylinders

Legos or Lego Duplos

Texo Building Set

Window Blocks or make your own

Kinetic Sand

Play Silks

Peg people and rainbow blocks

Budsies Stuffed Animals: Turn your child’s work of art into a stuffed animal!!

Toobs

And sometimes the best gifts aren’t bought, but are created…..

Tree Blocks

Playdough

Loose parts: Children can create, and imagine, so much with small parts; they can be from nature: shells, rocks, sticks or acorns, or they can be things you have laying around the house: scraps of fabric, poms, gems, or small blocks! {Ensure children are always supervised!}

Chalkboard, mirror, or wooden board to play on

Recycled materials: cardboard tubes, bottle tops, boxes, plastic tubs, anything you would throw in your recycling bin can be imagined, or here I created a simple slot game, into something else!