What things you bought your kids which WEREN'T a waste of money

sunnysea83

i dont have kids but the best things my parents bought me would be

playmobile - the big victorian house
Barbie dolls
BIG white bear!

haycorns

lego and Hornby - both good fun and both have a good resale value when you have grown out of it.

JJ7

A great big black gorilla with a leather (ish) chest, saved us having to buy a baby gate at my mothers house. My Mum used to sit it on the bottom of the stairs and my son daren't go near it.

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

cuffie

Early Learning Centre Happy Street / Happy Land.
My eldest aged 13 had a few bits for his 1st birthday. The collection grew with my other 2 growing up, and my 8 year old still plays with it now. I have to say, the best, and most used toy in the house from all 3 of my children.

bagby

Brio train set - the only thing my son didnt get bored with.

Bought a huge box of KNex which both son and daughter played with - endless fun. It was half price at £50 about 12 years ago and I thought it was expensive but did prove to be good value. We then went on to buy large roller coasters Knex and electronic bits.

bylromarha

Books + jigsaws. Mostly from car boot sales.

Meant I had a reader from 3, who amused himself reading. He then began to read to his sister too when he was 4. Meant as well as amusing himself, he amused my then 2 year old.

Which also gave her a love of reading, and she will now also sit for hours with a selection of books to read.

*Scottish*Lass*

I used to be a nanny for twins and they had this little soft, material, sailor rattle that they constantly (from the age of 1) fought over. It was 10p at a jumble sale!! It's still at my house and my 2 nephews have had it and loved it since then lol

jamsandwhich

Cardboard boxes and dressing up outfits. My girls play with the most random of things - their fave at the moment is my old imperial typewriter which is on a chest of drawers in our bedroom - they stand up on chairs and use it as a cash register and sell all my creams and potions from my big hatbox on one side and put them in one of my big handbags.

They also have a big bag of cotton wool balls and spend hours making it snow!!!

We suggested their uncle bought them a play cash register and some play food for christmas and they have barely looked at it:o

YORKSHIRELASS

The item that definitely has had the most play value in our house is a very simple pop up play tent. DS got it for his 3rd or 4th Christmas and it has been played with endlessly. In fact it was in use last Sunday afternoon as part of an army base (DS is now 10!). It has been inside, outside, soaked by rain, taken to Nanna's, even taken on holiday.

Last year we bought the boys a proper tent to play with outside but bizarrely they love their old pop up one. I got my niece one for Christmas and I hope she loves it as much.