What do children enjoy at playtime, these days?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

This kind of stuff.
This was my first time seeing such a toy. From what I can tell, the Tyrannosaurus actually reacts to our little cousin's posture, esp. vocally, toward it, backing-off or advancing as seems to fit the interaction. It squawks at the small dog they have when it comes too near and barks, It's a really cool toy, IMHO.

Trains, well, he and his brother have both been to my train layout several times, but only the brother has fallen in love with trains.

What have been your observations about what really interests children nowadays, especially enough for them to want to play with it (for more than two minutes, that is.)
Murph

P.S. Recommendations? (Christmas and several birthdays are coming up soon, so we have things to buy. But what?)

[Rufus T. Firefly]

What have been your observations about what really interests children nowadays.........

Not a clue anymore. Not even sure that children are of the same species.......

They are not who we were when we were children nor do out standards or expectations apply.

At times it feels a bit like the beginnings of Childhood's End.

[up148]

6 year old grandson is ate up with video games. Mom has to restrict time and keep some games put away. She pushes him towards the educational video products and learning pad which he's been doing for years. Also, anything radio controlled.

Bought him a lionel train set 2 years ago for Christmas, but at 4+ he needed parental input, which I'm sure he never got after grandparents left...so it's collecting dust. He's 900 miles away or we'd be playing trains all the time. They visited a month ago and I bought a Scaletric 1/32 race set for all the dads and Dalton to play with. Facetimed with him yesterday and he plays with it some, but still likes the video games more. He is the computer generation and everything has to happen fast. My son got him a car racing game to play on the X-box while Dalton was at our house, big mistake as he never wanted to leave it. He was playing like a champ in 10 minutes We finally had to dole it out slowly, so he would go outside and play with us.

BH

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Have toy stores been closing?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Have toy stores been closing?

I wasn't aware that there were any open any more..........

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Have toy stores been closing?

I wasn't aware that there were any open any more..........

I guess that says it all.

[robert.]

I read awhile back your friends in Time Square were closing or moving their store. One simple toy i can get a lot of miles from is a tape measure.
my daughter loves them

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I read awhile back your friends in Time Square were closing or moving their store. One simple toy i can get a lot of miles from is a tape measure.
my daughter loves them

Large cardboard boxes used to be a big play item, too. Those were the days..........

[up148]

I read awhile back your friends in Time Square were closing or moving their store. One simple toy i can get a lot of miles from is a tape measure.
my daughter loves them

Large cardboard boxes used to be a big play item, too. Those were the days..........

Trust me, they still are. All our grandkids love boxes. And why not, it can be almost anything you want it to be.

BH

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Interesting point about boxes. However, they are not something we can actually hand a kid for birthday or Holiday celebrations and say, "Here, sweetie, have a nice box; go have fun."
So obviously it's a matter of balance and choices. If said kid likes the box a gift came in, cool, but I sure wouldn't show up at the party empty-boxed. making little tents and curling up in boxes seems to still be amusing to some children. Thanks for adding that perspective, guys . I wouldn't have thought of them, nowadays.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

.... One simple toy i can get a lot of miles from is a tape measure.
my daughter loves them

You know, you're right about that; at least, from my limited perspective. The ten year old boy I had been tutoring evidenced a paucity of knowledge about inches and fractions, which were included in a story we had been examining,while we were working on his reading skills. So, I inserted micro-lessons on measurements . I brought a metal roll-up tape measure the next day. He had never seen one. We measured everything, from his desktop, to the length and width of the entire hallway. He had a joyous time of learning through discovery. I gave him the tape to include in his toolbox we had been collecting for him during our explorations.