What Kids Actually Play With: Bonnie's Honest Guide to Toys Worth Buying

I've been there, and I'm sure you have too. You spend real money on something that looked great in the store, and three days later it's under the couch while your kid plays with the box. After watching so many children walk through Monkey Barrel's door, I've learned pretty quickly which toys earn their keep and which ones don't.

Here's my honest take on what actually gets played with, asked for again, and remembered long after the holidays and birthdays have passed.

Open-ended toys last

The toys that survive are the ones without a script. Art sets, building pieces, figures that aren't locked into one story: kids come back to these because they can do something different with them every time. They don't get solved, and they don't get old. Two of my personal favorites are Rail Cubes and Name Trains. I even had Name Trains for my own kids, and they truly loved them. Give a child something they can make into whatever they need that afternoon, and it'll stick around.

Kits that actually make something

There's a difference between art supplies and an art experience. Kits like Woobles and Shrink Its give kids a clear project to work toward, and that structure is exactly what makes them so satisfying. They finish something, hold it up, and feel genuinely proud of it. The best kits leave plenty of room for creativity while giving just enough direction to get started, and those are the ones kids ask to do again.

Books they bring to you

A great kids' book is one they carry over and drop in your lap. Beautiful illustrations they want to study, rhythm they want to hear again before bed. I curate our shelves carefully, and if something is here, it's because I believe in it, not just because it's popular. One I keep recommending right now is "Bigger Than Me" by Anne Higginbotham. It follows Clayton Kershaw as he teaches his son that life has a purpose beyond baseball, and it's the kind of story that resonates with kids and parents equally. Those are always my favorites to hand someone.

The plush that never gets put down

A good plush isn't just a toy. It's the thing they drag to the dinner table, sleep with every night, and ask for by name when it goes missing. Jellycats are the ones I reach for every time, because the quality is genuinely different. They're impossibly soft, built to last, and come in enough characters that there's always one that feels exactly right for a specific kid. They also make one of the best gifts you can give, whether it's for a newborn, a birthday, or honestly just because.

Small toys that punch above their price

Some of the most-reached-for things in the shop are also the smallest. A charm clipped onto a bag, a little figurine, a pocket-sized puzzle. Kids love them because they feel chosen, not just purchased, and something small and personal beats something large and generic almost every time.

If you're not sure where to start, come in. I love talking through what a kid is into, how old they are, and what I've seen work. That's genuinely one of my favorite parts of this job.