Looking for a list of the best toys for home daycare? You are in the right spot then! Below you will find my list of the must-have toys when starting a home daycare!
I often get emails from people who are in the process of starting a home daycare that want to know what toys I recommend they buy. There are all kinds of toys and games for kids out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Over the last 10+ years of running a home daycare, I have found certain types of toys to be more essential and more worth your money than others.
To help new providers, I’ve decided to put together this list of the must-have toys to look for when you are ready to begin filling your home daycare area!
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Most of these toys listed below are open-ended toys that allow for a variety of play and span multiple ages. You don’t need to have a large number of toys but you do want well made and easily adaptable toys. Below are my favorite toys that I always recommend to new providers. These aren’t the only toys that work but they are ones that I have found to be great for group care.
Don’t see something that’s well-loved in your home daycare? Tell me in the comments!
The Best Toys for Home Daycare
Remember secondhand stores, garage sales, and craigslist are great places to start looking. Not everything has to be brand new but make sure it’s in good shape and will last you at least a year.
Blocks
Personally I think blocks are the best investment you can make when buying toys. I highly recommend a set of unit wooden blocks but even smaller wooden block sets or Lego Duplo sets work great when you’re first starting out. I generally stick with the Lego Duplo sets because they are large enough for small toddlers but still engaging enough that 4 and 5-year-olds still enjoy them, which I’ve found not to be the case with the larger Mega-Bloks.
Dramatic Play
Pretend play activities are the ultimate open-ended play activities, they offer infinite ways to play because it’s all based on whatever the kids can dream up! When starting a home daycare I recommend at least a pretend kitchen and a food set. In time I think it’s important to have more kinds of dramatic play items (clothing, hats, tools, etc…) but I’d recommend starting with a kitchen set with simple food and dishes set. I love our wooden one and it’s stood up to constant use (see my review of our kitchen set) but get what fits your budget and space. Check craigslist!
If are looking for dress-up clothing I always check Goodwill and secondhand stores for hats, scarves, shoes, purses and more. I also stock up after Halloween when most stores offer clearance prices on costumes!
Vehicles
Cars and vehicles are a hit with all ages and genders. Plus they can be combined with other toys to extend the play. I have these two sets: town vehicles and everyday vehicles. Occasionally, I can find ones similar to those wooden sets at The Dollar Tree and even Target had some in their train section for $2/each. My kids use these by themselves but more often then not they end up in the block area. Another popular set that we have is the Viking Chubbies set of vehicles. If you plan to only have young toddlers and infants the Chubbies are perfect. Easy to clean and very durable, mine have lasted over 5 years and are still in great shape.
Dolls/People
Both girls and boys like to play with baby dolls and I always keep the dolls available to them. They are a great way to teach nurturing and caring. Basic dolls (I don’t get ones that make noise, eat, or do anything crazy) are easy to find and you can pair them with a simple basket and a blanket if you don’t want to get baby doll cribs and accessories. I also like to have small wooden/plastic people on hand in a basket or bucket next to my blocks. People are a hit with kids and encourage open-ended pretend play. I usually prefer the wooden people sets but when I have mostly infants and young toddlers I use these plastic people because they are easier to wash.
Animals
Plastic animals are some of the most used toys in my house. I keep a basket of jumbo animals (Zoo, Farm, & Jungle) out at all times and the kids LOVE them! Little people animals are great too! Animals encourage imaginative play and can be combined with other toys to extend the play. Ours often end up in sensory tables, playdough, and the block area.
Balls
Playground balls are perfect for encouraging gross motor play! There are so many games and ways you can play with balls and they never fail to please kids! They love to play with them! You can start small with one or two playground balls but if you have a larger group of kids I recommend buying a set (maybe even some cheap cones!) so there are enough to go around.
Books
Seriously a must-have. I have stacks and stacks of books. It’s a bit of an obsession my husband says! I get a lot of books from secondhand stores and a bunch more from scholastic book clubs. We rotate through all year long. You can find amazing deals on books at used children’s stores and goodwill. Always be sure to check for coloring and ripped out pages. Also, a small cheap rug, a wicker basket, and a pillow or two make a perfect reading space!
Did you know you can sign your daycare up for a scholastic book club teacher account? Parents can order from the book club and you get points toward free books! I use my points to buy books as Christmas gifts for my daycare children or get free books for my daycare. Want 250 bonus points? Use the code below when making your first purchase of over $25 and get 250 extra points you can put toward free books! Scholastic is so worth it! They have awesome books at discount prices and you can shop as both a provider and as a parent! Plus books ship for free!
Sign up here: http://www.scholastic.com/newtoclubs/
Art Supplies
Grab a pack of the basics: Construction paper, crayons, kids scissors, glue, and paint. The best time to stock up on theses is during back-to-school season when all the supplies are on sale. I usually buy all my glue, markers, and crayons during back-to-school sales. I get kid scissors and construction paper at the dollar tree. If you have a Micheal or Jo-Ann Fabrics nearby they sell art supplies and if you have a smartphone there are apps for these stores that offer coupons that can save you 25-50%!
What’s on your list of the best toys for home daycare?
Thinking of starting a home daycare? Check out the rest of my posts in my How to Run a Home Daycare Series or pick up my ebook for even more in-depth help on starting your home daycare: available in downloadable ebook and Kindle format! Also, check out my daycare forms and full daycare contract template in our store -> Shop Now!
Looking for more post about running a daycare? Check out my daycare page to learn about starting or running an in-home daycare.
I highly recommend magnatiles. They keep our young children from ages 2 to 6 engaged as they are able to utilize them however their imagination guides them.