25 Traditional Toys to Buy This Christmas Season

Although it’s 2018, lately I’ve been reminiscing about older American traditions. Whether this has been brought on by the now common spectacle of  kids as young as 2 staring at screens all day instead of playing with toys or always feeling like I’m going to multi-task myself into exhaustion, I don’t know, but I’m certainly convinced that something has got to change. 

While the fact that most toys do all of the thinking for children these days has bothered me for a while, I’m now cemented in the truth that things really may have been better in the good old days. You know, back when people (including children) interacted with one another and spent their time actually doing things themselves instead of always being spectators.

This reality has convinced me that one of the easiest ways to embrace our traditions is to gift our children with toys from the past. Toys that don’t require batteries. Toys that don’t have a radical social agenda. Toys that don’t dumb kids down but, instead, nurture their learning and encourage traditional societal roles.

I asked some of my friends on Instagram to share with me their favorite #trad toys, and they didn’t disappoint. Here are:

25 Traditional Toys to Get Your Kids for Christmas

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1. Yo-yo

Sometimes the simplest toys are the most fun!

2. Slinky

One piece of advice- ALWAYS opt for the metal ones. They work so much better than the plastic.

3. Rubik’s Cube

As a homeschool mom, I love that these support math, logic, and fine motor skills.

4. Archery Set

With adult supervision, of course. 😉

5. Wooden Blocks

I remember playing with these for hours as a child!

6. Cardboard Building Blocks

I remember the church I grew up in had these in the nursery, and I LOVED them. I bought some for my kids a few years ago, and they love building walls around each other. 🙂

7. Dominoes

Whether you play the game or just like to set them up and watch them fall, these are so affordable that you can’t go wrong.

8. LEGO

Let’s face it. What gift list would be complete without LEGO?

9. Lincoln Logs

I just realized that these would go perfectly with my Little House unit study. Eek!

10. Jenga

Wow. Wooden toys really are awesome, aren’t they? There are so many of them!

11. Spirograph

Ah, memories. Sigh.

12. Art Supplies

Whether you purchase an all-media art set or piece together your own, there is no better way to get your kids’ creative juices flowing.

13. Fishing Tackle

Oh my, this is the perfect idea for my 14-year-old. Shhh!

14. Outdoor Gear

Encourage your kids to explore the great outdoors with binoculars, a compass, a flashlight, and a magnifying glass!

15. Tent

This would go perfectly with that outdoor gear, wouldn’t it? 😉

16. Dress-Up Clothes

Children love to play dress-up – ESPECIALLY homeschoolers. Well, am I wrong??

17. Musical Instruments

Believe it or not, you can get REAL instruments for a good price. While there are instruments advertised for kids, they just aren’t as good as the real thing.

18. Electric Train Set

Right now I’m imagining the opening scene of A Christmas Story…

19. Dolls

And I mean the good old-fashioned kind that don’t cry, don’t pee, don’t poop, and don’t eat. I’m talking imagination-supporting dolls like Raggedy Ann or Cabbage Patch Kids. The simpler, the better.

20. Wooden Puzzles

These are fantastic for younger children.

21. Paper Dolls

I’m so sad that paper dolls have seemingly gone out of fashion. Some of my greatest memories are of my mom buying me paper dolls at the grocery store. I had such a huge collection, and my best friend and I would play with them for hours.

22. Tea Set

Tea party, anyone?

23. Kitchen Play Set

I want to be a kid again.

24. Wooden Dollhouse

Yes, wooden. They’re so much more detailed than the plastic ones.

25. Slingshot

Because boys will be boys, after all!

Your turn now. What are your favorite traditional toys?

Homeschooling and education are my passion. It is my fervent hope to one day devote more time to creating content for you. If you’d like to support this ministry, consider supporting me on Patreon.

Thank you so much. I appreciate each and every one of you!

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