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According to leading play researchers, basic is best when it comes to toys and materials (Trawick-Smith, 2019). Each year, the TIMPANI (Toys that Inspire Mindful Play and Nurture Imagination) toy study examines how young children engage with toys. The researchers work to identify toys that “best engage children in intellectual, creative, and social interactions in preschool classrooms.” Each year, researchers identify a toy that scores highly with young children. Click on the link below to watch videos about the TIMPANI toy study. First, watch the video, What Makes a Good Toy?, to hear preschool teachers share reflections about purposefully choosing toys for creative classroom play. As they do, think about the ways you make choices about toys and materials. You can also watch the video, 2019 TIMPANI Toy Study, to hear what researchers have found about the impact that certain types of toys have on children’s play.

As you hear about the toys included in the 2019 study, think about some of the materials you currently use in your family child care program and the ways they support the categories listed below. Consider making adjustments to your materials and environment based on what you see, hear, and read.

• Dress-up clothes and materials. Children should have access to age-appropriate, safe materials for dress-up. These might be adult clothes or child-sized clothes. Children should be able to use the materials to take on different imaginative roles (parent, firefighter, doctor, puppy, etc.)
• Figurines, toy trains, toy cars, railroad tracks. Children should have the chance to build an imaginary world with mini-people figurines, cars, and other items. This allows children to take on different roles and collaborate with others.
• Arts and crafts materials. Children should have access to art materials like crayons, markers, paint, and clay every day. This allows children to express themselves in different ways.
• Blocks and other building materials. Unit blocks, interlocking blocks (e.g., Legos or Duplos), and other safe building materials can help children build imagination and spatial awareness.
• Puzzles. Although puzzles have a defined product, they help children learn problem-solving skills and mental flexibility. Puzzles help the children look at objects in different and creative ways.
• Balls and active toys. Simple toys like balls, hoops and jump ropes can become props in imaginative play. They also help children explore how the world around them works and cause and effect.
• Dolls and puppets. In their early years, nearly all children show an interest in dolls and caring for other babies. They can explore family roles and responsibilities.
• Recycled or found materials. Creativity can be sparked when objects are used for new or interesting purposes. See what children can do with PVC pipe, laundry detergent lids, cardboard boxes, leaves, or recycled plastic.
• Music and dance materials. A variety of materials like traditional musical instruments (e.g., drums, bells, maracas), and “non-traditional” or recycled materials (e.g,, tissue boxes, rubber bands, plastic tubes) can be used to encourage children to create their own music, songs, and dances. Other materials like scarves, bean bags, balls, or recording devices can also promote creative experiences.