The Box

No matter how much I begged for it or how great the gift was my parents could count on me to play with it for around 15 minutes then spend the rest of Christmas day playing with the box, and everyone else's box, and any other boxes that might be around.  Depending on size the box could be a shield, a boot, a small castle, or even a play house.  Boxes could be customized by cutting holes or drawing things on.  They make great places to hide and are awesome as treasure chests. 

The Stick

The stick is a great friend to imagination.  Being a guy I will concentrate on guy things.  Sticks are great rifles and pistols, swords and a trusty staff.  They can be a cane, a crutch or a flagpole.  You can use them to pole vault across ditches, bang on cans and break other sticks.  Of course, we can't forget, you can use them as baseball bats, hockey sticks, golf clubs and other sports equipment. 

The Blanket

Here's a favorite in any shape or size.  It's a hide out, a tent a cape for a superhero.  It's a parachute, a hammock, or the wall of your fort.  string it across chairs, prop it up with sticks, tie it around your neck or attach it to your moms clothesline.  It's versatile and fun and you should never be without one.

The say that simple pleasures are the best and the average child can prove that's true.  With 3 basic items found around any home, children can entertain themselves for hours on end.  The Box, The Stick and the Blanket are instant fun and childhood memories.  Just add imagination.

I focused here on just using the basics but when you add these things to other toys the possiblities are endless.  Crumpled blankets can be a mountain range for your cation figures, army men and toy cars.  Add various size balls to the stick and sports can spread across large groups of children.  Blankets, boxes and sticks can provide an army encampment with plenty of artillery.   

Army Men

Form the cheap but classic plastic figures of soldiers cowboys and other childhood heroes to the fully posable action figures of your favorite movie characters and even dolls from the crying baby to Barbie, these miniature playmates can be the avenue for unleashing you children's imagination.  The have miniature representations of the people and things in their lives to be used for telling their own stories or putting their own spin on their favorite movies and TV shows.  Whether the low crawling soldier is recast as Spiderman or the cowboys are battling T-Rex the fun can go on forever.

Toy Cars

From the 12 for $1 cheapoes to the Matchbox and Hot Wheels replicas.  From build it yourself models to radio control racers these little hot rods can go by themselves or with the miniature characters of the previous paragraph to provide kids a role playing outlet for their ideas.  Add that to the races and competition they will have with their friends and these little beauties will spell memories for your kids. 

The more advance the toy the more specialized it's usefulness.  Children have great imaginations and unleashing those imaginations will foster more activity and improve the learning and problem solving skills they will need later in life. 

I love my Game system and I know there are skills developed in using them but, to few are still made for multi-player and the more complex they get the less viable they are for multiple players on the same screen.  The more popular multi-players games teach little  more than the ability to accept violence and bad behavior.  This is the fault of the game writers in part but is also attributable to the people who continue to make this type of game profitable by buying them. 

Sports, Imaginary battles, and outdoor activities are beneficial to kids.  Plenty of board games provide entertainment for groups and encourage socialization.  The Classic Role Playing Games like D&D, Star Frontiers, Gamma World, Top Secret and others provide the ability to gather around the table with friends and socialize in a safe and imagination filled world.  Strategy war-games from the Miniatures battles of Chainmail to the board game styles of Stratego and Axis and Allies provide challenging competition to older kids while still maintaining the socialization lacking in so many video games.