Top Toys For Every Budget And All Kids And Their Needs!

As a parent, buying toys for your children is one of the most important things you can do. Toys will keep them busy while you are doing your chores around the house. Some toys are even good for their brain development as they fuel their creativity and imagination, and some, such as board games, require them to think as they use them.

Some toys are expensive though, and not every parent can afford toys that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. We, however, have looked into all toys available and categorized them according to their prices, so that parents can know what toy to buy for their child, according to their budget. Some toys may be in more than one budget category since different manufacturers price their products differently.

Under $10

While getting a toy that costs under $10 is not easy, with a bit of searching you can get good ones for your child.

1. Watercolors

Any child, whether artistic or not, would love to play with watercolors. All you need to do is get a watercolor kit for their use. They usually come with a brush, making them ready to use. As long as you have some plain paper for them to paint on, and a surface that you can easily clean any paint spills after they are done using, you are good to go. This can keep a child occupied for hours, and if you have several children, you can even come up with painting competitions for more fun. You can even have the children paint each other, or you, on a piece of paper, and keep it as a keepsake.

2. Sketchpads

Sketchpads would be appreciated by any child, especially those who love art. They can use them to sketch and draw anything of their choice, and the sturdier ones can be used for painting. Sketchpads are relatively cheap and affordable, and all parent has to buy is pencils, color pencils, or crayons for use (all these products can be bought for less than $10.) Sketchpads are portable, and a parent can carry them everywhere to keep their children busy. If you have a long flight and don’t know what to do to keep your child busy during the flight, why not buy a sketchpad and some crayons for them to use?

3. Action Figures

Granted, there are expensive action figures that cost over $50. There are, however, cheap ones that you can get for under $10 if you look through toy stores and online stores. Some of them may not be the very popular ones, but they are still good enough for your child to play with. You can decide to look for an action figure series that your child loves, and buy each collectible one separately so that in the end your child has all of them.

4. Modelling Clay

While the huge tubs of Play-Doh cost over $10, the small portable modeling clay sticks usually cost under $10 and are a cheap and portable toy for your child. They fuel your child’s creativity and imagination as they model different objects, and can keep them occupied for hours. The best thing about modeling clay is that your child can model an entirely different thing if they are tired of their current modeled object.

5. Jigsaw Puzzles

Some of the smaller jigsaw puzzles, such as the 16-piece ones, are usually cheap, at around $10 or less. They are an ideal toy for children, especially younger ones as the puzzle is not complicated. Your child will spend hours trying to put the pieces together to solve the jigsaw puzzle, thereby keeping them occupied for long without the need for constant attention. If you have several children, you can have them compete to finish the puzzle, with a present for the fastest time. This will keep all of them occupied, and also improve their critical thinking skills.

Toys that cost $11-$25

1. Dolls

Some dolls are expensive and cost over $50, but there are good budget dolls that are great options for your children. These dolls come with accessories that your kid can play with, such as a change of clothes and a handbag. There are many brands that sell different types of dolls with different accessories, and you can pick the best for your child. For dolls that are in a series, you can buy them one by one, so that after a while your child has the entire collection to play with.

2. Board Games

The simple board games are usually available at a relatively low price and are a great addition to your child’s toy collection. The custom themed ones or the ones with many pieces may be expensive, but the small generic ones are affordable. Board games, in addition to being a great way for your child spent time on, are also effective in developing their critical thinking and analytical skills. The advantage of board games is that one game can keep two or more kids busy, therefore if you have multiple children you don’t have to buy several similar games for them, one will suffice. Board games are always challenging, and your children can play with them every day without repeating the same thing or getting tired.

3. Scooters

The simple scooters are often relatively cheap, at a price below $25. They are a great toy for the older children, 8 years and above, and are relatively safe if used in a space that isn’t crowded. Scooters require some adult supervision if used in public, say in a park or a road with some traffic, in order to prevent accidents and injuries. Children require helmets when using scooters to prevent any head injury during the inevitable fall. A scooter is a fun toy for children though, and can even be used as a means of transport around the block if there’s not much vehicular traffic. Most scooters can be folded and put into a bag for storage, therefore you can easily carry them by hand or in your car for your child to use, as they are portable.

4. Musical Rhymes Book

This toy is suitable for younger children (6 months – 3 years) and is a great way of keeping them occupied as they listen to the various tunes from the speakers in the books. Most musical rhymes books come with 40+ nursery rhymes, sounds, melodies, and phrases. These are great especially for a child yet to start school, as they learn how to recognize sounds from an early age. The buttons that are pushed to produce the sounds from the book build the child’s motor skill, and the bright pages are visually attractive to any child. This can easily keep your child occupied as they enjoy the tunes and melodies from the books.

Toys that cost $26-$50

1. Role Play Toy Sets

Closely related to the pretend play toy sets, these role play toy sets allow your child to be anything they want, just that they aren’t as detailed as the pretend play sets. For example, a pretend play kitchen toy set would be a replica of a regular kitchen, complete with toy countertops, ovens, utensils, and sinks, while a chef role play set would have a children’s chef’s uniform and a few utensils. These toys are still as fun for a child, as they can be what they want, from chefs, doctors, and firefighters, to postmen and construction. There is no limit to what a child can do with these toys, and they can play for hours especially if they are two or more.

2. Building Blocks

Building blocks are popular all over the world, and range from generic and plain blocks that cost from $26-$50 to customized blocks (with themes ranging from popular movies and video games), though the customized ones are expensive and often cost over $100. Building blocks improve your child’s mobility skills as they learn how to stack up the blocks. They do not limit a child’s imagination, as there is no limit to the figures they can build with the blocks, from cars to houses.

3. Themed Board Games

These boards games have similar pieces and games to the regular ones, with the only difference being that they are customized with themes from popular movies, TV shows, books, and video games. If your child loves a certain cartoon or movie, getting them a board game with that particular cartoon’s theme would be one of the highlights of their childhood. They may be more expensive than the regular ones, but they certainly are worth the happy look on your child’s face.

4. Action Figures

Just like the themed board games, most action figures are replicas of popular movies, TV shows, books, and video characters. Some action figures are usually in a series, with several of them needed in a collection to complete a series while some are just one figure, though you may find different versions of the same figure from different brands. Some figures, especially those whose real-life characters are involved in some form of fights, come with accessories such as swords, while others have no accessories. Most of today’s action figures have flexible and mobile limbs, and can, therefore, be made to, say, walk, while others have fixed limbs. Children all over the world love collecting action figures, and buying them for your child is a great investment.

5. Jigsaw Puzzles

For the older children who need challenging jigsaw puzzles, there are bigger and more complex ones with 300 pieces or more, that may need several days and often group effort to complete, for them. Such puzzles require all their concentration at the same time improves their brain function as they need to really think to fit all the pieces together. Some jigsaw puzzles are customized and come with pieces from popular movies and TV shows.

Toys that cost $51-$100

1. Trampoline

Small trampolines for home use are affordable and are in this price range. While the much older children may not be able to use the trampoline in order not to destroy it, it is the perfect outdoor toy for younger children. Children can be left to play with minimum adult supervision, as the enclosed trampoline is a safe playpen.

2. Outdoor Ball Games Sets

These miniature ball game sets are good for children of any age, though they may not be suitable for teenagers who may need bigger ones. Such sets include soccer and basketball sets, though you may also get for others games such as tennis and badminton. They include balls (slightly smaller than the real-life ones), and miniature goalposts and nets in the case of soccer, and a basketball pole and hoop in the case of basket. For tennis and badminton, you get a small net and some miniature rackets and balls. They are a great group activity for parents and children, or even among children themselves. Children playing with such outdoor ball games sets do not need much supervision, they only need enough space to use when playing.

3. Sandboxes

Sandboxes give children a safe and imaginative place to play, allowing them to use their imaginations to make whatever they wish using sand. Most come with molded-in seats at the corners for children to sit on while playing with the sandbox, and a lid to keep any animals away while not in use. They make a great outdoor toy that will keep young children occupied for hours as they attempt to make castles and many other sand structures. Some come with sand toys such as shovels and small plastic buckets included, but you can add more toys according to your child’s needs.

4. Giant Stuffed Animals

These giant, often life-sized, stuffed animals make great toys for children, though they may not be suitable for toddlers, as the toys are way bigger in size compared to the toddlers. They are good cuddling partners for children as they sleep due to their soft fur, and do not require any maintenance or repair apart from the occasional cleaning if they get some dirt on them.

5. Art Easel

This toy brings out the artistic side of your child and turns any room in the house in which it is used into an art studio. You can attach plain paper on it using the paper-roll holder for painting and drawing, or use the chalkboard and whiteboard surfaces for children’s first letters practice. You can leave your child to explore their artistic side as you finish your duties around the house. You, however, have to buy paint, paintbrushes, and paint cups separately.

Toys that cost over $100

Toys that cost over $100 are often considered expensive, but they are worth buying for your child.

1. Pretend Play Toy Sets

Most of the pretend play toy sets are in this price category, though the ones with more pieces are more expensive. Toys such as complete kitchen sets, construction sets, restaurant and diner sets, hospital sets, and food sets such as sandwich sets, and sushi sets are all available for your child to play with and are good for keeping them occupied and unsupervised for long periods of time. They fuel a child’s imagination as they can use the play sets to be what they want to be at that time.

2. Dollhouses

Dollhouses are a favorite of many girls and range from multi-storied ones to simple houses with only one floor. Some dollhouses are more detailed than others, with way more objects that resemble those found in real houses, such as more furniture, curtains on windows, and mundane things such as fruits on kitchen tables. Dollhouses can be plastic or wooden, and some are foldable for easy storage and portability. Some dollhouses have detachable objects such as furniture, and returning them is fun for the children. These are toys that are perfect for girls, as they can spend hours playing with them, and in them for the bigger life-sized ones.

3. Ride On Toys

Ride on toys such as cars, bicycles, and quad bikes are a huge favorite among many children around the world, largely due to the mobility they offer. While they are not suitable for young children below 4 years old, they are perfect for any other age group. They may require some guidance and supervision when the child is learning how to use them, but once they learn, they can use them unsupervised (supervision is needed if used in public places with vehicular traffic.)

4. Remote-Controlled Toys

These toys include cars, helicopters, boats, motorbikes, and drones that are all operated by a remote. They are much fun especially for younger kids who would find it enjoyable to control cars and helicopters around the house. They are not suitable for toddlers though, as they may not know how to operate the remote. With remote-controlled toys, you could even have a competition among the children to see who drives their toy fastest.

5. Inflatable Swimming Pools

Your children will definitely love you for this, and especially the younger ones who may not be able to use a regular swimming pool. An inflatable swimming pool can be used in your backyard and is a good way to train your younger children how to swim. Get one of these for some playtime with your children, especially during summer when the temperatures are high and they need to cool off. You need to supervise the very young children to prevent incidents of drowning. An inflatable swimming pool doesn’t take up much storage space as it is foldable, and therefore can be carried in the car for those family camping trips. It is also a great activity to keep children busy during birthday parties.