Kids Toys, the cheaper are the best ones

I have two children aged six and three. Our girl Paige is eldest and Byron the youngest. We have bought and been given expensive toys but you know what I have just found this article on nine msn and they have just listed the toys that we have nearly all of and that our kids play the most with. The only toy that I could add to this collection is Thomas the Tank Engine. Our son plays with it for hours at a time.

Mr & Mrs Potato Head
Encourage you child creativity with the classic face changing spud. Swap and change body parts, facial features and accessories to make all sorts of wacky combinations and expressions
The classic mix and match spud comes with 12 parts and accessories for plenty of face changing fun. The pieces all store inside the potato body, so clean up is easy and convenient.

Slinky

Whether it's made of old fashioned metal or new fangled plastic, the slinky continues to amuse young kids. Watch as your children try, for the 10-millionth time, to send the slinky down the stairs without having to give it a prod halfway down, or as they hang onto one end, "throw" the other end and try and catch it all again neatly. Oh the hilarity.

Marbles

Remember cats-eyes, galaxies, micas and steelies? Ah, good times. They may not be high tech, but marbles will always have aplace in schools and backyards. Need to brush up on the rules to show your kids the ropes?

Cardboard Box

Never, ever throw out a large cardboard box without letting your kids have their fun with it first. It's a cubby, as car, a place to hide, a robot outfit, a boat....... and that's just for starts. While washing machine or fridge boxes are best, even a  microwave-sized box can work as a space ship, dolls house or a garage for toy cars. Did you know? The cardboard box was inducted into the national toy hall of fame in 2005.

Playdough

Even the most artistically challenged among us can handle "creative time" with playdough - after all, how hard is it to make a snake? It's not messy, keeps for ages, can be made at home. Too easy.

Etch-A-Sketch

Who knows how this magic box works? Who cares - it's just magic. Although we still haven't mastered the art of a diagonal line, the etch-a-sketch is still a family favourite. It'll also keep kids happy - for at least, oh, a few minutes - when traveling on long car trips, too.

Hula Hoop

Who doesn't have a hoop? As well as using it an attempt to trying to master the traditional hula action, kids also enjoy throwing it around like a rhythmic gymnast, using it as makeshift "reins" to pull younger siblings around, and to play over sized quoits. Did you know? The hula hoop was created in 1957, when two Californians heard that in Australia, bamboo hoops were used for exercise in schools.

A Kite

If it's a nice day with a fairly strong breeze, send your kids outside to play with their kites. Sure, the kite may spend more time being trailed along the ground behind them than actually being airborne, but they'll have a ball trying - and when it does eventually soar into the air, they'll feel like a million bucks.

For more ideas go to http://motherandbaby.ninemsn.com.au/slideshow_ajax.aspx?sectionid=75884&sectionname=toddler&subsectionid=205608&subsectionname=gallery_10classictoyseverychildshouldown