Any good toys for 2.5 year old boy?

[Chloevalentine]

My almost 2.5 year old doesn't really play with many toys. Sounds odd I know. I'm wondering if there are any toys anyone could recommend. He used to love puzzles and cars but doesn't play with them anymore. He'd much rather play with my hair dryer lol.

[aisling]

  

That was my DS.  At that age he mainly played with role playing toys and things he could explore or pretend to be a grown up with. 

His workman tools; tool belt, hammer, drills, screwdriver, construction hat, bits etc. not sure where you are but toysrus has a homedepot range for kids, makes the noises and sounds with batteries of course, he loved his tools.

His play kitchen with all the utensils and plates and pots etc.  He also loved his toy BBQ

His sand/water table

His trucks and cars especially loving dump trucks and diggers and things that he could operate or work.

Little People farm set again

Home made stuff that he would sit for a good half hour with and bring out on his own.  My Mum made it, she called it her Junk Basket and filled a big peach basket so he could bring it around to a room and sit and explore all the goodies inside. The goodies included: old big screws, old remote control, old mobile phone, calculator, string, tape, washers, clips from dog leashes, old guts of a remote control, old but clean plastic pill bottles with lids, a maraca (from a trip to Mexico lol) a wood mortar and pestle, metal coffee filter, small screwdriver and wrench etc. just junk, things he could just explore by looking and touching and put "things together" build.

[Chloevalentine]

I love the junk basket idea! He has a kitchen and the Home Depot tools but he doesn't touch them! I can't get him interested in pretend play either. It's crazy! He used to play with his train table but no more. It's like he's bored with his toys. It's so frustrating for me because he just gets into things he shouldn't.

[creations]

We call the junk basket a "busy box" and DS still loves them - fill with any kind of junk and he is in his element!  Also a great place to store all the tat they get in party bags or out of xmas crackers, the train tickets they insist on keeping, the leaflet on dental care they pick up from the dentist, all little odds and ends.

Sounds like your DS would enjoy something which reacts to touch - thinking of your hair drier - perhaps a sounds a lights kind of toy, something electrical with lots of buttons to press?
This bus was a huge hit with DS and lasted him ages
http://www.toysrus.co.uk/toys/vtech-playtime-bus-with-phonics/0029334/CF0001?gclid=CPaikL-gn8kCFSLnwgodEP0Dbg
It has plenty of buttons and a few different settings so the shapes can be pressed to hear the name of the shape or letters pressed to hear the name or sound of the letter, but also there is a quiz too.  It may not be the exact thing you're looking for but maybe look around and stuff that responds with sounds/lights?

[michaeljacknnugg]

Why not give him 'real' tools then? Toddler cooking gear, gardening tools, a spray bottle of water and a cloth... We bought DS so many toys to get him to play independently and none worked because he's just not into toys.

One of his most favourite activities was to slide around the kitchen floor on a pair of sponges!

[Buntybear]

Olly didn't really play with toys either, He is much more into role play so maybe a dressing up box, as pps have said some tools etc? things that are more grown up like!

[Hedgehog17]

At that age DS was just totally into cause and effect, so his favourite toy was the water / sand table with jugs and pots for pouring and a mill that span round as he poured water / sand into it. He also loved his ball run (like a marble run for under 3yo).

Plus anything with buttons to push that would make ghastly noises 

[Chloevalentine]

 I'm still having a hard time finding toys that he's interested in. He used to like puzzles but not so much these days. He does like things that makes noises but he only plays  with them for a minute or two.  He doesn't play any type of pretend play which I know most kids do. Like he has a play kitchen and grill but he has no interest.  A lot of times he just walks Around the house aimlessly bored i'm not sure what to do. It's a long day when he's not busy playing but just following me around lol.

[We Three]

  He might really enjoy some Montessori-type toys......check out this catalog! Fantastic stuff!!!

  http://www.forsmallhands.com/?m2k_medium=adwords_brand&gclid=CjwKEAiA__C1BRDqyJOQ8_Tq230SJABWBSxnf0Tg7kQh-gqThJ6A69d07uUddT1Kk8crwxdykFLuRxoCMETw_wcB

 And these were our go-to catalogs for toys also....


  http://www.magiccabin.com/Shop-All-Ages-2-3/Shop-All-Ages-2-3.htm#pageSize=1000&sort=RPA

  http://www.hearthsong.com/

  At that age, dd LOVED her red wagon!! It had real rubber wheels...she rode in it, her stuffies rode in it, it doubled as a sand table, she collected rocks in it....it was by far the best money we ever spent....we STILL use it!  Dh hooks it to his ride-on mower...LOL....hayrides! 

  The other thing that got years and years of use was a tent!  A tent, a flashlight a few pillows and blankets....fun fun fun!!!  Every kid needs a tent!   

 Here....found you one on sale!      http://www.magiccabin.com/medieval-castle-tent.htm
 
 

[Mama2boys]

magnatiles, its expensive but well worth it and there are days when my 9 yr old and 5.5 yr old still play with the tiles together and make space ships and a garage for their cars etc

[michaeljacknnugg]

It might well be that he is trying to tell you that he wants to play with YOU. I think we bought stuff in desperation to try and get DS to play alone but it was never going to work, he wants to be with us too much. So he's had to join in with the jobs so we can get stuff done.

[Chloevalentine]

Thanks everyone!!

[MommyN]

magnatiles, its expensive but well worth it and there are days when my 9 yr old and 5.5 yr old still play with the tiles together and make space ships and a garage for their cars etc

I was just about to recommend the same. At grandmas everyone from the 12 year old down to the 9 month old plays with them.
We have a learning Carpets rug and DS (will be 3 in June) loves to drive his cars and trucks on the roads. That carpet and his box full of tractors and cars get used the most in our house. He also loves bristle blocks and duplo.

Will he do crafts? My spirited LO can sit for ages if you give him a paper with some stickers and crayons.

[MommyN]

We also love love love his scuttlebug! And practically anything from the fisher price little people collection. And animals!
It helps me if I sit him down with the toy and start him off and then go do what i have to do rather than just expect him to play on his own.

[Chloevalentine]

We have the rug with the cars and bristle blocks and little people stuff and he's just not interested. He does like painting and coloring and helping me cook in the kitchen. I was just looking for something he could play on his own.