1. Magna-tiles
We have a non-name brand set of 100 with one car and one big base plate, and it is possibly the most played-with inside toy. Before these tiles were gifted to us, we had regular wooden blocks that got played with quite a bit. Camille went through a phase where she played with the wooden blocks everyday but once the Magna-tiles came along, the wooden blocks were forgotten.
2. Little People Princesses
Camille got a similar set as a present when she was just a baby, and she played with them so much. Now Emily plays with them. We had a Little People farm that came and went, but the actual people stayed and are played with way more often than the buildings or vehicles.
3. Design and Drill Activity Center
I got this for Owen one year for Christmas. It's one that I keep in my closet and only bring down on occasion (lots of pieces to scatter and get lost). Every child, boy and girl, that sees it wants to play with it. Great for fine motor control and early STEM activity. The kids love that the drill really works. Putting the screws in is obviously way more fun than taking them out. It is a pain to take all the screws out every time my kids fill it, but I've refined a faster method then using the tools.
4. Melissa and Doug Horse Stable
This was a gift to Camille from Grandma Wood a couple years ago. She named the horses, gave them personalities, and played a lot with them. This is another toy that kids who come over to our house love to play with.
5. Doctor Kit
Ours is pink (less than ideal) but still very well-loved. We have one with a thermometer than beeps lightly, and that part is a favorite. The most loved piece might be the shot. Also, ours has doll-size casts that the kids loved squeezing on their tiny arms.
6. Bicycles
Bikes are the no-contest outside toy winners, and maybe even rival the Magna-tiles in popularity. Owen especially loves his bike. He has ridden his little 12 inch bike so much he wore holes in both tires. Our driveway is ideal for bikes. The kids also ride a lot on sidewalks, to church (usually for non church activities), and even to school (about 1 mile). The most loved bike is the big pink Schwinn tricycle a neighbor in Provo gave us.
Honorable Mentions
7. Melissa and Doug Airplane
Kids love it and play with it, but it's so easy to lose those people and their suitcases, then it doesn't get played with until I hunt down all the people and their bags.
8. Nerf guns
We have a variety, but my favorite is these non-Nerf brand shooters. Instead of a trigger, it is a pump action gun. Owen couldn't do it when he first got the gun, but grew into it at sometime. My thing with the guns is the same as the airplane: the ball/darts go everywhere and get lost and then the guns are not played with and the house is a mess.
