Gear Up For The Grandkids

The Ultimate Fort Builder — Lakeshore Learning

A special shout-out to my friend for suggesting this! While I'm a fan of most Lakeshore products, this one's a real winner. The Ultimate Fort Builder is an assortment of durable poles and kid-friendly connectors to create and build, providing hours of fun. You can even throw a blanket over the top for the full fort experience (with Savta's permission of course!). Depending on how many grandchildren you have and space considerations, you may want to invest in a second set for those limitless imaginations.

Ask your LOR in regard to what extent building is allowed on Shabbos and Yom Tov.

PicassoTiles 100pc Magnetic Marble Run Set

This is an absolute favorite at my mother's home! The Marble Run by PicassoTiles comes with an assortment of magnetic tiles, tubes, pipes, and marbles to encourage creative building and design for girls and boys alike. This set is compatible with most magnetic tile brands, though I'd stick with PicassoTiles — they're the best magnetic tile knock-off on the market. I'd suggest at least the 100-piece set for ample play. While all ages can get involved, I'd recommend having at least one child aged eight or over for when construction gets tricky.

Connect 4 Giant Edition

If you're automatically nixing this for lack of space, rest assured this life-sized game can be used outside as well as in — so if you're not the Bubby with a basement, your grandkids can enjoy this sukkah-side too! This item is durable, weatherproof, and will hold up to lots of wear and play. While it's just your traditional Connect Four game, something about its super size will have you showing your competitive streak too!

Codenames Board Game

Here's a fun family game to help get those teens off of Grandma's couch! Don't let the term "Word Game" throw you off — this is not another Scrabble or Bananagrams that requires word lovers or spelling masters. This game is more about word associations and deductive thinking, where two "spymasters" compete to get their teammates to guess their agents while avoiding the opposing team. Codenames works great in larger groups, and gets players thinking and strategizing while creating unintentional hilarity.

KAPLA Wooden Construction Blocks (200-piece)

These wooden blocks by Kapla are an oldie but definitely a goodie. While they may not seem like much, it's their simplicity that allows for endless creativity. With their practically infinite lifespan, these very durable planks withstand the absolute roughest play. The guidebook included gives countless ideas for constructions, however, you can also team up the grandkids to compete for the tallest tower, spiral, pyramid, and more.

As with most building toys, the more pieces the merrier — though these are rather pricey, so you may want to "build" your collection over time. The standard set is definitely the best value for the price.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Cool Scoops Ice Creamery

For those of you who haven't been on the toy scene in a while, get ready to be blown away by the cuteness of this ice cream counter! Like all Melissa & Doug products, this scores a ten in creative design coupled with outstanding quality, and is the ultimate in pretend play. For those looking to dispose of that very dated and space-consuming play kitchen, this may be a great alternative!

There are endless options of playsets by this brand online: pizza counter, thirst quencher, vending machine — so find the one that fits your budget. They also sell a more compact version for those who find this a little pricey (but hey, at least the calories are free!).