5 Unexpected Ways to Play

May 15, 2020

5 Unexpected Ways to Play

At Battat, we like to think outside the toy box. We believe that there is no one way to play and that the same toy can be used in a ton of different ways – a creative exercise we encourage every kiddo and parent to try out. So, to switch things up and get your little ones started, we came up with 5 unexpected play ideas featuring some of our Battat favorites!

Toy front-end loader truck with a little driver, outside.

Toy Trucks: A New Way to Garden

Spring is here, which often means spending just as much time outside (if not more!) as in the playroom. While building castles in the sandbox or making chalk masterpieces in the driveway are great ways to spend the day, you can also get your little one involved in gardening with the help of a few toy trucks! To keep things playful as you show them how to plant flowers and vegetables, you can encourage them to dig up soil with our Front-End Loader, carry tools or water with the Dump Truck, and decorate the ground around the plants with the textured wheels of our Mini Monster Trucks!

Magnetic Fishing Set: Make-Your-Own Aquarium

Go from fishing to crafts and get your kiddo to make their very own aquarium! Bust out the art supplies, build a home for the fishies in the set, and help your child learn about marine habitats while you’re at it! Grab colored paper and decorate a cardboard box with cut-out algae, shells, rocks, sea critters, a blue background, and a beige bottom to mimic the sand. You can then make the little fish float in the middle by attaching them to a string or just dangle them from the rod. And if your child wants to create a more true-to-life fish tank, they can use the real stuff and collect actual, sand, rocks, plants – and fill up their bowl with water!

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Sort & Stack Set: Can You Remember?

Stack ‘em up, knock ‘em down, count to 10, sort some shapes, and… play a memory game! Start out by choosing three cups and one shape. Then, turn over the cups, place a shape under one of them, and tell your little one to pay attention as you move the cups around. Finally, get them to guess where the shape is hiding! This simple game won’t just come with a side of smiles and giggles, but it can also improve your child’s memory and concentration skills.

Pirate Diving Set: Word Association

When the name of a toy includes the word “diving,” its use is pretty easy to guess! But what about a play idea that has nothing to do with pools, swimming, or splashing? As an alternative, you can use this pirate-inspired set to fuel your little one’s imagination. Drop a shark, seahorse, gem, bone, coin, and the pirate ship in a bag and tell your toddler to dive in and pull out one item. You can then use it to start a word association game – ask your child to say a word that relates to the item, then you say something that relates to their word, and so on. Play until there are no more words left to say, then reach for another item!

Smiling girl pushing a toy grocery cart with toy food inside.

Battat Grocery Cart: Pretend Parenting

The magic of pretend play can easily turn this grocery cart into a stroller or a crib on wheels! Your child can place a little blanket in the roomy basket and take their favorite doll for walk or lull their teddy bear to sleep in their make-believe nursery. Whether they’re curious about their tiny sibling or they want to know more about babies in general, pretend parenting can show them the importance of care and it can help them develop a sense of empathy.

Every toy can take on a new life – all you need to do is press play on imagination!

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