Every child plays in their own way, and that's precisely why one gift lasts for months while another remains untouched after half a day. In our toy store, we recognize six play types: the doer, the explorer, the builder, the artist, the dreamer, and the thinker. If you know which type you're dealing with, finding the perfect gift suddenly becomes much simpler. Doer or dreamer? Here's how to recognize your child's play type:
After more than fifty years of wrapping presents in Antwerp, we at In den Olifant know one thing for sure: parents, grandparents, godparents, friends, ... usually know their darlings better than they think. They don't tell us what toys they're looking for, they tell us what the child does. "He mostly likes to play outside. She likes to play by herself. He takes everything apart..." That's the real information we're looking for. The rest is our job.
In this blog, you'll find the six play types, how to recognize them, and what fits from our collection. Do you recognize your child in two types? That's possible, read on to find out why that's not a problem.
The Doer
How to recognize a doer: the doer needs space, not instructions. Anything that rolls, climbs, throws, or balances wins out over toys that make you sit still at a table. The doer plays with their body and can't sit still for five minutes. Climbs on the sofa, runs through the hallway, chooses action and reaction.
What works: Everything that provokes movement and can take a beating. Sturdiness is not a detail for this play type but the first requirement. Toys that can go outside also score high, because a doer mainly wants space. Active kids love to play with:
- Ride-on toys that grow with them, from balance bikes to scooters
- Balls for indoor and outdoor play
- Climbing and balancing toys with an open end
- Outdoor toys for garden and street
- Large building materials you can jump in
- Dress-up items with action, like knights and heroes
What we recommend: In our collection, this mainly includes Trybike, Banwood and Micro Mobility for ride-on items, the Stapelstein stepping stones for material that's a course today and a boat tomorrow, outdoor toys from Haba to Kidywolf, and the soft rubber balls from Sigikid for the very youngest.
Where it often goes wrong. A doer regularly receives a quiet game as a gift, hoping it will calm them down. That rarely works. Give them something they can expend their energy on, and quiet play will come naturally at another time.
The
The Explorer
How to recognize an explorer: the explorer is a tinkerer, but not in a negative sense. This child takes everything apart, wants to know how everything works, where the sound comes from, what happens if you push it. Asks "why" a hundred times and has a new question ready just as you've answered the last one.
What works for the explorer: explorer toys are toys with a surprise in them, that you can examine, unravel, assemble, make work; something that doesn't immediately reveal everything or reveals more as you play with it. The best are things that make a law of nature visible, because then a child discovers something themselves instead of being explained to. Curious little ones are fond of:
- Sensory materials to dig into: sand, slime, bubbles
- Magnetic toys and magnetic tiles
- Toys with light, color, and reflection
- Real tools sized for children
- DIY kits based on the STEM principle
- Cameras, binoculars, and walkie-talkies that actually work
- Water and nature toys
What's in our collection: the magnetic rods and balls from SmartMax, the real children's cameras, binoculars and walkie-talkies from The Zoo Family, the slime, kinetic sand and bubble solution from Tuban, and the magnetic tiles from Connetix for those who like to experiment with light and color. But also a telescope, an insect vacuum or a STEM play set from Buki are gift tips to score with explorers.
Where it often goes wrong. An explorer sometimes breaks something. That's not clumsiness, but exploration. Therefore, choose toys that can be taken apart rather than toys that need to remain perfect, then it remains fun for everyone.
View all gifts for explorers →
The Builder
How to recognize a builder: the builder creates, stacks, and builds freely. This type of child always has an idea to get started and is proud when it stays upright. A child who likes to build prefers to build something new rather than play with it. What this child needs is building and construction toys that fit together and can ideally be endlessly expanded, because the bigger the construction, the greater the fun!
What works for builders: Systems that can be expanded indefinitely, because for a builder, buying extra is sensible rather than superfluous. Just make sure everything fits together, otherwise you'll end up with three half-boxes that can't do anything with each other. Children who love to build enjoy:
- Construction systems where one form becomes everything
- Magnetic tiles for working vertically
- Wooden blocks and open-ended building materials
- Workbenches and toy tools
- Roads and tracks that run throughout the house
- Play sets that form a world, such as a garage or farm
What you'll find in our collection: the Danish brand Plus-Plus is one for builders, where one small shape is the start of countless constructions, the flexible magnetic toy from Clixo lets you build in 2D and 3D, the wooden train sets from Brio that run through the house, the stacking games and classic wooden blocks from Haba and the cardboard constructions from Studio Roof are all a match for this play type.
Where it often goes wrong. Give material that doesn't run out quickly: blocks that combine endlessly, sets from which something different emerges tomorrow than today. What's finished after one build ends up at the bottom of the cupboard within a week. A builder who runs out of blocks halfway through gives up. Better to choose one solid basic box than three small sets from different systems.
View all gift ideas for builders →
The Artist
How to recognize an artist: this child draws, crafts, dresses up, makes music,... they are a true artist. The process here counts more than the result, and the kitchen table and playroom are permanently cluttered.
What this child needs: materials instead of instructions. Not toys with one "right" outcome, but things a child can make something out of themselves and where they can add/express their creativity. A gift idea for a creative child would be:
- Drawing and painting materials in ample quantity
- Craft kits with a tangible result
- Dress-up clothes and accessories
- Musical instruments of all shapes and sizes
- Wall decorations you assemble yourself
- Nice stationery for older children
What you'll find in our collection: from ready-made craft kits by Djeco, to dress-up clothes by Great Pretenders, stickers by Omy, cardboard wall decorations by Studio Roof, sidewalk chalk and craft kits by Tuban, and stationery and creative gifts by Legami for older children.
Where it often goes wrong: Craft supplies neatly stored away in a cupboard, out of reach. An artist crafts by feel, not by appointment. What's within arm's reach will be used.
The Dreamer
How to recognize a dreamer: the dreamer likes to play alone, is attached to their belongings, loves beautiful things. Gives names and entire life stories to their stuffed animals, and whispers to them. Here, atmosphere and quality count: a cuddly toy that can withstand a thousand washes, figures that carry a whole story, something that gets a permanent place in the room. These are the gifts that will still exist years later.
What this child needs: For dreamers, toys are not just toys; they are a character, a world in themselves; they can be or become anything and nothing, and preferably toys that are beautiful enough to keep for years. Such dreamy children are often fond of:
- Stuffed animals, from the very first to an entire collection of collectible plush toys
- Dolls and everything that goes with them
- Play figures and animal figurines
- Small worlds: dollhouses, doll furniture, doll strollers
- Collectible figures in blind boxes
- Atmosphere creators like night lights, mobiles, and music boxes
What you'll find in our collection: the stuffed animals from Jellycat and Steiff, the wooden animals and figures from Ostheimer, the soft Waldorf dolls from Nanchen, the dolls and houses from Sylvanian Families, the music boxes from Wooderful Life and the collectible figurines from Sonny Angel and Smiski for slightly older dreamers.
Where it sometimes goes wrong with a dreamer: too much at once. A dreamer attaches to a handful of things, not a bin full. Fewer stuffed animals usually means a deeper bond with the ones that are there.
The Thinker
How to recognize a thinker: this type of child loves games, puzzles, and logic. They want to know the rules precisely, they want to win, they don't shy away from a challenge, and they start over immediately if it doesn't work out. Games with escalating levels, puzzles, anything that requires a bit of effort before success. Choose something that can grow with them rather than something that's played out after three times.
What works for this child: a challenge that gradually becomes more difficult. Something that can be done alone, because waiting for a play partner isn't always an option.
- Sorting and shape games for the very youngest
- Building sets with a step-by-step plan
- Logic games with challenge cards from easy to difficult
- Puzzles with escalating difficulty
- Strategic board games
- Logic and brain teasers for one player
What you will find in our collection: the solo games from SmartGames, where each game has dozens of tasks from easy to almost impossible, is definitely a hit with your thinker. In addition, Djeco observation puzzles and strategic board games from Haba that can be played with as few as 1 player will be fun for these children. Be sure to also check out our Eureka brain teasers for slightly older schoolchildren and even adults.
Where things often go wrong. A game that is too easy is finished too quickly. If in doubt, choose something that seems a bit too difficult, because a thinker enjoys sinking their teeth into something challenging.
View all gift tips for thinkers →
What if my child fits multiple types?
That is more the rule than the exception. Children don't fit into boxes. Most children are two, and which type is dominant shifts with age. A toddler is almost always a doer, simply because their body is new all day. Around four or five years old, playing with making up stories is added, and from six years old, the builder and the thinker emerge, because only then can a child make a plan and stick to it.
Are you torn between two types? Then choose the type the child chooses when they are allowed to play alone for half an hour, without a screen and without help. That is usually the real one.
And good news: each play type has its own selection online with us, so you can easily compare two next to each other before deciding which gift it will be.
Want to search along yourself?
We have put our gift finder online. In three questions, age, play type, and budget, a selection will appear that we suggest and that will give you tips to find the perfect gift from our toy collection.
