Most creatives that I know and/or read about talk about how when they were young they didn’t have a lot of toys and things so they used art supplies and the few treasured items that they had. They used their imaginations to dream and create. When maiki and I have talked about the kinds of toys and things that we want to share with our baby, they have all been the simplest of objects. Wooden toys and blocks are these kind of toys and their benefits are well documented. Besides fostering creativity and enhancing cognitive development, they feel great when you hold them. They are natural and long lasting and are not noisy and overstimulating. There are so many alternatives available to the plastic versions of cars, people, animals etc. on Etsy and other shops and I am excited to build our collection.
When I think about the toys I played with, Lego and Lincoln Logs come to mind. I wish I had more eletronics and maybe a working chemistry set when I was in my teens.
I think the important part will be a balance of free play and challenges in building things (meaning, I want to play, too!). ^_^