What's your favorite "larger" indoor toy/activity?

[mom2lucy]

We just finished our basement and I'm looking for ideas of what to put down there for my 2.5 yr/old and 4 mo. old. We have a Step 2 climber/slide that's in our living room already, but we otherwise don't have any larger toys. I would like to spend under $200, preferably closer to $100, but I'm willing to invest in something that will provide fun for my girls for years to come. I'm thinking of an inflatable bounce house-any experience with those?
Thanks so much!

[PatienceAndLove]

I would look for a backyard climbing thing- like a jungle gym or play cube. Maybe a playhouse?

A tee-pee could be fun, as well.

[OkiMom]

The few people I know with the bounce house things have all told me they pop really easy. One of my friends went through 3 different ones in less than 6 months allowing her two (a 1 year old and a 2 year old) play on it at seperate times following all the "rules" in the manual that came with them (the bouncers, not the kids). So, if you have more than 1 small kid they don't seem to be a good thing (at least to me) since they seem to pop easily.
I have a pop up tent, tunnel and ball pit set i got. It was probably 100 including the large number of balls we have. The girls love it and play with it all the time. It folds up after they are done so its not as if I have this huge thing sitting around all the time.

[PatienceAndLove]

Originally Posted by OkiMom

I have a pop up tent, tunnel and ball pit set i got. It was probably 100 including the large number of balls we have. The girls love it and play with it all the time. It folds up after they are done so its not as if I have this huge thing sitting around all the time.

That is totally cool!
I want one!

ETA: I found this. Makes me want something like it for myself!

[mamakaikai]

I'd go for a playkitchen, hands down.

we have a bouncy house. VERY noisy. I would not use it indoors, personally.

[LynnS6]

Are you looking to have the kids to active play down there or just be able to have larger pieces? Depending on the answer, my recommendations would differ.

More active play:
A tunnel or play tent. Ikea makes some reasonable ones. (Tunnels are great with crawling babies.) Other companies make some really cool combination tunnel & tent things like this (would work for older kids) or this (for younger kids)

This swivel chair from Ikea would be a big hit at our house.

Some sort of bouncy toy like a rocking horse or a Rody.

A mini trampoline

If you want space for active play, then you need to leave a fair amount of open space for running.

For other kinds of play:
A play kitchen (ours is still used by my 6 year old and her friends, and sometimes ds' 8-9 year old friends)

Wooden Trains/Tracks.

[Ornery]

We have little space in our front room for play toys but our mini trampoline has been worth every inch it takes up.

[LaughingHyena]

Our mini trampoline is usually outdoors, but when we did move it indoors last winter the kids played on it a lot.

We have a couple of the pop up tents, tunnels and ball pool balls. At 6 & 3 they are now out growing them as a ball pool (the tent does not fit both of them in and doesn't hold many balls) but we still use the tent and tunnels. When they were a bit younger we found the pack n play made a great ball pool.

The little tykes rocker was also used a lot last year. DS loves the horse one at playgroup and we have a whale which both kids fit on at home.

The other big hit here is the easel, it has chalk on one side and magnets on the other. We leave it with a couple of sticks of chalk and some magnets and both kids play with it. DD has gone through several phases of doing "big angry scribbles" when she gets cross.

[Forthwith]

When I was a kid, we had a Quadro set in our basement. We loved it!

[mamadelbosque]

We have Quadros. They *ROCK*!! Ours are now 15-20 yrs old - they were mine & my brothers when we were kids and they're still going strong. They're awesome cause' you can build whatever you want with them and keep it fresh - one way for a few motnhs, then another for a few more etc.

[iamama]

If you have lots of open space Plasma cars are super fun for kids and adults.

[lisalu100]

Wow, now I really want a Quadro Starter II set for DD. I couldn't decide whether to get her a playhouse or a climbing frame. This can be both!

[JayGee]

We bring a lot of our outdoor toys indoors for the cold months. Scooters, tricycles, and everyone's favorite ~ floor hockey!

[Hokulele]

We get no end of fun from our kitchen set. My girls (2yo and 5yo) have had it over a year and still play with it almost daily. Any friends that come over gravitate towards that and the doll house.

The one we have is the indoor/outdoor set with the grill one one side and sink/fridge etc on the other side. It drives me a little crazy because it can't sit against a wall (because then one side wouldn't be useable). But in a large space this wouldn't be an issue. I have no idea how much it cost, MIL bought it for us. (Probably under $200.)

I just saw a kitchen set at Costco for $115 and DD couldn't pull herself away from it. It was smaller than ours but had a bunch of cool stuff.

In a really large space, I'd go for something the kids could climb on, or otherwise expend energy - for rainy days.

[Hokulele]

Just reading thru responses now... I second the Ikea mention. We have the tent and tunnel from there (come separately, but my kids use them together). They each were $15 or under - I think the tunnel was something insane like $8. But I say ANYTHING from Ikea is good - great quality and just worlds cheaper than anything comparable from anywhere else. They have a great easel.

Also, when you buy big things (toys or otherwise) keep the boxes! We get more play out of big boxes than anything else. We turn them into forts and then when the kids get tired of them (rarely) we drag them outside, paint all over them and bring them back it - it is as though it is a new toy.

[waiting2bemommy]

Legos...the really big ones, normally for little kids, are super fun for building forts and whatnot. pop up tunnels and tents...if you have room you can do 3 or 4 tunnels and a couple tents. Throw in some big boxes with "windows" cut out and you have a world of fun.

[karemore]

We have this in our basement http://www.step2.com/product.cfm?product_id=1301

[VBMama]

I have REALLY active kids and a long rainy winter season where we live.

- I had a small dome climber similar to this but cheaper plastic from Target, I think, and it was great. The kids climbed, jumped, swung upside down, and covered it up with blankets for fort. Totally worth it.

- The rings & soft swing (not made anymore?) from Ikea have also been a huge hit.

- And finally, when we bought a new mattress for dh & I, we kept the old one for a "jumping" mattress. Much sturdier than an inflatable bouncer!

I haven't figured out what is going to be the new & exciting for inside play this year, but I try and do something different every winter. I dream of a climbing wall someday. Gotta get all that energy out!

[PatienceAndLove]

Both of these are more than you mentioned in your price point, but might be a good option since you can climb on them.
And, since it's getting colder, you may be able to find either of them cheaper than they are during the spring and summer. You may even be able to negotiate a better price.

Naturally Playful® Woodland Climber

Play Up™ Double Slide Climber

and this one is right under your price point
Climb, Seek and Explore Expedition Center

[mom2lucy]

Thank you everyone for such great ideas! I love the Quadros, and I'm going to check out stuff at Ikea too.