In my spare time I often find myself looking through toy reviews online. Toby is old enough now that he has obvious preferences to the toys he plays with, and he can communicate those preferences, but Linden is still at my mercy when it comes to baby games and gear! haha Every parent has those really strong convictions in the beginning - Only educational toys! No blinking lights! No loud noises! Wooden everything! I say that in a lighthearted manner, I promise! (I was one of those people, too.) But reality sets in and you acknowledge that most kids' toys blink and hoot and holler and do all of the things you swore you'd stay away from. Some may not appear to be educational at all (But play is always educational, right?). If you walk down any toy aisle or browse any toy department online, you'll notice the incredible variety of gadgets available. There are so many! Hundreds of baby games, thousands of "Must Have!"s, and one very overwhelmed mama. How can you ensure you don't just add to a pile of clutter at home when your kid ignores his toys all together? I've read plenty of articles on age-appropriate toys and how to encourage brain development through play. Based on my own personal experience with Toby and Linden (and those handy online reviews!), this is the list I put together for our favorite types of toys and games! And essentials, like Lovies!
Many of these toys can easily apply to other age categories, but if you have a little one's birthday coming up soon, this might help inspire a gift idea that will be truly enjoyed by the recipient! And I swear if there's one thing on here we love more than any other, it's that darn rollercoaster (our review here)! It is still the star of our backyard, and I'm tickled pink every time Linden "woo!"s down it! (I know I listed it in Preschooler, but Linden has loved it since he was like 18 months old, and Toby still rides it haha) Linden also has the fire truck car at Mike's parents' house. Toby rode in it when he was L's age, and it's so neat to see it be special to each of the boys.
What are some of your favorite age-appropriate gifts to give to the little ones in your life?
xo KB
(all products available on diapers.com)
When I was nannying for toddlers, their biggest go to was one of those old school doctor kits! I remembered laying on the rug of their living room for hours being "operated on" by two tiny surgeons.
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