A Few Of MY Favorite Things

It’s Christmas time! Such a wonderful time of year to remember how blessed we are! Although I know it can be challenging and stressful with all the extra expenses, decorating, cleaning, and entertaining, it is still the most wonderful time of the year!

With all the recalls on toys and children’s products, it is difficult to find a gift that you feel safe about. Then for those buying gifts for children that do not have children themselves (as my single friends point out) it can be even more difficult! So, This year I wanted to make a list of a few toys and items my children have loved having, and I have loved them having. Most of these items are “Clutter-free” and serve a purpose, educational and fun! No items linked or mentioned are “affiliates”. They are simply products I have personally found to be great quality items. Any name brand items are linked, so simply click on the word to see the product for yourself.

1) Baby Tad (by Leap Frog) Appropriate for infants up to about 3 (as far as the wow factor). He is like a stuffed animal, but his bib, hands and feet are interactive. Babies can learn shapes, colors, and sing songs with Baby Tad. However the greatest, most used, feature for us is the “goodnight” button. It plays up to six minutes of lullabies. From the time my girls were infants I would play this at bedtime, now they can not go to sleep without it, but that is o.k. because it is battery operated and goes wherever we go. When we travel, as we all know, kids get fidgety and fussy. They get cranky but can’t seem to fall asleep because of all the stimulation. They can not get to their “quiet place” to fall asleep. Thus, Baby Tad is excellent. It is their one constant wherever they are to help them fall asleep. So as we travel we play his lullabies, and both my 2 year old and my 6 year old can be sent to dream land. Plus, unlike a CD or other musical prop, Anna can control it. If it goes off and she is not yet asleep, she just squeezes his hand and goes to sleep. She has been able to do that since before she was a year old.

2) Arts and Crafts (ages 1 and up)

You can not go wrong here. Every kid can always use fresh play-doh, finger paints, and googly eyes. My favorite A&C gifts are from “Melissa & Doug”. They have craft kits. Necklace sets, stamp sets, and “make your own purse” sets. These include everything you need for that craft, it comes in a nice wooden container so it can all be kept together. And all of their things are washable. That is the only thing you have to watch for… Be sure any paints, markers, or crayons are washable!

3) Family Passes to local attractions (1 and up)

If you are in an area where you have zoos, children’s Museums, water parks, etc. Family passes to these places are great! They are typically good for a year, so it gives to them all year long, and they are clutter free! Mostly older kids can really appreciate this, but parents really will! For the younger kid they need to hold something to appreciate it, so if you get them zoo passes give them a book about monkeys or an animal book with the passes inside. This way they can have something to hold. The Atlanta Zoo pass is actually only about $100 for 2 adults and up to 4 children. My sister and I bump it up to one extra adult for $15 more, and can take any friend and their children with us. Although it may be a little more than you would want to spend, it would be great if you had to buy for more than one child in a family. It could even be a great “family gift”, I know most moms would love receiving something like that.

4) Books (0 and up)

Again, always clutter free and educational. For infants and toddlers I recommend anything that is “touch and feel” and “lift the flap”. They love them because it is tactile stimulating, allowing them to be apart of the reading experience. Pop ups are not good for this age, they will tear them up. For preschool and young school age they would love early reader books. (I plan to give the “Bob books” to my K-5 daughter and niece for Christmas) And my personal favorite, of course, is Dr. Seuss! Ask the parents what types of books their children like. My K-5 daughter loves reading the American Girl books with me, but other children of the same age may be interested in something totally different.

5) Puzzles ( 1 and up)
Puzzles are great for nearly any age as well. They have chunky puzzles for little fingers, plus for the little ones a lot of them have the image painted to match the puzzle, this helps with matching skills. For the older ones, my girls both love floor puzzles. Their favorite “Melissa & Doug” Alphabet floor Train Puzzle. They are large pieces, so even little toddlers can play with it. With toddlers who do not yet know their letters, such as Anna, it is great activity. I give her the letter that is next in the train and say “A says “a” as in apple” She says “a – apple” and then places it down in the train. When they are older and know their “ABC” song and are recognizing their letters, they can do it themselves.

6) Fisher Price Little People (For ages 1 – 4)

These are great, and can be found for boys and girls. From farms to doll houses, pirate ships, to playgrounds, I love these! Most of us remember the farm with the mooing cows and neighing horses. They are big pieces, so no choking hazards. They are all interactive, making sounds, which is very educational. You throw all the pieces in and close it up for storage, which is great for cleanup! You can spend as much as $30-$40 or as little as $5 – $10.

7) Games (Preschool and up)

For this I have to refer to Leap Frog again as my favorite. They have taken classics such as connect 4 and Bingo, and made them even more educational, but just as much fun! Through these games they teach letters, shapes, and colors. Then there are the classics, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Memory, and “Hi-Ho-Cherry-O”.

8 ) Groovy Girls ( 2 and up)

These are great alternatives to Barbies. They are plush soft dolls, with clothes, houses, and everything Barbie has to offer. All of their accesories are plush and soft as well, from clothes and shoes, to beds and cars, and yes they have a boy doll too. Each doll is about $10-$15 and they come with an outfit, just like Barbie. If you have not heard of them check them out, I think you will love them!

9) Strawberry Shortcake and Hello Kitty!

Oh yes they are two of the hottest items again. This year they are bringing back the classic Strawberry Shortcake, which blows Strawberry kisses and everything. I love these items because they are classic little girl, and they are practically good for any age.

10) American Girl Dolls

If you have ever looked at these dolls you know they are very expensive. I love the concept, and I love the stories. Concept: To encourage reading as well as teach about the History of America. Each doll is from a different time period and has a story to go with it. Samantha is from 1904, or Felicity who is from the 1700’s. The down side is they are about $100 a piece. So if you can’t quite swing that, go for the Our Generation dolls at Target. At about $20-$25 a doll they are a lot more cost effective. My daughter has one, and loves it!