Please know that we have used all of the toys that I am about to mention (Unless I add a note clarifying we haven't), and that is the reason why I recommend those sizes, brands, presentation, and colors, but you can do you own research for similar items in different brands, sizes, etc.
Apologies for the length of this text but there are some specifics I want to talk about, I am the type of mom that wants to know ALL the details, that's just the way I'm wired, so if you are reading this you may be from my club and if you are not, then just go over the links added to the name of the toy and it'll take you right to the description and the store that had it in stock when I wrote this blog, (it doesn't mean I bought it there or that it's the best deal).
I hope you don't find this overwhelming, remember this was written to help you and give you ideas, not to stress you and make you feel you need to run to the next store with clearance.
Don't forget to supervise your LO specially, if it's a new toy!
Ok, let's start!
My top 10 - Part 1 (I know, I know...)
10. Outdoor toys: I have to admit, I am not an outdoor type of person and neither is my child, however all children DO need outside play time, so I try to make it as fun as possible, if the weather is nice I recommend a Water Table this can entertain Zoe for almost an hour, kids love to play with water and they love it more if it has any type or waterfall or gears! it is a great option although a little pricey but there is always some deals on this type of toy everywhere, try to avoid the ones that have close pipes, since they can get moldy really easily, many of these type of products are STEAM certified. Never underestimate the power of Chalk, kids can get super creative, you can draw patterns in the sidewalk with tape and the results will be amazing, if you want to be more sophisticated try Chalktivity the stomper stamp is amazing, the stamp stick doesn't work as advertised, but the fact that is a "new" way to use chalk is highly attractive for the LO's. Some other good options; Bikes, Scooters (I strongly recommend the 3 wheel adjustable Radio Flyer), a Jumping Rope, Water Balloons, Bubbles, GT gardening set, are amazing options and very affordable!. Please note that I am writing this blog on April 2020, we are all indoors in a quarantine that seems it will last forever, all parks and public playgrounds are closed, so my options to take her out are limited, daycares and schools are closed as well, but even with all that kids need movement, I recently acquire a trampoline, for me to work out, but it ended up being a great toy for her to play! not to mention it can be used indoors as well and she uses a lot of that energy that most 4yo have!.
9. Bath toys: I have some variety of bath toys but I never have them all out at the same time, even tho Zoe loves getting a bath every day, many times there is certain level of struggle because that means her sleep routine is about to start, and if there is something that she doesn't like, is to sleep!, also I have a full time job and used to have a long commute, and now with the pandemic situation I still have a full time job (luckly) and a LO who is with me All. Day. Long..., so at the end of her day, when is bath time, I just don't have the energy, patience and time to have a power struggle with my 4yo (if you have a toddler you know what I am talking about), so I always have a secret weapon. She has her daily toys there, you know the typical set of duckies a fun sponge, etc. But If I know it'll be a difficult day, there is always something extra for her to use, sometimes is colored water with Color Bath Dropz (I let her choose ONE color a day but on the weekend I let her pick 2 or even 3 so she mixes them and learn what new colors she'll find), other times I let her do a piece of art with Bathtub Crayons or instead of her regular soap I use Finger Paint Soap let her play while she's getting clean or I just blow bubbles. Also these toys are great for bath time; from green toys the Submarine, Ferry Boat and Tug Boat, from Skip Hop the Pour Buckets (I consider this a STEAM toy), Monkey Submarine and Play Tray, the Basketball set is supper fun!, from STEAM toys Bath Gears and the wonderful Pipes. Please Note that ALL bath toys need to be washed regularly or put to dry after every use because all of them eventually get moldy and most of them are really hard to get clean once that happens (specially the pipes!).
8. Educational toys: If you think about it, most of the toys were created to teach something, but there are some with a very specific focus so I'll talk about that. The first one you should get for your toddler is Thinkfun Roll, very cute, it has several activities that your LO will enjoy when rolling the colorful dice!, Zoe's best friend got it too and now we use it weekly in our zoom playdates, the girls love it!. I also recommend Letter and number board, cute, super simple but it has certain level of complexity, Zoe loves it because it's like a puzzle and I love it because it is reinforcing the shapes of the letters and how they are formed (like, two half circles can create the O but if you use half of a circle + a line then you have the P, etc.). From Fat Brain Toys Count and Stacking tower, high quality, very colorful and helps them with analytical thinking. Sticker and Coloring activity sets (We have been working with the numbers one, I give her only ONE page every day, I sit down with her make sure she writes the number several times then she goes solo for the stickers finally she colors the page). Flash cards like Math, Vocabulary Zoe loves them because she loves to use the marke LOL, if you get them just remember that the best way they learn is playing, if you try to make all these flashcards as an assignment, they will lose interest. Magnetic mazes are super cool, but take into account that it requires some patience and kids to be focus, so it's not for everyone. Spelling toys, are always fun, just take it as a game. Art easel are a must, try to make sure they have the magnetic dry-erase board + chalkboard, there are a lot of used in good shape cheap options in FB Market. My Magical Preschool Workbook it may seem like a very simple book of activities but it is a great tool for them to start practicing lines and patterns that eventually will help them to write, excellent fine motor skill tool. And finally, this one is not about math or verbs but about the importance of kids understanding feelings, I strongly recommend you Feelings flashcards, give your children the tools they need to express themselves, believe me it'll make your life (and your child's) easier.
Flashcards and boards can be a DIY project, there is a ton of proposals in pinterest and other sites for this kind of toy.
7. Puzzles: Zoe loves puzzles, we started with the small ones and increased the number of pieces as she growed them, nowadays, she can put 60pz puzzles by herself so I try to buy the ones that are not the typical jigsaw, i.e. Melissa and Doug United States map floor puzzle the pieces have the shape of every state and they don't stick together since it's not the jigsaw shape, so try to do it in a flat surface. Many of her puzzles are of this kind so she can be challenged and doesn't lose interest, try to stick with the big pieces, and if you want to keep buying the traditional ones, then try from Melissa and Doug something like Solar System or Underwater, these particular ones have a lot of similar colors around so it makes them harder to make however do not underestimate your kiddo, you'll be surprised how fast they learn, Mudpuppy has beautiful jumbo puzzles designs and the quality is excellent (Even better than M&D) and they also have lovely Travel Designs those are the ones I am using to introduce Zoe to smaller puzzles pieces. Cube Puzzles are amazing very challenging when your kiddo it's a puzzle master!, and last but not least, you can also try the 3D simple version like Build it blue print (waiting for our shipment to arrive) from Fat Brain Toys and when I said simple versions is because I want your LO's to play by themselves, I got Zoe the pretty purple doll house 3D puzzle from Melissa and Doug, OMG a total nightmare lol, over a 100 pieces that make a lovely house, BUT imagine over 100 pieces on floor the with a 3yo (back then) around me asking me if it was ready Every. 15. Seconds..., at 6pm on a Sunday, big, BIG mistake!. it was lovely tho.
Note: you can find any image you want online, print it, paste it in a piece of cardboard, color it with your LO, cover it in contact plastic and cut it.!
6. STEAM toys: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math based toys, geared towards curiosity and education that help to engage children in a culture of learning, curriculum-based toys to help kids developing useful skills. My favorite is Educational Insights Design & Drill Activity Center and Lite-Brite board toy these toys have different patterns to follow, but also kids can build whatever their imagination creates!, it helps children to build coordination, early math, fine motor skills etc. Marble Maze (link as a reference, but I found one in Marshalls for $8), I put it together for Zoe the first time and she was fascinated, almost play with that for 45 mins!, then we put it away/apart and when she wanted to play with it and I was busy, she was able to make her own design, it was amazing to see her build it in whatever way she wanted and then watching the path the marbles would take depending on the modifications she kept doing in every run! we recently acquired Magnetic Marble Run SUPER cool toy I really liked it a lot, the problem was her essel was not big enough to make all the mazes design...what a shame, now I am looking for a magnetic wall paper or something to make this happen!, these toy develop hand-eye coordination, imagination, logical thinking and creativity. Same benefits with Gears, Domino Set, Magnetic Blocks and Mazeo all of them very colorful and great quality.
Note: you can create marble Mazes with recycled materials like plastic bottles, toilet paper rolls (you may want to color them), tape and plastic containers, and glue it to a piece of cardboard or even use some fabric and velcro if you want it more colorful. You can also use any type of domino or pieces that look alike to simulate the STEAM domino set. For the bright board there are miniature versions that are very affordable and as fun as the full size one.
Ok, let's take a break, when you are ready please read About toys...My top 10 - Part 2
Apologies for the length of this text but there are some specifics I want to talk about, I am the type of mom that wants to know ALL the details, that's just the way I'm wired, so if you are reading this you may be from my club and if you are not, then just go over the links added to the name of the toy and it'll take you right to the description and the store that had it in stock when I wrote this blog, (it doesn't mean I bought it there or that it's the best deal).
I hope you don't find this overwhelming, remember this was written to help you and give you ideas, not to stress you and make you feel you need to run to the next store with clearance.
Don't forget to supervise your LO specially, if it's a new toy!
Ok, let's start!
My top 10 - Part 1 (I know, I know...)
10. Outdoor toys: I have to admit, I am not an outdoor type of person and neither is my child, however all children DO need outside play time, so I try to make it as fun as possible, if the weather is nice I recommend a Water Table this can entertain Zoe for almost an hour, kids love to play with water and they love it more if it has any type or waterfall or gears! it is a great option although a little pricey but there is always some deals on this type of toy everywhere, try to avoid the ones that have close pipes, since they can get moldy really easily, many of these type of products are STEAM certified. Never underestimate the power of Chalk, kids can get super creative, you can draw patterns in the sidewalk with tape and the results will be amazing, if you want to be more sophisticated try Chalktivity the stomper stamp is amazing, the stamp stick doesn't work as advertised, but the fact that is a "new" way to use chalk is highly attractive for the LO's. Some other good options; Bikes, Scooters (I strongly recommend the 3 wheel adjustable Radio Flyer), a Jumping Rope, Water Balloons, Bubbles, GT gardening set, are amazing options and very affordable!. Please note that I am writing this blog on April 2020, we are all indoors in a quarantine that seems it will last forever, all parks and public playgrounds are closed, so my options to take her out are limited, daycares and schools are closed as well, but even with all that kids need movement, I recently acquire a trampoline, for me to work out, but it ended up being a great toy for her to play! not to mention it can be used indoors as well and she uses a lot of that energy that most 4yo have!.
9. Bath toys: I have some variety of bath toys but I never have them all out at the same time, even tho Zoe loves getting a bath every day, many times there is certain level of struggle because that means her sleep routine is about to start, and if there is something that she doesn't like, is to sleep!, also I have a full time job and used to have a long commute, and now with the pandemic situation I still have a full time job (luckly) and a LO who is with me All. Day. Long..., so at the end of her day, when is bath time, I just don't have the energy, patience and time to have a power struggle with my 4yo (if you have a toddler you know what I am talking about), so I always have a secret weapon. She has her daily toys there, you know the typical set of duckies a fun sponge, etc. But If I know it'll be a difficult day, there is always something extra for her to use, sometimes is colored water with Color Bath Dropz (I let her choose ONE color a day but on the weekend I let her pick 2 or even 3 so she mixes them and learn what new colors she'll find), other times I let her do a piece of art with Bathtub Crayons or instead of her regular soap I use Finger Paint Soap let her play while she's getting clean or I just blow bubbles. Also these toys are great for bath time; from green toys the Submarine, Ferry Boat and Tug Boat, from Skip Hop the Pour Buckets (I consider this a STEAM toy), Monkey Submarine and Play Tray, the Basketball set is supper fun!, from STEAM toys Bath Gears and the wonderful Pipes. Please Note that ALL bath toys need to be washed regularly or put to dry after every use because all of them eventually get moldy and most of them are really hard to get clean once that happens (specially the pipes!).
8. Educational toys: If you think about it, most of the toys were created to teach something, but there are some with a very specific focus so I'll talk about that. The first one you should get for your toddler is Thinkfun Roll, very cute, it has several activities that your LO will enjoy when rolling the colorful dice!, Zoe's best friend got it too and now we use it weekly in our zoom playdates, the girls love it!. I also recommend Letter and number board, cute, super simple but it has certain level of complexity, Zoe loves it because it's like a puzzle and I love it because it is reinforcing the shapes of the letters and how they are formed (like, two half circles can create the O but if you use half of a circle + a line then you have the P, etc.). From Fat Brain Toys Count and Stacking tower, high quality, very colorful and helps them with analytical thinking. Sticker and Coloring activity sets (We have been working with the numbers one, I give her only ONE page every day, I sit down with her make sure she writes the number several times then she goes solo for the stickers finally she colors the page). Flash cards like Math, Vocabulary Zoe loves them because she loves to use the marke LOL, if you get them just remember that the best way they learn is playing, if you try to make all these flashcards as an assignment, they will lose interest. Magnetic mazes are super cool, but take into account that it requires some patience and kids to be focus, so it's not for everyone. Spelling toys, are always fun, just take it as a game. Art easel are a must, try to make sure they have the magnetic dry-erase board + chalkboard, there are a lot of used in good shape cheap options in FB Market. My Magical Preschool Workbook it may seem like a very simple book of activities but it is a great tool for them to start practicing lines and patterns that eventually will help them to write, excellent fine motor skill tool. And finally, this one is not about math or verbs but about the importance of kids understanding feelings, I strongly recommend you Feelings flashcards, give your children the tools they need to express themselves, believe me it'll make your life (and your child's) easier.
Flashcards and boards can be a DIY project, there is a ton of proposals in pinterest and other sites for this kind of toy.
7. Puzzles: Zoe loves puzzles, we started with the small ones and increased the number of pieces as she growed them, nowadays, she can put 60pz puzzles by herself so I try to buy the ones that are not the typical jigsaw, i.e. Melissa and Doug United States map floor puzzle the pieces have the shape of every state and they don't stick together since it's not the jigsaw shape, so try to do it in a flat surface. Many of her puzzles are of this kind so she can be challenged and doesn't lose interest, try to stick with the big pieces, and if you want to keep buying the traditional ones, then try from Melissa and Doug something like Solar System or Underwater, these particular ones have a lot of similar colors around so it makes them harder to make however do not underestimate your kiddo, you'll be surprised how fast they learn, Mudpuppy has beautiful jumbo puzzles designs and the quality is excellent (Even better than M&D) and they also have lovely Travel Designs those are the ones I am using to introduce Zoe to smaller puzzles pieces. Cube Puzzles are amazing very challenging when your kiddo it's a puzzle master!, and last but not least, you can also try the 3D simple version like Build it blue print (waiting for our shipment to arrive) from Fat Brain Toys and when I said simple versions is because I want your LO's to play by themselves, I got Zoe the pretty purple doll house 3D puzzle from Melissa and Doug, OMG a total nightmare lol, over a 100 pieces that make a lovely house, BUT imagine over 100 pieces on floor the with a 3yo (back then) around me asking me if it was ready Every. 15. Seconds..., at 6pm on a Sunday, big, BIG mistake!. it was lovely tho.
Note: you can find any image you want online, print it, paste it in a piece of cardboard, color it with your LO, cover it in contact plastic and cut it.!
6. STEAM toys: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math based toys, geared towards curiosity and education that help to engage children in a culture of learning, curriculum-based toys to help kids developing useful skills. My favorite is Educational Insights Design & Drill Activity Center and Lite-Brite board toy these toys have different patterns to follow, but also kids can build whatever their imagination creates!, it helps children to build coordination, early math, fine motor skills etc. Marble Maze (link as a reference, but I found one in Marshalls for $8), I put it together for Zoe the first time and she was fascinated, almost play with that for 45 mins!, then we put it away/apart and when she wanted to play with it and I was busy, she was able to make her own design, it was amazing to see her build it in whatever way she wanted and then watching the path the marbles would take depending on the modifications she kept doing in every run! we recently acquired Magnetic Marble Run SUPER cool toy I really liked it a lot, the problem was her essel was not big enough to make all the mazes design...what a shame, now I am looking for a magnetic wall paper or something to make this happen!, these toy develop hand-eye coordination, imagination, logical thinking and creativity. Same benefits with Gears, Domino Set, Magnetic Blocks and Mazeo all of them very colorful and great quality.
Note: you can create marble Mazes with recycled materials like plastic bottles, toilet paper rolls (you may want to color them), tape and plastic containers, and glue it to a piece of cardboard or even use some fabric and velcro if you want it more colorful. You can also use any type of domino or pieces that look alike to simulate the STEAM domino set. For the bright board there are miniature versions that are very affordable and as fun as the full size one.
Ok, let's take a break, when you are ready please read About toys...My top 10 - Part 2
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