My FAVORITE Toys

When my first two were little, we had all sort of senseless toys. I didn’t really put too much thought into them when buying. When they were younger, I went back to school for Elementary Education, first getting a degree in Early Childhood, and I learned the importance of play and hands on, and I started put those practices into play with my own kids at home. I would learn how a simple set of wooden blocks can teach children about science and math. And fine motor skills and balance, and the list went on and on…problem solving… All from a set of blocks. I started putting some thought into what toys we would bring home.

Now, my youngest (number three) is three years old, I have a degree in Elementary Education and I am very close to a dual masters in Special Education and Literacy (aiming to teach when my little guy starts school) and I am very choosy about what toys we buy. Not just for the fact that I want them to be engaging, but we don’t have room for senseless toys in our house.

I didn’t set out to buy every Melissa and Doug toy that they make, but one may think that if they visit our home, haha! 90% of the toys that we have are made by them. This is not sponsored by Melissa and Doug (that would be pretty cool), but we have put their products to the test over the years.

They are engaging, durable, educational and practical. We not only have their wooden blocks, we have trucks and trains, puppets, horse stable, play food, counting and pattern activities, shape sorters, lacing cards, and all sorts of puzzles.

Lucca (our 3 year old) calls some of the Melissa and Doug activities his “homework” and he gets them out when his older sister and brother are doing their homework. It is so cute.

Sometimes I take the Melissa and Doug “homework” and add a twist to it:

I spilled Christmas lights in and out of basket and dumped all the shapes into the basket. My little guy thought that was great, he had to search in-between the lights to find the shapes and place them in their correct place. He was engaged for a while this time.

I can say that the car carriers have been the biggest hit. Lucca will “transport” just about anything and play for hours with them and the Melissa and Doug wooden construction vehicles.

I also like how the toys grow with your child. Our shape sorter was just something that the kids started learning how to pick up off the tray of their high chair. Then they tried to stack a few of the shapes, and possibly chew on the corners of the wood a little (all non-toxic paint) and then they would just throw into the box and eventually they learned how to get each shape into the proper cut out. Less then $15 and they play with it for years… and it doesn’t break, or require me to mess around with batteries, WIN!

I will link the toys we have below, only because I have put these to the test of my children, who may have used them once or twice as ramps for their bikes and they have stood the test of time. They are durable, safe, engaging, and toys that I would spend money on again. In fact, Melissa and Doug are my go to for baby shower toys and gifts for my nieces and nephews too!

Hoping this will help at least one of you who are stuck with what to buy at the next birthday party, or for your own children who may need some engaging activities, that won’t empty the bank!

Thanks for stopping by,

Leandra

XOXOX