Our Favorites

Each of these toys have been chosen by me, because they are favorites in my house.  I have not been compensated or contacted by any company to feature them. I have seen my son learn, explore and enjoy them all and want to share them with you parent to parent. Happy Holidays!

Educo My Creative Cookery Club (pictured above) I love this kitchen, and so does my son.  It’s not too big, but it has all the essentials for a play kitchen , oven, sink and burners.  It also comes with utensils , pots and my son’s favorites , the salt and pepper shakers. I love that it uses gender neutral colors and it was a cinch to put together even late on Christmas Eve! 2 and up.

Melissa & Doug Food Groups This food set is a perfect match for the kitchen but even if you don’t have a play kitchen , learning about the food groups is essential when you are teaching about nutrition. We use these to play grocery store, restaurant and my son’s favorite “Starbucks” .  We have had these for a year and they are sturdy and although the age range is 3 and up, there are no small parts and great for a family with a range of ages. Also the crates the food comes in have been a huge hit here as well, they get used with blocks to make cities and ferry boats. 2 and up.

Wader Quality Toys: Garbage Truck My son is into a lot of things, music, cars but his number one love is garbage trucks. We own 15 garbage truck toys of various sizes and this is by far his favorite.  What I like about it is that it makes no sound, the cans it comes with slide into the dumper which requires some patience and fine motor control, and the truck  is made in Germany which eases my mind.  My son plays with this all the time. We cut up junk mail into garbage , grab a place mat and make a “dump” a lot. 2 and up.

* A similar item ” Melissa and Doug Pound a Peg ” was recalled in Canada- Link to recall I thought it was this when a reader pointed out that there were two different toys. So yay no recall on this !

Hammer Bench My son is lucky in that many of his toys were “tested” by students in my classrooms for years before he was born. I knew which were hits and which were duds . I’ll be out of luck when he goes to school but this toy was a huge hit in my classroom of 2-3 year olds a few years ago and has been a favorite of my son’s since he was 1 !  A great , colorful option for toddlers. 1 and up .

Fisher-Price Little People Build ‘n Fun Farm I have a soft spot for Little People, I think that they promote imaginative play, heck I remember the elaborate stories I made up in my bedroom with my Little People.  I chose this toy though because it comes with interlocking blocks and a base to build on. These blocks are easier to click together and take apart than Duplo ( which I love for preschoolers) so they are perfect for young toddlers. My son has been playing with these happily for over 2 years. 1 and up.

Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube I know I said no batteries for the reader gift guide but this toy is one exception. Like the hammer bench this was a toy I saw tested by many children when I worked as a director of a childcare center. The babies loved this and so did my son . He played with this as an infant more than anything else, well about as much as he played with Sophie( see below).  It lights up and plays individual instruments  when the side buttons are pushed  as well as all together.  It’s not obnoxious and the music is really pretty so even when you hear it 3 or 500 times a day it won’t make you want to throw it into your neighbors back yard. Newborn – 2 year old.

Sophie the Giraffe Teether I found out about Sophie from a mom of a student when I was pregnant with my son. She insisted I get it . Now I am insisting you get it! My son loved it, not just for teething but as an easy take anywhere toy. So if you have a newborn- 1 year old to shop for this is a great option. Newborn – 18 months.

My final selection is this Colorfelts Play Boards – The Very Hungry Caterpillar I love books and this is my favorite and this felt board has been the perfect companion for the story. We used to read the book and play along with the felt , but now that my son is older and knows the story as well as I do we simply act out the book on the board. It’s a fantastic , easy , unplugged toy! 2 and up.