With Christmas coming Elizabeth and I were talking about the toys our kids have loved and which ones definitely didn’t live up to the hype. And what we found is that our lists are very similar…especially in the “most played with” category.
So if you still have some last minute shopping to do…here are a few toys that, from experience, we would suggest:
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD (like ages 3-6)
It’s big fun for the little artists without a big mess.
(And my kids also love it’s cousin The Magnadoodle as well…Ruth plays with hers all the time! I love it because there is no mess, a big area to draw on and the magic pen is attached so it won’t get lost. Genius.)
ALL of my kids have loves these…so much so that we’ve purchased several sets. They are jumbo size (the balls in the picture are roughly the size of a tennis ball) magnetic building pieces.
*MINI SHOPPING CART WITH PRETEND FOOD
All of our kids, and their friends who come to play have used the pretend food and the shopping cart. It is a classic toy that is always a hit.
There are many wooden train sets to choose from, and really they are all very similar. But the bottom line is it won’t matter what brand you choose, your kids will love them.
We have one set up under the tree right now because Ruth kept dragging it around and I wanted a place to set it up and leave it up for a few weeks. Elizabeth on the other hand has hers set up on permanently on a table in her basement. Her boys have loved their trains!
This is one of Grace’s favorite toys right now. Thanks to Doc McStuffin she regularly checks up on all of her animals, baby dolls, and sister.
All of our girls have worn out their baby strollers. Around the house in the winter, around the yard in the summer, they are always a hit.
Our girls have all been big into tea parties. Grace has this exact set and LOVES it….especially the tray to carry all of her party items on.
FOR THE “BIG KIDS” (around ages 7-12)
This may be one of the most played with item in the house. It has been on our fridge and magnet boards for years and no one can leave it alone. Anyone who comes over just has to move the pieces around and try running the marbles through it.
Our boys have eaten up these Snap Circuit sets…and they are really amazing. It is always fun to set them up and get the fan to turn or the bell to ring. Simon even figured out how to use to change the frequency on his alarm clock radio with these things! They are so much fun and there are several different kits to choose from.
Our kids have just rediscovered what I used to love as a kid…spirograph. It’s fun and quiet and cool. All your kids will need is this and a stack of paper to keep them entertained for a long, long time!
This is another blast from the past that has been redesigned and that Elizabeth’s daughter has been loving. (And why wouldn’t she? I had a set of these growing up and I used them ALL. THE. TIME.)
This was one of the coolest gifts ever. My mom gave Simon one of these and the whole family ate it up! We ordered ants twice! It was so interesting to watch the ants dig and work. (We already have another one on it’s way!)
If you have a tween girl then you already know they are all about the crafting…especially with the beads…or at least they are around our homes so these kits are like a prized possession.
***And here is where our list should end but we just need to add a bonus..because our boys (ages 12 and 10) are both wild about these right now….
These little hand held wooden toys have suddenly become all the rage. It’s a simple game of skill for one person to practice….but if someone is playing kendama…then everyone has to try…even me…because I know if I just try one more time….
*****
So there is our list. We should tell you at this point that they all link to amazon because they are one of our affiliates but, we also want to say that we do really love all of these toys…because our kids love and play with them. We own all of the exact items that we listed above. Some we have even purchased more than once because they really do get played with.
With that said, happy shopping…to you and me. I literally have nothing ready for Christmas (except for a pair of roller skates for Grace and I) so I need to get my act together…and Elizabeth tells me that whatever I order on line I can still have shipped to my house before Christmas. So I need to get to gettin’!
See you all tomorrow!
-liZ
best list ever! seriously!
Those fashion plates were my faaaave! Fun list!