Let's talk toys. There are SO many different one there, so where does one even begin to start? I've pulled together this ultimate list together of our family's favorite toys, as well as the favorites of my trusted mom blogger friends. So whether you're reading this post as a mom-to-be, new mom, or as a gift guide, you've come to the right place!
This list of toys is compiled around four major toy criteria:
- Fun Factor
- Educational
- Good Design
- Parent-friendly: Easy set-up/clean-up, convenient, etc.
And I've broken down this massive list into categories: Puzzles, Budding Artists, Forts, Outdoor Toys, 'Let's Play House!' Toys, Musical Toys, Books, and Under 12 Mo. Toys. So without further ado, let's get down to the good stuff!
Puzzles
Magna-Tiles are a fan favorite around here, and it's not hard to see why! The tiles are magnetized around the edges so you can connect them to build anything. They are a blast and help develop math, science, and spacial skills all in a days work.
Toddlers are magnets to exploring locks and latches, so it's no surprise Melissa & Doug's locking puzzle is a favorite toy around here. The 6 locks and latches are fantastic for developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, and behind each door are animals to identify and count. Save yourself the time and hassle of DIY-ing a locks and latches board, and invest in Melissa & Doug's version.
This 'Make A Face' toy from Moon Picnic (link below) is one of my faves of Sylvie's. It's a puzzle that also teaches little ones about the full range of human emotion. Great product design and made of wood!
Jena at A Spoon Full of Faith says, "One of the best purchases we have made. I was suggested this by a friend and it has not
disappointed. This also comes in a number version. Great for letter recognition. We like to use this as we watch other learning videos. It really helps as they can hold the letters and feel them as they learn. There is also a space to start forming words for reading! This is now my go to gift for birthdays and always a hit with the parents!"
We inherited the B. Zany Zoo puzzle from a friend, and OMG what a gem it is! It's essentially 5 puzzles in one and has grown with Sylvie over the past 2 years. She started out spinning the blocks and opening/closing the doors, and eventually began recognizing the animals, alphabet, etc. I find the design a tiny bit bulky, but it really is 5 toys in one.
Jena at A Spoon Full of Faith says, "AJ was never a huge block fan until recently. We got this, I believe as a gift for his birthday and
it has been great. It doesn't come with many blocks but it is awesome for kids that are just starting to get interested in building with blocks. It also makes for fast and easy clean up and can be brought with us because of the fun take along rolling case. AJ uses it for carrying a lot of
things now, too!"
Budding Artist Toys
These cross stitch friends are fantastic for developing creativity, fine motor skills, and darn-it, they're cute aren't they?
Holy cannoli, Color Wonder Markers are a mom's best friend. The ink only shows up on special coordinating paper, so tiny budding artists can draw to their hearts content, and you don't need to worry about having the magic erase the walls afterward. Great for taking on the go!
Ana of Primp and Prime says, "Another mom friend introduced me to Eco-Doh, natural playing doh and I have been hooked
ever since. My two year old still likes to put toys and her hands in her mouth so I love that this doh is nontoxic and 100% safe for little fingers. The jars are easy to open and the doh stays super moist. Its also made from vegetables and wholesome ingredients."
I love this simple artist's easel from Ikea. It's fab for drawing (obvi), but also wonderful for encouraging make believe play, read: school, restaurant, etc.
Forts
This tee-pee is Sylvie's favorite fort to play 'house' in. It has tie-backs for the door and window, which make pretend play that much more fun. It has a 'bottom' or floor which helps with stability, (alot of tee-pee's don't have floors!). And this particular tee-pee is the EASIEST set-up and take down ever, so it's easy to set up in the living room or backyard for the afternoon. When you're ready to put it away, just gather the wood dowels into the center, and store.
Taylor of Greens-N-Chocolate says "Lars first played with Crazy Forts with our neighbors, and he really loved it! The possibilities are
endless when it comes to different kinds of forts you can make, and I think it will be a really fun winter activity for playing in the basement."
I don't know about your littles, but my daughter LOVES to play ice cream shop, and market cart from Hearth & Hand couldn't been any better designed if it tried. I especially love the chalkboard sign and old-school bell features. See below for our favorite magnetic ice cream toy!
The Nugget is one of those toys that is so simple, yet so genius. It's basically couch cushions and bolsters kids can build forts with and bounce on like crazy and you don't feel one bit bad about it because it's not your ACTUAL couch they're shaking their sillies out on. The foam is incredibly dense and the cushion covers are removable/washable. I love this toy!
Let the backyard memories begin! Here's another fabulous fort option for little campers. Great design, and once assembled, set-up and take down is a breeze. You really can't go wrong with Hearth & Hand's designs!
Outdoor Toys
The Radio Flyer Steer & Stroll Bike is perfect for first time bikers! They get to petal away, and you control their direction and speed. We love this bike for peddling over to the neighborhood park!
Taylor of Greens-N-Chocolate says, "I'm not sure what it is about stomp rockets, but our boys and all of their friends LOVE playing
with these when they come over. We are actually due to buy another set because our dog loves chasing them and eating up the rockets, but it's pretty affordable so it won't break the bank!"
Jen at Paisley & Sparrow says, "I feel like this one needs to be prefaced with the fact that it may only last one summer. Our first water play center lasted 2 summers which I was thrilled about, given the amount of use it got! We just got this one on Amazon and the kids are already in love with it! My kids love the pool, and it's even great for moms to stick their feet in while the kids play!"
We first experienced the home bounce house at a friend's place, and couldn't believe the hours of fun the kids had jumping around inside, and wearing themselves out. The cost-to-fun ratio pays for itself several times over, and the best part is this giant toy folds up into a small storage bag for on-the-go fun and easy storage.
Taylor at Greens-N-Chocolate says, "This saucer swing has been such a fun addition to our backyard. You need a pretty sturdy tree
to hang it from, but that's about it. Lars loves to get swinging super high on it and in the past month Soren has loved hopping on, as well!"
Jen at Paisley & Sparrow says, "My sister introduced me to no-spill bubbles, and they're amazing! It's a great way for kids to start to learn how to blow bubbles on their own without you having to worry about them dumping over the carton constantly."
Taylor of Greens-n-Chocolate says, "We started each of them on it around 18 months, and my oldest was riding a two-wheeler bike without training wheels by his third birthday. We love the Strider bike because it teaches them balance, the concept of biking, and burns off some of that toddler energy!"
Jen at Paisley & Sparrow says, "Roy recently got a scooter for his birthday and both him and Penelope love it! Roy's getting
really good at actually using it as a scooter and Penelope just likes standing on it."
'Let's Play House!' Toys
We are obsessed with playing kitchen at our house, and this mini kitchen so much fun with a stove, sink, oven and even a microwave. Compared to some others on the market, the price is really reasonable too.
If you have a little baker in the house who likes to mimic mom and dad in the kitchen, then they'll love this adorable wood baking tool set.
Based on the design of an actual tree house at the amazing Camp Wandawega, this tree house sparks hours of make-believe camping or playing 'house' fun. The beautiful design means you won't feel as inclined to need to store it away when not in use.
I mean who doesn't love ice cream?! This tried and true set is one of Sylvie's absolute favorites. It's magnetized so the scoopers pick the ice cream up and top it on the cones. Store everything neatly away in the homestyle ice cream bin.
Morgan of construction2style says, "For all those DIY babies on the go, the tool trolley is the way to go!
Pottery Barn always has not only the most stylish but good quality pieces for kids too! And as you know when it comes to kids, you need durable pieces or it'll be destroyed and gone in no time.
Love this adorable tool trolley from Pottery Barn for all of those DIY babies out there! This way your kids can wheel this trolley around from job to job throughout your shop or home."
Maybe it's because we're Minnesotan, but Sylvie loves talking about + diagnosing the weather outside. This Weather Station set has lots of dials and puzzle pieces to engage little ones and teach them about the weather.
Morgan at construction2style says, "Our boys love coming to work with us and are always wanting to be outside in the shop with daddy getting creative and learning about all his cool tools alongside him.
These wood toy workbench's are not only adorable but they're also able to actually hammer away being they are made out of real wood. Being made out of wood instead of plastic has helped the longevity of it too."
Musical Toys
Jena at A Spoon Full of Faith says, "My brother and sis in law got this for the kids for Christmas a few years ago. It makes for a
really fun time of music and play. There is a recording dock that will record your own tunes! We still have it and its still being used to this day. It can be a noisy toy - but what is really cool is that you can use headphones with it. There's so many ways to mix and play music, your kids will have a blast!"
Books
This is one of Sylvie's (and my) favorite books to read together. The artwork is absolutely charming, and it has a wonderful message of love, acceptance and kindness. If you're looking for a shower gift for a mom-to-be, this book is a no-brainer.
I've read that interactive reading (where you involve your child in some way: ask them to point out thigns they know, paraphrase the page, or even just have them turn the pages) is FAR more educational than simply reading aloud on auto pilot (something I'm definitely guilty of on long days). And it's why I love One Thousand Things. Each page poses a question like ' Can you name your colors?', and it easily gets both you and your child engaged. Plus, the illustrations are super delightful. Can't say enough good things about this book!
Ana of Primp and Prime says, "I just ran across this Feminist Board Book set by Mudpuppy and I had to get it. I want my girls to always
know that they have the power to do anything they want to do and this set depicts some of the most important women in our history. The pages are beautifully illustrated and are so colorful. Some of the women depicted in the mini books are Harriet Tubman, Hillary Clinton, Indria Gandhi, Sally Ride, and more."
Playful is different from the other books and toys on this list in that it's more of a resource of projects to make with and for kids. Merrilee Liddiard's projects and tutorials are incredibly creative and sparking hours/days/weeks of imaginative free play!
Under 12 mo.Toys
Take-Along Tunes was essentially an extension of Sylvie's hand for the 18 months of her life. Push the round button to play several classical music favorites, watch the lights dance around as the music plays, and rattle the toy around as you watch and listen. We received this toy as a shower gift and I had NO IDEA just how much of a beloved toy it would become!
Sophie the Giraffe was an absolute staple for Sylvie her first year. Made of natural rubber, it's great for chewing/teething, and it squeaks when squeezed which was surprisingly engaging.
Morgan at construction2style says, "We got this rocker as a gift at one of our shower's when we were expecting Greyson, our first. It was one of the nicest gifts we received! High quality, stylish and durable.
The 4moms rockaRoo was one of the best things to lay our newborn in and help rock them to sleep. Both of our boys would sit in this for hours, sleeping or awake. We even had blow outs, spit ups, and spills in it and everything came out perfectly clean with the removable fabric. And the reversible and removable toy balls the boys stared at or played with non stop."
Ana of Primp and Prime says, "There are a lot of play gyms on the market. I did a lot of research to find the best one and
discovered the Lovevery Play Gym. This gym includes everything you need - from batting to teething to learning to focus - for your baby's first year of play. The play gym features five development zonesthat reveal or conceal, to prevent over-stimulation, and promote everything from making sounds, learning to focus, hiding and finding. Both of my girls were occupied for hours in this gym because there was so much to do. This is a must have toy for the first year of life."
Morgan of says, construction2style "Our boys love any toy that they can get up and play on including a rocker! Crate and Barrel has a ton of different animals made into rockers and I love them all!
This hippo one is one of my favorites, it is so plush and soft and big enough for both boys to hop on and ride along on. I also love the details in the wood accents. Yet again, another adorable and stylish too that you can leave it and not hide in a closet."
I hope you've found this list helpful! Now hop on over to our friends to check out their blogs on their top favorite baby toys...
- Jen at Paisley & Sparrow
- Erin at Francois et Moi
- Taylor at Greens-N-Chocolate
- Ana at Primp and Prime
- Jena at A Spoon Full of Faith
- Morgan at construction2style
Thank you Morgan of construction2style for organizing this awesome hop!
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