Favorite Kid’s Toys

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This week’s post is a parenting one. It’s been a long weekend filled with COVID-19 discussion and anxiety just like everyone else I’m sure – I, like many parents, had our children’s schools closed this week. It was the right thing to do and it’s probably going to last longer than they say it will…we are also basically isolating ourselves for ten days, just the four of us, because I hope afterwards I can feel confident enough to see my mom and other 60+ aged people without fear that I might infect them as an asymptomatic carrier. In the meantime…yes I love my children but they are already driving me CRAZY (at times, sorry if you are reading this in the future, D and V!!). I placed several orders already various toys to keep my sanity…I thought I would share some of my favorite ones for anyone looking for options as well.

Magic Drawing Board: I recently got this for them to practice writing their letters and shapes on and it has been a hit. Such a huge hit that I considering buying a second to avoid fights but am trying to be mindful not to accumulate so many “doubles”. The price is great, it is super useful and fun, and why not? The only downside is I’m not sure how to replace the battery.

Hape Grill Set: Note that I linked this from Nordstrom. Because it is a) cheaper than it is on Amazon but I am worried about department stores in this climate and am trying to shop with them when possible. Nordstrom actually has a decent number of toys and their selection is curated and great for ideas. I actually first ordered his because it has a very small footprint and so I thought it’d be the perfect fit in the playroom (which is already low on space) – what I didn’t realize is how OFTEN my kids play with it, multiple times a day. We have both this food set and this cookie set as companions for it (as well as a shameful number of other “toy food” items).

Melissa & Doug Reusable Stickers: We have a LOT of these. In fact, I think we have every pad ever made by them. My kids get hours of entertainment out of these and for that reason alone they are a great value – the only issue is putting the sticker back and organizing them is a HUGE pain (my husband especially hates it – we have negotiated that I am in charge of this one), but it is worth it to me because my kids adore it. Tip: I don’t let them have unfettered access to all our pads and instead just let them have a pad at a time to avoid mixing up the stickers between pads.

Mr. Sketch Scented Gel Crayons: My kids both love these. A LOT. They seem kind of expensive next to regular crayons however they like them SO much and they are by far their preferred “drawing tool” – they draw super smooth, the colors are saturated, and the smells are all good and non-controversial (no banana or licorice).

Velcro Ball and Mitt set: I bought these in an attempt to find things my kids could play outside. This is OK for my 2.5 year old’s hands and even once in a while (OK, rarely) she even catches the ball. The ball is soft and easy to use. Kind of one of those desperate “let’s play outside” toys but we’ve had them for about half a year and they are still in use.

I also have this set of sidewalk chalk – we didn’t use it a lot before, but given that I both want the kids to have fresh air and want to avoid playgrounds/shared spaces, I’m going to be encouraging them to go crazy on our driveway.

Star Wars Five Minute Stories: I have a LOT of these books. They are a great value and more importantly keep my bookshelf somewhat organized instead of having just a bunch of loose paperbacks. I chose to recommend the Star Wars one because a) the illustrations are good, b) the stories are good and c) not too long. Because believe me, the “five minute” designation for this series does not always ring true! I’ve read each story in this collection at least ten times … EACH….OK I don’t know if that is an endorsement, but it’s a crowd pleaser.

Okay. There it is – a post I’ve been meaning to write for the parents of young kids out there, unfortunately under some strained circumstances. And please share your favorite items (as well as any other coping tips).Stay healthy and safe, everyone!