Toddlers seem like they are sometimes the most difficult ones to shop for in the whole family, amiright??? They are super opinionated but have yet to develop an actual basis for their opinions...so it is basically a shot in the dark of how Christmas morning will go - tears of joy or tears of anger? Lucky you, I have compiled a list to help you in your search of a Merry Christmas Morning. These toys are not only fun, functional, and beautiful - they are also encourage a lot of development!
Happy Puppy can be a great tool for helping kids learn how to care for a dog prior to getting one, or it’s just a great toy to encourage imaginative play.
Does your child beg you for a pet every day? I know I definitely begged my parents every day for a dog when I was a kid! This Happy Puppy is a great training tool for kids with puppy love. It's happy smile and wagging tail helps Happy Puppy to encourage a very important type of play - imaginary play, which is actually incredibly needed for kids! Imaginary play is where children get a chance to act out the behaviors and ideas that they have acquired. So, with Happy they can act out how to be "soft" with a puppy, how to play with one, and what to do when puppy's are "tired." What a great training activity for your toddler prior to getting a REAL puppy for next Christmas. We gotta delay it as long as possible!
The Tegu Pocket Pouch Prism is the perfect way to keep your kids entertained on the go. Small, portable, and magnetic these little things will always stick with your little one!
This Tegu Pocket Prism Pouch is my go-to for distracting my one-year-old. They are easily portable and super fun! The blocks are mathematically created so that each block is proportional to another one. As well, if you go back to your days in fifth grade, you may remember that with magnets opposites attract and like sides repel each other. What does this mean? That your toddler will be learning about proportions and how magnets work while they play! If you really want to go above and beyond with your older toddlers you could even explain to them why and how these things work, giving them a huge head start on math and physics!
PlanToys Mini Golf Set is perfect for toddlers who are learning about hand-eye coordination, cause-and-effect, and sportsmanship!
So something that we sometimes forget about as parents is that toddler's need to be played with, too (I mean, you think their constant nagging would remind us but it actually doesn't. Let's face it, it usually just makes us want to play with them less. Sorry, Timmy). But, when you hear them scream for the ump-teenth time that they want someone to play with just take a deep breath and realize that in toddler speak they are saying "Mommy, I'm lonely and I need your attention. Please can you play with me?" Once you can interpret toddler speech everything will make a lot more sense. But now what do you do now that you understand what they are asking you? You play with them. But what? Well, this PlanToys Mini Golf Set is the perfect parent-child activity! You can set up a whole mini golf game in your living room and have a good ol' "competition." How amazing would that be for your toddler? The Mini Golf Set also is great for hand-eye coordination development for your child as they learn to hit the ball with the club. That helps any parent rest play confidently!
The Tie-up Shoe is especially great for children who are trying to learn practical skills while also allowing them to enact some creativity with their knots and threading!
My dad always said, "Happiness is when all your kids can put on their own shoes and buckle themselves in the car." The PlanToys Tie-up Shoe will help you get at least one step closer to that little bit of "happiness" that my dad longed for. This great little shoe is made of all wood and has a very large and sturdy shoe-string that your toddler can tie into all sorts of knots. The developmental benefits to this toy are fairly obvious - your child will be able to gain some much needed hand-eye coordination and learn practical skills at the same time! Take that, Boy Scouts!
The PlanToys Solid Drum helps children learn about cause-and-effect as well as change due to the changes in tone depending on where you hit the drum.
Drums are definitely a must for any age! But, this PlanToys Solid Drum is especially made for little kids in mind. Depending on where you hit the drum it will make different notes due to the cuts in the top! As well, the mallet is covered in soft rubber on the top so that if they accidentally hit themselves (or a sibling) it won't cause any damage! Drums are great for learning cause-and-effect, especially where this one makes different notes.
What are some of your toddler's favorite toys? Do you think about all of the developmental aspects of a toy or just if it will keep them entertained for the next 5 minutes (like most of us)?
Have a wonderful day, superheroes! Don't forget to tag us @thebabycubby with the hashtag #thebabycubby when taking all those cute pictures of your kiddos on Christmas morning!