Favorite Baby Toys...EVER!

I am sure I am not the only one who is annoyed with "toy clutter". You know what I mean; toys that seem to show up in every corner of the house. It's sort of inevitable, right? And truthfully, we don't even have a lot of toys! I have really tried to keep the clutter to a minimum.

We definitely have favorites in this house. It even seems that the toys our son loved the most are also the ones are daughter loves too. I thought I would share since I know parents are always looking for the "next best thing" that will keep their child entertained for more than a minute!

One of the first toys we ever bought was the "Winkel" by Manhattan Toy. This is great for new babies. They are easy to grasp, and it helps them develop good hand eye coordination. I have found both my kids like to chew on it too, which makes it good for little teethers! 

We got a set of basic blocks when my son was just an infant and they have definitely stood the test of time. When they are babies, they like to just bang the blocks together, but as they get older they can stack and knock down...which is the most fun, obviously :). These by Melissa and Doug are cute and colorful. 

These SUPER inexpensive Fisher Price shape blocks and storage container have been probably one of the favorites for both of my children. They love to put the shapes in the bucket, take them out, bang them together, you name it...then as they get older they can actually put the shapes through the correct slot and name colors and shapes. It's a great toy and also a fabulous learning tool! 

This wooden activity cube is not only well made, but it is also fun for many ages. My daughter loves it now at  9 months; opening the doors and moving the little animals and balls on the top. My son will still study the letters and animals and help his litter sister learn her letters too. If you are having your first child and plan on having more, this is a great investment

I have Bailey from Peppermint Bliss to thank for this toy recommendation. We bought these Peek n Peep eggs by Kidoozie for our baby girl this Christmas. She LOVES them. There is a lot of learning opportunities in this compact toy. They can learn colors, the tops of the eggs all have matching eyes to match the inside (so they can learn to match) and there are also shapes under each egg in which you have to match with the carton. The eggs also peep when you push them, which is definitely interesting for the little ones. It's adorable and only around $12!

Do you have a favorite toy in your household? If you do, please share! We are always looking for new ones to add to our "clutter". 

Genius

I really didn't intend to go to Wine country and return with a toy for my son. But there was the most charming kids store in Yountville, CA called Lemondrop Kids and I couldn't help but look for something for Julian.

 It was a store chock full of great toys. Rare finds, not the stuff you see in Toys R Us. The knowledgeable owner geared me to some perfect toys for our now 2 year old. We decided to go with  Pop Rocketz. $12 for a "air popper" and 3 foam rockets. It says for 4 plus, but the lady assured me that 2 plus can work this toy.

Sure enough, we have now had hours of fun with the Pop Rocketz. Even my nieces and nephews ( 6 years plus) had a blast playing with the popper.

Not to scare you with the word Christmas (we still have 3 months to go) But wouldn't these be a great stocking stuffer?

Helly Dolly!

I can tell you that if Penelope Peapod was around when I was little, I probably would have wanted all of them! There is nothing cuter than a doll in her own "carry along" basket that turns into a bassinet. A doll/purse...what more could a little girl ask for?

and additional accessories available for baby Penelope...

all available at Redwagontoy.com

A toy your son AND husband will love!

I come from a family of car lovers. My brother and my dad are huge Formula 1 fans and I happened to also marry into a family that has a great appreciation for cars. So, it came to no surprise that our sons first word was "car". We celebrated Christmas a few weeks early with my parents and brother, and I have to say, the gift that my brother gave Julian was nothing short of awesome.

It's a car...but it is not just any car, this is probably the coolest toy car I have ever seen. The brand is Automoblox. Patrick Calello, an industrial design major at Carnegie Mellon university had a project where he had to come up with a product for the do-it-yourself wooden hobby industry. His idea was to  create a car that inspired creativity in kids by visualizing and creating a car of their own design. He also believed that they should be a modern design crafted out wood. With a vision starting in 1992, Calello finally reached his goal in 2004 when Automoblox were available for retail in the US, UK and Japan.

The sports car $40

You can purchase a car of your choice, but once you get one you can totally change up the look of the car, because all of the parts are interchangable. They also have a "parts" department where you can purchase different wheels for your car. Each car also has their own serial number, so you can register your car online. It's a toy, but it really appeals to an adult car enthusiast as well!

The Berlinetta $40

The quality is amazing, and I believe the designs speak for themselves. My son is only 15 months, and it is by far his favorite car right now. They are a good size, so it's easy for him to push around on our floors. And even though the parts do come off on occasion, there is really no choking hazard as the parts are big. They run anywhere from $10 for the mini version and $45 for the big guys. I am a HUGE fan now, and can't wait to get Julian another one!

The Sedan $30