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Category Archives: Toys

Tiny Tested gifts for infants, toddlers & preschoolers

Posted on by Posted in Reviews, Tiny Playtime, Tiny Products, Toys .

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Christmas is less than 6 weeks away…yikes! As you prepare your lists and check them twice, here are 10 toys that the children in my house use constantly. These are opened-ended, high quality, and work for a wide variety of ages.

Amazon affiliate links are included (I purchase most of the toys through them). I’m a deal shopper though, so I encourage you to shop around! 🙂

 

1) Hohner Instruments

 

We LOVE this instrument set. The bell is our favorite piece;  it’s enclosed inside a cage with a handle, so it’s not a chocking hazard & is easy to hold. Infants and toddlers love using these pieces during singing time, and some children will literally cart around the bell for hours at a time.

 

 

2) Melissa & Doug Puzzles

 

Melissa & Doug make beautiful wooden puzzles, perfect for toddlers! The pieces are thick, so they can be easily manipulated. Children can also use the chunky animals, etc. on their own for pretend play.

 

 

3) Green Toys Tea Set

 

Tiny One LOVES using this tea set to feed her dolls and to eat real snacks off of. The pieces are sturdy, cute and useable. The set is made from recycled milk jugs so it’s a bonus for the environment too! Tiny One is getting the matching dish set for Christmas (don’t tell!).

 

 

4) Learning Resources Play Food

Almost any food set by Learning Resources is worth it. It’s realistic and sturdy. I avoid wooden food as it is a possible weapon, and I definitely avoid anything cardboard since I want it to last. This food is the best we have found so far! The kids love the sandwich set especially, as well as the fruit and veggie set. Despite being constantly thrown and “eaten”, it’s held up perfectly.

 

 

5) Hape Pound and Tap Bench

 

This is a cause and effect toy (hit the ball with the hammer and it falls down) AND a musical instrument; the xylophone piece can be removed and played on it’s own! The balls can also be used for color matching/recognition since they each have a corresponding hole. Fun! You can get the item on its own, or with a free coloring book (pictured)!

 

 

6) Baby Stella

 

This is the perfect first doll for babies and toddlers. It can be gender neutral and is 100% cloth (no hard plastic pieces), so it’s perfect to hug and sleep with. Coordinating clothes have Velcro to make dressing convenient. It does not make sounds (bonus) and also comes with a magnetic pacifier which is lots of fun. Tiny One uses this doll every day & she sleeps with it every night!

 

 

7) Duplo Legos

 

We go with the duplo legos at our house, as they are safe for little ones but still fun for preschoolers. This is a great toy to collect because the more the merrier! When I was growing up, my mom let extended family know we collected legos and after several years we had received enough to fill a giant bin! In addition to the basic blocks, we have some great coordinating sets like a zoo and a counting train. These are a huge hit at our house!

 

 

8) Prince Lionheart Ride-On Animals

 

Okay, I love this purely for “it’s so cute” reasons. If you want a ride on toy for your toddler, go with this. Toddlers love riding on them or pretending they are real animals (Tiny One frequently “feeds” her pig during snack time). In addition to being adorable, it’s very sturdy and will last forever!

 

 

9) Push cart

 

I love this cart because it is sturdy and very open ended. Infants can steady themselves with it as they learn to walk (the wheels can be tightened so they don’t move much). Toddlers and preschoolers can use it as a stroller for dolls, or to fill with items. Added bonus: it’s big enough for small children to ride in. It’s the cutest thing to watch kids push each other around in this!

 

 

10) Children’s Factory giant foam blocks

These are by far the best “big” toy purchases we made so far. The blocks are foam on the inside, and covered in sturdy vinyl. We purchased a small set and a big set, and they have been played with almost every day since we got them a year ago… and they show no signs of wear!

Infants love to grasp them (they are fairly light), and toddlers and preschoolers love using them to build giant towers, practice matching colors, or make into houses. Even the most energetic boys wear themselves out as they repeatedly build, knock down, and repeat.

Added bonus: they can withstand lots of chewing and drool and are easily sanitized with soap and water. Yay!

 

 

Well there you have it! Ten toys that have been tiny-tested and approved.

 

Happy Christmas shopping!

 

– Katelyn

christmas kades

My favorite gift! 🙂

Rules for Toys – Part II, Access to Toys

Posted on by Posted in Organizing, Tiny Living, Tiny Playtime, Toys .

Toy Rules

 

Earlier this week, I posted four rules to follow when purchasing toys. Today, I will share my rules for organizing toys (aka: giving children access to them).

As previously discussed, children do not play well when:

1) Toys are not age appropriate

2) Toys do not allow children to learn or imagine

3) There are too many toys out at once

 

I keep this in mind when organizing toys.

 

Overall, every toy must have a home.

When toys are brought out, they must have a purpose (for a specific child, age, or skill).

 

 

Access to Toys

 

1)      Simplify everyday-access toys

Choose a few classics to leave out all day every day.

I switch these toys out each week or two, to keep kids engaged.

I don’t use toyboxes because this can become a hidden toy dump. Children cannot find or access the toys they want, so they dump everything out to get to one toy.

 

For example, here is what I keep out:

 

Living Room (all the children play here):

A set of blocks

a few ride-on or push toys

5 books

2 cars/trucks

2 baby dolls

Preschool/learning room:

play kitchen

dress up box

6 books

1 game

1 learning activity

Loft (this is for Tiny One only):

select wooden toys

a small box of books

a small box of other toys

Tiny One’s bedroom:

10 books

A few stuffed animals

 

 

2)      Bin method

Store extra toys by theme in plastic bins. I also store learning activities, extra books, and craft supplies out of sight.

The bins for younger children are in our entryway closet. We select one bin or activity at a time; usually 1-2 each day.

In the Preschool room, toy bins are accessible on a shelf. Older children can get out bins & mix them together, but each bin must be put away before they leave the room.

Children can ask permission to get out a game, puzzle, or craft item, as desired. (We tried letting them do this on their own, but it resulted in too much “dump and run” time.)

 

3)      Clear unused & dump-and-run items

If a toy or bin of toys is regularly ignored (or dumped and left untouched) something needs to change.

Sometimes children need to grow into a toy. Other times, they are simply tired of using it. Either way, I put the toy away for a while, to try again later.

If it doesn’t hold interest after a few tries, I get rid of it.

Why use up my space with unused toys?

 

4)      Five minute clean-up rule

When ALL accessible toys in a room are dumped out (which inevitably happens), it should not take more than 5 minutes to clean everything up.

I don’t like to spend all day cleaning, and neither do the kids!

When clean up time in a room starts taking too long, I move more toys into bins. This keeps clean up time short & more enjoyable. It also reminds me to continually use the bin system I have set up.

 

 

Well there you have it. By limiting the toys that come into my home and carefully planning what toys to leave out, children can experience more quality playtime. There are fewer distractions and fewer toys to fight over. Children can focus easily on mastering skills.

Also, by rotating toys, children are excited to play with something “new” each day or each week, which holds their focus.

The bottom line, of course, is try a few systems out and do what works for you. Everyone is different!

Blessings,

 

Katelyn

 

 

binsbasement

 

Rules for Toys, Part I – Types of Toys

Posted on by Posted in Organizing, Tiny Living, Tiny Playtime, Toys .

Toy Rules

 

I have toy rules.

Why?

Because with 9 children in and out of my home (1 of my own + 8 joining us for preschool classes and/or care during the week), my home could easily be overrun with toys.

 

I run a household.

I take care of & teach children.

I do not run a toystore or a toy “dump”.

 

I don’t want the toys on the floor to take over my home or stop children from truly “playing”.  

My home will get messy…but it should be with toys that children USE and enjoy!

 

I’ve found that children do not play well when:

1) Toys are not age appropriate

2) Toys do not allow children to learn or imagine

3) There are too many toys out at once

 

When this happens, children often switch into “dump and run” mode. They only touch toys to dump them off the toy shelf, rip the pieces apart, and/or throw them across the room.

Not worth it.

 

I want to surround children with items that encourage cooperative play, creativity, and independent learning.

 

Because of this, I have developed guidelines to monitor toy purchases and toy accessibility.

Today I will focus on the types of toys I look for. Later this week, I will post about access to toys in my home.

 

 

 Types of Toys

 

1)      Quality.

Cheap toys often break quickly and need to be replaced. Or they do not function as well as higher quality counterparts.

Toys that last & work well will save money in the long run, because they won’t need to be replaced.

A few high-quality items are better than a pile of toys that break quickly.

Last Christmas, we gave Tiny One a beautiful wooden push cart (I meticulously researched to find the “best” one), and a few smaller carefully chosen items. She had a BLAST and every toy has been used all year long.

Quality trumps quantity.

 

2)      Durability.

Toys must be durable. I love wooden toys, but there are some great plastic toys as well.

Play with toys and/or read reviews before purchasing.

If a toy might break within two years, do not buy it.

I like to find toys that will last at least 5 years. Even if Tiny One outgrows it, a sturdy toy can be re-sold or given to someone else to enjoy. Bonus!

Sturdy play food over cardboard play food. A wooden ride-on toy instead of a flimsy plastic one. You get the idea.

 

3)      Open-ended.

Toys must allow for some creativity. Blocks, legos, dolls, play-dough, balls, cars, etc.

I avoid TV/movie themed items & toys that only do one thing. There is nothing inherently wrong with these things…they just don’t allow kids to create. Character toys and toys that serve only one purpose are already defined.

Open-ended toys allow children to constantly redefine what they are. They naturally grow with your child’s interests.

Kids won’t outgrow legos for a long time, but a “Spongebob” addiction may only last a year…or a month.

 

4)      Multiple Ages & Stages.

Toys that can grow with your child and be used with multiple ages at the same time (siblings, friends, etc.) are well worth it.

For example, alphabet blocks can help infants develop fine motor skills. Toddlers can use them to practice stacking, learn colors, and introduce the abc’s. Preschoolers can use the blocks for pretend play and for number/letter recognition. Older children may use alphabet blocks to practice their spelling or play games they make up.

Obviously, this won’t work for every toy, but it’s good to keep in mind.

There were some toys I just “had to have” for Tiny One…until I realized she would likely outgrow them within a few months!

Not worth it.

 

 

 

Well there you have it. Four rules  to govern the types of toys I let into my home. There are exceptions to every rule, but I do my best to follow them closely.

Surrounding children with carefully chosen toys, instead of a random pile, will increase quality playtime & avoid “dump and run” sessions.

 

“Part II – Access to Toys” will come later! 🙂

 

What rules do YOU have for toys?

 

Blessings,

 

Katelyn

 

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