This week Kate is on a mission to compile a list of the best toys in time for Christmas and wants our help. My house seems to be full of hundreds of different toys, especially since T arrived and we now have to cater for two different age ranges but there are a few staples that the boys go back to again and again.
Stacking Cups
These have to be the best toy ever and they only cost a few quid. You can build a tower, knock it over, put them inside each other, fill them with water and sand, tip water and sand from one to the other, hide things under them, bang on them, have pretend tea out of them and take them in the bath. As the kids get older you can talk about their colours and numbers, which ones are bigger and smaller and how some are transparent and others aren’t. They are also pretty much indestructible, take up hardly any room and wipe clean. You can’t beat them!
Build and Play Car
E loves using Hub’s tools and helping him build things. He does have lots of toy tools but he prefers the real thing. This has always made me a little nervous as I’m convinced he’ll hurt himself but the Build and Play Car has been a brilliant compromise. He can build the whole thing himself using the battery-powered screwdriver that feels real to him but is safe. Just don’t tread on one of the little screws with bare feet as they are even more painful than lego! E also has the train and the plane from the same series .
ELC Cards
These are another brilliantly versatile toy. There are hundreds of cards including letters, numbers, shapes, colours, signs and just pictures to name or find. There are two or four of each so you can play snap or turn them upside down and try to find pairs. You can find all the penguins or Ts or 7s, spell out words or do sums. They also don’t take up any room and best of all (from my point of view) do not play a ridiculous tune or in fact make any noise whatsoever.
Mega Blocks
I had lego as a child but mega blocks are great for really young children as they are much bigger so easy to manipulate and not a choking hazard. E has spent hours building things, generally towers to know over, and it’s one of those rare toys that Hubs is happy to join in with for more than 10 minutes
Big Ted
A friend of mine bought Big Ted for E when he was a few days old and they have become firm friends. Big Ted has to sleep in E’s bed and there have been phases where he has had to wear PJs. When E was potty training Big Ted had to wear nappies as he wasn’t a big boy yet. As you can see he currently has to be given a sticker at bedtime. He is looking a bit the worse for wear and has a hole in his neck where bits of his stuffing occasionally fall out but E genuinely loves him and I dread the day he finally falls apart.
So these are the toys we can’t live without in my house. What are yours? Head over to Kate Takes 5 to link up and help compile the definitive Top 10.
Related articles
- Listography – 5 Celebs I’d like to have a beer with. (catsyellowdays.wordpress.com)
- Listography – 5 Favourite Kids Movies (catsyellowdays.wordpress.com)
Kerry Davies (@thelovebump) says
oh the stacking cups!! all my babies had those and LOVED them! love the teddy… my sister still has hers from 25 years ago 🙂 too precious x
I fear Big Ted won’t last that long 🙁
Ooooo I saw some Mega blocks on sale in Aldi this week. may pick some up for W x
They are great. Really easy for little ones to handle but still fun for older kids to build with.
Stacking cups and mega blocs are great choices. Poor old Big Ted – at least he looks well loved!
Yep, well loved but often a little smelly.
Poor teddy, I hope another vampire teddy hasn’t been at him! Stacking cups are a big favourite in our house too and we *need* mega blocks!
(nice rung btw!)
Ha Ha, I hope it’s just wear and tear!
(and thank you)
Stacking cups: awesome. Moo has 2 sets of those. Mega blocks are also great, tho Moo’s main aim in life is to eat them rather than construct anything with them. Those ELC cards look good, am thinking a stocking filler…? Great list!
The cards are fab but there are hundreds of them so they can cover the whole room.
My son is now into mega blocks, he’s really doesn’t care for his stacking cups at the mo, more in to stacking rings, he’s so specific,lol
It goes in cycles, doesn’t it? Today E is only playing with a plastic maggot, lovely!
Aw, love Big Ted – my 8 year old has a teddy called Ted he loves, seems everyone loves a teddy which is why teddies made my list too! 🙂
Everyone should have one. I just hope he lasts a bit longer.
I love megabloks – my boys got Thomas the Tank engine ones last year – great. Can be priey though. We paid £35 just for a Toy story train 🙁