One super fun thing about being a mom is that I get to shop for (and play with) toys! Christmas is a fairly simple affair in our house – one big family gift and then the kids draw names and each give one sibling a small gift – so I have to choose carefully! Here are a few toys that we either own or are on the “to own eventually either through Christmas or birthdays” list. These links are affiliate links, which means that buying through them supports this site at no cost to you. Thank you!
Awesome Gifts for Kids Aged 0-7
The Perfect Doll House
Mike will confirm that I have spent YEARS searching for the perfect doll house. I’m pretty in love with this one from Manzanita Kids. I’ve looked at modular doll houses before, and this one is by far the most versatile – with a nice open plan for multiple kids to share. We ordered this as our big family gift for this year.
Building Toys
Most years we purchase one large family gift, and then the kids give each other small gifts. Magna-Tiles were our big family purchase last year, and the kids have enjoyed them all year long! They are especially popular with four-year-old Lily. If you have a light table, the translucent ones are very cool!
I have had friends ooh and ahh over Wedgits for years, but I didn’t really see why they were so neat. It wasn’t until Lily came home from school all excited about them that I realized that this toy is a 3D puzzle of sorts (when used with idea cards) as well as a basic building toy. So cool! I love that they have come out with this translucent set for light tables and other fun play.
The LEGO Education DUPLO Brick Set is a great set for little kids.
My sister gave us this Melissa & Doug Wooden blocks set a few years ago, and it has provided hours of play! You can’t go wrong with a set of nice wooden blocks!
I said you can’t go wrong with wooden blocks, but sometimes it’s nice to have an alternative that doesn’t hurt when it gets thrown, or make a racket when a tall tower falls over. If you, say, have a sleeping baby plus a busy preschooler in the house, these Soft & Safe Building Blocks might be the way to go! My sister has a set at her house, and the kids love playing with them – so do I, actually. Because they are lightweight, you can get them to do things ordinary blocks won’t do.
Toys to Teach Problem Solving
Rush Hour Jr. is a game that I have looked at for a long time – recommended both by one of my brothers and Erica at What Do We Do All Day.
I love Kumon maze books, and this Around the World book is my favorite! The mazes are challenging, but solvable, and kids get to know a few world landmarks at the same time – they can even check the landmarks off a world map as they complete the mazes. I only wish they would have taken the time to include a little information about each landmark.
Pretend Play Toys
Lego Castle Dragon Mountain caught my eye because it reminded me of the Lego castle sets I loved as a kid – not tied to a popular TV show or book, and built without too many large “special” pieces. The dragon looks pretty awesome, too!
For younger kids, I recommend the LEGO Education DUPLO Community People Set.
Our Favorite Baby Toy
The Alex Jr. Bop And Roll is my favorite baby toy – all four of my kids play with it! The wood balls make a neat sound as they roll across the floor, and it’s great for learning about cause and effect. If you have a child who throws everything, you might want to substitute softer balls, though!
Our top STEM Themed Toy
Snap Circuits is the only battery-operated toy to make my list! It’s an excellent introduction to circuit making! The flying saucer is our favorite setup for this toy.
What are your favorite toys?
Ticia Adventures in Mommydom says
That is a pretty awesome doll house.
My daughter loves all of the little animal pets that come from the Lego friends series, but is indifferent on the dolls.
I hadn’t noticed the make-up on the girl Legos, but I’ve always found the faces on Legos exaggerated, so it probably seemed on par with others.
MaryAnne says
They are on par with the other “fancy” faces. The funny thing is, that in the LEGO education sets the boys all have normal LEGO smiley faces, and the girls have double sided faces – one happy, one sad, both with tons of makeup. I feel like it sort of presents the girls as all emotional and the boys as all happy-go-lucky. My feminist side coming out, I guess :)
Nina says
I’ve been eying that Melissa and Doug block set for a while now, but haven’t gotten myself to buy it, especially when my kid seems perfectly content with the Jenga blocks (totally not getting played the way it’s “supposed” to, but it works!). It’s still on my wish list though :)
MaryAnne says
Jenga blocks make awesome building blocks! Have you heard of citiblocs? They are basically glorified (longer and thinner) jenga blocks, and people make all sorts of neat things with them!
Sherri says
Love the recommendations! I’m going to check out that doll house!
MaryAnne says
The doll house is awesome!
Jen says
A great toy roundup, indeed! LEGO, books, and games are what my kids are currently interested in.
MaryAnne says
I think your kids would get along with mine :)
Norah says
Thank you for a post. I am a grandmother to two beautiful children in the age group. Reading your article is certainly more enjoyable than trudging around the shops wondering what to buy. I am very interested to see the modular tree house etc. I haven’t seen anything like that before and think its delightful. I also like the idea of using a light table with some of the blocks. Great suggestions. Thanks. :)
MaryAnne says
I’m so glad you liked my post! I’m pretty passionate about finding good toys – and, like you, I don’t enjoy trudging around shops!