Are you ready for a gift guide written by a real person? Tired of buying the “hottest” toy to find it thrown in the corner a day later?
That’s my biggest pet peeve with holidays and birthdays. Nothing drives me crazier than an expensive pile of junk that I not only spent too much on but now it’s a mess on the floor.
These lists are going to be a realistic approach to gift giving. Oh, I’ve bought gifts that I thought would be amazing only to realize that now I have to spend hours helping (I’m looking at you easy knitting loom) or its so complicated that they lose interest. I love family time and being with my kids but not while trying not to teach my kids new and inventive curse words.
There will be pros and cons on this list. No sugar coating will be done. There will be links so you can check them out or buy online. I always suggest shopping local if possible. You can find so many things at small businesses around the Ohio Valley. Deluxe Toy & Hobby in Martins Ferry has an amazing selection as well as Smart Centre Market in Wheeling. Both stores have so many high-quality toys you just won’t find at WalMart or Target. Of course, the big box stores would be a source for quite a few items but the aforementioned local shops have the coolest stuff I’ve seen anywhere close.
I’m going to go by general ages. Of course, some kids will like things from different age groups. I love putting LEGO sets together so no judgement here. Before you start buying, if it’s online, I suggest you download the Honey app. It’s available as a browser extension or on your phone. Disclaimer: If you use my link, I get points. This is actually awesome if you use the app and share it with friends because you will get points. Those points build up to $10 gift cards. Pretty cool. I’ve used this app for years and never shared my code so whether you do that or not, the app still rocks. What the Honey app does is compare prices for you. Yup, it will tell you the best price and it’s pricing history so you know if you are getting a good price. Win!
Fisher-Price Soothe & Glow Seahorse Toy
This little guy comes in Pink, Blue, White, or Green. We had a green one that both kids used. It plays five minutes of soothing music with eight options of lullabies, ocean sounds, and it’s not too big, not loud, and not expensive. We have the trifecta of good baby toy attributes here. It was even easy to keep clean.
It looks to be about $12 on Amazon right now for blue and pink but the other colors are way more expensive. Head to a local source like Deluxe Toy and Hobby if you want to look for those colors or buy local.
VTech Crinkle & Roar Lion Toy
This toy is crinkly but not super loud. Cute, small, and sensory friendly, this lion plays music, has a mirror to help self awareness, and hooks to strollers and car seats so you don’t have to chase it. Overall, it was another favorite at our house.
VTech Wiggle and Crawl Ball
Makes babies giggle. Sold! It rolls itself, plays music, has a turtle, and has flashing lights to keep little ones engaged. The downside, though, is it plays animal sounds.
Great for learning, bad for my nerves after hearing the dog 1,000 times in a row. It’s such a great toy, I overlooked the annoyance. Also inexpensive. See a trend here?
Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
Stocking Stuffer and Sanity Saver Alert! These have been under $5 every time I’ve seen them. You chuck these bad boys into the fridge to cool them down, give them to your little one and they teeth like there’s no tomorrow. Seemingly indestructible, bright fun colors, and good coordination practice. If I seem excited, it’s because both of my kids had 4 teeth by 3 months old. Think newborns are challenging? Try one that’s cutting teeth. Yikes!
Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table
This one is a little more money than the previous items because it is rolling in at around $25. Not gonna lie, I bought this second hand. I’m pretty sure I found one that looked brand new at Bullfrogs & Butterflies in Wheeling, WV. Great entertainment, cute music, and munchkins getting to stand up and bounce around.
Little Tikes Rocking Horse
$30 of pure child joy. No matter how hard my kids tried, they were never able to tip this or otherwise damage themselves. This rocking horse is sturdy, the type of sturdy that will keep it around for generations if you keep it inside. It does take up precious floor space but at this age, everything you get for your kids is gigantic. 12 months-3 years or 50lbs. There are some great alternatives to this brand such as the Step 2 Rocking Horse or their Rocking Reindeer if you want to keep it festive. They are currently available at Deluxe Toy and Hobby. They are just as awesome. I just happened to actually own this one.
Disney Frozen Elsa’s Ice Palace Toy by Little People
Little People toys are always a good bet and I’ve yet to meet a little girl that is not unhealthily obsessed with Frozen. It’s super cute and you can add to the set with some princess friends or Kristoff’s Sleigh.
I will warn you though, it plays “Let it Go”. At this point I’ve been desensitized to that particular tune so it wouldn’t bother me but I feel I should warn you. This toy is rated for ages 1.5 – 5 years old. Expect to pay around $30-35.
Lego Duplo – My First Number Train
This counting train set is a great educational toy for 2-5 Year Olds that contains 23 pieces. The Duplo sets are great for getting coordination in building. This smaller set is around $16. All the train parts are interchangeable so it’s pretty frustration free.
My son played with this constantly. Pro: No crazy sounds. Con: Even worse to step on than regular Legos. I’m willing to bet this classic is available from a local toy shop.
I’m sure there are many other awesome non-annoying toys out there. Tell me in the comments about some of the ones that have been a hit at your house and any you have loved for older kids. It’s a jungle of toys out there!
