So hopefully you read my Gift Guide for 0-3 Year Olds for the shear entertainment value if not for any 0-3 year olds. If not, here’s how this gift guide works: I dislike junk, things with zero educational value, things that have no volume switch and can be repeated over and over, and toys that last for 2 minutes and then the kids throw them in a corner.
As I stated in the last guide, I highly encourage you to shop local at shops like Smart Center Market in Wheeling, WV or Deluxe Toy and Hobby in Martins Ferry, OH. I know that is not always easy between practices, illnesses, having really small kids, or another myriad of reason so I have provided links to everything. Look at them online and you can buy local or online.
I also suggest you try out the Honey app. I’m not going to re-explain the whole shebang, you can hop over to the article that explains it. It will help you save money. I have used it for years.
This is by no means a comprehensive list. These are some of my favorites that have lasted and got a ton of playtime.
Light Brite
Let’s start with a classic. They have the standard Light Brite we all know. They have a cube. There’s ones that have storage. There’s funky shaped pegs available… You get what I’m saying. There’s nothing like that satisfying, destructive pop the first time you use one of the patterns. Oh, and did you know that you can get refills? If these were available when I was little that tidbit was hidden from me. Don’t forget though, these hurt to step on. We didn’t have much of a problem because we got the one with storage.
Picasso Tiles
These are for ages 3+ and we bought them when our son was 3. He and his sister still play with the for hours on end and they are 7 and 8. They are literally magnetic tiles in different shapes. It’s great for learning shapes and how they fit together. Last week, they built a “movie theater” and then the LOL Dolls watched a movie. Sometimes they build places for the Star Wars characters to fight. Endless possibilities. They don’t break and you can’t break anything with them. These are a little pricey starting at around $50 but we’ve had years of play out of them and they still look new. There are a few brands out there and to be honest, I think we’ve got some from different companies but I can’t tell a difference. They are the same sizes.
Laser Pegs
What can I say? I guess I like shiny things. These are very Lego-like and do work with legos but these light up. Soooo cool. I love that this toy adds even more depth to the STEAM learning. ( science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Don’t get me started on just incorporating STEM.) You, I mean your kids, can take your designs to the next level. Have a kid that isn’t as interested in building? I bet this changes their mind. Don’t hesitate to buy these for kids older than 7, and by that, I mean me.
Barbie Careers
I am living for this line of Barbies. Seriously, I wasn’t even into dolls when I was a kid but I buy these every time I see one. Barbie is an Astrophysicist, Pilot, Doctor, Scientist with a Lab, Musician, Pizza Chef, Wildlife Conservationist, Teacher (She has glasses on. Is this a Barbie first?), Dentist, Firefighter, Game Developer, Soccer Player, Astronaut, Chef, Paleontologist, Optician, Judge, Robotics Engineer, Construction Worker, Music Teacher, News Anchor, Boxer, Bee Keeper, Entomologist, Pediatrician, Fire Fighter, Art Teacher, and a Nurse. I’m sure there are more so take a look!
Buy these for any female professional in your life. They are great!
Last time I was at Smart Centre Market they had the Paleontologist and Scientist Barbies so go grab those gifts before they are gone. We bought both of them from there. The Scientist is for Christmas so shhh!
Aquabeads
Not for the faint of heart. Lean toward the older kiddos for these. They are tiny beads that you place in patterns or on patterns, then spray, dry, and they stick together for a little decoration. My daughter loves them, but she also plays with them on the floor for some reason and our 100 year old home doesn’t exactly have level floors everywhere. So off they roll, tiny little bits of money I’ve spent, just to be vacuumed up later. The bright side is that they don’t hurt too bad to step on.
LOL Dolls
You didn’t think you were getting out of here without a discussion about LOL Dolls, did you? Here’s the deal. My daughter loves them. She plays with these toys constantly. She makes clothes for them. I can’t argue with that.They start at $7 and go up from there. There’s different series, sizes, and now there are boy dolls to give even more gift choices.
Now let’s take a second and discuss LOL Dolls. They all either cry, spit, or pee. Needless in my book. My daughter no longer cares about that aspect. The packaging O.M.G. I feel the Earth die a little every time we get one of these. It’s layers upon layers of plastic and then bunches of little plastic bags. I suppose that’s the “surprise” part but it is awful.
Boy LOL Dolls. Have your kids gotten one of these yet? They have penises and testicles. Well, just one penis per doll as far as I know. Yup, this is not your classic Ken Doll. I’m all for normalizing but I’m not lying when I say I was surprised. The kids didn’t care at all.
Have more LOL Doll questions: Click over to Lotta LOL and find your answers.
Hatching Toothless Toy
Oh, the Hatching Toothless toy. I am including this because it is supposed to be something kids are wanting. My kids want this so bad they were willing to spend saved up money on it. At $50, yes Fifty Dollars, I put a stop to that. It hatches and then does some interactive things. The ad says, “Bring your own baby dragon to life & build the bond of a lifetime”. Umm, no. To each their own, but I’m out on this.
Star Wars Lightsaber Academy Interactive Battling System
How is this lightsaber different than the other billion we own? I wasn’t sure so I asked the kids and did some research. It plays phrases and sounds, it lights up but those features aren’t new to the Star Wars toys. This however, has an interactive app. You can go head to head with friends or battle on the app.
I’ve included the product video below to help you make your choice for your own padawans. Train the younglings or not? I’m sure I will eventually cave on this. It’s normally $50 but I have seen sales for $25.
Library Card
I saved my favorite for last. When my kids got to get their own library cards from the Ohio County Library, it was like Christmas. They LOVED it. There’s something about it being in their name and having the card and the handy key fob card to put on their own $3 library book bags. We go once a week or so and they load up. No one could possibly afford to buy all these books and they learned to be responsible for them.
Before we are done here, I’ll share my secret to getting kids to want to read. I slowly gave them more time before bedtime, but they have to be in bed and reading to use that time. They love reading now and read an hour a night. It gives them time to wind down from the day, learn to be alone and without people and screens distracting them, and time to work their imaginations or learn new thing. Best gift ever.
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!
