FAVORITE TOYS FOR TODDLERS…

March 15, 2018

Sharing some toddler toys Kennedy has been loving lately!

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After Kennedy turned one, there were lots of toys we had to put away and new ones we had to get for her. She no longer was happy or entertained with the “baby” toys we still had out, and I realized it was time to invest in some toddler toys that will last for the next 2-3 years. I think toddler toys will be used more and for a longer span of time, so I knew it was worth finding great toys that will last! And ones that will withstand the destruction of a toddler! Haha Kennedy is now 17 months and loves so many new toys and doing new things. It is remarkable everyday to see her grow and her ability to do new things awes me as her mother.

-Kennedy now loves playing pretend-

She will play pretend in her little kitchen and pretend to stir food in the pot, get food from the fridge, pour it into the pot, and “try” it with some “mmmm” sound affects. She also loves to play tea with me and will pour me some in my tiny cup and have me try it. She then will get the little spoon and stir it, and try it herself before pouring more for me.
She also LOVES her baby doll. We call it her baby, and she cherishes that baby. She will push her around in the toy stroller, and loves taking her on “walks” outside. She will feed her baby doll her bottle, put her in the toy crib and say “night night.” It is the cutest thing! She will also rock her, feed her and give her kisses. I think all of these toys for her to play pretend will help her imagination grow and develop skills for the real world, such as taking care of something herself! It is also great for her to see me cook and clean, and watch her focus on what I’m doing. It is crazy how she remembers everything I do and will imitate it in her kitchen!

-Reading Time & Thinking Toys-

In her play area, we also have an area set up with a rug and a basket of all her books. We will have story time in her soft chair or she’ll want to sit on mommy’s lap. Her soft chair is great because I can put it anywhere in her playroom, in mommy’s office, to grandparents house, or for watching movies- she loves it so much!! I try to do story time at least twice a day, and before bedtime! I also have some “quiet” toys around there in case she gets bored.
Also, I love wood toys because they keep her focused and have her try to figure things out on her own. For example, this HABA shape sorter box is filled with small colored shapes. She will pull out a shape and have to figure out what color matches with what side and what shape it goes with. This is a great way to start teaching colors and shapes! There are also animals on the side, so I will ask her what each animals says and she will try to make to noises.

-Playtime Outside-

I think playing outside is also so great!! Kennedy LOVES going “outsiddeee.” She begs to go outside everyday, and I love when she plays in the backyard. She gets all her energy out and gets to run around and explore nature. We have a little net that she loves to play with outside. I walk around the backyard and point out things such as leaves, a tree, flowers, rocks, bugs, etc. I tell her what each thing is and have her put it in her net. We will also go on small walks around the neighborhood and collect things for her net.
She also loves kicking around a soccer ball and running. We got her a toddler sized soccer ball for Christmas and she loves kicking it. It is the perfect size for toddlers.
Another thing she has recently starting doing is playing with sidewalk chalk! She will try her best to draw something, and that will keep her busy for a good amount of time!
I also like taking Kennedy on walks in her trike! She is almost ready to reach the pedals, but not quite there yet! This trike is great because it can grow with your child, and can be adapted for each stage of riding a bike!
This remote control Jeep car is also a fun toy she got for Christmas. But I mainly have my husband Alex do this with her because he is better skilled with driving it and handling the remote.

-Independent Playtime-

Once a day, I like Kennedy to have her independence and quiet time alone for about 45 minutes. I think it has helped her use her imagination more and not be overly stimulated. Also, I think it’s great for her to start playing on her own and and to learn to not reply on mommy for constant entertainment. When Kennedy was a small infant and up until about 14 months, she always cried for me to be on the floor playing with her and didn’t like when I left her side. Her pediatrician recommended I start giving her some independent time and quiet time on her own. She said 45 minutes a day is a good amount of time for her age. It has helped me be able to get more things done such as cooking dinner or catching up on some emails. I also think it’s really healthy for mom to get a break during the day and not always feel “on” 24/7. Some days, Kennedy doesn’t want to be a part for me, so I will have movie time for her. I will get a small bowl of popcorn or puffs and have her watch her two favorites Frozen or Moana. She literally will sit through the entire movie in her soft chair and laugh at the funny parts!