Written By: Nadereh Nabai
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
It seems like it was just yesterday that I was fretting about this year’s toy list, but here we are again. Christmas is almost here, and the new year is just around the corner. This year was a blur of changes and many learning opportunities, and I’m looking forward to next year’s transforming roller-coaster ride! I’m grateful for each and every one of you who trust you or your child’s care with us; I’m learning my own lessons alongside you and yours! We hope you’ll find this year’s last-minute gift ideas helpful and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
A note on toy giving:
Remember a child’s room should be a calm sanctuary where they can go to relax and let their imaginations go wild; therefore, keep your child’s room clutter free with plenty of floor space. Less things around will offer deeper engagements with the toys that are out cultivating more imagination.
Always give away or store one old toy for each new one you buy.
Rotate the toys that you decide to keep every couple of weeks to give your child an opportunity to find different ways to play with them.
Offer opportunities to turn everyday objects into toys.
Give them time to play on their own and by themselves.
Set up a play tent with lots of comfortable pillows in their room.
Provide a variety of props and dress up clothing for pretend play.
Provide a pair of age appropriate and safe scissors and lots of old magazines that they can practice cutting.
Provide color pencils, crayons, markers and clean sheets of paper they can color in.
And let’s not forget books, lots of books.
And last but the best, everyday give a gift of yourself to your child…
Some of our favorite books!
Finds from Melissa and Doug! Make sure to check out their webpage for more toys- sorted by age range for easy searching.
- ages 3 to 7
- ages 8+
Check out Genuine Fred for more toys! We especially love the meal time themed items- perfect for engaging all eaters.
Greentoys is another one of our favorite sites. Their website has a ton of products, and here are some of our personal picks:
- ages 2 to 8
- ages 6+ months
Privacy pop has many different options for pop up privacy. The bed tents especially are an excellent idea for kids with sensory issues, and those that get a little overwhelmed at bedtime.
Toy Vault has many new and exciting toys for all ages.
- ages 3+
- ages 6+
Other wonderful toy and games!
- ages 3+
Finds from Pottery Barn and PBTeen for a variety of ages.
Toy and games from the 2016 Holiday Toy Blog!
- Melissa and Doug (ages 2 to 6+)
- ages 2 to 8+
- Children’s Board Books
- Coloring books (ages 4 to 8+)
- Games to play together
- Good for little fingers (ages 0 to 3+)
- Good for medium fingers (ages 4 to 5+)
- Good for older fingers (ages 6+)
- Bath time
- Eating and Edibles
- Active play (ages 0 to 5 +)
- Active play (ages 5+)
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If you do any shopping at amazon, remember to go to smile.amazon.com a portion of your purchase goes towards a charity of your choosing for no extra charge!