Toys You Will Never Regret Buying
You want to buy your kids some new toys for Christmas or Birthdays, but how do you know what they will love, what will hold up over time, and you won’t regret buying within a week of the purchase? I am here sharing my TOP toy purchases as a mom of almost 6 kids (11 and down).
I really believe in getting toys that are quality, but not marketing hype. Toys that will hold up over time and can be used in multiple ways. Also, I really like toys that do not feel or look like clutter as much as possible.
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Avoiding Toy Overwhelm:
I did a YouTube video all about eliminating toy overwhelm. In that video I share that if our kids are overwhelmed cleaning up their toys we need to consider how much they have access to, how many pieces the toys have and why it may be triggering to them.
If we feel resistance in our bodies when we see all the toys, no doubt they feel triggered by all the toys. We want our homes to be places of peace, a home that the kids and others want to be in too.
So let’s avoid bad toys purchases and freely let go of all the toys that are no longer serving our family!
These are the toys that DO serve my family well and continue to do so!
Yoto – cards, headphones, headphone splitters
We LOVE the Yotos. Each kid, minus the baby, has a Yoto so on roadtrips everyone can have their own. But a headphone splitter is a great asset to have so that two kids can listen to one story at once if they want to. I definitely recommend having a charging station in a basket where all the Yotos, the cards, cardholder, and chargers live.
This is a great way to give yourself a mental break while letting your kiddos listen to inspirational stories and sweet music. My 9 year old has listened to Treasure Island at least 5 times and my kids fight over the the 4 pack of music by JJ Heller.
This link gives you 10% off your first purchase!
Favorite Yoto Cards:
Harry Potter: Sorcerer’s Stone
Wooden Blocks
I cannot tell you how many different ways my kids have played with these wooden block, they can morph into anything they can imagine! A car ramp, barbie homes, castles, dinosaur kingdoms, and just something fun to set up and knock over.
Trampoline with net around it
SO much energy can be gotten out with a trampoline! Investing in outside toys is a great way to keep unnecessary clutter out of your home, get your kids in the fresh air in the sun instead of sitting in front of screens, and it will keep them entertained for hours! Kids thrive outside all year round… so thinking of toys that will help get them outside is great for their physical health and your mental health.
Ninja course
You can get so creative with this Ninja course! You can make this challenging and fun for all different ages and you can build onto one course with another Ninja course to make a whole matrix for them. I do with they were made with more natural colors instead of bright colors sticking out against the yard, but that’s alright.
I also LOVE these climbing holds to help kids get up on the Ninja course!
You can see my kids climbing on them in this video!
Saucer Swings
Does anything say childhood like a good swing?
Maxi scooters
My only complaint is that the back break pops off sometimes. It’s still the best scooter I’ve found that holds up better than any other scooter, so getting the warranty is worth it because they will take it back and fix it if the break pops off or when your kids inevitably run them into the ground like mine do.
Make sure to take your child’s age and weight into consideration, because they might bow the scooter.
Bern helmets are the best because they are firm, fit like a glove, and the kids can easily bucket it themselves.
The BEST Helmets: Bern Helmets
I love these helmets and was introduced to them by my outdoorsy friend who loves quality gear. The helmets fit like a baseball hat on the inside and then have a velcro strap in the back. The kids never have a problem putting them on themselves.
They are pricey, but I mean what is our brain worth right?
Basketball, football, wiffle balls
My kids are in the yard almost daily playing with waffle balls. If you’re worried about breaking windows, wiffle balls are the way to go (tennis balls have broken a window or two at my house). You can also get foam baseballs if you’d rather that! This isn’t just a great way to get kids outside that they will love, it also helps their visual acuity as they learn to track a ball.
I feel like just getting sports balls is always a win-kickballs, footballs, and basketballs.
Legos – get lego books
Top tip: Get them a lego book instead of a bunch of different kits. The kits can add up quick, but this book helps them get creative with the pieces they have. I have created a lego station in the basement where I have relinquished control, but they have to stay there so the chaos is controlled.
Magnablocks
We use these so much! You definitely want to get a good brand though because the cheap ones can pop open and you do not want your kids ingesting a magnet. Linked here is the brand I have and trust.
Printer Paper with lots of color pencils
A pack of printer paper and some good colored pencils are a classic. We love the Prismacolor pencils, they are a little bit more expensive, but they don’t have tops or get all over kids clothes like markers do.
Sketch Pads
My kids use sketch pads over and over again in the car and before bed. We love using amber book lights at night for them to draw under.
Duplo Blocks
These are like legos but they are bigger. I don’t have tons of these but they have little characters and they are really sweet for the kids to play with.
Dress up outfits
Kids just love to dress up as different characters, animals, and occupations. If you wait until after Halloween you can find some great deals!
Play Silks can also be made into lots of outfits and used for lots of different imaginative play.
Checkers laid out
Do you remember the little checker boards that are laid out at Cracker Barrel? For a season, I kept a checker set out to invite the kids to have a little family moment and play a quick game.
Sequence for kids
This is a great game we have really loved! My 4-7 year olds like this game best.
Stratego for boys
I played this when I was young and my boys love it as long as they don’t get too made at each other. They played a lot when they were 8-10 years old.
Watercolor books
There are so much great options for watercolor books! My kids love the ocean theme, the jungle theme, and the forest theme. This book has tutorials teaching your kids which colors to use, how to paint it, and it is pre-drawn out so they can follow it. I also get them a little water color palette that they can keep a brush in.
This is extra great because we can easily make copies for grandparents to have.
Cozy Amber Book Light
My kids LOVE sitting in their bunks at night and reading/looking at books. And the best part of this book light is that it is AMBER colored. This helps them not bother others in the bunk room and it is even subtle enough to take on night van trips without bothering the driver.
Wooden People
Kids really love acting out scenes. Having a little family made of wooden family and animals lets kids create their own world. If you have the wooden blocks, they pair so well together!
Mudkitchen
My dad and I built a scrap wood mud kitchen. They loved it! This one is similar. I went to Goodwill and grabbed some old kitchen utensils and pans and gave them a pitcher of water and they would play for so long. They will grab weeds and cups of water and create a restaurant. So much space for creativity!
Other Intentional Mama Blog Posts:
Creating a Captivating Homeschool
