Stockings are my FAVORITE and let me just say right off the bat, that I tend to go overboard. Growing up, we could always count on certain things being in our stockings; and I love carrying on that tradition, plus adding a few unique things of our own.
To go easy on the budget, I try to include items that I would normally be purchasing anyways (toiletries, water bottles, socks, pajamas, treats, etc), craft supplies that get used up (markers, crayons, stickers), and then a small toy or two. Here are some of the things that you’ll find in the kids’ stockings this year!
A lot of the toy items going in the kids’ stockings this year, are sensory bin related. My kids are obsessed, and sensory activities are a great way to occupy them, while I try and get a few chores done. If you’d like more ideas for these types of activities, check out my amazon list for Sensory Play here.
Hopefully this has given you a few good ideas to help with your shopping this year! XO
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! If you follow me over on Instagram, you know that I started Christmas shopping early this year, and I’m dying for Christmas morning to see the kids faces when they unwrap their presents (and before you get after me, yes I know that Christmas isn’t about presents, but they’re fun to give).
Today, I’m going to share some of the items that are on my kids wishlists, as well as some of their favorites. If you’re new to the world of open-ended/wooden toys, you might also want to check out the Getting Started with Open-Ended Toys post. A few of these toys also make good family gifts, so if you are trying to limit the amount of toys in your home, they’re a great option.
Around here, we usually try and stick to the 4 gift rule.
A Want
A Need
A Wear
A Read
This year, we’re spoiling them a little and giving them 2 wants, instead of a need because I just finish selling 75% of their toys. Most of the toys will build upon the items we currently have for small world play (houses, trees, bridges, cars, etc), as well as items to build marble runs.
Hopefully, this has given you a few good ideas for Christmas shopping this year! I also plan on putting together a list of stocking stuffers, so be on the look out for that. Fair warning, I tend to go overboard with stockings. Anyone else?
Let’s talk play spaces and setting up one that will not only
get used, but will also look good and go with the atmosphere you are trying to
create in your home.
The following concepts are things I tried to keep in mind when designing my kids’ playroom. I don’t rigidly adhere to any one philosophy of learning/education, but instead draw on aspects of Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio that fit with my own beliefs and children’s preference for play and learning.
And fear not, if you don’t have a space to designate as a playroom, you can still use these concepts to set up a corner or play space wherever room allows.
1. PICK A NEUTRAL COLOR PALETTE
Keep wall colors, shelving and furniture neutral. Toys are bright and enticing all on their own. Let them be the star of the show, not the walls. Picking neutral colors also helps keep the atmosphere calm and relaxing, and helps kids concentrate better.
If at all possible, choose a place that gets a lot of natural light, especially because you will be spending a lot of time in here. This not only boosts Vitamin D, wards off seasonal depression, and improves sleep; but it also gives kids a chance to look out the window and discover what is going on in the world around them. Consider placing a stool at the window if they’re too high for little ones to see out of (like this one, and a can of spray paint if yellow isn’t your color).
3. KEEP IT SIMPLE
You’ve heard me say it before, but a playroom/space full of toys and clutter actually deters play more than it encourages it. Ever walk into a store and seen so many options that you just turn around and leave because you’re overwhelmed? The same happens to your kids when they look at their play options. Keep fewer toys out (3-4 per kid) and keep the space free of extra clutter.
Along with this, it also helps to have a closet or other storage area to keep toys that are not in rotation organized.
Leave space for play! This is one of the reasons you’ll often see shelving and furniture around the outside of the room, because it leaves a wide open space in the middle for play to happen uninhibited. Using open shelves gives space to display toys and allows kids to see what’s available for play; and leaving the tops of shelves clear, provides an area to build; especially if you have kids of varying ages who like to destroy, more than they like to build.
Pick furniture pieces with a child’s height in mind, because it allows them to be more independent, and they can see their options more clearly. Lower profile furniture also keeps children from climbing shelving to get to the toys they’re after.
Having a kid sized table and chairs gives kids a space to play that is up off the floor, but still at the perfect height for them.
Choosing baskets and trays with a low profile shows kids how pieces fit together, and gives them a place to return them to when they’re finished playing, plus it also helps control the mess. Back when we used to use tall baskets in our cubby shelves (because they hid the giant amount of toys we had), I noticed a pattern. All the bins ended up being dumped out, because someone was trying to find something or see what toys were available. This ended up creating a huge, unnecessary mess to clean up at the end of the day.
Something else you may choose to do, is put a shelf or two up higher on the wall to store toys out of rotation, plants, a diffuser, and other items that you want to keep out of reach of little hands.
Believe it or not, kids actually thrive when they have a routine, know what to expect and know where to find things. So give everything in your playroom/space a home- Toys, Books, Art Supplies. If your kids know where to find them, it gives them more independence to do things on their own, and encourages them to take responsibility, and keep things together.
Bringing the outdoors in helps improve mood, reduces stress, purifies the air and teaches kids how to take care of something. So consider adding a few plants (even if they’re fake), or even a fish.
Having a space with floor pillows, a Nugget, or something similar gives kids a place to get comfy, read a book, engage in quiet play, or settle down when something has upset them.
Children have a ton of energy, so if they’re going to be climbing the walls anyways, why not give them a safe space to get the wiggles out? Pikler Triangles, Rockers, Wobble Boards, Balance Beams, and the like (as space allows) all provide a physical aspect to play and help encourage the development of gross motor skills.
If your kids love creating drawings, paintings, or other works of art, give them a space to create and display these pieces, where you can quickly and easily rotate them out.
I hope this inspires you and gives you direction on how to set up a functional playroom/space that works for your family and fits your own personal style. Remember, it’s okay to pick which aspects to use and to implement them slowly, as time and budget allow. Please let me know if you have any questions!
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Getting started or transitioning to open ended toys can be a daunting and overwhelming task. With so many options and companies to choose from, combined with the price tag, you want to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth and that your kids are going to play with the things you buy.
The nice things about open ended wooden toys is that they grow with your child. My 1 year olds and 6 year old often play with the same toys, the way they play with them is just different. This means that in general, you can start your toy collection with the same basics, regardless of age, making sure to take into consideration the interests of your children.
The other nice thing about wooden toys, is that they tend to retain their value. I often try to buy second hand before purchasing new, however most of these toys sell quickly and at near or almost the cost of retail. This means that if a particular toy really doesn’t get much play or interest from your children, you can sell them and quickly.
I’ve rounded up all of my favorite basics that I would start out with, if I were to do it all again. Remember, too many options overwhelm. You don’t need a lot of toys to occupy kids, you just need to present them in different ways and rotate them periodically. I would recommend having 9-12 toys at most, available to play with if you only have 1 kid. For my family of 5, I try and put out 15 or so options (3-4 toys per kid).
1. Blocks || Building blocks are a main toy for open ended play, and one of the first pieces I would start with. *Update 2023* I’ve since changed my opinion on which set I would start with. If you’re in the market for Blocks, I would 100% recommend you start with a set of Unit Blocks. Everwood Friends has lots of traditional options, as well as blocks with gems, windows, castle accents and more.
2. Grimm’s Rainbow || Our first Grimm’s piece, back before I knew what Grimm’s was. Stack them, use them as tunnels or bridges. Make ball runs or tracks, color sort or build sculptures. There is an endless number of ways to use this rainbow. It also comes in a variety of color options, so make sure to grab that one that speaks to your style.
3. Grimm’s Rainbow House || Stack it into a tower, fit it together like a puzzle, use it as a house for your Nins (more about these later), or a tunnel for cars. There is so much imagination to be had with this stacking toy house, and the fact that there are fewer pieces means it’s a great piece for your littles to learn with.
4. Pebbles || These ones tend to baffle adults, but kids love their simplicity. They are the perfect sizes for little hands that love to carry things around. They are easy to stack, which means they’re great for teaching balance, and they can be used in small world play as things like platforms, ponds, etc. The more sets you have, the more challenging it is to stack them, which is also great for older kids.
5. Stacker || There are so many options here, so you really can’t go wrong. I love to get ones with bigger pieces, because they’re easier for little hands. Stackers are great for hand eye coordination and fine motor skills. Plus the colors are beautiful.
6. Wooden Cars || These cars and their size are a favorite around here. The windows make them easy to grip, and they fit perfectly on the Way to Play track (we’ll get to those in a different post). The colors are bright and fun, and they come in a variety of shapes. Keep them at home or throw them in the diaper bag to occupy during appointments or while waiting for food at a restaurant.
7. Grapat Mates || These cups are perfect for little hands, and my kids love to stack them and put the Nins/Wizards in them. They also use them as cups, and food dishes for animals; and they’ll throw them in the sensory bins when we doing a dry activity (rice, beans, etc). They’re a great tool to teach colors, balance and fine motor skills when paired with the Nins.
8. Grapat Nins or Wizards || These are the people of open ended wooden toys. The kids use them to create stories in the structures that they’ve built and they are the perfect size for smaller hands, but still large enough that they aren’t a choking hazard. The dyes are also non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about them ending up in mouths. Just like the Mates, they can help teach colors, matching, sorting, and numbers.
*An alternative to Grapat Nins and Mates is Grimm’s Friends in Bowls, same concept, just fewer colors.
9. Grimm’s Stacking Bowls || These bowls are great for stacking, sorting by size, building towers, collecting treasures and so much more. Plus they come in a variety of colors, so pick your favorite (I personally love the Red Outside or Natural).
10. Sarah’s Silks ||It’s a cape, a blanket, a cover for a fort. The options are endless. They are also safe for water play. Give one (or two) to your kids, and watch the endless ways they use them in play. You can also grab play clips, to help secure them better when making forts.
Happy Shopping! Hopefully you’ve found this helpful. I can’t wait to hear what you grabbed!
Make sure you’re following me over on Instagram for a GIVEAWAY later this afternoon!!
