The ultimate guide to developmental toys
How to restore old Play-Doh When playdoh is gummy or hardened, you may be tempted to chuck it in the trash. But you can save some money by refreshing old playdoh, and it’s not all that hard to do. It stands to reason that if Playdoh has gotten dried and crusty, you should just add … Read more
Make your own busy box for Disney World A busy box is a collection of small toys and activities that can be used to keep children entertained, especially when theta re in a situation where they might otherwise become bored or restless. This can be especially helpful when going to a place like Disney world, … Read more
Top 10 fort building kits for kids These 10 best build-and-play fort kits allow kids to have fun while they learn about basic building techniques. Creating forts with the kids has always been one of our family’s favorite rainy day activities. However, there were only so many times we could use the bedsheets and couch … Read more
Review of the best LEGO rental companies Why rent LEGOs? We’ve written a lot about how popular LEGOs and the various LEGO alternatives are at our house. In fact, they are played with so much, our kids are constantly asking for more sets to build because they’ve used up all of their pieces! This isn’t … Read more
Where can I find cheap bulk LEGOs? If you want to stick with the LEGO brand, the best option is to avoid the complex and licensed sets altogether and stick to what made LEGO great. The cheap LEGO sets with just bricks retain the beauty in their simplicity, and the endless construction possibilities arising from … Read more
Finding appropriate toys that integrate electronics in a meaningful way is what can be truly challenging [The AAP recommends that children should engage with entertainment media for no more than one or two hours per day, and that should be high-quality content.]. Not to mention that it is hard to overcome the idea that you may be investing … Read more
The importance of movement in play Best developmental toys for grade schoolers According to pediatric occupational therapist Angela Hanscom in the Washington Post, the fact that our children are being deprived of enough time for real physical activity is affecting their ability to learn, and in some cases leading to improper ADHD diagnoses. “We will … Read more
Open play toys for optimal child development According to psychologist Daria Brezinski, PHD, skills such as coping, executive functioning, language and communication, emotional regulatory, cognitive flexibility, and social competence that are typically acquired through children’s play are often circumvented, repressed, and flat-out ignored. In fact, she spends much of her time retraining behavior that arises … Read more
How to pick toys for babies What should the best toy for babies do? Nothing at all. World-renowned child therapist and infant specialist Magda Gerber once wrote that the last thing that parents need is to listen to the “frantic sales pitches for ‘new and better toys’ for ‘new and better babies’. The best toys … Read more
Best Spanish toys for toddlers Many schools begin teaching kids foreign languages such as French and Spanish around the sixth grade. But is this too late? Research is very clear that that the earlier a child begins to learn a new language, the better. Due to a concept known as brain plasticity, younger people can … Read more