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Somehow when you’re a mom you amass a lot of toys.
And step on some too…
That’s okay, a kids work is play!
I make my kids a fair amount of stuffed things, as well as lending them some safe house gadgets and spoons to play with, but thanks to their generous grandmas (shoutout to you grandma!) they also have started a little collection of rainbow colored toys that I wanted to share today.
Are toys necessary for kids to play? No. But they are nice and fun. We are grateful and blessed to have them!
These are some of the beloved and favorite toys from our playroom. They are favorites because they are versatile, age appropriate, have pretty colors, or are otherwise special. (I particularly like it when they come in cute boxes…)
If you are looking for new toys for your tots, something to add to your registry, or a gift for a little one if your life, this post is for you!
In no particular order here are the child tested and approved favorite toys from amazon!
My Bible Quiet Book
Each page of this zippered book includes a story from the Bible and some kind of activity.
What I love:
- I love that this book is actually quiet. No crinkly pages here!
- It is well made and well used at our house.
- I like that it has a handle for easy toting.
- I also hear that you can buy replacement pieces on the website should you ever need them!
What I wish:
- My kids wish there was a Joseph and Mary included in the manger scene, but it’s definitely not a deal breaker!
Mini Tudou Baby Blocks
These blocks are soft and squeezable, and are by far one of the prettiest toys we own. The colors are stylish and sweet. Each side of the block has a fun picture or number.
What I love:
- I LOVE the colors
- I love that they include numbers and plus and minus signs for learning your numbers and simple math.
What I wish:
- The blocks do interlink and stack, but they don’t stay together very well. That’s alright, they are still fun in other ways, and you can turn them on their side for tower building.
GEMEM Stacking Rings
This little stacking tower is super good for tiny hands to learn hand eye coordination.
What I Love:
- The ring colors are a little different than your average rainbow
- These pieces are the perfect size for little hands
- The holes are big enough that baby fingers won’t easily get stuck, though bigger kids should be more careful.
What I Wish:
- The base of the stacker is rounded on the bottom, which makes it wobble. It is a fun feature but makes it tricky to stack one handed.
Green Toys My First Stacker
Made from recycled milk jugs, this stacker is an essential addition to every nature-lover’s toy box.
What I love:
- These stackers are a really good size for older babies.
- They stack in any order, and come in a unique color combo.
- We also discovered that if you lay them all out side my side in order, you can use them as a xylophone! (Random but it works!)
What I Wish:
- Your set may not match the color arrangement in the photo. Ours has a yellow top, the amazon photo has a blue top. It a big deal!
Hape Pound and Tap
A xylophone and a hammer pound bench in one, this toy is great for 1-2 year olds.
What I Love:
- I like that although it makes sound, it’s not a loud battery operated toy.
- I also like that the bench seems to be sturdy enough to hold my kid’s weight when they sit on it (not its intended use)
What I wish:
- Sometimes the balls get stuck when rolling down the xylophone, it could’ve had a steeper incline
Melissa and Doug Band Music Set
Melissa and Doug always make such cute and fun toys for kids who like to pretend to be grown up.
What I Love:
- As mentioned previously, I like that the toy allows my kids to make noise without being NOISY. Sure it can get loud, but I’ll take a harmonica over a tickle me Elmo any day!
- I also love that it comes in a wood box for storage
What I wish:
- I don’t like the hammer they included that goes with the xylophone. In fact, I threw it away. It is a cube shape, with lots of corners and has a long, thin, poky stick.
Mickey Mouse and Friends Wood Shape Sorting Cube
Another Melissa and Doug pick, this is a pretty cute little sorting cube and I like it better than the plastic ones.
What I Love:
- The blocks are easy to get out, unlike some plastic globe sorting boxes
- The box doubles as storage
- The wood is smooth and wont splinter little fingers
What I Wish:
- The square and rectangle pieces look similar and are tricky for little ones to figure out, as well as the octagon, hexagon, and pentagon. (But I guess that could also be a good thing!)
UNIH Baby Link Teething Ring
When you link these little animals, its like they are on parade! A super cute new take on a classic link toy.
What I Love:
- The colors are bright and pretty
- The animal designs are unique and stylish
What I wish:
- All the links work great except for the lion, the gap on the lions is just a little too loose, the other links tend to fall through.
Alex Discover Button Art
This is such a unique toy that kind of reminds me of a jumbo version of a light an bright… but not quite.
What I Love:
- I like that this activity teaches color matching
- The buttons are easy to get on and off, even for toddlers
- The box doubles as storage
What I Wish:
- The buttons are a good size for little hands, but they are also a choking hazard. I wish they were a little bigger.
- The eye-ball buttons’ paint is wearing off quickly.
Flower Garden Building
This is a really fun and creative toy, especially during the winter when you can’t be planting real flowers!
(Note: The link above is to an extremely similar product, but I could not find the exact one we have.)
What I Love:
- There are endless flower possibilities
- I actually enjoy playing with this as much or more than my toddler!
- You can make a super tall flower tower!
What I wish:
- Since this game requires so many pieces, it is a little messy
- Don’t step on the pieces, they might break.
- Includes some choking sized pieces
Winnie-the-Pooh Learning is Fun
This is a bit of an older toy/game, but I included it because it really is one of our absolute favorites. If you can get your hands on a used one in good condition, snatch it up!
What I Love:
- I love that the cards are double sided
- It comes with ABC and 123 in one box.
- The pictures are quite engaging, my tot always asks “What are they eating?” “What are they doing here?”
- Good for homeschool and preschool
What I wish:
- The box lid is a little flimsy, don’t bend it too much
- Wish we had two sets!
Banana Toothbrush
This is becoming a classic for new moms. We don’t really use it as a toothbrush, but it has certainly seen a lot of teeth!
What I Love:
- Easy to hold
- Light, doesn’t hurt my babies too much when they drop it on themselves
- a really good teether
What I Wish:
- The bristles will break off with stubborn chewing, careful!
I have realized while perusing the webs that a lot of curated lists like this come from parents/people (even non parents) who have never even TRIED the item they are reviewing, let alone own or use them.
I hope reading this list of some of our REAL favorite toys was helpful to you, from a mom and littles who have tried, used, and played with them for months and years.
Also be sure to read the list of our 13 favorite kids books: A Glimpse inside our Children’s Library!
