Christmas present ideas

Some friends and I have recently been talking about Christmas present ideas and it gave me the idea to do a post on some of my kiddos' favorite toys. Most of these are toys that we've had for a year or more and they still play with almost daily, and many are toys that have been such hits in our house that we've given as gifts to others. In no particular order....

1. Plasma Car

This would probably rank up there as one of Grayson (5 years old) and Emma Claire's (3 years old) favorite toys. They each got one last Christmas, so even as a 2 year old EC loved it. The Plasma Car is the Roller Racer (please tell me y'all had these as a child! My brother and I played with ours for years!) of our kids' generation. Or decade. Whatever. Anyway, it's a battery-free ride-on toy that's powered by wiggling the steering wheel back and forth. My kiddos get more speed by just using their feet to push themselves so that's what they usually do, but they love it anyway. It can hold up to 220 lb so adults can on ride it, too---it's actually pretty fun!

2. Little Tikes Deluxe Wooden Play Kitchen and Laundry Center

Santa brought this when Grayson was 3 and EC was 1, and it's also been a toy that has been played with daily. It's now also one of Whitt's favorites. I like it because it's a pretty gender-neutral kitchen, as so many play kitchens are geared toward girls, and I also love that it's held up really well over the past two years.

3. Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube

This toy has been a favorite of Whitt's since turned one. It is really cute---you push one of the instrument buttons and it starts playing that instrument's sound as part of a Mozart song, and you can continue adding other instruments until they're all playing together. The songs don't get annoying like a lot of other baby toys (I don't put batteries in most of our toys, but this one is worthy!) and the edges are rubber and rounded so it can stand up to being dropped, thrown, etc...

4. Hot Wheels Monster Jam trucks

If you have a four or five year old boy in your life, you HAVE to go to your nearest Target or Walmart and get some of these. Grayson is OBSESSED. They're only $3.50 each and provide hours of entertainment---could it be any better than that?? He went through the cars/train phase (and still plays with them, but not as often as he did), but he went to a friend's house this past summer and loved his monster trucks, so we gave him a bunch for his birthday in August and he continues to play with them every. single. day. We're even planning on taking him to a real Monster Jam in January---he's going to flip!!!! :)

5. Smart Snacks Sorting Shapes Cupcakes

Emma Claire got these for her second birthday and they are still a hit, both with my kiddos and with friends when they come over to play. It's a fun shape sorting game that also doubles as a play food for their kitchen. They're much heavier and more durable than they look, which for some reason gives them added appeal to the kids. They really are one of my favorite toys, too, and I've given them as a gift a few times as well.

6. The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name

I cannot say enough about how much we adore this bible. We have several children's bibles, but this is the one that Grayson and Emma Claire actually ask to have read to them--and once we start reading, it's hard to stop! It has 348 pages and we read the entire thing in a week and a half, and have just started to read it again. The stories are captivating to little ones, the illustrations are beautiful, and it's written in a way that preschoolers and younger children can understand. I love how it teaches them about both the Old and New Testaments, and it leaves them with minds and hearts that crave more.

7. Bilibo

The Bilibo is such a fun toy! It's a shell-shaped piece of plastic that has endless possibilities---my kiddos like to sit in them, spin in them, stand on them, put them on their heads, and lay on the ground and put them on their backs and pretend they're turtles. We have two, and now that Whitt has discovered how much fun they are, I'm thinking we might need a third. :) It's really a simple toy that encourages the children to use their imaginations, but I have a feeling it will be a favorite for awhile!