What are you getting your kids for Christmas?

[congnh2412]

@robertharris I like shopping at a local toy consignment sale that's held in my town a few weeks before Christmas. My eldest wants a specific Paw Patrol toy, so I've been watching Facebook marketplace to see if I can find it used. Low waste is really important to me, and you can find some really unique toys secondhand, so FB and consignment sales are my bread and butter.

 

[mario777]

@robertharris I just finished all my kid shopping and am ready to brag! It’s kind of a lot when I type it all out. Probably too much. I might hold some back for their summer birthdays. And it’s not all crunchy.

Both: Dollhouse, Books

3.5: Name shirt, PJs, Melissa & Doug scissor skills book, Sarah Silk’s rainbow skytail, weather board

1.5: Name shirt, PJs, Gotz doll, Jack in the Box, Jellycat banana

Stockings: Cork hair bows (Honeycomb cork), Glo Pals, Bath bombs, Schleich/Papo, Holtziger, jingly bell things, plastic sound box things that moo or baa when you flip them over, stickers, chocolate, clementine

Books: I Just Ate My Friend, Skinnamarink, I’s the B’y, My Friends (Taro Gomi). They’re a bit random, but 3.5 likes to pretend to eat people, they both love song books (the Raffi ones are A+ if you don’t have them), and we were lent the Gomi book and it was a hit. We’re book fiends, so I may have recommendations if you give a little guidance! Current faves for both are: Little Excavator, Chu’s Day, Olivia, and Wolfie the Bunny. Wolfie would be a sweet choice with the new baby coming. Congratulations!

 

[noldoxis]

@mario777 What's a weather board? This is a good list!

 

[mario777]

@noldoxis Thanks! I’m Jewish and overcompensating for my own deprived childhood, haha.

A weather board is a board which has symbols and measures to describe the weather. Google will explain it better. I have stashed the Lovevery one, but Tender Leaf also has a popular one.

 

[cadie]

@mario777 My 3.5yo loves that Lovevery weather board! Every morning we do the board before picking out her clothes. It also helps that we have a tree that looks JUST like one on the cards right outside her window.

 

[mario777]

@cadie That’s so cool about the tree! I’ve been holding it back because I was worried about adding another step to our painfully slow mornings, but there’s been so much resistance to weather appropriate clothing and I’m hoping it helps.

 

[noldoxis]

@mario777 I don't think that's too much or anything! Those are all really cool things and will be a fun Christmas morning.

Ohh okay, I didn't realize this was something across brands. It sounds cool! My daughter is only a year, but this would be cool for a future birthday or Christmas I think.

 

[mario777]

@noldoxis Thanks for the reassurance! I worry about overwhelming them but I just really love fun things.

 

[cadie]

@robertharris Lovevery came out with a cool music set so I’m thinking something like that.

I’m also a huge fan of Melissa and Doug toys.

I think both our toddlers would really like some kind of music/story player but I’m not really thrilled with the toonie or whatever it’s called. So I have no clue.

Both my toddlers are really into babies and im a few days from having our third so I’m thinking about more things to fill that out.

Really anything in general that facilitates pretend play or gross motor play.

I also do a lot of poking around on Facebook marketplace. I feel a lot better about buying toys that our kids may or may not like second hand. Heck, one toy that has lasted for years has been a $12 pretend kitchen that has a doll house on the other side. My kiddos both play with that about every day.

 

[robertharris]

@cadie We were gifted a tonie for a birthday one year, and I am not a fan of their story selection. We borrowed a Yoto for travel and I LOVED it. The stories seemed better, and we had so much fun with the cards that we could record ourselves - I just read our favorite books and the kids loved it!

 

[cadie]

@robertharris Thank you!! I was toying around with the idea of the Yoto as well but wasn’t sure. Thanks for your insight!

 

[carolny]

@cadie Also chiming in to say how much we love our Yoto mini! We gave it to our toddler last year for Christmas and we all truly love it. If you sign up for Target Circle, you can use the 25% off one toy coupon on it! That’s what I did last year and it felt like a good deal.

 

[godseconomy]

@cadie Seconding the rec for the Yoto. It’s my favorite toy I’ve ever gotten my 4 yo! We got the Yoto mini. Sometimes it goes on sale at target, but they don’t have the best selection of cards