Toys That Grow With You

A friend of mine, Kimber, who has the most adorable little girl, asked that I give her a little list of some of my favorite toys for 6+ months, so I decided to share it here. Because I am a big advocate of less is more, especially when you live in tight spaces with little storage, I love toys that grow with your kids and don't end up in storage after a few months. Here is a list of some pretty small toys that provide hours and years of play. Check out the links in the subheadings below to find out all of the product specs and prices.

Melissa & Doug Caterpillar Puzzle

This puzzle is for 18-month-olds, but Audette has had it since she was around 8 months. Most puzzles are wood, which is great, but for little babies who love to suck on everything, plastic is the way to go! These little puzzle pieces are sturdy, have an interesting shape, and solid colors, perfect for a little one who loves to grab on to everything. Now that Audette is big enough to understand putting puzzles together she is learning to match up the colored pieces with the colored knobs and can even make the caterpillar spin. One of my favorite things about this puzzle is that it is pretty small, compared to other wooden puzzles, so we tend to take this one in the car or even pack it in a bag to take to church.

Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Stack & Roll Cups

These cups are awesome! This is a 6-36 month toy and has so many fun elements that you can help your little one discover at different ages. The cups are stackable and when you fit them together, you can roll them around. Plus there is a little jingle ball that fits inside and sets on top. From the beginning, Audette has loved the little yellow ball, but she quickly learned that the cups are perfect bowls and hats! She loves to carry them around the house and put them on everyone's heads. We also love putting things in the cups, a favorite activity for kids 6 months and older. I love the bright colors because they make for good matching games now that she is older. There are also numbers on the sides of every cup, so as Audette starts to learn her numbers we will be able to use these for number practice!

Sassy Rock and Roll Ring Stacker

These toys have been around forever, for good reason! The plastic rings are the perfect size for little fingers to grab ahold of and as Audette has been getting older she is loving playing with the different colors and fitting them on the base. The great thing about this stacking set is that the top clips in place to secure the rings. For little ones who are learning to sit up and play, you can roll the entire stack back and forth.

B. Toys YouTurn Steering Wheel

This toy is made for kids ages 1-5 years, but Audette has loved playing with this for quite some time. It is a perfect sized steering wheel with plenty of buttons and sounds. The horn in the middle is clearly Audette's favorite, but even when she couldn't pick out all of the buttons on her own, she loved all of the sounds the car would make as you start the ignition, put it in drive or reverse, and turn on the radio. Now that she is older she can set it up on her lap and turn the steering wheel from side to side to make the turning signal flash and click. There are three song options too, for the music "radio" button, and Eric and I always fight over the country song vs. the jazzy number. Audette doesn't care, she just loves to dance to all of them. B. Toys is a great company and really encourages curiosity and imaginative play.

Rhino Toys Oball Roller

You probably remember toys like this from when you were younger that made popcorn sounds. Those are still around and great, but the reason we love this Oball Roller is because the ball on the end pops off and is a great play toy for any age. I don't know what it is about the rubber and how flexible it is, but babies sure love to roll the balls around and squish them or just shake them so the rattle inside jingles. Now that Audette is older she loves pushing this toy around. You can see her excited face below. She likes to run around our house pushing and shouting along with the noisy ball. Good way to wear a kid out!

I love having a list of a few favorite toys too, especially when it comes time to shop for birthday gifts or special occasions. Any of these toys would make a perfect addition to any baby or toddler's toy chest. If you have any toys you want to recommend to moms who are on the lookout for toys, please share! Or if you have seen anything in any of our pictures, I am always happy to share what I think about the products we use in our home. Most of the things we have are because of the brilliant advice of others, so I am happy to keep passing along the knowledge and fun.