Toys For Toddlers

The Book with No Pictures by humorist BJ Novak (from TV's the Office) is romp through silliness that will engage kids and their parents and may just become one of their most requested… True to it's name, there are no pictures - so the people reading have to read whatever's on the page out loud. Made #1 On the NY Times Best Seller list too! This is great for kids who are a little older as well.

Find it at Barnes and Noble for $12.59 for hardcover, $10.99 for the Nook. Or on Amazon for Kindle but I say, get the REAL ACTUAL BOOK and hold it in your hands…. :)

Leave it to MOMA to have toys that are as visually beautiful as they are useful. The Pop Pop Piano will provide something for the senses - develop hand eye coordination, press the keys and hear the music it makes, joyfully accented by a pop of colorful plastic stars that shoot up out of the tubes into the others. Parents can remove the bubble and encourage kids to crawl after them, just be sure to get them all so no one thinks they're good to eat. $28, $25.20 if a member.

Boomwhackers are cool plastic tubes that make sounds… or carry melodies. You can order different sets, which you can explore on their website. But for example, a C Major Pentatonic Set consists of 6 notes: C’-D’-E’-G’-A’-C” where all the notes sound good together, and costs only $19.98.

Things that come in boxes and are easy to put way.  That's the good news for parents and caregivers of young children. But these nesting boxes are great for kids and those cleaning up after them alike!

These cardboard stacking nesting blocks teach a child about numbers or letters or animals. They're great because they are easy to put away and don't take up much space. As kids grow they later can use them as doll furniture, and even later, as storage.  How about these by famed children's author Eric Carle? For $16.99 you can buy them HERE.

Or CLICK HERE for Melissa and Doug's colorful graphic blocks seen above, for only $16.99. 

Duplo sets by Lego are sturdy plastic building bricks that can be put together in a myriad of ways. Choose from many themes such as  are superman, fire and rescue team, creative ice cream, knight tournament, horse stable , my first shop, Disney, DC Comics. I think this set is awful cute, and it's yours for $14.99. It can be bought though the LEGO Duplo site, or found at most toys stores. CLICK HERE to see the creative animals set in action. 

Stimulate their imagination with these soft little birdies and their Manhattan Toy Put and Peek Birdhouse, for $26.56 on Amazon. The four birds each have different textures, and can be put in the house through the roof or a door.

Pull toys are always loved by toddlers and Brio makes some wonderful ones. You can Google around. Here's a selection from The Find, which offers links to little Dachshunds, giraffe, fish, bumble bees, frogs, ducks and trains from $14.99-24.99. 

I will be posting a guest blog post this weekend for more gifts for babies by Lynne M Favreau, an infant caregiver, mother of two and a spectacular writer. So please be sure to come back and check!

Disclaimer: All photos and recipes originate from the designated website/authors unless otherwise noted.

To see what else Lynne has recommended on Looky Here over the years, check out her category by clicking HERE.