Christmas is coming!!!
Buying gifts for your kids can be fun but also overwhelming. Your kids probably don’t really need much and will they even play with them?
I am one of those mums that searches the net for recommendations and bugs my friends about their favourite things. So, I thought I would create a little one of my own. The Top 10 toys I have bought my kids that I don’t regret buying because my kids actually enjoy them and all 3 of them play with them. Some are a bit on the pricey side but worth it.
For reference my kids are 8, 5, 3 and I have a newborn (but her opinion isn’t really included in this).
I hope this helps give you some inspiration.
Connetix Tiles: There are a few brands out there, you can even get some pretty cheap ones for Kmart. After many years of Umming and Ahhing about whether they would be worth the money, we splurged and got a large set and I seriously wish I hadn’t waited so long. All my children love playing with these tiles. We did buy the brand Connetx and they are a more expensive than Kmart, but my understanding is that the strength of the magnets is better, making for better construction of things. We are going to increase our set because when all 3 children are playing with them there is often not enough for all the grand constructions, so Id advise you go for the larger set.
($159 for the 100 piece set, but there are other sets to choose from- CLICK HERE )
LEGO: I am sure I don’t need to do any convincing here. LEGO is awesome. Excuse my very poor storage of LEGO in this picture (please do send me better ideas) but this collection of LEGO continues to grow and continues to be enjoyed all the time. Often in combination with the above Connetix Tiles. As my children grow they become more advanced in their LEGO abilities, but they all still even enjoy the DUPLO. During COVID, like many of you, we did a LEGO challenge and it was so fun. You can never go wrong with a LEGO set.
Kinder Board: I would look at this board and think why would I pay So much money for a plank of wood? What would my children even do with it? After quite a few people insisted it was worth it I bought one.Now I am one of those people insisting to you that it is worth it. My children use this board for many things. They do sit in it and on it. They slide down it off the lounge or see-saw on it. They use it for creative play as mountains and bridges, they even use it as a table. It is aesthetically pleasing too, so I don’t mind it in my lounge room.
(They cost roughly $175, CLICK HERE for a site you can purchase from)
Play Kitchen: This is the very popular IKEA kitchen that we bought about 7yrs ago. It is still very loved. Not so much by my 8yr old anymore, but my boys play with it all the time. Both as a kitchen and more often a shop. We have a basket of play food and a cash register (we have a V-TECH one), we also added a coffee machine, because when mummy and daddy are dining at their cafe- we want coffee. Ours is still it s boring original colour but if you look on Pinterest there is so much inspiration for how you can do up these kitchens, even match them to your own kitchen- pretty cool.
($129, CLICK HERE to view)
Camera: This V-Tech kidizoom camera was such a great idea. This one is an older model as we bought it several years ago. My 8 yr old still gets it out to play with the filters and make videos. There are games on it also. You are able to download and print the photos, but we haven’t ever done this. It is great for kids to hold and has been dropped many a time without any damage. I am thinking we might get another one for the boys because there often is a bit of upset when Miss 8 doesn’t want to share, and the boys equally enjoy all the features.
($99 at Target CLICK HERE)
Play watches: These P.J mask watches surprised me with how good they were. All 3, including my 8yr old still play with it. There are various games as well as a timer and stop watch on there. We do have the P.J mask dress ups to go with it so that adds fun too. They are great to take in the car if you need something to occupy them on a longer drive. They are annoying to put on, and they do make noise,
but I have still not regretted buying them.
(They are around $30ea, but Im struggling to locate them in shops online. They can be found on Amazon and Ebay)
Wheely bug: We bought this for my sons 1st birthday, so we bought the small one. You can get a larger size and you can get several different animals, which is on the cards for us for a birthday this year. This little guy still gets scooted around on, yes even my 8 yr old scoots on it sometimes- though she is much too big for it. We have kept this inside so it has kept pretty clean, it could live outside though if you weren’t precious about the wood. Even just the springs for the antenna offer enjoyment for little ones. Definitely a favourite purchase that we will repeat.
($94 for the small, for one store CLICK HERE)
Balance Bike: My husband resprayed the boys bikes this year and Yellow is my 3yr olds favourite colour- looks so amazing. Balance bikes were something that I never knew whether to invest in. I wondered if it was an unnecessary middle step to riding a bike. Every child is different and actually not all my children have spent a lot of time on it but I do think it has helped my kids adapt to riding a bike, some more than others, but I have included it because I know that I wondered about whether I would see the value in it and I do. My 3 yr old is learning on it atm and likes that it has the feel of a ‘big bike’ like his older siblings.
(various prices for various bikes $69.95 at this store CLICK HERE)
Trampoline: I am not sure anyone regrets getting a trampoline, but the question of how much to spend on one is often the sticking point. This trampoline is 5 yrs old. We decided to play the middle ground and get one that wasn’t cheap but also not top of the range. It is from Oz trampolines and we have been happy with it. I will say though… If I went back I would now justify the cost of an expensive one like Vuly. If I knew I was going to have 4 children and just how much it would get used I would have valued the investment. I also would have gone slightly larger. This is a 10ft which is fine, but going back I would have gotten the 12ft. Thats my personal opinion.
($695 for a 10ft- CLICK HERE)
Exercise Rings: These rings are actually my husbands. He bought them to assist in his own home fitness routine. The kids use these probably more than he does. When other children come over it is always the first thing they climb on. We do have on the cards to purchase a ninja line- which I believe the kids would love just as much if not more and offer more versatility than just these rings, but for now these are fantastic. I adjust the height depending on who is on them. They swing on them, do pull ups, do flips and all sorts of circus like tricks. Such a surprise how entertaining these were.
(Different rings can be found at different places, $59 at Bunnings CLICK HERE)
There are other toys we have bought that have been thoroughly enjoyed. But this list is the Top 10 that I would purchase again based on how much they were used over the span of my 8 years of buying toys.
I am sure as my eldest gets older we will venture into new territory and that will be another blog.
All the above suggestions I know my baby daughter will also get a lot of enjoyment out of, so they have been worth the investment.
I hope this has been helpful to some.
Blessings,
Rachel xx
