Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you don’t have an original thought in your head. Maybe you’re just plain nosy. But I like to search the old internets for gift ideas. I live for them. I thought I’d share the hits (and misses) of a toddler Christmas.
The first present had some negotiation behind it. One day, Kase came home from work and asked me how much was too much to spend on Colin for Christmas. I gave him a round number and then discussed the whole concept of the “four presents of Christmas” I was almost laughed out of the room. That’s an only child for you, people. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.
Anyway, Kase thought it would be appropriate to buy our two year old son a set of 800 blocks. Yes, you read that right. 800 PIECES OF WOOD. I laughed him right back out of the room. I won’t even get into the cost of it all. Which was ridiculous. I mean, Colin is getting the concept of cleaning up after himself, but I can’t think of a single person who would want to clean up 800 blocks. I certainly don’t. Nor will I.
So we compromised on a set of Melissa & Doug wooden blocks. Okay, fine. Two sets. For a total of 120 blocks. They were a big hit. Even I like them. I’m pretty adept (coughtalentedcough) at building towers. Tall ones, too. We like them so much, we got two more sets after Christmas. I have to agree with my husband. 120 blocks is just not enough to create the types of complex towers and structures we do here. Did I mention my neighbor is an architect? Yeah, we needed more. Not 800 mind you, but a good 240 does the trick. 😉
Another big hit in our house was a set of Play Doh. This is usually the second item Colin asks to play with on a daily basis. It goes, “BLOCKS!” and we play blocks, and then he spots his play table and runs over to play with his Play Doh. Works for me. I feel like he’s taxing his little brain. Especially when not shortly after that he asks for “Mater” which means he wants to watch TV. But the Play Doh keeps us occupied for a bit- we mostly like to task Daddy with making airplanes. Then we cry when they fall apart. (Daddy needs to work on his skills, me thinks.)
A loud and obnoxious present he and other kids love is the Little Tikes Bowling set. Not much to say here, other than if you want a constant headache and backache combo, I recommend this toy as a present. But the kids? They love it. We have a nice little straightaway we call our bowling alley right in our living room. It’s loud and makes crashing noises and is fun. I got it for Colin because it is just the type of thing I would have wanted as a kid. But now I understand why my parents played deaf to that request.
Kase’s mom gifted Colin with a couple of big hits, literally. They take up a lot of space, but he loves them: A play tent with attached tunnel (similar to this), and a Little People Car Ramp. He loves both of these, and the kids who stayed with us (ages 2-6) loved them as well. The sight of *three* toddlers playing nicely with *one* toy is all the proof you need that it was a hit.
A couple of things he hasn’t taken a real shine to? A Little Tikes Basketball hoop. He was kind of into it on Christmas, but it has sat pretty much unused since then. Also, we got him a big *ss fire truck that has stayed in a corner since its receipt. And those cute Toy Story Potato Heads? Haven’t seen hide nor hair of those since they were put away in the play room. Aww, Buzz. Womp womp….
So what did you get your kids for Christmas? What was a hit? Any misses? Did you stick to 4 presents? Or more like 400? I’m nosy so fill me in. 😉
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So funny, T got a bball hoop for his birthday in June and it’s probably the only toy he plays with multiple times a day every day. Toddlers are funny! He got memory and a game called the sneaky snacky squirrel which were big hits, trains were a highlight and he loves all the toys we got Nell. Love the 2 1/2 age range, so easy to please!
Haha. I’d love to do the 4 presents but um-no, I have a problem with buying anything cute. We have 1 girl that’s 3. I think on books alone she got 7. Darn those scholastic book orders. We’ve yet to try play doh. We got a bowling set but the pins are hollow–so not as much noise. That must be why they are getting played with.
I did try to keep it very simple and it was hard but I felt I did a good job of not over buying. It may be hard next year though. The hits were trucks (Tonka dump truck, Tonka bulldozer, a recycling garbage truck from some brand I had never heard of but it is cool with lights and noise,,,well the noise isn’t so great but he loves it) some coloring books and crayons, and duplos.
He also got a little tikes basketball hoop. It was the first thing he ran to on Christmas morning (b/c Santa put it together with a bow on it before hand) I was so happy. After we showed him how to shoot and ‘dunk’ he sometimes will radomly pick the ball up and say ready, set, go put the ball in the net, and then move onto something else. So for the most part it sits idle in the family room. Womp, womp
Our biggest hits were a pretend tree with glitter on the branches (the only thing asked for) and a Bruder bulldozer. C takes that thing everywhere – the sandbox, bathtub, bed – and has even tried to feed himself with it. His grandpa got him a basketball hoop, which he used once when pressured on Christmas day. I’m sure they’ll grow into them!