I have already written my “making a list” post, but that was not about a “kid kind of list.” I have not discussed what to do about kids’ lists because I always take the lame way out and DON’T ASK my kids what they want for Christmas, and have never told them that they could even write to Santa and ask for things. “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” right? If it works for the military, it works for me.
Without TV, kids don’t necessarily know about these lists and “cool toys,” but they do pick up an amazing amount of information on the playground, so I think the Christmas list issue might come up soon.
I honestly had not thought about the whole Christmas list dilemma until I read this post at Outside the (Toy) Box. What do you do when your kids want Sponge Bob Cyber-Slime 3D-Goggles and a Disney Jasmine Nail Glitter and Flavored Lip Gloss Set for Christmas? How do you give a child that magic “…moment where the clouds part and the angels sing when she looks under the tree…” and still be true to your (and hopefully ultimately their) values?
I think “Mom” is BRILLIANT!!! She has come up with the ideal solution in my mind. She suspects that rather than “Genius,” she might be a “Mistress of Manipulation” or a “Spineless Sell-Out,” but I vote for “Genius.”
For her four year-old she created a poster with cutouts of different toys that her daughter could request from Santa. Please read her very funny post.
To expand on her idea, I suppose you could choose catalogs that contain 100% toys that you approve of and let kids pick from those. Of course perhaps you still ought to edit a bit. Like those $200 wooden play stands? Just cut them out with scissors if you want! Any queries from the small fry regarding the holes in the pages? Well…maybe Santa has some things that are “out of stock” too. After all, magic only goes so far.
There are some great stores out there that do offer print catalogs. I would suggest:
Back to Basics Toys
Rosie Hippos
Nova Natural
Chinaberry (WONDERFUL catalog, but mostly books, so good to give to readers for picking gifts, but there are a few toys and games too)
Callie’s Corner
Culture for Kids (lots of books but videos, music and other items too)
For Small Hands
Montessori N’Such
Palumba
The Wooden Wagon
Good luck!
Photo thanks to morguefile.com and photographer Mike Rash.
We had a family game night tonight with a card game (by Cranium) that my 7 year-old daughter got last Christmas from a friend. It is a game that we had not really focused on before.
Zigity
is such a cool card game! It is supposed to be for ages 8 to adult, but my 5 year-old, 7 year-old and two adults played happily together without problem (the 5 year-old enjoyed it, but needed some assistance though).
The play is a bit like Crazy 8′s or Uno, but instead of just matching cards, players must complete certain puzzles at each turn. Puzzles involve either matching images, completing a visual puzzle, forming words, or adding numbers.
It is really quite educational and fun (and challenging) for adults too! Always a HUGE plus in my book. The cards are made of a transparent plastic which adds to the “wow factor.”
This is a game that is very unpredictable. It involves just the right proportions of skill, strategy and luck to make it interesting and fun for all ages. A player with one card left really has just as much chance of winning (ie. getting rid of all their cards) as one with 6 cards left!
If kids can’t spell simple words yet or do addition, then they will need some help. But we had no problem playing with my kindergarten-aged son. I just looked at his cards and helped him when he needed it. And once, he actually beat us all!
I highly recommend this card game. It would even make a great stocking stuffer, which is always nice.
brands, cards/card games, Cranium, educational, games, stocking stuffer, Toy Recommendations
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card games, Cranium, games, Toy Recommendations, Toy Recommendations
A couple more Unplugged Toy Stores I have found:
Kid Bean (Organic and vegan toys, clothing and products) - TOYS: Wooden toys, cooperative games, organic cotton stuffed toys and dolls, and arts and crafts supplies.
The Silly Wagon (Boutiquey-type stuff: clothing, toys, decor, accessories, etc.) - TOYS: Wooden toys, arts and crafts, plush and handcrafted. (Exudes a bit of a trendy boutique air, but I thought some of the prices weren’t too bad compared to similar items at other stores, and there were some toys and clothes that I would buy).
Palumba (Natural and Waldorf toys) - TOYS: Large assortment of wood toys, playsilks, dolls, pretend play, arts and crafts, etc.
Gosh, there are really a lot of stores out there, but some of them are just too style-conscious or too expensive for me. If I can’t find a toy that I would buy at the price they are asking, then it doesn’t make my cut. If I feel that it is all more about “trendy baby/mama” then it doesn’t make it either.
Be sure to check for coupon codes here before considering any purchase!
OK, instead of my early bed, I have been doing a little online shopping from some Unplugged Toy Stores. But I have just discovered a huge resource for coupon codes for some of these stores (as well as a few others that are not (yet) on my list). I have to share this link with you:
Go to this motheringdotcommune thread and read the messages. There are some great codes for some wonderful stores! I am so excited!
I used one for Quiet Hours Toys and it worked like a charm.
Happy shopping!
For my sister’s recent birthday, my oldest daughter worked very hard to make Auntie the gift of a potholder for her tea kettle.
Do you remember those potholder looms with the cotton loops? I do! I used to love making potholders. My poor mother was overrun with potholders. Well, apparently potholder-love does not skip a generation since my 7 year-old seems to be as fascinated with her loom as I was with mine.
Unfortunately for my mother, I didn’t realize as a child that there are other things that can be made with these little woven squares besides potholders! The instructions to our loom suggest sewing them together to make a placemat or doll rug, a treasure box or tissue holder, even a purse or a doll sleeping bag. The possibilities are endless.
You might be able to find these little kits at hobby stores, but since we have no hobby stores here, I found ours on Amazon. It is a good one since the frame is made of sturdy metal rather than plastic (ours is by Harrisville Designs). It came with a long metal hook, a crochet hook, enough colorful 100% cotton loops to make several potholders (you can buy wool loops too), and complete instructions. I’ll be sure to provide links to several different kits at the bottom of my post.
Those of you who are more ambitious and “crafty” than I, might be interested to learn that these little looms can apparently also be used with yarn. You can weave yarn squares for afghans, vests, or other projects. See this link for more information on how to do this.
Wondering how to remove it from the loom? Read my post: Removing a Potholder From a Loom.
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