These days, Sophie really wants to play with toys that she can interact with or manipulate in some way. It’s the era of blocks and water tables! The great news is that most these toys are actually a lot of fun for us parents as well, so today I thought I’d share a few of Sophie’s current favorites in case any of you are hunting for gift ideas for your favorite toddler!
1. Little Sapling Wood Blocks; 2. Marble Run; 3. Moulin Roty Pull Along Truck; 4. Duplo Block Set; 5. Water Table; 6. Crayon Pencils
1. We’ve had this set of wood alphabet blocks since Sophie was born, and we’re so excited that she’s finally interested in them! We’re still working on teaching her the ABCs, but in the meantime she loves stacking the blocks almost as much as she enjoys knocking over towering stacks built by her parents.
2. Have you ever heard of marble run sets? This was one of my own absolute favorite childhood toys, and we actually have the exact same set that I used as a kid in the 1980s! I set up a course on a whim one rainy afternoon, and to my delight Sophie absolutely LOVES it! This toy requires close supervision, but it keeps her occupied for an eternity in toddler time. She loves picking her favorite marbles out of a bag, watching them all go noisily down the track, and even enjoys putting the marbles away! You can find original marble run sets on ebay or modern versions on Amazon and local toy stores.
3. We’ve been fortunate to inherit lots of hand-me-down toys from Sophie’s cousins, and one of her favorites is a little pull toy that can hold some of her dolls and plush friends. This pull along garden truck is similar and would also appeal to toddler sorting instincts.
4. Duplo blocks. ‘Nuff said.
5. Like most (all??) toddlers, Sophie is fascinated with running water – we have a hard time keeping her hands out of our cats’ water fountain! Now that the warm weather is here to stay, we’re looking forward to playing with a water table while enjoying our backyard patio.
6. Sophie recently graduated from her Magna Doodle to crayons and colored pencils! These crayon pencils from How We Montessori are perfect for tiny toddler artists.
