Toys that are enjoyed daily in our house...

The time has arrived to fill stockings, shop for loved ones, wrap presents, donate to those in need, be Santa....etc.  I thought I would post a few of the gifts that we have given our children or that they have received.  The following gifts are items that I bend over and pick up DAILY!  They are favorites.  The sticker book isn't played with every day but it is an item that has organized an otherwise annoying collection.  A few other items that I did not include are "guys" of any kind, the castle Charley just got for his birthday, a Big Digger ride on truck, puzzles, and Quatro lego blocks (the big ones).   

If you have something that you have given or received that is a huge hit comment and share.  I know we are all looking for great ideas. 

 Crazy Forts these are like huge tinker toys...they actually work with tinker toys.  The boys still need help building actual forts with sheets but Charley can use these to build pet cages when he plays pet store.  He also uses them to invent larger tinker toy creations.  A great investment!

TinkerToys  Both our boys enjoy these daily.  They invent and build things.  Even daddy has built elaborate ferris wheels and robots.  I actually would love to get another set so that they can build bigger!

Play-Doh Burger Builder   This actual toy is a little dippy but it has kept Charley busy for 45 minute chunks of time.  We have gathered playdoh toys from garage sales. This one we got Charley for his birthday.  They also have an ice cream shop.  I remember this particular toy from when I was little.  Playdough is always fun.  Henry loves it too now. 

The Twilight Turtle  both boys have one of these.  Charley has the Ladybug.  They use them every night.  They have a timer that shuts off automatically after 30 minutes.  Friends have an older version and the stars aren't clear but the ones we have are awesome.  Very peaceful!

 
Board games...you can't go wrong.  Start with Candy Land...I think Charley started playing this when he was two...Henry is just about ready to give it a try.  Other favorites:  Caribou, Trouble, Zingo, Chutes and Ladders, Memory, Go Fish, Sequence for kids, Cootie, Elefun, etc....We love games. 

These are in the kids bath aisle at Target.  You drop one in the bath water and it changes the color...you drop two and your child will learn about mixing colors.  Great stocking stuffer...and they are not 10 dollars...more like 2-4 I think!

Give your child a baking mix.  Tell them that it is theirs to bake.  They pick the afternoon and you will be their assistant chef!

An old style photo album...the kind that have the plastic you pull back and stick the picture under and then try with all your might to get it to lay flat again.  Make it their "Sticker" book...maybe you had one when you were a child.  They can stick all the stickers in it as they collect them in life.  I know they sell cute ones...but I like these because you can stick an entire sheet in these and then go take them off if you want to use one.  Or they can remove and stick them on top of the plastic.  Might solve the problem of finding stickers where you don't want them.