holiday gift guide: toys

i recognize that i have put off writing this post until it is a little late for most of you to use this as a guide, but i love these products so much, that i'm going to write it anyway.  these are the things that i wish i had put on my kids' lists, although i learned about them a little too late.  for sure, next year, these are the things that will be at the top of our lists!

i am not a complete plastic-ophobe but i much prefer the higher quality wooden toys we have over the cheap, commercialized plastic ones.  as i speak, i have wooden train track spread all over the floor around me.  i'm so happy that the kids (tate and lilianna especially) enjoy the (quieter) version and don't necessarily need to play with the battery-powered (louder) trains all the time.

with this in mind, i am absolutely in love with plan toys.  we had the opportunity to play with some ourselves at the chicago toy and game fair.  tate was instantly drawn to this drumset:

since he has already shown a proclivity to drums and has signs of rhythm, i would love for him to have this to practice and develop his skills before we invest in a real set of drums.  i should say that, at the toy and game fair, the cymbal kept falling off, but it was easy to put back on.  i don't know if that is typical, or just because of the abuse it got at the fair.

for christmas, lilianna will be getting this plan toys doll family.  zoe and tessa each have a family and lilianna keeps stealing theirs so i'm hoping this it will satisfy her to have her own set.  the people are poseable.  there are several different dollhouse choices (a bit on the pricey side) that are available along with a wide variety of furniture.  i really hope at some point we have this:

...because who can resist those adorable tiny vegetables?

i also would love to have a set of these animals sometime (if the kids don't want them, i'll just have to get them for myself!

even though these toys are a bit pricier than their plastic cousins, you can feel good about your purchase with plan toys.  this is their vision:  "we create toys that inspire children's imagination as well as promote their physical and intellectual development. we're also proving that it is possible to maintain superior quality standards while steadfastly following a path of environmental and social responsibility" (taken directly from their website).

if you haven't looked into plan toys previously, take some time to look at their website.  they have some really great baby toy options that are adorable as well as safe for babies and toddlers.  i definitely hope my kids will spend some time on their website the next time they are making christmas and birthday lists!


i really believe in the vision of plan toys and think that they make quality toys i would like for my kids.  i have not received any compensation for writing this post.  these are toys that we really enjoyed when we used our free pass to the chicago toy and game fair.  the thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.