This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx.
There is something special about toddlers. Once they start walking and talking, you get to learn all about the little person they are becoming, watch their minds blossom and really start to see their true personality. It’s such a fun stage, I’ve loved going through it again with my second child and really getting to soak it in this time around. If I learned anything with my first kid, it is that little ones really don’t need tons of stuff but only a core set of really good basic items. This is coming from someone who bought ALL the things for my first child and learned real quick that it wasn’t needed and some of it has never been touched.
So what are the basic core items that I think kids need? These are items that we use on the daily such as clothes, shoes, quality toys, bath accessories and books. Both of my little ones are in school and we do have a plethora of toys, but the basics really come down to just those few items. When my kids are home, they usually look right passed the toys in their toy room and go to our backyard to play.
Let’s start with clothes and shoes for toddlers. With my oldest son, I bought a ridiculous amount of clothes but they were name brand clothes that really lasted. Being a first time mom, I completely over estimated how much we needed, so much that we haven’t had to buy much for our second child. The beauty is that we bought nice clothes so it really lasted instead of falling apart after a couple wears.
When it comes to shoes, I’m a big believer in buying good quality shoes especially when these toddlers are just learning to walk and run. They need shoes that can support their bodies and movements. With both Bryce and Myles, we’ve been big fans of Stride Rite shoes. The shoes are great for healthy toddler foot development. I love that Surprize by Stride Rite is sold at Target which is wear I’ve bought both the kids shoes.
Myles has been loving the . They have a serious side-eye design and spiky spines in the back are matched with cushy memory foam insoles and an anti-odor lining to keep shoes less stinky. One of my favorite things about these shoes is that they’re 100% machine washable! Myles loves to find all the dirt and puddles possible so to be able to throw the shoes in the wash after playing outside is the best.
Next thing on our list of core items is bath time accessories. This might seem crazy but this goes perfectly in with our daily routine. I’ve never been a routine person but having two kids will definitely make you realize how much they thrive off a routine and knowing exactly what to expect. Every day we try to keep the same schedule, one thing that we don’t miss is our night time routine. After dinner, our boys go straight to the bath where they play for a while, get cleaned up, put on pajamas, read books and then bed. There is never any question or fights about our routine, they absolutely love it. After Myles turned 1, we noticed the real need for better bath toys that would help with his imagination, that are endless and that would not fall apart after a few plays.
We love Green Toys and all of their products. One of the toys that we’ve had for years is the Green Toy Tugboat that is so much fun for scoop and pour bath fun. We love it so much that we now have two so the boys don’t fight over it during bath time. The Tugboat also has a cute board book called a Brave Little Tugboat that follows Little Tug’s adventures in the Big Harbor.
We also have the Green Toys toddler teether that has been very handy since Myles seems to be cutting over 6 teeth at once and a Green Toys Race car that is the perfect size for Toddler Hands. There are many reasons to love Green Toys but my favorite is that they’re an eco friendly toy company. They use 100% recycled materials and are based in the USA!
I highly suggest purchasing their toys and seeing what they’re all about. Use code BABBLE on greentoys.com through 12/17 for 20% off.
Let’s talk about the importance of reading books to kids of all ages. Reading strengthens children’s social, emotional, and character development. According to a recently published study, reading to very young children is linked to decreased levels of aggression, hyperactivity, and attention difficulties. The kids love listening to books be read to them. We love to stop on the pages, talk about what we see, what the story is trying to tell us and really open our minds when reading.
We read a very large variety of books to the kids, anything from dinosaurs to slime to super heroes. Reading the classics are always fun and the newest book we’ve added to our library is . I am loving that this book isn’t just about telling the story but explaining it all in detail. There are multiple sections breaking down all the different parts and helps you and your kids understand all the integral parts of the Nutcracker. Not to mention there is a removable coloring page at the end which is such a fun way to wrap up learning all about the Nutcracker.
Reading this type of book has been so fun to deep dive on fun subjects that might be a little more complicated for little minds. I find that it’s a great way to break up the big story into little pieces so kids can process the stories on a different level. Running Press has many of these types of books such as A Child’s Introduction to the World, A Child’s Introduction to Greek Mythology, A Child’s Introduction to African American History and many more!
What are your must have for toddlers? Are you like me and like to stick to the basics?
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