We are all holiday shopping n’est pas? *she typed raising her hand*. Yes. Well, let’s make holiday shopping a little easier shall we?…I created a little go-to infographic on the Hot Holiday Toys for 2014 (are you reading this Santa?)…
Hot Holiday Toys
- Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker
- Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair
- Fisher-Price Lion Walker
- Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car
- Fisher-Price Happy Sounds Home
- Fisher-Price Stand n’ Play Rampway
- Fisher-Price Mike’s Glendragon Castle Playset
- Fisher-Price Disney KlipKlop Stable
Before you buy – you might want to have a read of my toy reviews for the Fisher-Price SpaceSaver High Chair, Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car, and Fisher-Price Mike The Knight (they all have my votes as hot holiday toys!).
Things to keep in mind when buying toys…
Size Matters (not in everything in life…but in toys…yes). Like the Space Saver High Chair in there – you need to take into consideration the space which the toy will require. I once had someone offer me their indoor ball pit…lovely offer…but it would have taken up my whole living room.
Brand Matters (I know we all try to get a deal – but when it comes to toys – go brand name). No name brands might offer similar-looking toys but is the quality there? Is the safety there? Is the research & development there? I trust Fisher-Price as a Mom. I am a Fisher-Price Play Ambassador because I believe in their products. For a baby, pre-schooler or little boy/little girl…I would buy nothing else.
Fun Matters (pretty much in all things in life but especially toys). Does the toy look fun? Are there different ways to play (levels, colours, numbers, sounds, action)? Is there a cool-factor to it (my son LOVES cars so anything with a vehicle has a cool-factor)?
Skills Development Matters (especially for toys for lil ones). Can they work on hand-eye coordination? Can they see action/reaction? Can they make choices during play with that toy? Seems like an afterthought when searching for hot holiday toys but really skills development matters. The early years of play really build the foundations of our skills. I love to chose toys to gift that help build skills…and play.
And of course Price Matters (it always does). Fisher-Price always has a good range of products for every budget. And I know we all appreciate that.
Now go forth…and shop…easier. 😉
Disclosure: I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with the Fisher-Price Play Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada. The opinions in this post are my own.
Fisher-Price toys are really good quality and last for a life-time and more. They are also conceptionally well thought out, provide stimulation for a child whilst teaching it motor skills, colours, textures etc. Wonderful toys that I can highly recommend. 🙂
When I went to the Fisher-Price headquarters last year I saw the steps they took for safety and quality. Top toys!
I commented on Hot Holiday Toys
Can I add one thing I also believes matters- the personality and interest of the child. Toys that were really important to my oldest, were not to my middle, but some were to my third. I hated wasting money on a toy that was put aside because of lack of interest, so knowing the child and their like really makes a difference.
I wanted to get a case for my 18 month old, who likes to play with the iPad but is rough with it. I read reviews on a lot of brands and, though this one didn’t get the best reviews, I went with it because 1. The price and 2. It worked for his age.Yes, it’s a pain to unlock and remove the iPad from the case but C uses it so often that we only unlock it when it needs to be charged.Yes, the screen bubbles, which started happening a month or so after we bought it. This was very frustrating for me, but not for my son. He doesn’t care. As long as he can watch his videos and play his games, that’s all that matters!One last thing, my husband pointed out the screen is scratched up. But the iPad isn’t!!For very young kids, this is the way to go.