Here is another post in my series about alternatives to the popular Lovevery toys.
The Inspector kit is for babies ages 7-8 months. It contains a wooden ball drop, a set of wooden balls, a set of felt balls, a board book that introduces baby signs, a set of cards with textured pictures, nesting/stacking cups that drip, a one-piece puzzle, a woven cloth basket, and a metal drinking cup. It costs $80 USD.
Most of these items are fairly easy to find alternatives for or to DIY. I wouldn't spend the money on the actual kit.
Ball drop box
Your baby definitely needs a ball drop box! This is a really great simple toy. While it seems obvious to us that the ball will roll out into the tray, it feels like magic to an eight-month-old. Maneuvering the ball through the hole is a good fine-motor task too. It took a lot of modeling before my son figured out how to use his ball drop box, but once he did, he was enthralled by it.
That said, there are many wooden ball drops that are far more economical than the Lovevery one. I got one from a local toy store, Thinkamajigs, for about $25. You can also DIY a ball drop box. Here's a video that shows how to make one from cardboard.
Wooden balls
There are so many alternatives to this. There is no reason why the balls have to be wooden. I get that wooden toys are part of Lovevery's aesthetic, but seriously - wooden balls are hard! They hurt when you get hit by them and they make a loud noise when they hit the floor. Get some other balls at a toy store. Just make sure they're safety rated for kids under 3 and that they fit through the holes of the ball drop box. If you buy a ball drop box, it'll come with balls, though they might not be wooden.
Things I See cards
There are many great books on the market that serve this purpose. My favourites are the First 100 Words book by Roger Priddy and DK My First Words. We saved a lot of money by getting the DK book (and others in the same series) from the public library.
Nesting stacking dripdrop cups
This is a very common type of toy, so there are many alternatives. Your goal is to find cups that nest, stack, and have holes in the bottom. The ones we have are the Sprout Ware stacking cups by Green Sprouts; they're made with a plant-based resin so they're BPA-free and PVC-free. Another good option is this set from The First Years.
You don't need fancy brand-name stacking cups, but you do need to get your baby some kind of stacking cups! They're such a versatile toy. My son loves to stack them, nest them, hide other toys under them, use them in the bath to pour water, bang them against each other, put them on his head, and fit other toys into them. They're a great creative play option.
First Puzzle
If you're a newbie to baby toys, a one-piece puzzle might seem really basic. And it is - that's the point! Before your baby can figure out which pieces fit into which holes, they first need to learn how to pick up a puzzle piece and put it back in again. A round puzzle is perfect since the circle goes in however it is placed.
One of my local toystores, Thinkamajigs, has a single-piece circle puzzle that's very good for your wallet. Fit a photograph (or baby-safe mirror) into the puzzle piece and it's just as good as the Lovevery one.
I wouldn't say that a circle puzzle is an essential item though. We got one, and my son couldn't care less about it. He really enjoyed Lovevery's Circle of Friends puzzle, which comes in a later kit and which we scored second-hand.
Treasure basket
This is definitely one of Lovevery's filler objects. You probably already have a basket somewhere at home. We did - we had a set of them from Homesense that we kept baby clothes in. Some alternative basket choices are these eco-friendly ones from Ikea, this woven one (also from Ikea), this reversible one from Indigo, or this set from Bed Bath and Beyond (you'll use the larger ones around your house, I promise). Since the goal is to have your baby enjoy putting things into the basket and taking them out again (my baby loves this activity), cardboard shoe boxes can work just as well!
Felt ball set
This is such a fun DIY! If you have an older kid, they'll enjoy helping you make some for the baby. Here's a video tutorial that shows you how. That said, this isn't really an essential item. As long as your baby has balls of different kinds, they're at no disadvantage if they don't have felt ones.
Drinking cup
I'd consider this another filler object. Cups are easy to find. Perhaps metal cups are harder to find, but you actually might not want a metal cup - its clanking sound would entice your baby to drop it to the floor. My son uses a silicone cup that I admittedly spent too much on. In retrospect, I ought to have gotten some plastic kids' cups from Ikea or gotten some acrylic shot glasses during patio season. I agree with Lovevery that babies should learn to drink from an open cup, but these are fairly easy to find at baby stores.
My First Signs book
Baby signs must be difficult to learn from a book, since they involve moving your hands and books stay still! I'd skip the baby sign book and teach your baby the signs without one. There are lots of guides online for which signs to teach and how to teach them.
If you must have a baby sign book, here are some options;
My First Signs by Annie Kubler
Baby Signs by Joy Allen
First Words Baby Signing by Scholastic
The Bottom Line
The only items from this kit that I think all babies need are the ball drop box and nesting cups, and you can get these two items for just under $40. If you DIY the ball drop box, you can save a lot more. Economically, I don't think buying the actual kit is worth it.
You're almost at your destination. Your toddler is happy playing with his Oombee Cube. Your kindergartener is making up plays with her finger puppets. And now, it's your school-aged kiddo's turn: "I'm bored! When are we going to get there? Can I play on your phone?"
Here are ten choices for bored big kids. All of these are no-tech, can be played solo, and don't require any reading.
This little tin contains three spatial and logic games that can be played by 1 to 4 players. There are 16 cubes in the tin, and the goal is to recreate a design using four cards or all sixteen. Kids use the challenge cards to either recreate a design quickly or attempt to do it from memory. They can also create their own designs.
Ages: 6 years and up
Ideal for: airplane, restaurant, visiting relatives
Restrictions: requires a table or flat surface
These are classic challenges for kids and adults. There are six styles of puzzle, and each one comes in a tiny (5x5x5 cm) box. Some of these can take hours to solve, so they just might keep your kid (or partner!) busy for the better part of a transatlantic flight.
Ages: probably 6+? The manufacturer says 3+, but I can't imagine a three-year-old having the patience for this
Ideal for: car, transit, airplane, restaurant, waiting room, visiting relatives
Restrictions: not good for kids with low frustration tolerance
Thinkfun Block By Block and Shape by Shape
Block by Block is a 3D building logic puzzle based on the Soma Cube. There are seven puzzle pieces, made of conjoined tiny cubes, and 60 challenge cards with structures for you to build. Shape by Shape is a similar idea, but it's two-dimensional and based on a tangram with a border. Each game is sold separately and comes with its own travel bag.
Ages: 8+ (definitely a challenge even for adults)
Ideal for: airplane, restaurant, visiting relatives
Restrictions: requires a flat surface
Kanoodle is a brain-teaser that involves two hundred different challenges, some two-dimensional and some three-dimensional. If your kids master all of them, there are other versions, like Kanoodle Genius and Kanoodle Extreme. You can get by without a flat surface since the box has indentations to keep the pieces in place.
Ages: 7+ (great for teens and adults too)
Ideal for: car, airplane, restaurant, waiting room, transit, visiting relatives
Restrictions: don't use this anywhere where dropped pieces are irretrievable
The beautiful Crocodile Creek puzzles also come in 150-piece tins for older kids. Your options are dinosaurs, ocean animals, and African animals. The finished puzzle is 12x8 inches, so it's small enough for an airplane tray.
Ages: 6+
Ideal for: airplane, restaurant, visiting relatives
Restrictions: requires a table or flat surface
Again? Yes, this is truly a toy for all ages!
These magnetic wooden blocks can be assembled to make a variety of creations. They're safe for babies but also fun for older kids, so both your toddler and school-aged kiddo can enjoy them. The Travel Pals, Pocket Pouch Prisms, and Pocket Pouch Original lines are small sets that are ideal for travel. The Pocket Pouches come in a variety of different colours, and you can combine two pouches to make bigger creations. The Travel Pals are shaped like animals or vehicles, but you can reconfigure the blocks to make other designs as well. These toys can be used by one kid or possibly shared by siblings (depending on how well they cooperate!). Since the blocks are magnetic, you don't need a flat surface to play. Tegu are expensive, but they're worth it because your kids won't outgrow it. Don't be surprised if you find yourself playing with these as well.
Ages: 0+
Ideal for: transit, car, airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: not ideal for anywhere where dropped pieces can't be retrieved, so whether or not it's a car-friendly toy depends on your child
Kaleidoscopes and pocket prisms
This is another toy that was also on the preschool list, but big kids love these too. Just when you're tired of hearing "When are we going to get there?," pass these cool classic toys to your children and let them enjoy seeing the world in a whole other way. If you have more than one kid, get enough kaleidoscopes for everyone, since this isn't a toy that's easily shared. Some of these are small enough that your kids can carry them in their own pockets. The mini camera is neat because it allows kids to pretend to take photos and has a carry strap. Most of these are available to order from Dilly Dally Kids, an amazing independent toy store in Vancouver. If your school-aged kid bores of this toy sooner than a preschooler does, pose this question: "How do you think it works?"
There are a few brands that make these:
Ages: 3+ (I've seen ten-year-olds mesmerized by these)
Ideal for: airplane, car, transit, visiting relatives, waiting room, restaurants
I hope that adding these cool toys into your purse or carry-on can help keep your school-aged kid happy and screen-free!
Once again, you're out and about and you have a bored kid. A few days ago, I wrote about some portable toys for babies and toddlers, but what about your preschooler? In this post, I'll show you some developmentally appropriate toys for children ages three and up, so that you can hand them something educational instead of relinquishing your phone.
All of these are items that one child can play with independently and that don't require any reading skills. Some are toys that siblings can share, but note that most of these are marketed for ages 3+ due to choking hazards.
These puzzles are made up of four, six, or nine wooden cubes. Preschoolers can put them together, matching the parts to make a whole picture. Each puzzle set contains six different puzzles (one for each side of the cube), and they come in a little wooden box. There are many companies that make these, but the atelier Fischer ones are my favourite because the drawings are so realistic. These are available at some independent toy stores, including Dilly Dally Kids in Vancouver and Ava's Appletree in Toronto.
Ages: 3 years and up
Ideal for: airplane, restaurant, visiting relatives
Restrictions: requires a table or flat surface
These are by far the best finger puppets I've ever seen. They're so realistic and very well made. There are dozens of different species, mostly North American woodland animals, sea mammals, and birds, though there are also some fantasy creatures, tropical and African animals, and pets. If you have a creative child who likes to play pretend, pack a couple of these so that your child can make up lots of pretend animal adventures. Your child can also use these to entertain a younger sibling. These are available on Amazon and from many independent toystores and bookstores.
Ages: 3+ for independent play, younger if supervised
Ideal for: car, public transit, airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: not ideal for anywhere where dropped puppets can't be retrieved
These 50-piece puzzles come in a small tin, the size of a pencil case. There are three colourful choices: unicorns, dinosaurs, or shark reef. The finished puzzle measures 12 by 8 inches, so it can fit on an airplane tray. While the larger Crocodile Creek puzzles are available on Amazon, the mini puzzle tins are only in independent stores.
Ages: 4+
Ideal for: airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: requires a table or other flat surface
Each tiny tin comes with a different activity. You can get no-tech wooden toys, such as a set of mosaic blocks, a cube puzzle, or a set of spinning tops, packaged up in an adorable and packable tin box. Some of these games are better suited to two or more kids and others (like the mosaic blocks or cube puzzle) are great for solo play.
Ages: 3+
Ideal for: airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: all of these toys require a flat surface
Kaleidoscopes and pocket prisms
Just when you're tired of hearing "When are we going to get there?," pass these cool classic toys to your children and let them enjoy seeing the world in a whole other way. If you have more than one kid, get enough kaleidoscopes for everyone, since this isn't a toy that's easily shared. Some of these are small enough that your kids can carry them in their own pockets. The mini camera is neat because it allows kids to pretend to take photos and has a carry strap. Most of these are available to order from Dilly Dally Kids, an amazing independent toy store in Vancouver, but you can also find them at other independent toy stores across Canada and internationally. I recommend getting a wooden or metal kaleidoscope or prism, since the cardboard ones don't last as long.
There are a few brands that make these:
Ages: 3+ (I've seen ten-year-olds mesmerized by these)
Ideal for: airplane, car, transit, visiting relatives, waiting room, restaurants
Wait, wasn't this on the list of travel toys for toddlers? Yup. This is a travel toy for anyone, ages 0 to adult.
These magnetic wooden blocks can be assembled to make a variety of creations. They're safe for babies but also fun for older kids, so both your toddler and school-aged kiddo can enjoy them. The Travel Pals, Pocket Pouch Prisms, and Pocket Pouch Original lines are small sets that are ideal for travel. The Pocket Pouches come in a variety of different colours, and you can combine two pouches to make bigger creations. The Travel Pals are shaped like animals or vehicles, but you can reconfigure the blocks to make other designs as well. These toys can be used by one kid or possibly shared by siblings (depending on how well they cooperate!). Since the blocks are magnetic, you don't need a flat surface to play. Tegu are expensive, but they're worth it because your kids won't outgrow it. Don't be surprised if you find yourself playing with these as well.
Ages: 0+
Ideal for: transit, car, airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: not ideal for anywhere where dropped pieces can't be retrieved, so whether or not it's a car-friendly toy depends on your child
Stuff some of these toys into your purse or carry on, and enjoy a few minutes of relative peace.
