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As an educator and mom I am always looking on sites like umkytoys for the right toys.
The mama in me looks for safe toys that are attractive and versatile. Toys need to do more than one thing and spark imaginative play. I want my kids to want to play with their toys, and I want them to play for a while.
Mama needs her coffee time!
As an educator, I look for toys that strengthen my child’s skills and development. I want them to contribute to my kids growth and challenge them to do, think, or feel.
My husband wants high quality products and our money’s worth. He does not want toys breaking…aka hearts breaking, not to mention they need to last through the years of being hand me downed to the next kid.
If it was up to him, our kids would be playing in cardboard boxes, because lets be honest, most kids love the packaging the most.
With the holiday and birthday season approaching I started researching gifts for our kids that would meet our high standards.
That is when I came across Discovery Toys and began reading about their perfect blend of fun, educational, and quality.
Discovery Toys has been in business for over 35 years and has gained a trusted reputation of providing premium quality toys. They are dedicated to designing toys that promote kid-power learning through play. Discovery Toys cover ages birth to 8 years and each toy is designed to teach, play, and inspire. Their mission is to provide engaging toys that assist parents and teachers with educating through play. The goal is to inspire a love for learning in children and adults.
These toys are unique as they combine multiple levels of learning in every toy.
Since discovery toys are so versatile they are great for supporting children with special needs. Their toy catalogue is actually labeled with an Autism symbol that corresponds with the specific learning each toy supports. They also provide a very useful guide to help consumers select the correct product for their child’s needs.
I found this chart to be extremely helpful for any parent. As we watch our kids grow we notice their strengths and weakness in development. My son is a big kinesthetic learner and strong communicatively and cognitively. However, as a strong willed stubborned toddler he could improve his social skills and some fine motor tasks. My 12 month old is very visual and just starting to reach some cognitive milestones. I used this guide to help me choose the right toys to help grow and strengthen the needs of my littles.
I think my favorite thing about Discovery Toys, besides the toys themselves, is the catalogue setup. It’s perfectly color coded, organized, and supportive of parents’ choices. It’s almost as if a teacher is shopping with you explaining the benefits of each toy.
At the front of the catalogue they provide a table of context of each type of play. Their toys are grouped accordingly and each page is clearly marked.
They provide a key for their autism and special needs toys. Each letter corresponds with the specific learning the toy supports.
Also included are indicators of exclusive Discovery Toys, best sellers, and award winners.
If you are searching for a specific age rage, they provide a index by age. However, most of their toys will grow with your child beyond the listed age.
As you can imagine, it was hard to choose just a few toys for our kids! There is a great desire to buy everything I think would interest my children, or be a possible teaching tool! If I followed my desire I would have every toy in the book. So I settled for 3.
All three toys are BPA free and included a tiny informational booklet. It provides a number of ways to play and educate using the given toy.
This best seller Discovery Toy was my no brainer. My son is getting more and more creative with his imaginative play and I am loving every minute of it. I recently started searching for a doctor kit when my son started using his tool kit for doctor play.
I give him points for creativity!
Normally I would just let it go and be satisfied with him using his tools for multiple purposes. But after a scarring visit to a hospital, while living overseas, I wanted him to get familiar with doctor tools. My goal was to play doctor enough times that he would begin to know the intention of each tool and be comfortable with medical exams.
My problem was trying to find doctor kits that weren’t outrageous colors or extremely flimsy. The Heartbeat M.D met my expectations.
The tools are a nice weight and great quality. My son’s imagination was immediately sparked as we practiced using each tool.
My educational expectations were even exceeded as I realized doctor play helped him learn to take turns, improve his focus, and communicate his feelings. Not to mention, we worked on being gentle when his little sister joined in as a patient.
With the help of baby dolls, doctor play can also be an independent quite play activity. We currently only have one extremely old doll but she made due.
If you have an animal lover, doctor kits are also awesome for veterinary play. We don’t have any live pets to practice on but we do have plenty of stuffed animals.
This toy is suggested for ages starting at 3 years and has won two awards!
A staple childhood toy has got to be stacking cups. They are versatile, durable, and grow with your child. Cups are great for stacking, playing in sensory bins, pouring in the bath tub, stamping, nesting, and so much more.
I loved that both my toddler and baby were engaged with Measure Up! Cups and developmentally benefited from their play. While my daughter was learning cause and effect of knocking down a tower, my son was experimenting with volume and getting a grasp on relational sizing.
When I received Measure Up! Cups I was curious how Discovery toys had worked to improve such a timeless toy.
The first thing I noticed was the ridged edges. This is to help prevent accidental suffocation, a risk I didn’t even know came with stacking cups. The ridges also help to stabilize the cups when being stacked and make for great castle turrets.
Each cup is numbered on the inside and outside and looks great when numerically arranged or sequentially placed in a circle to make a clock face. The numbers are also written in English, Spanish, and French and include corresponding dots. The bottom of the cups has stamped animals that correlate with the cups size. Cup 12 has an elephant while cup 1 has a butterfly. Measure Up! Cups are designed to be volumetrically proportional and are a great teaching tool for math concepts.
Discovery Toys suggests Measure Up! Cups for children from 12 Months to primary school. This toy has won three awards including the Family Choice Award.
I was instantly drawn to this rattle for my daughter and knew it would meet her interests. My daughter loves music and always chooses the egg shakers in the instrument box.
The rainfall rattle is a multi sensory experience as little ones watch and hear a stream of colorful beads falling. My daughter was drawn to the moving rainbow of colors and watching the effects of her shaking.
The rattle fits in little hands and is great for shaking, tipping, and rolling. Surprisingly it made for a fun toy for not only my daughter but my toddler too.
My son enjoyed experimenting with the pace of beads by how quickly he turned the rattle. He was so focused on getting every bead through the eight layers to the end.
As an educator, I also found this toy to be a soothing quiet break. My very energetic son often struggles with getting over stimulated and needing an outlet to gain control. Watching the cascading beads glistening in the sun has been a wonderful resource.
The rainfall rattle is suggested for 9 months to toddler age and has won one award.
But don’t just take my word for it, Discovery Toys has a wide variety of toys that meet the needs of any child.
“Discovery Toys® products are available through our independent Educational Consultants in the United States and Canada. Our Educational Consultants are trained to help you select the appropriate products for the children in your lives, to take orders, to share the Discovery Toys income opportunity, to help you plan a party, and to answer any questions you may have.”
If you want to learn more about these Discovery Toys products contact Angela (The Expert!) through her website or by emailing angelakraemer_discoverytoys
Connect with Discovery Toys
Its a new season and kids are starting a new year of school, so why not check out a new company?
MamatheFox was excited to find Simplay3 as a company destined for the success in making those staple toys for our children’s childhood.
Who is Simplay3
Simplay3 is a newer company in the toy and home plastic industry. However, the brains behind this company are far from newbies. Tom Murdough, the founder of Little Tikes and Step2, created Simplay3 after deciding to come out of retirement. He assembled a leadership and design team of experienced and talented employees that continue to stretch and redesign innovative and high quality products. Simplay3 is excited to meet the needs and wants of consumers and offer products directly from the manufacturer.
They are certainly a company to keep an eye on, as they are continuing to design and sell new and iconic products.
We are also happy to say all of their products are produced in the USA.
What I love about Simplay3
Everyone has their parent pet peeves and have developed parental “tastes” on baby products and clothing.
Well mine is battery operated toys. I don’t like repeated sounds bouncing through my house that eventually my toddler is going to be repeating. As an educator, I didn’t like that batteries took away from the imagination and controlled how kids played.
So when I found Simplay3 children line I wanted to give the creators a big no batteries thank you hug!
They believe in unstructured play and kids telling toys how to play and not vise versa. Their children products are meant to inspire imaginative play as well as provide play patterns to help fine tune motor skills and develop growing muscles.
In addition, they create activity tables and stations that welcome social play while also providing space for kids to play peacefully together. Less elbow bumping and more giggling!
But the designing doesn’t stop there, Simplay3 home produces a variety of garden and home products. From hauling equipment, Step Stool
Simplay3 simple solutions for work and play are built to uphold value. Parents can appreciate toys that last for years, homeowners can trust durable multipurpose tools.
Super Coupe Pedal Trike
One of Simplay3’s hottest toys right now is the Simplay3 Super Coupe Pedal Trike
Why?
Tricycles are great energy outlets and exercise for those crazy littles that never stop moving. Coordination and agility are improved while kids build confidence from accomplishing a task independently. Tricycles are staple toys that get your kids outside and active.
The Super Couple Pedal Trike has all the same great features of a tricycle with added sophisticated design. The roof gives a realistic car feel while the low seat and big wheel gives provides easy control.
Another beneficial feature is this trike can grow with your child. It offers 3 adjustable seat positions, making it perfect for ages as young 3 all the way to age 7.
My son is 2 and a half and has little experience with bikes and pedals. He runs on the shorter side but was still able to reach the pedals with the balls of his feet. It took him about 3 rides before dominating pedaling and turning into a wild man on the sidewalks. I am anxious to see what he will be capable of when his whole foot reaches.
The Super Couple Pedal Trike is pretty light weight, 16 pounds, for being a riding toy. I was able to throw it in the back of my compact SUV and bring it to a local park. It was light enough for my son and niece to take turns pushing each other around. I liked there was a place for the kids to rest their feet if pushing becomes the game…which it always will. I didn’t have to worry about shoes dragging or feet getting rolled over.
To assure quick assembly the front fork, pedals, and big wheel are already assembled for your convenience. My husband and son had it from box to trike in less than 30 minutes…and that is with a 2 year old “helping.”
An added bonus, shipping is already included in the price for most of America!
So there you have it Mama’s! If you are looking for innovative durable toys that encourage imagination and physical health, I encourage you to check out Simplay3. The Super Coupe Pedal Trike is a staple childhood toy that will grow with your child and build lasting memories.
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Do you smell it?
It’s the smell of summer ending. Pools closing. Buses arriving. Kids heading Back-to-School!
My nephew is headed to 1st grade this year! Hard to believe he is old enough to be in the grade I use to teach. Definitely makes this Aunt Haha want to cry and reminisce over old baby pictures.
How about you?
Are you one of those parents bursting with excitement to push those energetic, mess maker, eating machines, out the door to school? Is it just me or does it seem like kids are hungry every second of summer break?
Maybe you’re a mama whose heart is breaking watching your first, or last, baby climbing those big bus stairs on their way to their first day of kindergarten. I always love seeing the huge backpacks on their little bodies and wondering what 5 year old has that much homework?
Or perhaps you are sitting in a classroom counting desks, rechecking lesson plans, and giving yourself a world changer teacher pep talk? Whether it’s your first or last year teaching, you will always get the first day of school jitters.
For me I am super excited to start our first year of homeschool preschool! As a past teacher, I have been itching to build lesson plans with activities, music, crafts, and play.
Yeah. I am definitely one of ‘those moms’ who can’t stop themselves from still being a teacher. I will forever rock holiday theme earrings and make everything and anything into a song.
Just like I can’t stop being a teacher, Crayola will never stop being our go to for school supplies!
From their first box of affordable wax crayons in 1903 to becoming the leading producer of hands-on products for creative fun, Crayola has been working hard to inspire creativity in all children…and adults.
That’s why parents and teachers trust Crayola to fill those larger than life backpacks with all the needed school supplies.
This year Crayola’s new featured product is Silly Scents. These new coloring tools come with the same great colorful quality you’d expect, but with an extra gift for your nose. My son was first drawn to the Silly Scent characters decorating the packaging. He kept telling me he wanted to color with the cool angry guy, aka the roasting marshmallow. The bold silly smells bring laughter and delight to any child’s coloring experience, while making it a multi-sensory activity.
From the perspective of a toddler mama, I really enjoy the mini twistables! They are perfect for little hands and are an excellent size for on the go. The durable plastic barrels keep the crayon core safe from constant use or your toddler seeing how many crayons he can break in a minute.
As a past teacher, I am in LOVE with the twistable colored pencils! If I could have, I would have made all my students use these. The amount of time students spent sharpening colored pencils was unreal. I used to beg kids to use a different color or borrow a friend’s. Classroom productivity can take a mega boost when outfitted with ready to use and quality products.
As a crafter, I was surprisingly impressed with the chiseled tip and Slim Fine Line markers. When my son and I started opening a pack of makers and I realized they were chiseled edge, I immediately convinced him they were mommy markers and we should try a different kind.
Mama of the year award!
I love typography and card making and I’m always looking for a good marker. I was pleasantly surprised by both the chisel tip and slim fine line markers. They produced great colors and gave me versatility.
An added bonus is Crayola offers free coloring sheets, including their Silly Scent characters. Its a nice break from my 2 year old’s drawing demands.
So whether you are filling up your “baby’s” first back pack or starting another year of shaping little minds, I wish you the happiest of back to school days!
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After having a baby of their own, Zach and Sarah Lee were on the hunt for affordable, high quality toys. They didn’t want toys that kept breaking or that needed batteries; they wanted the toys to last. Coming up short time and time again they decided to take matters into their own hands. The couple created a line of toys that are wooden, affordable, and will last for a long time. Their toys are very educational and are perfect for kids of all ages.
All of their toys come with a 30 day return policy and hold a 5 year warranty! How awesome is that?! Created with sustainable harvest timber, Cubbie Lee toys pledge to have a minimal environmental impact. Cubbie Lee has a VIP Club that gives their members exclusive deals, discounts, and perks on their toys and on the orders you make. By joining the club you can even receive a 10% discount on all your orders.
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The Cubbie Lee Noah’s Ark is so adorable and perfect for any child, of any age. The set includes one ark with a removable top and many different animal pieces – two of each of course. One side of the ark has open slots for matching the animal shapes and placing them into the ark; while the other side has a door that opens up, allowing your child to explore his/her imagination. The colors on the ark are my favorite part about the whole toy. The orange and yellow on the top really make it pop, and the waves at the bottom make the ark really come to life. The play time possibilities are endless with Noah’s Ark
One downside that I have found with the ark is the shape slots on the side. These are really great for learning and having baby shape sort, so for that aspect I really like them. The aspect of them I don’t like is how low they are to the bottom of the ark. I like to store all the animals and people inside the ark when we’re not using it, but they seem to fall out very easily because of the open slots. With the slightest shake or move, at least one animal falls out. I feel this is a very minor issue because it does not affect the play or safety of my child.
My son loves the pound bench by Cubbie Lee. The bench has bright, primary colors that really make it visually appealing. My son is just 10 months old and he has a blast with it. Not only is he learning to hammer with the tool, he is also learning cause and effect – hit the knob and it drops. It is also great to have him hold the hammer with either hand; he’s learning how to grasp. He is also learning good movement and control – he can actually hold something with a long stick and hit something else with it. Its never too early to start the learning process!
The Cubbie Lee vehicle block puzzle is a little too advanced for my son right now. The quality of the puzzle already impresses me, though. I can’t wait for him to get just a little older so he can play with it. The puzzle is made up of nine blocks that make up a picture of a vehicle; creating six different pictures. I like how the blocks are painted on rather than having a sticker on each side. When kids chew on the blocks the paint is great because it doesn’t fall off like it does with the stickers. The puzzle is small and compact – just 5 x 5 x 2 inches!
Give Cubbie Lee Toy Company a try! Their products are so cute, affordable, and perfect for any child. Check out their website or go to Amazon and see their products. You won’t be disappointed with any of their products!
Created in 1982 Sassy has expanded into a large company. There extensive line of products are available in over 70 countries and are all across the board on baby necessities. Sassy brand is committed and dedicated to providing parents toys they can trust to help in the development of their child. While providing premium quality on all their products, their innovative designs allow them to stand out from other companies. Using real and credible purpose in their products, like their focused coloration, they are the perfect developmental toys for your baby.
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The bumpy ball is the perfect toy for any child. It shakes and rattles but also has many other learning and developmental features to it. The whole ball itself is soft and squishy except for two of the bumps on it. These bumps are hard,clear plastic filled with smaller balls that rattle. When you shake the ball they rattle and you can actually see what is making the noise. Each bump on the ball is different – wether it be a different color or a different texture. It’s perfect for developing senses like seeing, hearing, and touching. Children of any age or gender will enjoy this bumpy ball.
Go go bugs are the perfect on the go car seat toy. These are cute little velcro bugs that attach to the car seat handle for baby to play with. Two rattle and one crunches; so baby will keep busy with these bugs. They are adorable and with the bright, fun colors and high contrast baby will love to look at them. You can move these off and on the car seat very quickly and easily if need be. These go go bugs are perfect for a newborn and will last many months after!
This light up musical monkey is a great toy too. I don’t love toys that make musical noise, but I have to admit that this monkey is cute. It lights up and plays music when pressing the tummy – great for teaching baby cause and effect. This monkey has high contrast arms (which I love) and multiple textures for baby to feel. The ring attached to the top is perfect; it allows me to take it and use it anywhere. I can attach the monkey to my sons car seat and give him a little more entertainment than his teether.
The phone of my own is for kids six months and older. It is great for kids who are understanding their parents talking on the cell phone. This allows them to imitate and learn from the parent or sibling. The light gives baby visual stimulation and attracts them to it. The buttons on the phone “talk” to baby allowing for cause and effect awareness. Play with your child using this phone, teach them how to make a phone call, and have a conversation with them ‘over the phone’!
Sassy products are perfect for any and all developing children. Their line of toys are the perfect combination of high contrast, bright color, and attention keeping. Your child is sure to love any Sassy product!
The hottest toy in the Fox house for 2016 was Shape Mags – the magnetic bricks perfect for all ages. I have recently seen magnetic tiles for sale in stores and online. It peaked my interest for several reasons. First off they looked super fun! Colorful items and magnetic things are top forms of attraction for all toddlers. They can build fine motor skills, develop critical thinking skills, and sharpen math skills. Then I noticed there are tons of brands and companies making these tiles so I knew I needed to take a step back and see which brand is worth the investment.
I have come to the conclusion that Shape Mags are the top choice for all families for several key reasons.
My husband is a scientist and loves Shape Mags. He see’s how interactive they are and all the benefits which a child can gain while playing with them. We love that Shape Mags show that magnets have positive and negative charges. This show’s children some of the initial fundamentals to a science. This peeks interest to a child in a way they can see and feel. They are able to see the magnets pull together and push apart. They can see the cause and reaction in a real and tangible way.
These toys are safe and fun for the while family. With tons of shapes and sizes of mags, you are sure to have hours and hours of entertainment. I know that when I sit down and start playing with them I get addicted! I have such a fun time playing with them. I have even noticed that I am still playing with them after my kids walked about to another toy! I just cannot help myself, it brings out your creative side. Your curious nature in a safe and engaging environment.
Children need quality clothing. While kids grown like weeds, they too need comfort and this really counts when it comes to a good night of sleep. My children are not the best sleepers…okay they stink at sleeping. I have learned after years of fighting with them at bedtime is that if they are comfortable, really truley comfortable, they are able to fall asleep much faster. Being in pajamas that are soft and don’t ‘rub they wrong way’ is way more meaningful than you may realize.
We have tried more brands and styles than you can shake a stick at. While we have found some that we love, we didn’t know such comfort until we used Finn & Emma. I love organic clothing for a ton of reasons. Primarily because it’s safer for my children due to there not being chemicals or pesticides in the materials used. It is way better for the environment and our planet as a whole. Finn & Emma boast of a “buttery soft” material and I think that is a perfect description. When you see the clothing in the package you can tell it looks soft. When you touch it you quickly fall in love. If they made adults sizes, I would totally buy a pair!
Finn + Emma®’s garments are made with buttery soft, G.O.T.S. certified organic cotton and non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes. Garment snaps are lead/nickel free and feature real coconut inserts. Our garments have a generous fit—allowing them to be worn for longer—and accommodate cloth as well as disposable diapers.
As a parent who cloth diapers, I can say that these pajama’s are super for fluff butts! So many times the pants on the pajamas of my son, who wears cloth diapers, give him the old fashion ‘plumbers crack’ – this is where the pants fall down and show the butt crack region. While I love to see my little fluff butts diapers, we don’t need clothing that won’t fit around his butt and hips properly. The ways the pants are cut and sewn together gives them a fit that stretches yet holds in all the perfect places. This is also one of the reasons why these pajamas make bedtime that much easier. Who needs pants that keep falling and moving around while you are just about to find the ‘right’ position to fall asleep in?
Finn & Emma are G.O.T.S. certified. “To be G.O.T.S. certified, textile products must contain a minimum of 95% organic fibers. All inks, dyes and process chemicals used in manufacture must meet basic toxicity and biodegradability requirements. Heavy metals, formaldehyde, nickel, and PVC are prohibited from the manufacture process.” Finn & Emma’s Website
Finn & Emma doesn’t just have pajama’s. They also carry a huge selection of clothing, accessories, play mats, toys, muslin swaddles. Check out all they have to offer over at their website found here.
Playmation is the next step in the evolution of play, where “digital gets physical and imagination becomes real“. This system uses smart technology in their wearables for kids and empowers their imaginations, as they become the hero or heroine of stories from Disney, Marvel and Star Wars. Playmation Marvel’s Avengers is the first in a series of new franchise-based systems in development, which uses familiar technologies including wearables, wireless technology, motion sensors and more, but applies them in ways that are completely new, to create an experience that’s never been possible before. This kind of equipment and technology would be particularly suited to games such as Pokemon Go that my children are also loving (and it gets them out of the house!). Recently I’ve also found this ispoofer pogo application that can improve their Pokemon Go experience which I’m sure they’ll love when they have had their fun with the Playmation kits. The Repulsor Gear connects with the Power Activators and Smart Figures to take you on a variety of adventures through locations around the Marvel Universe. Playmation is purposely not tethered to an Internet connection so players can run around and explore each adventure from anywhere they want – a bedroom, living room or yard. There is also an AvengersNet app where you can register your Avenger Gear to see progress, explore additional locations and characters, and get access to new missions. Playmation Marvel’s Avengers just hit shelves. Star Wars and Disney Frozen systems are currently in development for 2016 and 2017, respectively. Each will use a range of technologies to create a system based on the different ways that kids play and experience their favorite stories and characters from that franchise.
Mama Smith and Women and Their Pretties each received a Playmation Starter Kit to play with. Be sure to read their full reviews here:
Mama Smith’s | Women and Their Pretties
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXFz5tUDY38
Because they loved this kit so much, they just knew they had to team up with some fellow bloggers to bring you guys The Ultimate Playmation Giveaway! One lucky reader will win a Playmation Avengers Starter Pack, a Hulkbuster Hero Smart Figure, a Super Ultron Bot Villian Smart Figure, and some PowerA Playmation Accessories! You can read more about the PowerA Accessories here – the winner will receive accessories based on what the sponsor has in stock when the giveaway ends. You sure to have endless hours of fun with this brand new gaming system – and the kids would be thrilled to find it under the tree.
This giveaway is brought to you by:
Mama Smith’s
Women and Their Pretties
Our Mini Family
The Joys of Boys
Parenting Healthy
Sprinkles on Top Reviews
Life Is An Adventure – The Disney Gals
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MamatheFox
Coffee for Mom
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Bites Reviews You Can Use
Enter to win The Ultimate Playmation Package below. Good luck and – AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!
Kushies is a Canadian based company that manufacturers and sells a hug variety of family-friendly products. From clothing and toys to bedding, feeding and diapering, Kushies has what you need. Kushies is sold in retailers like BuyBuyBaby & Amazon, as well as their own online store. MamatheFox wrote a full, comprehensive review about Kushies and many of their fabulous products. Please read the full review here.
You have the chance to win a wonderful variety pack of products from Kushies:
Be sure to follow Kushies online to see more products and offers
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MamatheFox and all other participating blogs are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. If you are interested in learning more about how you can participate in an event like this please email Danielle at MamatheFox at gmail dot com