Dunck bath toy.

seen: Dunck stacking bath toys by Skip Hop, $10 (set of 3)

Bath time may be one of our favorite times of day.  Good bath toys make it that way.  Enter Skip Hop's new set of stacking ducks.  I love you, Skip Hop.  

[Available here.]

inspired: indoor play

seen: hopscotch mat

To roll out on these cold, rainy, snowy days.

20 favorite toys in 2010:

We love good toys but really only collect them at Christmas and birthdays.  And all fit in one toy armoire and one half closet, so we've gotten good at only buying toys that will really be loved and then storing or donating the forgotten ones.  Here's my roundup of our favorites this year (with a clear boy influence).  What would you add?

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*****

1. Creatures floor puzzle, 2. large Schleich brachiosaurus, 3. 4x4 adventure car by Plan Toys, 4. p'kolino multi-solution shape puzzle, 5. Fat Brain Toys twig blocks, 6. clementine art natural modeling dough, 7. Green Toys tool set, 8. Selecta's Variola ball track system, 9. Go Car by Kid-O, 10. Chicky Boom, 11. Things that Go wooden book, 12. stacking tree by Plan Toys, 13. Jellycat Cordy Roy Gator, 10 in., 14. Blabla canvas backpack Bandit, 15. Animal Memo from Plan Toys, 16. Hexbug Nano, 17. A puzzle you can count on, 18. The Boys' Doodle Book, 19. Vilac Musketeer shield and sword , 20.  Playmobil pirate dinghy

hex bugs

seen: Hex Bug Nano, $7.99-$9.99

Even if they're mostly a bit creepy among adults, it seems like bugs are intrinsically cool to most kids.  How to work around that (when, let's say.. your 4 your old wants pet ants; they even made it to the Christmas wish list..)?  Hex Bugs are super great + futuristic robotic creatures that behave like real bugs.  One of these "test tubes" will make it into each boy's stocking this year and I may be really excited.

[I've spotted them at Target & Peek Aren't You Curious.]

"imagination is a terrible thing to waste"

seen: boys knight crown by curly bird, $25

seen: wool felt crowns by Dream Child Studio, $18+ (as seen here)

seen: Couronne écusson royal/Couronne des neiges by ateliers reinette, €15/16

seen: the storybook crown in black or white by elliebelliekids, $28

As a parent, I feel obligated to invest in creative play.  Goal: grow a dress-ups collection and start with crowns.

topozoo

seen: topozoo sets, $30 (seen here)

Topozoo: I have toys on the brain (love Christmas & giving) and these look brilliant.  Choose from a safari, dinosaur or monster set and have 5-piece wooden animals (3 animals/set) that can be mixed and matched to create your own crazy zoo.  (Made from recycled, formaldehyde-free MDF; finished with water-based, non-toxic stains; packaged in a recycled cardboard box. Made in the USA.)  

go car

seen: kid-o go car, green, $10

I've talked about my favorite Kid-O before, and we found another little gem yesterday.  For $10, a sleek, smooth riding car with a built in handle in the prettiest grass green.  Maybe my new go-to one year old gift; or a perfect bribe teaching tool for a little boy who is supposed to use words to get what he wants.  (He can only play with the new & exciting go car by saying something resembling "car."  Language = results. It's working. :) 

And for fun, we're dying to try the real go cars in San Francisco.  They have a 2 hour "locals tour" that looks like a great (but nail-biting) time.  Have you go-cared?  

chalk table

seen: chalk table and benches, $90

We have a little table that gets used all throughout the day: snacks, coloring, play-dough, stickers, car ramps, fort.  It doesn't end.  It's hands down our most practical piece of furniture and a happy investment.  But if I were to do it all over again, this chalk table seems like the perfect setup.  The price is incredible (benches included), the chalkboard top is reversible and there is storage for art supplies underneath.  Plus it's pretty in orange.  

ateliers reinette

seen: coiffe d'indien

ateliers reinette: I believe in make believe.. and I think this will be our year of dress-ups.  No need for a translator- this is the coolest collection of masks, headdresses and playfood.  (And hello, Halloween!  Can you believe it's coming so quickly?)

[seen here.]

new at oeuf

seen: wild things crown by oeuf, $36

Suddenly I'm wishing it was closer to October.  

ferm living

(robot)

(dotty yellow)

seen: baby and junior bedding sets, $80.25

This is great news: Ferm Living is now accessible stateside at my favorite boutique Fawn & Forest (p.s.: no tax and free shipping).

seen: plywood animals, set of 5, $59.95

seen: grey button pillow (40"x40")

seen: peacock pillow

seen: monroe pillow

paper city

seen: paper city by made by joel [vehicles and helicopter]

I know a certain four year old who would truly love making & imagining with this paper city.  Maybe it would be the cure for our grumpy, rainy week?

make walnut boats

seen: diy walnut boats

[photo by made by joel]

made by joel: Do you know Joel?  He's some sort of crafting genius (especially the little boy craft variety) and the walnut boats are my favorite lately.  The best part: they call for typical pantry supplies.  No shopping list!   Ahoy.

kid-o

seen: arranging narrow to wide puzzle, grouping objects puzzle

kid-o: we've slowly collected kid-o toys (thanks to a couple of our favorite 1st birthday gifts to Finn: the stack and nest cups and things that go wooden book) and I may call them my new favorite brand.  

p.s. Great prices at Amazon.