BabyThoughts.ca's Weekly Toy Box

This week in honor of Valentine's Day, all our toys in the Toy Box are RED!

Vilac Mini Red Race Car
reg $14.95 now$10.47

Bajo Red Airplane
reg $23.95 now $17.96

Melissa & Doug Monkey Face Grasp & Shake
reg $12.95 now $6.48

BabyThoughts.ca's Weekly Toy Box

Get up to 40% off on the toys for the week of Jan 30, 2012.

Jumbo ABC Chunky Puzzle from Melissa & Doug

reg $24.95 now $14.97

Bear Ahoy from Haba

reg $31.95 now $22.37


Activity Farm from Vilac
reg $49.95 now $34.97

BabyThoughts.ca's Weekly Toy Box

Up to 40% off on toys in the Toy Box the week of January 16, 2012:

Haba Splish Splash Playmat
reg $145.95 now $102.17

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Number Maze
reg $19.95 now $12.97

Plan Toys Stacking Clown
reg $24.95 now $14.97

BabyThoughts.ca Weekly Toy Box

Toy Box for week of January 9, 2012, toys are up to 40% off:

Tiny Love Musical Nature Stroll
reg $49.95 now $34.97

Manhattan Toy Buzzing Through Book
reg $19.95 now $11.97

Melissa & Doug Take-Along Tool Kit
reg $19.95 now $10.47

Toy Spotlight - Melissa & Doug Wooden Play Food

I am a huge fan of play food and Kitchen Play, as it is an amazing toy that allows children to express themselves, feel included in the world around them and promotes imagination, as well as social and language development.

Play food is also a great toy that can be played in groups or alone. I have not met one child who does not love having their own kitchen where they can make their own culinary 'creations'. To do this they need their special food and so that is why I am so excited to spotlight today the awesome wooden play food from Melissa and Doug.

Bake & Decorate Cupcake Set: This special set has three dry-erase markers shaped like icing tubes to decorate the smooth, removable, wipe-off cupcake tops.

With colorful baking cupcake sleeves and decorative wooden candles, these low-cal cupcakes will be the hit of birthday and tea parties!






Sandwich Making Set: This solid and smooth-sanded sandwich set with sliceable wooden bread, rolls, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, meats, and more makes an instant picnic for hours of imaginative entertainment!









Pizza Party: Served up in a brightly coloured wooden pizza pan, the six thick slices can be topped with playfully tasty choices of vegetables and meat, all held in place with an innovative fastening technique.

Includes a cutter, spatula, and over 50 toppings stored neatly in a wooden pizza box with see through lid.


Cutting Food Box: This solid wood set from Melissa and Doug includes more than 25 pieces including 1 child-safe knife and 1 cutting board, along with eight healthy choice selections for kids to prepare their own meals! Knives glide easily through each item, making a realistic “crunching” sound that kids love.



Cutting Fruit Crate: The wooden Cutting Fruit Crate play food set includes 7 smoothly sanded wooden fruits: a banana, kiwi, slice of melon, pear, orange, lemon and strawberry.

The wooden fruit are all sliceable with the wooden knife (included in the set) and they make a great crunching sound when sliced.

Sushi Slicing Play Set: This elegant 24-piece wooden sushi play-food set is packed in a beautiful storage box and includes sliceable sushi rolls, shrimp, tuna, easy-use chopsticks, a cleaver and more. Sushi rolls make realistic chopping sounds when sliced!








To see our entire collection visit our Kitchen Play section under Preschoolers at BabyThoughts.ca.

You will find not only food but pots and pans, beverages, tableware and the most important thing kitchens!

Toy Spotlight - Melissa & Doug's Classic Wooden Toys

The Melissa and Doug collection of classic toys are designed to help toddlers and preschoolers learn important skills, from shape, colour, number, and letter recognition to sorting, stacking and fine motor development.

They are all fun, bright and colourful, with an attention to detail that is sure to keep your little one entertained while they learn to master the important skills.

Some of the favourites with the little testers include:

The Rainbow Stacker : With the colourfully painted rings, it's a great toy to teach about order, size, and colours. Great for ages 18 months+






The First Bead Maze: Helps promote fine-motor skill development, as well as colour and shape recognition. Ages 1 year+






The Take-Along Tool Kit: With twenty-four wooden pieces such as screws, bolts, nails, bolts, hammers, and screwdrivers, hours of constructive and creative fun will be had by preschoolers. Ages 3 years+

It's Puzzle-ing - Melissa & Doug Puzzles are 15% off

With their hand-crafted, high quality, brightly coloured images, and fun themes the Melissa and Doug puzzles are unmistakable.

Whether it's their Jumbo Knob puzzles which are just right for beginners with little hands to their jigsaw puzzles for the more advanced puzzle builder, you are sure to find a one that your child will love.

At BabyThoughts.ca we have a large selection of wooden puzzles which are currently on sale for 15% off!

Some of my favourites are:


The Barnyard Animals Jumbo Know Puzzle - A fun way for baby to learn about their favourite farm friend.









The Construction Chunky Puzzle - For the little builder in your life.









The Jumbo ABC Chunky Puzzle - Learning the ABC's has never been more fun.







The Early Learning Peg Puzzle Bundle - You get 3 Peg Puzzles for hours of learning fun!








Stop by and check out our entire Collection of Melissa & Doug Puzzles and SAVE!

Deal of the Week - Melissa & Doug Circular Floor Puzzles

Happy 1st Birthday!

Looking for a great gift to give a special little person who is turning 1 years old? Look no further, I will share with you my top 3 toys that are sure to be loved and more importantly played with over and over.

A big favourite of mine and one of our top sellers at BabyThoughts.ca is the Melissa & Doug Large Farm Jumbo Knob Puzzle. This makes a great first puzzle for little ones because it has large wooden pieces of their favourite farm animals. You can sing along to old Mac Donald while you teach them the names of each of the animals. As well, it is great for their fine motor and cognitive development. It is truly a fantastic first puzzle.

Another big favourite, are the Haba Fantasy Blocks, made in Germany these beautiful and vibrant blocks are sure to inspire little ones to build their own fantasy cities. These blocks will help young children develop their creativity, as well as their cognitive and fine motor skills.

My third choice for a great gift is the Haba Walker Wagon. Hands down this German made, award winner walker is just incredible. It is both beautiful, and so incredibly functional. With its sturdy construction, rubber tires and an adjustable brake, this walker is not only fun but safe. Your little one will love learning how to walk with this wagon.

To see more great toys just right for little ones turning 1, stop by BabyThoughts.ca and choose from our great selection. If you have any questions or need a suggestion send me an email at kzamora@babythoughts.ca

Toy Spotlight - Melissa & Doug Magnetic Mazes

I have to say that these mazes have become one of my new favourite toys, mostly because it keeps my 5 year old daughter entertained for hours, but also because they are great teaching tools and just as important they aid in the development of her fine motor skills.

The two available at BabyThoughts.ca are the Magnetic Colour Maze and the Magnetic Number Maze. The object of the game is that the child must use the magnetic wand to move the balls to the correct location.

In the Magnetic Colour Maze, the child must fill the bellies of the animals with the correct coloured balls. It is a fun way for young ones to learn their colours, learn about sorting, problem solving and even counting.

With the Magnetic Number Maze, the child fills the baskets of each animal with the correct number of fruits. It is a great toy for children to learn number recognition, counting and sorting. As well it helps them develop and improve their fine motor skills. You can also use this game to introduce addition and subtraction by having them add or remove fruits from a particular basket and asking them to count how many are left.

Another great feature about these toys is that they make fantastic travel toys, as they are small, lightweight and everything is contained behind an acrylic cover.

Overall a great toy given that not only will it keep your child entertained but it is also a great teaching tool.

Huge Melissa & Doug Sale on Now!

Play Essentials

With all the choices parents face as they stroll down the toy aisle, choosing a toy that will not only entertain your child but also stimulate them, and encourage them to explore and learn can be challenging.

This is why I have put together a list of types of toys that will not only be fun to play with, but will also give them the opportunity to develop important life skills. These play essentials include puzzles, stackers, sorters and pretend play toys.

To help start or add to your toy collection, we are having a SALE* on many of our essential toys.

SAVE UP TO 25% OFF ON SELECTED TOYS!

Puzzles

When it comes to toys, puzzles are certainly one of the best for children of all ages. For babies and toddles, puzzles aid in the development of hand-eye coordination and problem solving skills. As a child grows and puzzles become more complex, they help children recognize patterns which are very important for critical thinking. When played with others they are great at teaching all about teamwork, cooperation and communication. No matter the size and difficulty of a puzzle, once completed it will give a child confidence and encourage them to investigate and participate in trial and error activities.

Stackers & Sorters

Stackers and Sorters are great toys to teach children about size, shape and colour. They will also help with their fine motor and cognitive development. You can introduce both sorters and stackers as soon as a child is able to sit by themselves, at this time it is best to introduce them to the different pieces and showing them how it works, and as they get older you can start encouraging them to stack the rings in the right order or to fit the shapes in the right slot. You can also create different games that will teach them about pattern recognition, counting, and promote logical thinking.

Pretend Play

Kitchen play, dolls, doll houses, trains and cars are all great toys for role playing and make believe. Pretend play encourages children to inquire and discover about the world they live in. It supports the development of social & language skills, creativity, and imagination. It is a wonderful way for them to develop emotional skills and learn how to react to a variety of situations that they may encounter in their early childhood years. When played in a group, pretend play will encourage teamwork and communication.


* Sale ends March 1, 2009, while quantities last.

Happy Travels

'Tis the season for family vacations, whether you are able to escape somewhere sunny and warm or just heading a couple of hours out of town to visit family and friends, good travel toys are essential to keep the little ones entertained and in their seats.

We just got some great toys that are perfect for playing in both the seat of a car or an airplane.

The first ones are our newest addition from Melissa & Doug, their new magnetic bead mazes. Both the Magnetic Number Maze and Magnetic Colour Maze will keep your little one occupied for quite some time as they work to slide the beads in the correct hole. Both toys are great for the development of number and colour recognition, as well as matching and fine motor skills.

Another great travel toy is the Mini Bingo from HABA, the classic bingo game for up to four players that comes in a charming tin container. A great assigning game that all will enjoy playing.

A great travel toy for younger children are both books from HABA. Both Alex at the Zoo and Dino and the Dinos are a 3-in-1 toy: they are a book, a puzzle and a game. Younger children will enjoy reading about their favourite dinosaur or zoo animal, while older children will have fun putting together the five jigsaw puzzles and playing the game.

No matter how far you travel this season, these toys are sure to keep everyone happy.

Piecing It Together

We have a very special family tradition of always getting a puzzle that the family has to put together during the Holidays. We have so much fun trying to out do each other by finding the most pieces or that one piece that can not be found. There is something very satisfying and just a little sad when you place the last piece.

Puzzles are certainly a fun activity to do, alone or with a group of people at any age. When it comes to the benefits that it offers young children, puzzles really help with their problem solving skills, language skills, pattern recognition, logic and hand-eye coordination.

Puzzles are great toys that parents can also use as early learning tools to teach children their numbers, shapes and the alphabet. The Melissa and Doug ABC, Numbers, and Shapes Peg Puzzles are certainly a fun way for children to be exposed to their numbers and letters.

Puzzles are also amazing at helping children develop problem solving skills which they will use for all their lives. Jigsaw puzzles are great for this because children need to identify patterns and must place the pieces in the correct way for it to fit. It is best to introduce jigsaw puzzles to children who are two and older, starting with the easier ones and working up to more complex ones with more pieces.

When I first introduced jigsaw puzzles to my daughter, it was incredibly interesting to see her select the correct piece and then try to fit it to the puzzle. In the beginning she would always try to position it wrong, it was interesting to see that she would be guided by colour and trying to match the colour in the piece with the other one. When it did not work she would turn it around and try again. I have found that good jigsaw puzzles will be cut in such a way as to help the child work through it in a logical way. For example, the Playful Pets Jigsaw puzzle is cut so that it is easy for the child to identify the face of the animals and then the other parts of their bodies. This makes it easy for children to start the puzzle selecting one of the animals and working their way to to all the others. It also helps that all the animals are a distinct colour which helps them recognize the puzzle pieces and know that the yellow ones belong to the bird and so on.

For younger children, the best puzzles are ones that have few pieces, have large knobs for them to hold and even have a picture underneath the puzzle piece to help them in the beginning. These puzzles are great for children one year and up and it will help them with their hand-eye coordination because they will have to put the piece in the slot. Like all puzzles it also helps them with their judgment and reasoning . Parents can also take an opportunity to teach them the names of the objects that are found on the puzzle. With the Melissa & Doug Large Farm Jumbo Knob puzzle, parents can teach their children the names of the farm animals. As the child gets older, they can use it to sing to Old MacDonald and get the child to point to a farm animal and make their corresponding sounds. A fun game that helps children learn so much.

Along with blocks, puzzles are toys that are a must have in any play room. There is a puzzle for children of all ages and skill level. There is always something exciting about opening up that puzzle box, taking stock of all the pieces scattered and getting started.

Fun With Colour

Springtime surrounds us with beautiful colours, for this reason it is great time to start or expand on your child's knowledge of colour. One great way to do this is to teach them the colours found in their different toys as you play together.

Some great toys that can be used to teach your child all about colours are:

1. The Melissa and Doug Rainbow Stacker with its seven coloured rings for stacking fun.

2. The Large Shapes Jumbo Knob also from Melissa and Doug will not only teach them their colours but their basic shapes as well.

3. The Plan Toys' Lacing Beads is a great toy for older children, they be creative and make a necklace using only red beads or blue beads. This toy really encourages children to use their imagination and creativity.

4. A fun game to play together is the Picco Klecksolino from Selecta. The first person to find all the colours and shout our "klecksolino" is the winner!

If you look around at your child's toys, you will find that many of them can help them learn their colours. Have fun and make a game of it!

A is for Alligator

Featured Toy: Melissa & Doug ABC Puzzles

Teaching your little ones their ABC's just got easier with the added help of Melissa & Doug's ABC Puzzles.

The Jumbo ABC Chunky Puzzle has colourful pictures of animals painted on the back of the board that correspond to each letter of the alphabet. You can also use the thick wooden pieces to spell simple words such as CAT or DOG.

Another great puzzle to help your child learn their alphabet is the ABC Peg Puzzle, with pictures under each piece and small pegs to make it easier for little ones to hold this puzzle is a big hit

Have fun teaching your toddler and preschooler their ABC's with the beautiful and colourful puzzles from Melissa and Doug.

Round and Round In Circles We Go

The newest addition to the fabulous line of puzzles from Melissa & Doug have arrived at BabyThoughts.ca. Brand new for 2007 are the Fresh Start Circular Floor Puzzles, there is Vehicle Fun, Farm Friends and Zoo Friends.

The puzzles have 12 large, bright and colourful pieces that are the right size for little hands to play with along with a fun and interactive story that children will love.

Though the puzzles are for children ages 2 years +, younger children will love the colourful pictures of all their favourite animals, and parents can sing along to the Old MacDonald song, or introduce them to their favourite jungle friends. For older children these are a great introduction to the more challenging jigsaw puzzles.

Puzzles are not only entertaining, but are also great for children's cognitive development. They assist in strengthening their problem solving skills, their vocabulary as well as encouraging independent play.

Stop by BabyThoughts.ca to see all three!

What's in a Gift

I have had a number of friends ask me lately what toy I would recommend to give as a gift to a newborn. Now, though receiving blankets, bottles, clothing and other newborn gifts are very useful, a beautiful toy that can stimulate baby and help her develop but it can also go a long way. Personally I find that any of the Whoozit Baby toys make great gifts, though they are not the newest toy on the block they are timeless and baby-approved.

Whether you give the classic Whoozit, the Baby Whoozit, or the the Starz Lights and Sounds Whoozit there is no doubt that the child will play with it for a very long time. My daughter Isabel received a Whoozit as a gift and has played with it since she was just a few weeks old. It is very interesting how she is always discovering new ways to play with it.

Other toys that are beautifully crafted and make great gifts, are the grasping toys made by both Haba and Melissa and Doug. Both these brands make such quality toys that they will be enjoyed by future generations. The Clutching Toy Bonita by Haba is a stunning toy, it has four flowers and each flower has something interesting and special, from a mirror, to a bell, to a shiny jewel.

All the grasping toys by Melissa and Doug are fun and vibrant, be it the Monkey Face, Froggie Face, Wiggling Worm or the Friendly Fish. The primary colours found in each of these toys will certainly attract any little one's interest.

Another great tip that I give my friends is that newborns will not be newborns for long, for this reason it is also a good idea to look at the toys that are for older babies, such as the stacking toys, or the pull and push toys. Parents will really appreciate this because they now have something to take out when their little one is 6 months or older.

Whatever toy you choose, there is no doubt that the child will love it.