Parenting Toddlers

I have found the ultimate in toddler toys. I am seriously considering contracting myself out as a master toy finder person simply based on this one single purchase. It really is that good. Okay, now we’ve all heard of LeapFrog, right? Of course we have. This little frog strives to teach millions of kids something every time he opens his mouth. Now that’s what I call making something of yourself. “Let’s see, I could sit here in the pond growing mold on my rear, or I could make products that help the next generation develop verbal and motor skills that will eventually help create America’s first multi-lingual, basketball playing, R&B singing President.” Guess the rest of the frogs back at the pond are having some trouble measuring up. “Leap” Frog is easy to find. He’ll be the one living at the edge of the lake in a freeze-dried fly palace, with two hemi-powered lily pads parked out front.

In any case, the LeapStart Learning Table is quite possibly the best toddler entertainer I have ever had the pleasure of spending too much money on. You can find the table at BabiesRUs online here or at ToysRUs.com here

Now since I’m smart enough to realize you’re going to ask me what it does, I’ll tell you. The LeapStart helps with little ones just learning to pull up and cruise around as it has textured sides and rounded corners. It plays the alphabet, the numbers one through ten, and various nursery rhymes. All of it’s activities are instigated when your little genius does certain things (press a key, turn a hard plastic page, spin the rattle, etc.). The LeapStart Learning Table also teaches the colors, the concept of up and down, in and out, and many more. As a mother who has enjoyed numerous five-whole-minute breaks thanks to this little table, I can certainly give it a glowing recommendation! Now run along and learn something, won’t you??!!

1. Fisher Price Amazing Animals Sing & Go Choo-Choo Train

2. Playskool Mr. Potato Head Spud Buds

3. GeoTrax Working Town Train Railway Playset (more…)

The new favorite thing is to chase the cars around on the car rug. Well, this photo is the nice, mommy version of how these cars were meant to play. However, according to the little guy, they are meant to chase each other, fly around in the air, jump up and down, then CRASH into each other with a spectacular noise, yelling, a trip to the “hospital”, then hopping right back into the cars for more. Oh dear.

cars, photo, mommy

Lil’ Duck is currently obsessed with his Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set by Leapfrog. Thankfully if you set it on the low volume setting, it isn’t terribly annoying - he already picks out several letters by name and loves putting them on the magnetic base and dancing around to the letter song. They’re a little wider than regular letter magnets too, so they aren’t lost as easily under my fridge and stove, etc. As a nice side perk, they have yet to scratch my faux stainless steel appliances ;).

Lil’ Duck loves his Little People Garage lately - not only can the cars go up and down the “wramps�, but the Weebles, balls, and all the zoo animals can also participate (usually by being thrown down the elevator shaft, hmmmm). He cracks me up because he is always imitating the garage noises it makes - I like it because it isn’t too loud and annoying, plus there isn’t any tunes that get stuck in your head like many other toys.

It is an AWFUL pain to put this thing together, so if you get it, hide it and put it together away from the little one, the last thing you need is them “helping� to position the ramps, turn the screwdriver, eating your instructions, etc etc. - you can tell that I had help from the little one, right?

Anyway, we love it now that it is together, it makes for hours of entertainment and reminds me of a similar garage I had as a child - actually, I don’t even mind playing with it myself.