Tina and Esme gift ideas
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This is a list of gift ideas for Tina and Esme for Xmas and birthdays for 2020-2023.
We are trying to build Tina and Esme an open ended toy collection, these will be used for play and also paired with Montessori education activities from about age 1.5-5. Which will be conducted at home as we are not sending them to a daycare preschool. This list also includes fun outdoor toys to encourage motor skills and physical activity. There is nothing the girls are in need of right now as there is very little kids below 1.5 years old need that they didn’t already have from being newborns or has been acquired secondhand already.
Stelle and I have already started making some of our own creations of wooden toys and puzzles for the girls but we are still learning so there are items that are either not worth building from scratch (cost of new being so cheap) or are difficult for us to construct as they require tools or resources we don’t own. There are simple items that cost very little to make or purchase and then there are also big ticket investment items on this list.
The items on this list will get countless play and are different to the unimaginative plastic crap with lights and sounds stocked by the major toy stores that will end up broken and discarded in no time. We want every toy we bring in to our home to have multiple ways to play, no item does just one thing. This list is comprehensive and represents the toys that are appropriate for at least the next four years with alot of these toys being able to be enjoyed by both kids and adults. As well as them being key ingredients for Montessori learning activities.
Lots of these toys can be used from now until teen very easily as how you play with them just changes over time. In the beginning babies will be mostly watching us play with them and we will be guiding their play like building a structure and knocking it down together, banging some instruments, etc. As they develop their motor skills they can become more involved and then can enjoy unsupervised independent play at around 1.5-3 years old depending on size of pieces with each toy.
Why have we chosen lots of wooden toys? For a number of reasons:
1. They last for ages against toddlers who will shake and drop toys
2. They look good on display and therefore entice more play as they don’t need to be packed away, they can be displayed on our toy shelves
3. They retain their value for resale and/or handing down to other children
4. They are more eco friendly than plastic due to durability and production processes
5. They are heavier so construction play is far easier for clumsy fingers with wooden pieces.
These gift ideas can be easily sourced online or in person through various quality toy stores, secondhand markets or eBay. They can also be handmade if you’re the crafty type with materials found easily at Spotlight and Bunnings. Unless specified the brand does not matter just look for quality to ensure they last for generations. Does not matter if new, secondhand or hand made with love.
If you wish to gift something not on the list please do not purchase soft toys or plastic toys, we have more than we need and there’s even more available for free on secondhand marketplaces as they have no resale value.
We do not require clothes for the girls as we already have loads of secondhand clothes up to and including size 2 and are now the last chain in a chain of hand me downs from a local friend that will supply us with sizes from 3+. But if you wish to gift us clothing and want it to be a matching outfit please get a size apart as Esme and Tina are not the same size. But we prefer hand made or secondhand as they will be used for so little time and get thrashed with paint, mud, sand, food and general toddler mess.
Another welcome option is craft supplies like crayons, paints, crafting ideas books, felt, glue, scissors, tracing paper, chalk, stencils, coloured pencils, ribbons, etc.
Montessori learn to dress busy board or book
Teaches life skills on how to dress self by doing shoelaces, buttons, clips, belts, Velcro, zips, etc. Also fantastic to keep hands busy when waiting for appointments or bored in car.
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Chunky wooden puzzles
Big pieces for clumsy fingers, more complex ones have interlocking pieces. Pieces can also be used as blocks in imaginative play and construction.
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Wooden peg puzzles
Practicing the pincher grip to put pieces in place.
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Wooden tangram puzzle
Shape and colour recognition learning, 100s of pictures to create
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Connetix brand magnetic tiles box of 100
This brand is the best brand from the reviews I've seen. The knockoffs either scratch easily, magnets come off easily or the magnets aren't strong enough to build tall complex structures so kids get frustrated and stop playing with them. Investment for life as they are played with for a long time and often accompany LEGO building. Retain value as often sold out, highly sort after item but an investment piece to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Great to use with a lightbox as well. This brand is also due to release a marble run that is compatible with the tiles which should be awesome!
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Translucent stacking blocks
Construction and imagination play, Blocks we haven't been able to create ourselves as we don't have resin. They can be used as windows, viewing pieces, etc. To be added to our homemade collection. These are fantastic to be used with a lightbox as well.
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Kaleidoscopes
Do not have to be wooden just sturdy enough to handle toddlers that may throw them on ground. Teaches about patterns, colours and movement.
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Rainmaker toy
Any material just need to be sturdy enough to handle being dropped on ground. Fun to look at, fun to roll and also musical.
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Learning time clock
Teaches how to tell the time this one is particularly good as it shows you right down to the minute so can be referred to throughout the day easily without having to wait for hands to be on a definitive number. Also good as this one can be used manually in teaching settings or as a real clock that sits on wall that kids can refer to during the day to know what activities are coming up eg. When lunch will be held, when they need to be ready for a lesson, etc.
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Playsilks
These can be dyed chiffon, muslin or real silk. They get used for all sorts of things in imaginative play like flags, wraps for baby dolls, capes and dress ups, part of fort building, landscapes for animal figurines and building with blocks, etc. Adult silky scarves also work just as well. They also make for fantastic wrapping for your gift. If making yourself make sure you use food grade dyes eg. RIT as these items may end up in little ones mouths.
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Wooden balance board
Teaches balance but can also be used for yoga, as a rocking seat and in open ended play as a ramp, bridge, tunnel, slide, etc. Often referred to as a kinderboard or wobble board. Do not buy the Kmart one it only holds 70kg and lots of reviews of it warping. The better brands like kinderfeets hold up to 200kg so it means adults can enjoy the fun or even two kids at a time. An investment piece to last into teen years.
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Wooden tracing letters and tray
Teach toddler to write without having to use paper. Can also be used to make first words. Example shown here. The wooden pen can also be used with a sand tray to practice drawing letters and numbers.
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Water play table and accessories
Play with water by pouring, floating and squirting. This is an outdoor toy.
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Obscure Wooden instruments
They already have two xylophones, plenty of pots and pans and empty formula tins for drums, tambourine, maracas, castanets and bells all secondhand. So think pan pipes, wooden drum sticks, kazoo, aboriginal clapping sticks, recorder, etc. Lots of music to be made!
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Rubber wooden stamps
These can be used for ink or Play-Doh stamping so will grow with the kid from simple Play-Doh creations to making their own greeting cards, etc. Can also be used to stamp images onto cookies.
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Pipettes
Originally used for water and coloured water with toddlers learning how to transfer liquids then when older can be used to make potions and science experiments
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Magnet or magnetic wand
Teaches about magnetism and metals can be used in science experiments as well when older. Great for sensory play whilst young.
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Globe
To teach geography and about the world. Can be paired with animals, flashcards, foods, music, etc. Please make sure the globe is up to date with current names of countries eg. People's republic of China
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Magnifying glasses
Used to explore world around them including insects, grains of sand, leaves, household objects and foods, etc.
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Binoculars
Used to look at objects far away such as wildlife and birds. Also used in imaginative play and dress ups. Get a pair that will last years and not be deemed too kiddy for a young teen this way they will last into adulthood and be used for things such as whale watching and bird watching.
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Hula hoops
For general hula hooping and then also used for activities outdoors like throwing bean bags into them, sorting objects, imaginative play, etc.
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Bean bags
Used for learning catching, throwing into hula hoop goals, balancing on heads, juggling, hopscotch, etc.
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Metal cookie cutters
Durable and dishwasher friendly can be used in kitchen or for Play-Doh. Prefer metal in case girls want to use them outside so dogs don't chew them like they would with plastic ones. Already got lots of Xmas shapes from Helen secondhand.
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Kids wooden gardening tools
Already have small hand tools they can use but no big tools that are kid size like rake, shovel, gloves and watering can.
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Building set with drill
Can mimic mumma and build their own creations practicing with child friendly versions of drill and screws before they are proficient enough to progress to real tools.
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Art smocks X 2
To be used for art, sensory play and messy science experiments
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Kids cooking apron and mitt X 2
To be used in kitchen they will be very much involved in cooking as we have learning towers to accommodate them to be able to prepare food at bench height
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Ookkie pro trainer skateboard
Teaches balance and useful to take toddler along for walks on when they don't want to walk, go in pram or use their bike. A learning skateboard for ages 2+. Mummies can push or pull toddler around whilst they balance, then as they age handle can come off and they can start pushing themselves around whilst still having security of the kid handle for balancing themselves. Then once confident converts to traditional skateboard as kid handle removes.
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Kids helmets X 2
Kids helmets to be used for bike riding, skateboarding, roller blading.
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Kids protective pads X 2
Knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards to be used for skateboarding and roller blading.
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Toddler roller skates X 2
Can be used from about 2 years old depending on child's balance. Both mummies already have roller blades so can be a family activity. Helps with balance and coordination.
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Coloured wooden dominos
To be used for fine motor skills, construction and imaginative play. Can also be used for colour sorting in conjunction with flash cards or bowls. Can make all sorts of pictures and set ups with them when proficient. Fun for both kids and adults.
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Bike seat for babies X 1
Mummies already have bikes so just need seats that can attach so we can take them with us on adventures. Already got one for free off marketplace yay!
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Modifiable pikler
Used inside and outside, folds flat for storage. Teaches gross motor skills. Foxes and flamingos sell this one and has great reviews.
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Learning towers
Used primarily in kitchen to help with cooking, washing and preparing at benchtops. But can also be used in bathroom to brush teeth, etc.
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