Category: Activity

The Furry Friend App was introduced to me through our Early Intervention team that works with our twins on language development and fine motor skills.

They have started working with the girls on the iPad using various applications that require them to interact with characters, using their voices as well as their hands to make certain actions happen – all in an effort to further develop their vocabulary and fine motor skills.

The Furry Friend App does just that. Read more…

When my son was learning his alphabet, one of his favorite toys was the LeapFrog Fridge Phonics system. This is an updated version of those simple magnetic letters you probably had on your fridge when you were a child.

The Fridge Phonics system plays a song for each letter to help your child learn the alphabet and what sound each letter makes. This is a vital skill for learning how to read.

Although they’ve changed the look of this toy over the past few years, I imagine it’s just as durable as the LeapFrog products have been in the past. Our Fridge Phonics system ended up being dropped several times, but it still functioned perfectly. Unlike many toys, it did not seem to drain the batteries very quickly either. Read more…

The Fisher-Price Doodle Pro is one of those classic toys that is often overlooked in favor of flashier modern alternatives. But, there’s a good reason you still see the Doodle Pro on the shelves after all these years. It’s a great toy!

It promotes creativity, it’s easy to use, and it’s made from sturdy material. My son received one as a toddler and still plays with it fairly regularly, almost five years later. Considering how many other toys we’ve gone through in the same time span, the Doodle Pro was a great bargain. Read more…

Legos may be the most iconic building toy, but they’re far from the only option for kids. Fisher-Price, for example, makes many excellent building sets through its Trio line. The Trio Hot Wheels Super Stunt Builder, retailing for $41, is one of the newer additions to the line. This set has approximately 90 pieces and is recommended for kids ages 3-8.

We don’t actually own the Trio Hot Wheels Super Stunt Builder, but I think this would be a great toy for any toddler or child in the lower elementary school grades who likes building and/or playing with cars. Read more…

As I’ve mentioned in several of my Smart Mom Picks posts, my son loves Legos and super heroes. We were thrilled when we first learned about the DC Super Heroes Lego line. I was especially pleased to hear that the line included a set with a Wonder Woman minifigure, since she’s my all time favorite superhero. Read more…

As major comic book fans, my husband and I enjoy purchasing superhero themed toys for our son. The lack of female superhero toys always bothered me, however. Even though I’m raising a boy, I’d like to see him grow up to believe that women can be brave, strong, and confident, just like Batman and Superman. So, I was thrilled when I noticed that Fisher-Price recently came out with a DC Super Friends Line that includes Wonder Woman and Batgirl. Read more…

Have you ever purchased a toy for your child that was really a gift for yourself? That’s essentially how we came to be the proud owners of the Crayola Rainbow Rake. I love drawing on the sidewalk with my son when it’s nice outside. I’m definitely a flowers and rainbows kind of girl, but I don’t always feel like getting down on my hands and knees to sketch out a scene.

With the Crayola Rainbow Rake, you simply drag the chalk across your driveway or sidewalk to make an instant rainbow. If you’re really talented, you can even write messages like “Happy Birthday!” or spell out your child’s name in giant rainbow colored letters. The Rainbow Rake lets both the young and the young at heart get in touch with their inner artist. Read more…

I’ve told you before how much I love Chasing Fireflies and how I would definitely shop there more often if I could afford it. I love their unique products, beautiful clothing for boys and girls, and I especially love their holiday and special events decor.

This year, I decided to order some Easter goodies from Chasing Fireflies because my sister is having a potluck brunch (check out my recipe for Amaretto Mimosas…I promise they’ll be a huge hit!) for our family and friends and we are having a big Easter egg hunt and other activities for the kids. So I figure it’s a good time to splurge on Chasing Fireflies Easter products. Read more…

I love Mr. Potato Head! Over the years, we’ve amassed a fairly large collection of Mr. Potato Head parts and pieces. If you don’t already have one, pick up a Mr. Potato Head Spud Bunny to add to your son or daughter’s Easter basket.

Mr. Potato Head toys are described as being appropriate for children ages 2 and up, although I’ve known picky ‘tweens who like to play with Mr. Potato Head and several parents like myself who like to keep Mr. Potato Head sets around purely for their nostalgic value. Read more…

When it comes to candy, I generally don’t make a fuss. My son eats candy on a fairly regular basis and I’ve got a major sweet tooth. But, something about giving him a giant bucket of sugary sweets for Easter doesn’t set well with me.

I’d rather he have a small treat every day than eat six pounds of chocolate in 24 hours. So, I’m always on the lookout for cute Easter basket fillers that are fun, practical alternative to candy. Crayola Easter eggs and chicks are one of my favorite items for this purpose. Read more…

I have told you before about my little one’s love of the iPad. My four year old son has more apps and games on my iPad than I do! I don’t mind allowing him to play with age-appropriate games that teach him about letters, numbers, colors and shapes, but sometimes he thinks those are boring. So when the folks over at Alien Buddies offered to have me try out their app, I said yes! Read more…

It’s no secret that the writers here at Smart Mom Picks love Melissa & Doug toys…we have written about them numerous times! And I want to share them with you once again: this time, the Melissa & Doug underwater floor puzzle. Read more…

My son, who is four years old, has just recently started asking lots of questions about dates. When is my birthday? How long until Halloween? Is it almost time for our vacation to the beach? Telling him he has to go to sleep 100 more times really doesn’t help him understand how far away those things still are.

He’s learning the days of the week in preschool right now, but they haven’t gotten to weeks or months yet. But I found something that will help him understand: KidzCalendars. Read more…

I’m pretty sure this happens to all moms, all the time: the kids want, need, must have a toy, so you break down and buy it. Two days later, they don’t want it anymore. Please tell me I’m not alone in this! That’s why I like the idea of this site I found called Toyconomy.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t buy every toy my kids ask for. But it irritates me to no end when they get toys, play with them for a few days, and then want another new one. This is the point that Toyconomy comes in. Toyconomy allows you to rent, that’s right RENT, toys for your kids! Read more…

Legos, although annoying to pick up, are a great educational toy for kids. They promote creativity and imaginative play without relying on batteries and fancy gizmos. They’re also great for working on hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills in developmentally delayed kids.

Lego does get criticized for being sexist, however, which is why the company is trying to appeal to young girls with its newer product offerings. One of these is the Duplo Creative Cakes play set. Read more…

My son, like most little boys, loves Hot Wheels. I, on the other hand, hate having 1,000 tiny cars in my house that seem to serve the primary purpose of making sure I trip on my way to the kitchen. The Hot Wheels Light Speeders, however, are cool enough that I had to make an exception to our “no more toy cars” policy.

With the Hot Wheels Light Speeders, you simply aim the beam of light at the desired part of the car until it’s the color you want. The color gradually fades away when exposed to normal light, so kids can “paint” the cars as many times as they want. Read more…