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Toy sales have taken a strange turn during this new normal. I’ve certainly noticed the new pricing system for many of my favourite goods, including foods, clothing, and activity toys. Lots of things are on for better deals now, although my family has had to make some adjustments in how we shop, allowing us to be a little more thrifty. Here’s what we’ve noticed (or read):
- Activity toys and puzzle sales have skyrocketed since the closing of schools, and has really made my family happy to have more options and products available. We’ve been preparing for Kindergarten and it’s lovely to see more books, puzzle, and educational toys offered online.
- Used clothing and toy stores have closed, including my favourite Once Upon a Child. This has so far been the only negative we’ve noticed as it has made it a touch more difficult in getting quality items for low prices.
- Many clothing and toy stores are promoting large sales and more delivery options. We’ve been fortunate to find great deals on clothing (which is helpful as we are no longer able to purchase used) and complete curbside pickup at certain locations.
- The closing of many stores has caused a sharp decline in impulse buying, particularly for my family. We no longer see something we didn’t need and purchase small, inexpensive toys or clothing that really add up after a while.
- The new normal of purchasing and selection has really enabled me to complete adequate research on items and think about budget before spending. This is a huge benefit to us!
All of these observations have allowed us to save money and (in an obscure way) spend more time with our boys! Let me now share with you some of the great finds we’ve come across!
Kinetic Sand
Kinetic sand is an amazing alternative to Play-doh or slime. We’ve been a Play-doh family since the beginning and more recently were introduced to slime. Both of these are great messy toys but they sure do make a mess! Personally, I don’t mind the mess, but I don’t particularly like how short lasting these two options are by drying out so quick. Enter Kinetic sand! A soft, malleable sand that sticks together and doesn’t dry out! It’s also easier to clean off of clothes and the floor by being so sticky to itself. My boys use it primarily in their “baking” game where they make me delicious sand cookies. Coming in many cool colours and providing endless hours of fun, this was a winner in this home! You can find it on most online shopping browsers, but if you order from Mastermind Toys, the order came very quickly for us and they do curbside pickup! Find it here.
Globber 3 in 1 Scooter
The Globber 3 in 1 scooter is a super cool activity toy that has given my youngster a running start at keeping up with his big bro. It reminds me of a convertible carseat with its ability to turn from a ride-on toy to a scooter in two easy steps. My Polar Bear can sit on his seat while I maneuver to keep up with Grizzly Bear on his bike, or he can putter around on his own, practicing his footwork. A little extravagant but a great one for any little one! Find it here.
My First Dot-to-Dot Book and Paint by Stickers
Grizzly Bear is incredible at reading at writing, even for his young age, and Polar Bear is quickly mastering his numbers. They have always loved books and learning new things but there weren’t many books that they found just as enjoyable as educational. In preparing Grizzly Bear for Kindergarten and Polar Bear for Preschool, I’ve done my research and found a few greats in the many that are out there – and these are the two that really stuck out for all of us! My First Dot-to-Dot is an excellent connect-the-dots book for beginners and includes fun pictures and word-spelling. Paint by Stickers helps little ones master fine motor skills while creating pictures (and who doesn’t love stickers?). We work together and they complete the pictures by practicing counting, reading, and fine motor skills. It’s a remarkable thing to watch and be a part of! Find My First Dot-to-Dot here and Paint by Stickers here.
No Buckle Belts
An invention I didn’t know existing but am sure glad I stumbled across it! Grizzly Bear is a slender fella and has trouble keeping his trousers up. But an ordinary belt is a little tough for him during trips to the bathroom though… With Kindergarten coming up and knowing he wouldn’t have assistance in the washroom, I looked for an alternative and found these! They are so easy to put on and he can remove, put on, and adjust his pants with no trouble at all! Find packs of four here.
Watches and Calendars for Kids
Lastly, my parents have recently been teaching my boys about time – when mealtime is, when playtime is, and such for Grizzly Bear, and what “tomorrow” and “yesterday” means for Polar Bear. I joined in the fun by finding the perfect watch for Grizzly and an exciting calendar for Polar Bear. A Disney Marvel watch was exactly what I was looking for (and he LOVES it too). The hour and minute hands are labelled and it has two sets of chapter rings (a stopwatch built right in)! This all helps him learn to tell time, plus Spiderman is swinging into action on the watch face which really pumps up the learning. Find it here. As for Polar Bear, a visual representation to learning about the days of the week and when exactly Christmas is (haha) has helped him loads! He prefers dinosaurs so we went with this awe-inspiring (and eco-friendly) title here.
Fun Farewell!
I hope this little list of my recent family purchases help you and your little one enjoy your time at home! It certainly is fun to stumble across something new and help your little one learn along the way. If you have any new items that you’d like to leave a review for, send them my way – until then, see you next time!
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