the first (and maybe only) Laundry for Six holiday gift guide!

As you might imagine, we've been through a lot of toys in this house. Some of them went to the trash in less than a week. Others, I'll be saving for my grandchildren. And most of them fall somewhere in between. I thought I'd share some of my favorites. But first, let me tell you my rules for a good toy.

Rule 1
No batteries is best, no EXPENSIVE batteries is a must. I will not be loading size D batteries in a kid's toy.

Rule 2
Nothing with a bazillion pieces. And if there are more than 20 pieces, you need to be able to lose a piece or two and still be able to play with the toy. If every piece is essential, it won't last 2 hours in our house. (Puzzles are an exception.)

Rule 3
I hate toys that you put together in one particular way and that's the only way you can use it. That usually means that I'm the one who has to put it together, which defeats the whole purpose. I'll get to Legos in a bit, but I like Legos much better after the thing you are supposed to make (house, Star Wars ship, whatever) has fallen apart and they use the blocks to build something of their own creation.

Rule 4
Wood is almost always better than plastic.

Rule 5
I'm not usually a consumer of high-end anything, but some toys are worth the extra money. Most of these are on the pricier end, but I only included the ones that were totally worth it.

And before I get started, this post is not sponsored by anyone. These are actual toys that we own and love. None of the manufacturers have contacted me nor have I contacted them. No money has been exchanged and no one was injured in the writing of this post. Several of the toys I've listed are from Hearth Song because I love their stuff and the toys are well-made.



Barbarossa Pirate Ship and Papo Pirates




This wooden ship is sturdy and well-made. The pirates are resin and incredibly detailed and realistic. (Something to consider if you have a kid who scares easily.) My kids have spent hours playing with various pirate sets (including Playmobil ones which I also like, but have lots and lots of tiny pieces) and these are my favorites. I'll be hanging on to these for the grandkids.

Kelly dolls



Kelly is Barbie's younger sister. These dolls are so much nicer than Barbies. They are the perfect size to tuck in a kid-sized purse, their clothes are much easier to put on and there are no freakish anatomical measurements. They usually come in sets of several dolls with a few accessories.

Foam Tile Activity Mat



They don't make the exact one we have anymore, but this mat is similar. (Some other brands make noise. Beware. I don't know about your kids, but mine already make plenty of noise.) The tiles are foam and can be put together several different ways. (See Rule 3.) My kids spend hours with this mat, adding Hot Wheels to the road, airplanes to the airport, Fisher Price Little People, pirates and Kellys for the people. It has a school, playground, farm and lake. It's soft, portable (comes in a zipper case) and encourages lots of imaginative play.

Wooden train set



We started with the Thomas set and mostly kept to that brand. But Brio trains and tracks are similar quality and are compatible with the Thomas wooden tracks. We have thousands of dollars invested in tracks and trains, but they are worth every single penny. My kids have spent hours playing with these.

These days, the older kids design the track layouts and the younger kids play with it. We don't have a train table, so we have to set it up on the floor (and while I'd love the space for a table, it definitely limits how big of a track you can make). I hate tripping over things, but I'd trip over this 100 times a day because I love it so much. My girls and boys alike have enjoyed this toy. (I will caution you about getting cheaper track pieces - we got some at Costco a few years back and they were not worth it. The pieces didn't line up quite right, the trains were not as sturdy and the connector parts on the tracks were a plastic peg which was easy to pull out - totally chokeable at worst, totally annoying at best. I know IKEA has a wooden train set and I haven't tried it, so I can't comment on those. Melissa & Doug too, I think. Anyone tried them?)

Blocks

We probably have a dozen different sets of blocks. You can't go wrong with blocks and you can't have too many. (At least in my house.) I have a few sets that I really love.

Castle blocks




These blocks are pricey, but worth every penny. They are handmade in the USA from scrap lumber and have intricate details. And if you sign up for the email newsletter, there are often sales and specials. My kids have been inspired to make some amazing things with them.

Dominos



I think we have 4 sets of Dominos (and use them all), but I keep these colored ones with the blocks and they get used for building.

Architectural Blocks




This isn't the exact set we have, but these unusual shapes and building parts make for some very intricate structures and hours of playing time.

Legos



More building!

You either love Legos or hate them. We love them. Yes, there are tiny pieces and yes, they REALLY hurt when you step on them, but they can keep my kids busy for HOURS doing creative things. Most Legos come in a set where you follow a complicated set of instructions to build a specific thing. Younger kids can't possibly put it together by themselves. And once you have invested hours in building it, you don't want ANYONE TO TOUCH IT. And eventually, it gets knocked over and breaks apart and there are TEARS! and DRAMA! But never fear - for THEN, the fun is just beginning.

Throw away the instruction book and toss all the Legos in a giant bin and let them have at it.

Or skip all the drama and buy a set that isn't meant to go together in any specific way. (Again with Rule 3.) Search for "Lego Building Set" on Amazon and you will get some of these. They usually come in plastic bins, not boxes, like the picture above.

I will say that my boys play with these much more than my girls, but I think even an all-girl house should have at least one set of Legos. (They have ones that come in more girly colors if that's an issue.)

If your kids aren't old enough for Legos or you have a baby that puts everything in his mouth, we also love Duplos and still play with them frequently.

Marble Race



Another building toy, but this one requires some strategy. We've had plastic and wood. Wood is definitely better.

Corolle dolls



We have a LOT of baby dolls. My favorites are Corolle dolls. They have beanbag bodies, which makes them feel more solid. Their faces have beautiful detail. The clothes are adorable. They come with attached pacifiers. And some of them are even scented.

Stunt Psycho Remote Control Car



Don't be scared by the name - this remote control car is AMAZING. It can drive over any terrain - rocks, ivy, tall grass and even goes up and down curbs. When it hits something it can't get past, it flips over and goes in the opposite direction.

We have had lots of remote control vehicles over the years... this one is the BOMB.

Play Kitchen



Of all the toys we've bought, we've probably gotten the most use out of our play kitchen. When I first bought it, I was a completely unsophisticated toy consumer. I bought the biggest, plasticist (I made that up) one I could find. It's fine, but if I was shopping today, I'd buy something with a little more style. And smaller. Something like the one above. We've added play grills over the years, plates and utensils and even a McDonalds cash register.

My kids have set up countless restaurants - McDonalds, The Krusty Krab, IHOP and a fancy French bistro.

Keep lots of props on hand. Aprons, a kid-size table and chairs. A chalkboard for a menu. Tiny placemats and napkins. Anything to keep that spark of imagination going.

As far as food, in most cases, I'd say plastic wins over wood in this case. Plastic food is more realistic looking. I like food that is similar in size to real food. (Some is teeny tiny.) I also HATE the food that you can cut in half and sticks together with velcro. I am the only one who EVER put the food back together. The only velcro food I can recommend is this pizza, which is awesome.



My Fairy Princess Palace Pop-Up Book





This book is a work of art. It opens up and ties to stay open and becomes a multi-level palace with it's own paper doll fairies. It's completely portable as it folds right back down into a book. It IS fragile. This is not for young toddlers. My 5-year old has been playing with it for over a year and is enchanted with it. (If you look at the bottom of the Amazon page I linked, there are other titles also. We also have Fairy Winter Wonderland and Santa is bringing My Fairy Funfair this year.)

Puzzle Blocks



We have several sets of puzzle blocks, including one that was Laundry Dad's when he was a kid. One of our sets is in a plastic suitcase-type carrier and it is a great toy to take to church or a restaurant. It's 6 puzzles in one, and once you are done with the puzzles, you can build a block tower too.

Modern Pattern Coloring Books



These coloring books are a wonderful gift for older kids. My kids sit for hours creating amazing works of art. The pages are made of vellum, so they are perfect for hanging in windows for your own personal stained glass effect. (I'll be honest, I love coloring in them too.) You can also buy them as a set with a box of fine-tip markers. I give the sets as birthday party gifts.

Klutz books



Klutz is another brand I love. They have a large selection of kit books for making a craft or learning a skill, like Friendship Bracelets or Fashion Design. My favorite Klutz books though are the ones we take on car rides and are full of puzzles, mazes, jokes and dot to dots.

Happy shopping! Feel free to post your favorite toys down in the comments below.