Pop On Pals

My son has a vivid imagination and loves to use it. He has collected ribbons and string from around the house and calls them his slippery snakes. He entertains himself with this stuff for hours! When Team Mom offered to send Pop On Pals for him to try out I was curious to see where his imagination would take him. Pop on Pals are small toys that have interchangeable rings so that the character can become a fireman, dancer, etc.

He has had a great time playing with the Amusement park play set. He uses the car for the roller coaster both on the play set and on any hard surface that he can roll hit. He also really likes the dragon ride. He hasn't gotten the knack of the ferris wheel yet but that is my favorite part of the playset. 

The only thing that is missing with the playset is another pal. With two pals we'd  be able to utilize the ferris wheel more effectively - you place a pal in a lever and push to make the wheel move so it'd be nice to see another pal riding the ferris wheel at the same time. Otherwise, we are happy with the toys. I'd actually like to purchase some of the vehicles that are available because I am sure that he'd love playing with them.

Disclosure: We were sent the Pop on Pals amusement park playset for review purposes and all opinions are 100% our own.

Boon Oval Animal Toy

I have been a long time fan of Boon products so when I was contacted to do a review by All Modern Baby, a dependable source of children’s furniture that carries top brands such as Bugaboo, Stokke, Maclaren and Boon I immediately said yes! I choose to review the Green Boon Oval Animal Toy. The color is perfectly coordinated with my son's nursery and I love that it serves dual purposes. It is booth a holder for stuffed animals and a soft fuzzy chair/toy for my son. I am showing the photo from the website so that you can appreciate the toy at full capacity. Although my son has a ton of toys, we haven't quite filled up the bag.

I love the fact that I can use it for storage, especially since my mother was storing the toys in his bed. Although I try to keep toys clean, they do collect dust and it is better that they are not in my son's sleeping environment. The oval is a great way to store toys, keep the dust down and my son enjoys playing on it too. If you are looking for a dual purpose storage solution for stuffed animals, I think the Boon Oval Animal Toy is the way to go.

Holgate Blocks

My son is at the age when everything is fascinating. When I least expect it he surprises me with the things that he says or does. I know that he is at the age when he understands much more than he is able to verbalize - we are similar that way, I understand several foreign languages but am not able to speak them well. One of things that I work on with him is improving his vocabulary by reading to him, showing him letters and even letting him watch some educational tv.

When choosing toys for him I also focus on educational value. I look for things that will help him with vocabulary and motor skill development. And because of the numerous toy recalls I keep my eyes peeled for toys that are not made in China and/or from plastic.

Holgate Blocks are exactly the type of toy that I look for. These blocks are made in America and are wooden from a renewable source. In addition to being able to build towers or structures with the blocks, each one has numbers, letters and animals on it. While we build or tear down structures I point to the blocks and work with Mekhi to identify the symbol or animal. He has great fun and I am content in knowing that he is learning through play. The picture above truly captures his delight with the blocks. Even when playing alone he will build towers, knock them down, throw the blocks (not far) and put them pack in their package.

I highly recommend this toy. It reminds me of toys of yesteryear that did not have all the bells and whistles. Simple learning toys that require your child to use their imagination. If your child is from one to three I think she will enjoy learning and playing with the blocks as much as Mekhi does. Stop by Holgate Blocks and add this fun toy to your holiday list today!