While raising a child in a modest (read: small) home on a modest (read: penny-pinching) budget, potential toy purchases are subject to an elaborate rubric developed through, well, necessity and basic common sense. Our little one is still too small to put in requests of her own, which will surely sway the system. But for now, toys are judged on four criteria: size, price, endurance and awesome. The breakdown follows.
Size—The area of our rapidly shrinking floor space or one precious closet this item would require be sacrificed in its name.
Price—How many spaghetti dinners this is going to set us back.
Endurance—How long this will last and how well it will evolve in play and learning value as the little one grows.
Awesome—The irrational, emotional, kid-in-a-candy-store excitement level it incites.
For the purpose of these recommendations, we will assume 1) this is real 2) this is helpful and 3) the scoring works as follows: Size is to be measured vaguely in, um, cubic cubits; price will be indicated by dollar signs with one $ representing 10 dollars; endurance will be rated fairly arbitrarily, in seconds, with 60 seconds being infinity; awesome will be measured in gasps.
The following toys are winners according to the system, with awesome being weighted slightly higher than usual considering the holidays offer a free pass for a bit of shameless indulgence.
Twig blocks: $$$$$, 3 cubits, 55 seconds, 8 gasps
This colorful set of 72 sustainable rubberwood blocks ($49.99) is stained with a spectrum of vivid, nontoxic water-based dyes, precision cut and carved to create a new classic in building-block realms, safe for little ones and enthralling even to adults. The pieces—cubes, cuboids and columns—slide and stack together for unbounded, abstract architectural play that refines small motor, problem-solving, and visual-spacial skills, encourages imaginative, complex and open-ended designs that look so darn cheerful you might end up using them for a centerpiece at your next dinner party.
Citiblocs: $$$$, 3 cubits, 60 seconds, 9 gasps
Quality blocks are the overall victors in the endurance category—infants love them, kids will buckle down for hours of building, and I challenge any adult to sit for three minutes in a pile of blocks without starting to stack. Another winner in the precision-cut blocks division comes from citiblocs. Available in sets of 50 to 1,000 pieces ($13 to $340) and in natural pine or hot or cool colors, the magic of these blocks is in their exact simplicity. Every block is exactly the same size and shape, designed at the ideal ratio to stack, balance and cantilever them into spectacular creations. Skyscrapers, serpents, trees, trains, trestles, DNA, silos taller than the builder—you can create them all (and anything else you can imagine) with citiblocs.
eeBoo Puzzle pairs: $, 2 cubits, 25 seconds, 7 gasps
These super-simple puzzles for the preschool set from eeBoo ($14.95) are wonderfully manageable for independent tykes, and their contemporary classic designs are sure to please kids and parents alike. An array of puzzles are available for different learning levels, but all combine good old-fashioned matching games and puzzles into a single, fun tool for learning language and math. In the simplest set, a letter “A” and an airplane connect into corresponding puzzle pairs; the flipside teaches numbers and counting. More complex concepts pair opposites, rhyming words and illustrated short sentences.
Knot so Fast: $$, 2 cubits, 35 seconds, 6 gasps
If gathering your family together for traditional board games is a challenge, maybe you’ll have luck with this tricky, twisting, knot tying race from ThinkFun ($19.99). Maybe being a sailor’s daughter warmed me to this game a little more than most, but the smart and simple concept seems like a classic in the making: Players race to tie the complex knots on each of 40 challenge cards. They won’t even notice it teaches spacial development and dexterity—or that next year they may be able to tie the Christmas tree to the roof while you sip hot chocolate.
Thumball: $, 1 cubit, 30 seconds, 6 gasps
Proving yet again that simple is often best when it comes to toy concepts, Thumball is quickly becoming a hit from cribs to corporate retreats. Available in 18 designs, the 4- to 6-inch, paneled balls ($10.99-$13.99) resemble a traditional soccer ball, except for one key detail. Each panel of a Thumball is emblazoned with a symbol, a letter, a story starter, action, question, etc. Players toss the ball and the catcher responds depending on what panel their thumb hits. You can play by yourself, with a friend, or with 20, invent your own creative rules, change them as you go, play for competition, study, to break the ice, learn your alphabet, shatter writer’s block or just have fun.
Music Box Kit: $, 1 cubit, 60 seconds, 9 gasps
For the aspiring musician in your life comes this DIY music box kit from Kikkerland Design ($12.95). The old-fashioned wonder works like a nickelodeon, spinning music from punched paper strips. A number of songs are available prepunched, but what makes this tiny treasure particularly delightful is that it comes with three blank scores (printed with a treble clef and barlines) and a tiny punch to create your own tunes. Write your own, punch willy-nilly, or map out a few measures from the Flaming Lips or Yo Gabba Gabba. More blank strips are available for purchase separately ($5 for a five-pack). Note: While this may be cast aside after the last sheet is punched by some, it easily has 60-second, heirloom potential for the right kiddo (also, I want one).
The Magical Amazing Robot: $$, 2 cubits, 50 seconds, 10 gasps
This is officially one of the coolest toys ever. Ever. We unearthed a real old-fashioned 1950s one a while ago, but thanks to Perishpere & Trylon—a Los Angeles-based toy company named for iconic symbols of the 1939 World’s Fair—a retro version is now available for ($19.95). Did I mention this is awesome? The old-time novelty combines trivia, fortune telling, a touch of science, vintage graphics—and a magic robot—into an amazing game that “fascinates and educates.” (It really does!) Just place the robot on the question circle and turn him until his pointer is on the question you want to ask, then move him to the answer circle and ZIP! Like magic he will spin around and point to the correct answer. The board comes with 128 questions and corresponding answers on 5 double-sided trivia sheets. With some savvy whiteout usage and a scanner or photocopier you can create unlimited blank sheets and puzzle out your own questions and answers. Seriously. It’s a magic robot that teaches obscure trivia. A magic robot. 10 gasps guaranteed, plus a smile every time you see it on the shelf.
—Kathryn Geurin
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