Hi Everybody!
To start the New Year off I have decided I want to start a new series on Youtube sharing our favorites from that current month. I figured before I could do that, I should start by sharing our favorite products from the entire previous year. These are things that we purchased throughout the year that have stood the test of time with 2 rough boys and that were fun for the entire family. Most of these items are things I was able to find at the thrift store for a great deal but because they have become our favorites, we want to assure you that these things are indeed worth the money. Here are our favorite purchases from the year 2019!
DISCLAIMER: Any links below are affiliate links, meaning if you were to purchase anything from one of these links I would make a small commission. This has not affect on your purchase whatsoever, it just provides me with a bonus to help support my channel and blog.
I will first start with the toys that we have found this year. One of the most exciting finds from a thrift store were the Melissa & Doug Jumbo Cardboard Building Blocks.
I was lucky enough to find these at the local Goodwill for less than $5. I couldn't believe how cheap they were so I had to grab them. I always thought these were best used in a childcare setting and not in a home because of how bulky they can be. Luckily we had space in a storage ottoman in our living room that made it possible for us to keep these amazing blocks. My kids have been able to build so many creative structures with these blocks such as thrones, a pizza oven, a bridge, and castles.
Another type of building set we have been enjoying are K'nex. This is something my husband and I used to play with when we were children. We really enjoy the nostalgia we experience while helping the boys build their own creations.
The particular set we got came with an idea book that gives step-by-step instructions that even my 5 year old is able to follow. Since we bought a box for each boy that meant they didn't have to fight over the books or pieces. Another win for us!
The most exciting item I was able to find at the thrift store was the Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Kit. It can be quite expensive on Amazon which is why I never planned on buying it. But when I found it at the Salvation Army for only $4, there was no way I was leaving that behind. Best of all, it had all the pieces. It doesn't get any better than that.
Games have become a very important part of our after school play. The boys current favorite board game is The Game of Life.
I find it ironic that I always hated this game when I was a child and now it has become my kids favorite that they force me to play. Thankfully it has grown on me.
My favorite game to play with the boys is the travel game Gotrio. It is basically an advanced Tic-Tac-Toe. There are actually 3 different ways to win in this game requiring your full attention and strengthening cognitive thinking. The fact that everything is stored in its own travel case is just a bonus!
One thing I am constantly working on in my house is organizing. I am constantly changing and moving things around in the boys bedroom and play room. Thankfully the one area that I organized and has stayed that way since day 1 is our kids bookshelf.
I ordered these great magazine holders off of Amazon to help me categorize the books in different subjects. I love them because of the bright colors that we use in their playroom but they are also super sturdy. To finish them off, I also made special labels for each box with not only the category name but also a picture until the boys are able to read.
While we are on the subject of books, how about I share our favorite from this past year?
There was one book that not only we love but I know the entire world does as well. This book went viral when a grandmother was reading it to her grandchild and couldn't stop giggling while she was reading. I personally could watch that video over and over again. In case you haven't figured it out already, that book is called The Wonky Donkey. We especially love listening to the audio version from the author. So much fun!
Other favorite books are actually ones the kids got for Christmas this year. Our 7 year old struggles with reading, so we wanted to get him a pre-chapter book for Christmas. We picked Dog Man by Dav Pilker because it is technically a book split into chapters but it is setup comic book style. I think this is perfect for his current reading level.
For our 5 year old we picked the Disney Classics My First Bedtime Storybook. It has about 6 classic Disney stories that are extremely condensed and perfect for his age group. This is also a perfect book for all 3 books because my oldest can read it and then my baby girl can play with it as well since it has thick pages.
Lastly, for our new baby I bought Eric Carle's Book of Many Things. I am absolutely obsessed with Eric Carle and was so excited when I saw this book on sale for $5 at Target. This book is perfect for teaching your babies and toddlers basic vocabulary words in their different categories. I love seeing all the classic Eric Carle characters throughout the book.
Speaking of my baby girl, I also shared a couple of items that we loved for her. I had made a separate video showing our Top 5 Favorite Newborn Products, but I had a couple more that I wanted to share. Something that we use every single day is our Newborn Grooming Kit.
This is an item I put on our Amazon Baby registry when I was still pregnant and it was the one item I think I was the most excited about receiving. I think it is because I was having my first daughter and was finally going to be able to use the hair tools on my child. I was also very curious about the nasal aspirator that came with it. This kit seems fancier than most in stores and yet it was the same price and had the most useful products. We use and love everything that came inside. The final product that I am going to share with you is an item that was sent to me from the brand Keababies. This is a baby and toddler products brand that I really enjoyed working with. I asked to try their ring sling wrap carrier because I wasn't fully satisfied with my current wrap. The great thing about their wrap is that it can either be worn as a wrap or a ring sling. I loved the versatility of this product and that it provided options depending on my babies mood.
If you are interested in this product or anything else from their website they did provide me with a discount that will be good for the next 2 months. The discount code is KEA-PLAY20 for 20% off your entire order plus free US shipping.
So those were all of our favorite products from the year 2019. I found a lot of great items at the thrift store and some great deals in store. These products have brought joy to my children and made life easier for myself. I hope to get just as lucky this year and find more items for my kids and I to enjoy in the year 2020!
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