Santa really knocked it out of the park this Christmas with Master D's present. With the help of my mom, Google Goddess [friends call her "The Seeker"], he found the perfect solution for a tricky toy issue we've been having at Nana's house. Master D loves the wooden marble racer my brothers and I played with when we were little, but while he enjoys it I spend the whole time holding my breath, sure that he will pop one of the little marbles in his mouth and we will become a cautionary tale about choking hazards.
Happily, a German toy company makes a new, toddler-friendly alternative to the marble racer that has stolen Master D's heart. It's called a Multi-Race Run, a series of inclined tracks that toys run down. Master D loves to place the special panda, boat, car, men, balls and circles on the top and watch them roll down, some swaying and wiggling along the way. Maybe it's the process, or the mystery of why some go faster than others and sometimes get caught if he puts too many on at the same time, but he watches with a combination of joy and fascination that few toys can bring.
I pass this along because I have been frustrated by feeling that the world of toys was somewhat limited and lacking in imagination and quality, and I'm always looking for ways to keep Master D's mind off of "Yo Gabba Gabba!" Have you savvy mamas found any other special toddler tools or masters' favorites that you can share with the rest of us?
What a great find by The Seeker. Master R would love that too. I'm taking your lead and have found a train set table like Master D's for Master R's 2nd birthday next month. He got a wooden train for Christmas and could not contain his excitment. I can't wait to see his face when he sees the whole table.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting MamaG- what an amazing toy.
ReplyDeleteWe found a lot of great wooden toys that were loved in Argentina. Aidan loves a wooden train he can push around as well as a wooden plane.
I found a cute little city that we are going to give him for his b-day to put on a train table.
http://www.arbolejuguetes.com.ar/arbolesite.htm
Another toy we bought- but will put aside until Aidan is 4- is a set you cann set up w/marbles in different circuits- it doesn't look as cool in the description.
http://www.maderitas.com/home.php
(type in Circuito de bolitas)
These sites have a lot of cool toys on there (but of course it wouldn't be worth shipping to the US). Why is it you can't get nice quality toys easily here!
Very cool toys Mamas. Santa brought Luca a train table for Christmas and it was a big hit!!
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