Works For Me: Toys Worth Buying (Subtitled: I DO NOT WANT ANY MORE JUNK IN MY HOUSE)

Hey, I have an idea!  Let's talk about something that has absolutely, positively NOTHING to do with politics!  You in?

I am so excited about today's themed edition of Works-For-Me Wednesday.  I hope you're planning to chime in--I'm counting on your good ideas.

I suspect that you, like me, have had the experience of giving your children gifts that end up in the back of a closet, attic or garage after a few short weeks.  Some toys just resonate with children, others (most, actually, I think) don't.  This year, especially, I don't have the time or budget for accumulating junk.  (Nor do I have the closet space.)

So, for this edition, I'm planning to share some time-tested toys our family has loved--the toys that I think are actually worth buying.  I hope you'll share your list, too.  You might consider listing the ages you think suit each toy best.  Feel free to provide specific product links and brand names, or be more general in your recommendations. 

Here is my family's list (and, just so you know, I did not receive any free products or compensation in exchange for these recommendations.  Just the goodness of my own heart, girls):

Thomas the Train (ages 1 and up).  These are not cheap toys.  But they stand the test of time (particularly the brand name; the generic train sets don't quite measure up, though they're still good toys).  We have a huge Thomas set and (shhh...don't tell) when I get it out for my daughter, her older brothers will sometimes drift into the room to "help" her.   

Magnetix (ages 4 and up).  We're big fans of building toys around here.  Of course, Legos have always been a favorite, but Magnetix is an excellent toy, too.  You have to be careful with the tiny pieces around little kids, but for the big kids, this has been a huge hit.

Elefun (ages 2-5).  This is a fun little toy that has been a favorite of every one of my preschoolers.  It's simple and active--especially good for cooped-up cold days inside.   

Wii (ages 5 and up).  We've had other gaming systems; the Wii is my hands-down favorite.  Of course, parents always have to apply some common-sense limits to video-game time, but the Wii is so much more interactive than the others.  It's actually been a source of fun family time. 

Aquadoodle (ages 1-5).  My kids have always loved drawing toys, but sometimes they can get gunky and worn out easily.  I bought a travel-sized Aquadoodle for my daughter this fall, and I am in love with this toy.  It's more compact than a Magnadoodle (great for the car), and--best of all--the "ink" is simply water.  Easy to refill, and if it spills?  It's just water.  I love it so much that I'm thinking about getting Corrie the full-sized version for Christmas.

Shut-the-Box (ages 5 and up).  My grandparents had this game in their house when I was growing up; last year I looked all around to find one for my family.  It's simple and fast, and it builds budding math skills.  We have some violently competive Shut-the-Box tournaments in this family.

Blokus (ages 5 and up).  I love this game because it is cerebral and challenging.  My kids love this game because they can beat me, EVERY time.

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I can't wait to hear your recommendations; please leave your link below.  First timers, check out the guidelines here.  Please note that the links will close at 8 pm CST tonight, in order to keep away the spammers! 

Was your link deleted?  Click here.

1. Audra Krell (Best Toy) 2. The Well-Rounded Woman (We vote for Star Wars!) 3. Cindy (frugal toy for boys) 4. The Diaper Diaries (MY toy wish list) 5. Mammarino - (Imagination!!) 6. Happy To Be At Home (go fish) 7. What About Mom (Thrift Stores/Dance Class) 8. We are THAT family (best gift *giveaway!) 9. Mother Hen (hop to it) 10. Shalee the rebel (Origami Christmas Wreaths - great craft for the non-crafty and 11. The Apron Queen (Mommy & Me Matching Aprons) 12. Green Baby Guide (Affordable Play Kitchen) 13. Amy @ Finer Things (A Horse, of course) 14. Queen mother blog (DOG toys worth buying! (&giveaway!) 15. The Happy Housewife (time tested toys) 16. Kathy ~ Bona Vita (PlayMobil) 17. Homemaker Barbi (Best Homemaker Toys) 18. Lynne(Big Toys for Big Boys and Girls) 19. A Simple Walk (the best I can come up with) 20. kcjayhawk (our fav toys) 21. Kimberly/Mom in the City 22. Tonya (IPODS) 23. Memarie Lane (The Best Toys) 24. Kristin (oldie but goodie) 25. AmWi: Mancala 26. Muse Reviews (lots of recommendations) 27. Amy Andrews (15 picks!) 28. Kim @ Beanish & Other Languages I\'m Learning - Cariboo 29. Steph at Red Clay Diaries (Wii for Video Game Haters) 30. My Precious Pennies [Lifesaving Baby Toy!] 31. Erin (Fav Toys) 32. Havin\' Fun Yet? (BOY toys) 33. KimC (big family toys) 34. Real Life (Bella Sara online game cards) 35. Totallyscrappy (Boy favorites that girls will like, too) 36. Buzzings of a Queen Bee! (Unique Baby Gift) 37. Extreme House Wifeing 38. Lisa @ As Thyme Goes Buy 39. Many Little Blessings (Toys for Boys and Girls ages 3 - 10) 40. Robin@Heart of Wisdom (Learn to Knit w Internet) 41. Kansas Mom (infant & toddler) 42. Karen of Sillymonkeez (Toys for Boys & Girls 1-5) 43. Walking Frugally (Keeping it Classic) 44. Emily @ Little Home (dolls) 45. Holly (Toys That Take Imagination) 46. Christmas at our house 47. The Messy Mom (toy that helps at bedtime)) 48. Smithfam(Our Fav Toys/Gifts) 49. Judy (ZOOB!) 50. SarahLCC (Cthulhu) 51. Happy to be at Home (Go Fish…but better) 52. Dandelion Dayz(our faves) 53. Free 2 Be Frugal (classics!) 54. Lisa(Sandra Boynton books) 55. Christine (toys that aren\'t so terribly crappy) 56. Loving Mom 2 Boys (Around We Go) 57. Amy (10 for age 2-4) 58. fern (best toy ever) 59. Kathryn @ Expectant Hearts (Little People) 60. The Early Interventionist\'s Toy Bag (ages 0-3) 61. Domestic Spaz (what toys?) 62. Reading Rosie (Boy Toy Joy) 63. Carolina Mama 64. Carrie (no batteries) 65. MemeGRL (mostly for boys) 66. Just a little bit of... 67. avtcoach 68. mombrud (hyper racetrack) 69. Early Interventionist Recommendations for Toddler Learning Toys! 70. Mommaroo2 (Boys\' Toys) 71. Tara@Not So Perfect(marble game) 72. Michelle@SavingSomeGreen (Faves for kiddos) 73. se7en (se7en of the best) 74. flexible dreams (ages 2 and 4) 75. Shannon @ Skizzle\'s Corner (saving money on kleenex) 76. Kristine (Fisher Price Little People) 77. Lee (ages 0-3) 78. Smellyann 79. JanMary, N Ireland (toys we love in UK) 80. Amber@MMM (Quality, Wood Toys) 81. A Maui Blog (from ages 3 til 11 & free) 82. Leanne - Towers of Fun 83. Laura @ Bloggin\' Mama (Magna Doodle) 84. Fiddledeedee (Boy Toy!) 85. Mary Ann\'s House 86. The Glamorous Life Association 87. Megan @ Hold it Up to the Light (Computer Gadgets for Little Ones) 88. Carole (worthwhile toys for busy boys (and girls)) 89. Kim 90. Col @ gigablonde ("Insiders Secrets To Raising A Future Millionaire" ebook) 91. Three Bay B Chicks (GREAT Early Development Toys) 92. Edi (Encouraging Imagination) 93. Petersonclan (Inside, Outside, Boys and Girls!) 94. "Cents"able Momma (Best Train for Boys) 95. BusyMom (my approach to toys) 96. Raise Them Up (Ride On Toy(s)) 97. Counting Sprinkles (Crocodile Creek) 98. warillever (ages 1-6) 99. Sarah @ Say What (Boy tested mommy approved) 100. JessieLeigh(Busy Ball Popper- 0-3) 101. Chel (Leaving a Legacy) 102. Hadias (Making Bread Crumb) 103. Hadias (Clean Up Station) 104. Bailey\'s Leaf (Twin Time Dollhouse) 105. Miss Mommy- Toys We Love! 106. Sheila ~ To Love, Honor and Vacuum (quitting something cold turkey) 107. Camian Academy (The Good Toys) 108. Sherry (Less is More) 109. Lynn ( Favorite Kids Cookbook) 110. Sandra (1 & 3 yo boys) 111. The Gluten-Free Homemaker (toys for boys) 112. Traci @ The Sullivan Sitcom 113. Heather @LovingOurHomeschool (Ticket to Ride-great game!) 114. Holly (under 1) 115. Leaving Excess (Kids\' Book Rack) 116. Satchell (dryer balls) 117. Melanie (LEAPSTER!!!) 118. Tami (toys for 6) 119. Having Fun at Home (the best game!) 120. chilihead (Didj) 121. Karen @ Mommy, I\'m Home 122. Lorrie (Kid Foods with VEGGIES Snuck In) 123. HeresTheDiehl(Boys 1-6)

124. Delighted Mom (Blocks and Books) 125. Chief Family Officer 126. Jill (boys ages 2 and 4) 127. Mommin It Up (Talking Dollhouse) 128. Tami @ Muddlin Thru Motherhood 129. Lori (books, etc) 130. Having Fun at Home (a quick fun homemade toy) 131. Thoughtfulmom (Wedgits) 132. Milehimama (Cheap and Expensive Hits) 133. Kacie (Price adjustments) 134. Kim - Fischertechnik 135. Alesha (toys that can be passed down) 136. Superchikk (For Kids who love to push buttons) 137. Kris @ Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers 138. Tari - The Grass Widow\'s Diary (toys for wild boys) 139. Lisa@ElbowsOnOurTable 140. Everyday Beautiful (for infants) 141. Amy @ By His Grace (Great Toys for Boys) 142. This Girl\'s Life (Wooden Toys) 143. Tamara (Want/Need/Surprise Presents) 144. Katie (planning for TG) 145. Wildwood Mama (Barn of Endless Play) 146. Harmony (Homemade toys) 147. Angela (a sibling, the best toy ever!) 148. Amblin (5 great toys) 149. Kristin (recap -All Tips) 150. Michelle (games and wood toys) 151. MamaHen(Toys Worth Having) 152. Linds @ This Abode 153. Cassandra-Quality Puppets 154. Andrea (Paperdoll Game) 155. Grateful for Grace (Zoobs!) 156. Jennifer (Planning for baby and toys) 157. Kris @ NSQSA 158. Nichole @ A Call to Higher Places (Great Discounts on Entertainment) 159. mama2tlc (some cool etsy finds) 160. Suz (halloween clearance, other uses when you don\'t do "Halloween") 161. Jenna (11 great toys and books!) 162. The Apron Queen (Walkie Talkies) 163. Lamp Unto My Feet (older children toys) 164. The Apron Queen (Fun Camping Ideas) 165. Sonshine(some, one, all) 166. Michelle (Great Puzzles) 167. A Frugal Housewife (Infant to Toddler Toy) 168. Betsy (DIY gifts for kids -- fun for adults, too) 169. Wendy (looking back) 170. Perfectly Provident 171. Janelle (marbles, little people, camera) 172. Erin (Einstein Cards) 173. Nichole (classics high-tech) 174. Elizabeth (ages 10, 6, and a baby) 175. Wani (something for tweens) 176. Kim (classics that last) 177. Heather (Toys For Young Ones) 178. Amanda (keep it simple) 179. Growing Great Kids: An Easy Homemade Toy 180. ilovemy5kids (Tried and True - Card Games) 181. Made-New (Lincoln Logs) 182. Wife Happens (Signing Time) 183. Suburban Matron (Magnatiles, pricey but awesome) 184. Amy@GrowingLikeTrees: Dress up clothes, educational game giveaway 185. Lisa (Best Toys & Catalog Ever!) 186. sandwiched (tried and true favorites) 187. Susan (A couple toys worth saving) 188. Bugzmommy (Toys on the Go) 189. Katie (Nintendo Wii) 190. 2 Is The New 4 (Toddler Toys) 191. If Only I Had Super Powers (packaging and alphabet toys!) 192. Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates (toys for boys) 193. Redneck Diva 194. TexasTanya (Favorite Toys) 195. Mommy Bee (board books) 196. Multitasking Mama (toys that last YEARS) 197. MamaMay @ Christ, Coffee and Knitting Needles (really AWESOME craft toy) 198. Abbi @ Proverbs 31 Living 199. Allie @ Curvatude (Drums) 200. Organizing Tips (Toy gets kids moving) 201. Crayl, Special Markers 202. Growing Great Kids: Toys with Long Shelf Life 203. Jackie@Our Moments, Our Memories (Wooden Puzzles, great price!) 204. The Frugal Mom Blog(Our Home Is A Hoppin\' Over LeapFrog) 205. Candace (toddler girl toys) 206. Deidra (a few favorites) 207. Weighing In (our favorites) 208. Family Focused Fun (Toddler Boys) 209. Motherhood and Potatoes (Back to Basics - Blocks) 210. Erica (Imagination Library) 211. A Day with the Demos (age 3&5 girl picks) 212. Lisa (for little boys) 213. NerdFamily Things 214. Jennie (boy\'s dollhouse) 215. Amber (Gross Motor Toys) 216. Saving Money Ideas 217. Jen (Classic Toys That Rock) 218. His Girl (Gifts that will be remembered for years!) 219. Rebecca (Alternative to Barbie) 220. Penny Raine creative homeschoolers 221. Bernie (Homemade Obstacle Course) 222. Tanya (Toys we love) 223. Christina Z (Hullabaloo) 224. Hotomom (My Boys Favorite) 225. Frugality In The Making(getting ready for winter) 226. Hanan ( Thrifty Gifts for Girls) 227. Lori @ Barefoot in High Heels (ages 3 and 1) 228. Lynley (Preschool and Toddler Toys) 229. Amy (5yo boy toys & 1yo girl toys) 230. Angela @ Diapers & Stilettos (Smarter Boys, Lasting Toys) 231. Dusty( great toys for toddlers and babies) 232. Leslie (no batteries necessary) 233. laurie 234. Melissa K (favorite building toys) 235. laurie @ rocksinTHEdryer - gifts for all 236. Poopsie (Classic toys for girls and boys)) 237. Maren - Kid Camera 238. Lynn (Educational) 239. Denise @ Full Nest--toys passed down in a large family 240. Amy @ A Day in the Life (Board Games for all ages) 241. Catherine (favorite toys) 242. jodi @ bpr (toys for toddlers) 243. Housewifery for Numbnuts 244. MooBeeMa 245. Jacquelyn: Because I Said So! (duh! no toys here! just fresh lemon juice anytime

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Comments

[Homemaker Barbi (Danelle Ice)]

Shannon, what a great idea with the best toys theme. All of us as parents have had the unfortunate Christmas gifts that have bombed with the kids! Hopefully, these hand-picked toys lists will help mitigate that. Have a great week!

Homemaker Barbi (Danelle Ice)

[Kimberly/Mom in the City]

I like Elefun too, but ours never seemed to work!

My suggestions are toys for preschoolers (and younger).

[Kathy]

My kids have always enjoyed Magnadoodle and now I can't wait to have them try the Aquadoodle. Thanks for the terrific ideas!

[Julie]

Love this WFMW theme! I'm looking forward to reading other boy-toy entries.

[Shalee]

Shannon, I've been so busy at the new job and exhausted at home that I've not kept up on the blog reading. Hence another post where I missed the intention of this week's WFMW. Sorry girl. Maybe I'll get my act together before December...

But I will say that my kids can't get enough of dominoes! Not only have they learned the games, they like to build things with them too. It's great for the mind and the fingers!

But if you want an actual toy, I recommend a game called 4-way Countdown. http://www.cadaco.com/products-games.html?tab=4#top

And my kids still love the good old reliable Legos. They can play for hours with them.

[Steph at the Red Clay Diaries]

Man oh man. I have been WATCHING the feed and the twitter, cuz I was gonna get an early link. I guess I have to settle for #30. :)

Check out my post for this...
If you hate video games, you might be surprised to find that Wii is for you.

[What About Mom]

I didn't know anyone else had Elefun. Seems like such a simple game, but my kids LOVE it.

A kid game that the adults turned out to love (and get very competitive about) was a 5 Little Piggies Memory game that we had. I need to try and find that. Good times.

[Lisa]

Hi, Shannon -

This is my first works-for-me-wednesday. I'm #39. Could you add (Home Made Play Doh) after my name? Still learning! Thanks. Love your blog.

[Melissa]

First of all, let me just say, THANK YOU for a break from politics. Winners at my house include Thomas, Tinkertoys - the newer brightly colored plastic ones, and dress-up clothes. Just by way of explanation, we have 7 children - 6 girls and 1 boy. My son is not interested in the dress up clothes whatsoever. My girls,however, have all loved Thomas and the Tinkertoys. Also, art supplies are big around here too. And, we all love to play Uno together.

[Audra]

I too, didn't know anyone else had Elefun. My sons loved that game! Never heard of the last one on your list, it will be so fun to find and check out something new!

[Robin Sampson]

Please delete Robin@Heart of Wisdom (Learn to Knit w Internet) entry. That was my Tues post. I hate that Mr Linky does that I make a mess. Sorry.

Also sorry my WFM didn't follow the theme.

[Holly]

I not only have Christmas coming up, I have a birthday to buy for. Hope to find some great ideas.

[Kitty]

We've got the Thomas trains too and they are neat! Actually, they even get played with here occasionally - and that says something as my kids are really NOT into most toys.

[Shealynn Benner]

Elefun ROCKS! :) The Wii was cool... for a while.

Thank you for this non political post! SO needed due to immense disappointment!

I have to add the PSP [playstation portable], the leapster and the Nintendo DS. Yes, I know they are all video game things, but they have great educational games for kids, and adults! :) Brain Age!! Love that one!

[Liz C.]

This is my first time participating in WFMW too. This theme was just to fun to not take part.

[Kathryn]

My first WFMW! I forgot to add a word or two after my name.. I'll get it figured out..

[Stacy]

Being in Early Intervention, I just had to participate this week with a list of some of my favorite toys.
My kiddos love the aqua doodle. Tons of fun, no mess!

[Reading Rose]

Love reading all the tips on WFMW. Maybe we will all get some fresh ideas for this shopping season.

[avtcoach]

I love this toy theme. I'm honored to join in. Sorry I did not add my toy to my name, clicked before I saw I needed to add to name. (first timer:) There are many good toys, and the simple toys for younger children allow the most language and cognitive development. Because I work with hearing impaired children I find that those that help develop social and play skills are more worthwhile and foster conversation and a whole host of language skills. They are money well spent. Love the game suggestions for older children!

[Prairie Rose]

What a great idea! As a speech therapist working with kids under 3, I wrote out the recommendations I have for the BEST learning toys in that age group -- also some of the toys are appropriate for older kids as well (this is mentioned in the descriptions).

[se7en]

Hi there

You made me unlurk! I love this topic... I just couldn't stand the chaos of a multitude of toys and reduced us to se7en in one fell swoop!

[kristine]

hi shannon, i love your theme this week, so appropriate. Christmas is just around the corner!

[JanMary, N Irelandj]

I LOVE this weeks topic.

Thanks for all you do - you ROCK!!! (as my kids would say!)

[3baybchicks]

So sorry about the double posting, Shannon. My first time participating in WFMW and I blew it. Although I linked to the specific post, I forgot to add a short description regarding the content. Apologies!

Go ahead and delete link #89 when you have a chance.

Thanks for hosting such a great theme this week. Your timing could not be better.

[Carole]

Great theme idea. :)

[Col @ gigablonde :: things to do in ny when you're [alive]]

Love gathering all the ideas! Thanks for some great inspiration ... made me search around for good stuff and I found an ebook I really love ... "Insiders Secrets To Raising A Future Millionaire" ... So glad you prompted the hunt!

[Raise Them Up]

Thomas/brio is Great! We made our own Table as a family project to give to our little one! My big guys (shhh) play too!

Also, Tinker Toys, Legos, and all things Star Wars work in this house.

If you have the space, check out the Huffy Green Machine for up to 150 or 180 lbs. HANDS DOWN the most fun trike ever!! ADULTS have to be told to take turns! lol! I've reviewed it (and the different sizes of Tinker Toys) in my Toy Tester's Corner.

Thanks, for hosting a great idea! Can't wait to read through the rest.

We should do one on frugal fun gifts for adults!!

[Carole]

Um, how did my link get a smiley face next to it? :) Nice for blog traffic, but I didn't put it there!

[Chel's Leaving a Legacy]

This is a good and timely WFMW topic! Great idea! I have a friend that has Blokus and says it's great, too...I'm gonna have to add that to my Christmas list this year.

[SheilaG]

I'm sorry that I didn't use the toys idea this week! I wrote my post first!

But let me chime in on the toys anyway. What we did last year for gifts for Christmas was give one Gold gift, one Frankincense gift, and one Myrrh gift. Or, in translation, we gave one gift they wanted, one they needed (like underwear!), and one to nourish their soul.

The kids loved it. And now they don't demand as many things! Gift buying was much easier and more purposeful. The gold gift, the thing they wanted, was something big and great, but we didn't get fourteen things for them or anything. And they learned more to think about what Christmas was really about.

Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today!

[Bay]

This was a great theme! I'm enjoying the entries..I'm a new mommy, so the toys I wrote about are dog toys! I need tips on toys for "real" kids!

[Lynn]

We love Blokus!

[Sherry]

Great idea for a theme especially at this time of year.

[Traci]

Lovin' the theme as I started my shopping several weeks ago! Thanks for the help!

[Christa Bartlett]

Thanks, Rocks, for hosting this one! I'll be reading links later because I have NO idea what to buy my kids for Christmas. None at all.

[3baybchicks]

Slow and steady wins the race...

I figured out how to modify the link I posted in error. Disregard my previous request.

[jody]

Thanks for hosting this! Good info right before Christmas!

[Amy]

This is a fun topic...thanks for the ideas! Some of them confirm our toy philosophy around here, which is fun to know in advance since our oldest is almost four Thanks for confirming my hunch that classics are the best! :) And thanks for some new ideas, too!

[Kris]

Great theme, can't wait to read all of them!

[Jenna]

ok I added mine in!

[Amblin]

Great theme!

We love Thomas and the Wii here as well! :)

[A Frugal Housewife]

Shannon - this is a great theme, I'm looking forward to reading all of them.

The first time I linked (#176) I messed up the link and it didn't work - can you delete it? Thanks!

[Wendy]

Shannon,
Thanks for sparking memories with this topic. It's also been a good reminder to me as I plan my Christmas purchases for this year.
Blessings,
Wendy

[Heather]

We're Aquadoodle fans too!

Thanks for the great topic!

[Andrea@Under Grace & Over Coffee]

We just bought a Wii for us (we're saying its for the kids!) for Christmas. My hubs is itching to open it!

[becky]

Great WFMW! And I'm intrigued by the Aquadoodle--I don't know how I missed that.

[Sandwich in Wi]

I can't wait to read all the ideas others have and see which toys REALLY stand the test of time (ie: they are on EVERYONE's list)

I'll add this to my blog, too, but let's see, our #1 favorite.... Playmobil maybe?

Blessings,
Sandwich

[bugzmommy]

Great idea! I am a long-time reader and today participated for the first time. I love reading all these ideas!

[Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates]

Great toy ideas! This will be fun to look for new things to get.

[Redneck Diva]

Okay, my first WFMW is completed! AND because I got so durn excited, I forgot to add the little parenthesis after my name with what I wrote about! I should really calm down.

[Crayl]

My daughter's want us to all chip in and buy Wii as a gift for everyone this year, instead of any other gifts. It is tempting.

[Erin]

Thomas the Train, check! Wii, check! Magnetix, check! Though we haven't bought any magnetix except for one set. And then the big recall/warning came out so I've been waiting for the kiddies to get a little older. But they do love them, and really need some more so motivate their creative process.

[Bernie]

First time I've posted, hope I did it Correctly...

[Jackie @ Our Moments Our Memories]

I have been eyeing the Aquadoodle for the past few years - so I'm glad to know that it is one of your favorites and that your little girl loves it.

[Christine]

I just got my copy of the Jesus Storybook Bible from Amazon. I've read about 1o of the stories so far and they are fantastic! That was a spectacular recommendation, thank you!! I hope I can hold out until Christmas to give it to them!

In our house this year it's a big dress up trunk for both girlies. I trolled thru the cheap Halloween costumes to fill it and I'm filling in the holes with a few things from the sewing machine. The gilrs will love it - dress up is their absolute favorite!

[Trish]

Good theme idea. Thanks!

[Marla Taviano]

We love Blokus! The travel version is fun too! Have you played the other one (Trigon?)? Wondering if it's different enough to be worth the buy.

[susieshomemade]

That's a great list:-)

[Mommaroo2]

I love the Aquadoodle too. My only complaint is that the "pen" is so small, you end up having to refill it constantly. (At least you do if you have a bunch of kids taking turns with it, like me.) The best thing is that, unlike the magna doodle, if someone stands on it, it's not ruined. (Even though I buy them used at yard sales for less than a buck, you get sick of them being ruined after one week.) Aquadoodle is definitely way better.

My Thomas/Brio knockoffs lasted pretty well (3-4 years) til the newest toddler got ahold of them, and started biting off the rounded track connecting tips. For some reason they're just not that popular around my house though. They'd rather use the tracks as weapons than play trains.

[Lori]

Can't wait to check out the links!!

[angela =^)]

I'll have to give those games a try! It's always good to have some new ones come the holidays! And, Shannon? Thanks for doing this. WFMW is a really great idea.

[Leslie]

I've posted about several no-batteries-necessary toys that are our favorites ... now I'll go home and hope that the lights, noises and movements all the other ones make will keep my baby entertained :)
Can't wait to read these. I'm sure it'll lengthen my Christmas shopping list.

[Cindy P (AKA Poopsie)]

I always wanted to buy Elefun.
Thank you for encouraging us to think ahead. It won't be long at all...

[Laurie]

Oh my - so excited to make my first WFMW post - I posted it twice . . . whoops! That was fun . . . now time to get ready for next Wednesday!

happy clicking everyone!

[Denise]

This is my first time doing Works for Me Wednesday. I'm really excited to see what everyone else recommends.

[Sophia Dare]

Hi Shannon! What a great idea! I goofed and added my link on again with the blurb (sensory toys). Please delete the first one. Thanks!!

[jodi]

so loving this theme - hope to get lots of good ideas and steer clear of some bad ones!

[Liz B]

I wrote an overly wordy review of My First UNO on my newish blog. The four year old I sit for sometimes absolutely loves it.

[MooBeeMa]

Still drooling over last year's great Christmas finds. Do I really have to gear up and do that again??

[$5 Dinner Mom]

We love Thomas and the Elefun! I've got to get working on the boys' Christmas lists!

Erin

[Samantha]

We're doing Wii this year. It is going to be the main gift for all of us together. We'll be doing a few other inexpensive things for the kids, but it's mainly the Wii. I love giving them things that are consumable so they don't stick around long-term--art supplies are definitely a fave. We always do a few good books and have quite the library. Leapster and wooden trains have been great for us in the past. American Girl dolls and Bitty Baby have been toys that have stood the test of time. Board games for the whole family have been good. I really like to give things that enable us to spend time together whenever possible. We like to request things from grandparents like music lessons, museum or zoo passes, trips, etc. Otherwise, gift cards to the book store are always a huge hit.

[MommaHint]

I recently heard about a great way to approach general gift giving as a way to "give kids more by buying them less" it goes like this...each child gets 4 gifts:
1 thing they want
1 thing they need
1 thing to wear
And something to read

I thought that was pretty clever and we may try it out this year.

As for other toy ideas...I am all about the games. Some of our favorites are Guess Who, Battleship, Payday and Connect 4. I bought a huge set of Lincoln Logs too and my 11 yr old will still play with those with the younger ones. We also love the wooden trains, and Magentix here too.

[Kristin]

Thanks for the game recommendations. My husband and I recently opened a little game store just for the holidays and everyone asks me about SHUT THE DOOR and I didn't know what to tell them! I'll have to buy one to keep for ourselves. (If you want to find more games like Shut the Box, go to any mall where they have a Go! Games kiosk, or you can go to www.calendarclub.com.)

[Francesca]

Thanks so much for the Aqua Doodle suggestion. We went to Wally World this morning and got the travel size. Already my gals loves it.

[GiBee]

These look like great ideas.

For Hunter's bday, I got him Hungry Hippos because it looked like a good game a three year old could play. And he loved it. Except it fell apart within one week.

It was made so disappointingly cheap! I wasted $15 on a CHEAP game that would have been a great gift had it been able to stand the test of time!

I'm really disappointed with Hasbro's quality of a timeless game -- I used to play it when I was little, and it would have been nice to save it for HIS kids, but I'm not passing down cheap junky plastic, flimsy springs that pop out, and just plain old cheap plastic hollow marbles.

What could Hasbro have been thinking? Makes me think twice before buying another Hasbro game. Is Elefun made with better quality materials?

[Niki]

I have several of your recommendations on your list. The Thomas train set is worth every penny and has survived both of my boys,..so far.