As a momma hen of an imaginative two-year-old boy, it’s been important to me to provide my little one with toys that are both age appropriate and allow for him to use and expand his creativity. However, as a single momma hen, I am on a fairly strict budget each month. Dollar Tree has, of late, really provided some solutions for me!
I’m going to share my three top toddler toy picks with you today!
#1: Bath Books
If your toddler is still teething (ugh can we just get these teeth in, please?!) or if your toddler loves playing in water, bath books are a great solution! These are NOT just for infants – these are perfect for toddlers who are gnawing on toys because of teething pains, who are slobbery from teething (the drool is REAL, y’all), or who are a little fussy when first put in the bath. They’re also a great baby pool toy!
Dollar Tree’s bath books are, of course, a dollar, and they have various characters. Grover is my favorite Sesame Street character, so this is my most recent purchase for my little one, but we also have Lion King, Mickey Mouse, and Elmo. There are a TON of options! Just remember, they are in the “baby” section of the store.
#2: Coloring Books
My little guy LOVES crayons, stamps, and markers! We have a LOT of art supplies (even a full art corner in his room, see below), and we love creating together (check out this list of DIY items we did for Mother’s Day).
I’ve found that if I have to work on a separate project – dishes, laundry, cleaning, grad school homework, or working from home), I can always give him a coloring book and it’ll keep him busy for about 30 minutes or more!
Dollar Tree does NOT disappoint with a wide selection of options. They do offer a LOT of character-based coloring books, so if your toddler is really into Elsa or Mickey or Paw Patrol, there are a ton of options. I sometimes like to get the non-character-based ones, as they seem to have larger coloring areas that might be a little more age-appropriate for a two-year-old boy. But let’s be honest – he definitely has a Paw Patrol coloring book because he loves Chase and Marshall!
Dollar Tree does often have the larger sized crayons too, if you’re the market for an affordable box.
#3: Play Food & Kitchen Supplies
I am a firm believer that playing pretend builds imagination, creative thinking, and skill development. I believe that children learn best through play.
My rental belonged to a woman who had several grandchildren, and she had designated one room as a playroom. I have since done the same – designating that same room as my little man’s playroom (complete with a futon in case it also needs to act as a guest room in the future). In that room, there was a kid’s play kitchen that my landlords offered to leave for my little one to use – and boy, does he use it! He plays with the kitchen nearly daily, and he loves to pretend to make coffee, to bake cookies, and to mash potatoes. He really has taken hints from all that the grown ups in his life do and wants to mimic those actions, and it’s really neat to see him play “house” in his own way.
There were a few kid-sized plastic pots and a few plastic food items left with the play kitchen, but I wanted to make sure I was helping to further foster this interest. I started looking up play food – and that stuff can get expensive with toy retailers and big box stores! I was at Dollar Tree in the card aisle (y’all should seriously get your cards there – 2 for $1 and they have name-brand options), and I turned to see the toy section behind me. I was SO surprised to find play food and utensils! You can get a bag of plastic vegetables, fruit, or utensils for just $1 each! This is a huge savings compared to larger retailers, and my little guy has had so much fun with these!
What toddler-appropriate toys have you found for your kiddo(s) at Dollar Tree? How do you support your little one being imaginative? I would love to hear from you in the comments below!
Kate with a Twang 