Mid-Month Musing: It’s a Toy Story!
It’s a Toy Story: Fun and Safe Picks for Both Baby and Preschooler
Hi friends! If you’ve ever tried to juggle a baby who puts everything in their mouth with a preschooler who’s determined to build the tallest tower in the galaxy, you know how challenging it can be to find toys that cater to both. It’s a bit like trying to invite a racoon to a tea party. Spoiler alert: it’s not easy! 🎉
For me, the transition to two children has been a journey with its ups and downs. One of the hardest things has been trying to manage playing safely with both children at the same time. The baby isn’t able to play independently yet, but my toddler also wants me to play too! My preschooler is building an intricate lego tower, but my baby is doing ANYTHING he can to crawl over and knock it down. My oldest son has 15 different truck toys out, but sharing just one that he doesn’t even like with his baby brother?! Instant meltdown. Over time, I found toys that work for BOTH ages and stages and we’ve pivoted to only displaying these “safe” toys in their playroom. They each have additional toys that are more geared just for them that they can play with separately, but it’s been really nice to have a set list of toys they can play with together. Watching their sibling bond grow and seeing them learn from each other has been an added bonus, and I wanted to share our trial and error with all of you!
Our latest Instagram reel touches on this exact topic, so I’m here to dive deep into the world of toys that can bring smiles to both age groups without turning your living room into a battleground.
The Great Toy Debate
In one corner, we have the baby, who is all about exploration—chewing, climbing, and grabbing anything within reach.
In the other corner, we have the preschooler, who wants to build, create, and occasionally wrestle with the idea of sharing.
So, what’s a parent to do? Let’s break it down with a “YES” list for toys that are both practical and engaging for both age groups, and a “NO” list for things that might be better left on the shelf. At the end, check out some ideas for how we have started laying the groundwork for sibling sharing and tackling the issues of splitting attention during play.
YES List: The Ultimate Toy Winners
Spinning Toys That Suction
These are the BIGGEST hit at our house. For baby, they’re a safe, engaging toy to spin and watch. For the preschooler, they can be a fun challenge to spin and watch the effects. The biggest perk for my toddler is they make his baby brother belly laugh and he will do ANYTHING to make that happen.Puppets
Puppets are magical. They engage babies with their soft texture and movement, and older kids can put on elaborate puppet shows. It’s a win-win for imaginative play.Play Kitchen
A play kitchen is a fantastic investment. Babies can safely explore kitchen items, and preschoolers can dive into pretend play. It's a hub for creativity and interaction. The reason our Reel says it’s a 50/50 for me?? You’ll definitely need to pre-screen the pretend play food as we had lots and lots of small pasta pieces and items that my baby could choke on.Building Blocks/Legos + push and go cars
Soft blocks are perfect for babies to chew on and build towers that won’t hurt if they tumble. Older kids can get in on the action too, building complex structures and having a blast knocking them down (safely, of course!). At our house, we like to build tall towers then have baby crawl over and CRASH into them! We also have a great time with these cars that push and go. My baby loves to chase after them and my preschooler loves to see who is faster: baby or car?!Stacking Cups
Simple, versatile, and fun! Babies can stack and knock down these classic cups, while older kids can use them for more intricate games, experiments, counting and more!Squigz
These are fantastic for tactile exploration. Babies can chew and stick them, and older kids can create amazing structures. My baby loves to stand at the window and practice pulling them off, while my toddler’s favorite creation to build with Squigz is a “stinky robot”. (If you’re wondering what a stinky robot is….same! You’ll have to ask him!)Fisher Price Farm/Bus Toys
These toys are designed with safety in mind and are perfect for interactive play. They come with features that engage babies and are complex enough to keep older kids entertained. I know that light up and noisy toys can be a bit controversial in the development world, but I for one am a fan of these in moderation!
NO List: The Toys We Pass On
Anything with a Button Battery
These are a choking hazard for babies and incredibly dangerous if ingested. I’m a huge safety advocate at our house and I err on the side of caution and think it’s better to avoid them and go for safer alternatives.Sensory Bins with Rice
While they’re great for sensory exploration, babies will immediately dump the rice everywhere or eat it and it’s just not worth the stress and mess. I love to do these sensory bins with my older son during baby brother’s naptime, though!!Playdoh
This may be controversial but I will do anything to avoid Playdoh in my house 😝 It’s truly just me but I hate when the colors get mixed and it can dry out so fast it just… it’s not for me. I love using it with older preschoolers but young toddlers and especially babies who want to eat it, it’s a no from me!Any Kind of Art Supply
Markers, crayons, paint, scissors… yeah it’s a no from me for obvious reasons.Ball Pit
We love our ball pit!!!!.... We just use it one on one! It’s great for babies and great for older kiddos, but it has led to so many fights and injuries for my boys at these ages. One day I have faith they’ll be able to safely play together without kicking each other in the face, but today’s not that day! So for now, we take turns and only one wild child plays at a time.
Bonus Ideas for Kid and Mom Approved Toys (Not pictured in our Reel but big faves at our house!)
Water Table
Perfect for outdoor play, water tables are great for sensory exploration and can be used safely by both babies and preschoolers with supervision. We have tried a lot of Water Tables at the pool, friends’ houses and more, but the one we have at home has been the BEST for bigger kids and young babies. The low to the ground section really allowed my not yet standing this summer baby to be able to play too!Music Toys (Guitars, Piano, Shakers)
Musical instruments are fantastic for all ages. Babies can explore sounds, and preschoolers can learn rhythm and even create their own tunes! We love egg shakers because they are easy for tiny hands to grab and jingle bells are a hit alllll year long!Magnetic Tiles
These are great for building and are safe for babies to handle, while older kids can create intricate designs and structures. The magnets are safely enclosed inside and they are great on the fridge or garage door, making them quite versatile in our house!Vehicle Toys
Large cars, trucks, and trains are always a hit. Babies can push and explore, and preschoolers can create elaborate play scenes. Since we have so many vehicles in our house, it’s an easy activity that allows my baby to explore one car while my toddler hogs all 593 others…Baby Dolls
Babies can hold and explore, while older kids can engage in role-play and storytelling. This was especially helpful for my toddler in the transition to having a new baby sibling. He could hold the doll whenever and wherever, feed the doll and do all the activities he wanted to do with his real baby brother!Climbing Toys
I initially bought our climbing foam blocks for my newly crawling baby, but my preschooler has fallen in love with them too! He likes to jump off the top, roll down, use it as a ramp for his cars and more!
A Note on How We are Starting to Promote Sharing
My boys are still young, 9 months and 3.5 years old, so I know we have a long way to go in terms of sibling sharing and fighting for attention during play. I’m also not a behavior expert, so I’m always learning and building on ideas I see from like minded parents. One thing I always aim to do when teaching a new skill is to start young and stay consistent. Right now, we focus on frequent reminders to my toddler that if he doesn’t want baby brother playing with his toy, he needs to move his play to an area away from baby. If he doesn’t want to go away from me and brother, he can offer another toy to the baby. I also do my best to redirect the baby to another toy or move ourselves in a way that I can block him from knocking over any towers. But even at this age, the frequent reminders and offering alternatives has helped my toddler to be patient, offer his brother other toys and be creative at finding ways to protect his toys!
Finding the right toys can be a bit of a balancing act, but with a little thought and planning, you can find options that keep both the baby and the preschooler happy and engaged. The key is safety first, fun always, and a sprinkle of creativity! Be sure to check out the doc below for links to all of these favorite toys!🌟
Got any toy recommendations that worked wonders in your home? Drop them in the comments below or tag us in your playtime adventures. Happy playing! 🚀🎈
