I have been blown away with my little girl over the past 6 months. She has really blossomed when it comes to how she plays. When she had just turned one, she definitely loved to play. But her games were very simple things, like pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, and just crawling around, investigating stuff on the floor. She was still very much a baby in that regard.
But now, oh my goodness. She’s a child. With an imagination. She PLAYS. And I just love watching her. As she has grown in this area, we’ve actually been able to weed out a good number of toys. We had so many different toys just hanging around just in case she developed an interest in them “later on.” We can get a sense for what she likes and is drawn to now, and as a result, we’ve taken some toys to be donated, and we’ve also put some away for later. So as she has become more into her toys, we’ve pared them down. Seems counter-intuitive, but it actually makes a lot of sense!
Wooden Play Kitchen for Toddlers
But there is one major toy that we added to her collection, and it has really been a HUGE hit. Darah now has a play kitchen. I originally thought that I would be getting a kitchen for her when she turned 2, but The My Size Kitchen from Hearth Song is just perfect for her now. It is petite, so a young toddler is not overwhelmed with it. She will outgrow it in a few years, but not before she gets a heck of a lot of use out of it.
We have her kitchen set up in the spot where her pack ‘n play used to live, in our dining room/kitchen (sort of a symbolic swap, don’t you think?). She will often pretend to cook while mom or dad is in the kitchen actually cooking! She loves to check on the progress of anything she puts in her oven, and she also loves to have us taste-test whatever she has simmering on the stove, which she wisely points out to be, “hot.” She usually blows on the spoon before “tasting.” Love it!
Hearth Song is a company that I was unfamiliar with until recently. I’m so glad to know about it now. They are a company that has been around since 1983, “committed to helping parents follow their instincts to provide their children with age-appropriate, wholesome, quality playthings.” I always appreciate when a company understands the difference between a toy that will be cherished and a toy that will likely be overlooked. They offer an impressive selection of toys that I would be thrilled to get for Darah, or to give to other children as gifts. AND….right now they are having a blow out sale in their outlet! You absolutely must stop by and see if you can snag some amazing finds for your gift closet, for upcoming birthdays, or even for Christmas 2011. The Jumbo Monkey Mat has definitely caught my eye, and it is 42% off!
Buy it!: There are so many fabulous finds at Hearth Song, and the prices are right. The play kitchen is a total steal, you guys. It is just $49.99, and it isn’t made of plastic! WOO HOO!
Edit: this giveaway is now closed.
Win it!: One super lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is about to get a kitchen makeover! That’s right, you’re going to win a My Size Kitchen! Pretty awesome, huh?! The contest will run until February 6th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.
Mandatory entry: Two things: 1. You must follow Stuff Parents Need on Google Friend Connect, and 2. Tell me one other toy or game that Hearth Song offers that you would love to bring to your home. (These two things together count as one entry)
My answer: The Under the Sea canopy is so amazing. Can you just imagine the hours of fun children can have playing in it?
Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like Hearth Song on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by email or RSS
rare bonus entry: Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter and send out a tweet about the contest (leave the tweet url in your comment here) (you can only do this once)
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my home page.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
