Buddy & Bug Family Adventure Club

Birthday season is upon us, for my family at least. Both of my kids were born in the summer {August and September}, and it would seem many of our friends also suffered hot, Houston summer pregnancies as well. Before I had kids {and even when my kids were younger than the birthday child}, I often found myself running in circles trying to figure out what a kid would want for their birthday, often settling on that fun-looking Playdough set or extra loud musical instrument *wink.* For those who have ever found themselves in that situation, here is a quick guide to hopefully give you some ideas on what kids might want at certain ages {I linked to some of my kiddos all-time favorite toys}. Since my girl is almost 6 and my boy is almost 4, I did inquire from friends with older boys as to what they would want. I hope this guide makes gift-giving easier for you!

1 YEAR OLDS                                                                                                                             One year olds love dragging, pulling, and petting, so any sort of sensory, rolling toy, or riding toy is great for this age. They also want whatever mama or dada has, so toy versions of keys, cellphones, and tablets are big hits too!
1. Play kitchens and utensils – My kids loved their play kitchen, which made bubbling and sizzling sounds when pots or pans were put on the stove.
2. Play keys, cell phones, computers, and purses
3. Ride on and push toys
4. Bubbles – I chose to save my breath and opt for a bubble machine! For those who would rather produce bubbles manually, Gymboree puts out a really nice set.
5. Water tables – Both of my kids spent countless hours splashing on our water table. I do, however, caution against water tables that also mix with sand for those who don’t like muddy messes.
6. Full-size and pull wagons – I cannot tell you how many blogs, Legos, and toy foods my son has carried in this thing. He got it for his first birthday and at nearly four years old, it is still in his regular rotation.
7. Touch and feel board books
8. Stuffed animals and lovies
9. Knob puzzles
10. Instrument sets and miniature pianos – find something with a repeating song to really annoy the birthday child’s parents!

2 YEAR OLDS
Like one year olds, two year olds also are very into imitating mama and dada. They become interested in more than just car keys and cell phones and start to role play with dolls, construction sets, and doctor sets.
1. Baby dolls, feeding sets, and accessories such as cradles, high chairs, strollers and shopping carts. We gave our daughter a cradle instead of a crib since she loved rocking her babies so much.
2. Dress-up hats, purses, shoes, and sunglasses
3. Tea sets and play food – Melissa and Doug has several wooden food sets. Our favorites were the cupcakes and the ice cream {because we are so healthy at our house!}
4. Lawn mowers, work benches, and tool sets
5. Cleaning supplies like toy vacuums and brooms – if only they really worked.
6. Doctor kits – this gift by FAR was the most toy used toy by BOTH my kids. It is a great gift to give a two year old not only for the dramatic play aspect but also because this is the age when many kids develop fears of doctor offices. A couple of times, I packed it with us for our doctor trips.
7. Cozy Coupes – This classic toy is still a childhood hit! My kids preferred the truck over the car because with the truck, they could carry a friend on the back {not sure that is the intended purpose of the truck bed, though . . . }
8. Watercolors, crayons, coloring books, art sets, easels, and sticker books.
9. Play dough {give at your own risk and some parents scream at the sight of this squishy sensation for the hardened mess it often entails}
10. Cars, tractors, and dump trucks

3 YEAR OLDS
Three and four are such fun ages! This is when the imagination really kicks in. Imaginary dress up is huge at this age. It’s also easier for a three year old to put on a costume than it is for a two year old.
1. Princess, pirate, superhero, fairy, and firemen costumes
2. My Little Pony
3. Pop guns and water guns
4. Candyland and The Memory Game
5. Lego Duplo sets
6. Floor puzzles with large pieces
7. Train sets
8. Tricycles and balance bikes – my kids have outgrown the tricycle, but I just cannot bring myself to get rid of it – it is so stinking cute! Sigh.
9. Easy remote-controlled cars
10. Night lights – My daughter particularly developed a fear of the dark at this age. A friend gave her a ladybug pillow that projected stars on the ceiling, and it was a lifesaver! Of all the night lights she owned, this one really eased her fears the most.

4 YEAR OLDS
Like three year olds, four year olds are big into imaginative play. They somewhat transition from just playing dress up to also playing with figurines and like Barbies and superhero characters
1. Princess everything
2. Mermaid everything
3. Superhero everything
4. Star Wars everything
5. Cash registers and play money
6. Nerf guns and balls
7. Sporting toys for soccer, basketball, and T-ball – most sports leagues start at ages three or four, so this is about the age they begin to develop interests in sports.
8. Barbies and dollhouses
9. Play makeup
10. Army men

5 YEAR OLDS
I noticed a big jump from age four to five. Whereas the previous two years, my daughter loved princess dress up, she lost an interest in princesses very soon after her fifth birthday. At this age, motor skills become more sophisticated, so craft projects and Lego gift sets really begin to emerge.
1. Make-you-own jewelry and headband kits
2. Craft projects
3. Traditional card games, Dominos, and Connect 4
4. Lego Friends
5. Roller Skates
6. American Girl Dolls and accessories – get ready to shell out the big bucks because this is the age when the obsession starts. Also check out the My Generation line for similar looks at less expensive prices.
7. Archery sets
8. Baseball trading cars
9. Imaginex
10. Jump ropes an hula hoops

Can you think of anything else that should be on this list?