Lately the girls have been playing together more and more – and it’s safe to say it’s my favorite thing ever. Colly is still very young but Honey talks to her just like she would another friend or sibling (but sometimes will use her ‘awwww, she’s so cute Mama!‘ voice still to her haha). My point is she explains things to her, includes her, and teachers her how things go or work.
A few of these things we’ve had since the boys/Honey were little and they’ve continued on in our fam now with Colly loving on them! If you have littles who are close in age or even have a little gap, I feel like many of these can get them playing together.
I’ll quickly highlight just a couple to give you an idea of their interactions with them! Most of them spark imaginative play and independent play 🙌🏻
One of Colly’s first “big girl” toys she really took to were these Cabbage Patch Cuties (baby dolls). Hun has had several over the last couple of years so she’s had quite a little collection from the start. For Christmas, I grabbed this wooden stroller to go along with the one Honey has had for 3+ years so they can put their babies in and play! It’s been a hit, even though Colly isn’t walking yet, she totally recognizes it and that the babies go in there and will place them in. Once she starts taking off I know it will be even more loved, just like when Honey was that age!
Picasso Tiles are newer to us, but something that actually all 4 of my kids really love and something I’m chalking up as a total #momhack. My kids are quiet and play so nicely with these – giving mama a little break, haha. Colly isn’t “building” with them yet but she loves when they “clip” together and of course, chewing on them 😆 I recently just purchased another set of the windows and doors so they can build bigger/better. Picasso Tiles encourage creativity and also shape + color learning!
This Bluey house + accessories were something Honey received for her 3rd birthday and almost 2 years later she still plays with it weekly. Lately, Colly has been coming up and trying to grab the little pieces and put them in the house too. Hun is pretty specific about where things go 😆 so this has been a good opportunity for them to share, play together, and let go a little 🙃
Both KidKraft coffee maker + mixer are super loved by both girls right now. It was Honey’s before Colly was born, but before bed when we’re hanging out in the loft, Colly will try to crawl into Hun’s room where they’re stored and starts playing with them 😆 It is the cutest!!! We always say “she’s going to get her big girl toys!!!” when she crawls off toward that direction. We have them in Hun’s bookshelf/toy organizer and Colly knows right where they are, and perches her little self up to reach them and dig into the baking/coffee extras. Back in January I actually grabbed this princess coffee machine for Colly because I knew she loved Hun’s so much and thought she could have her own that’s a little smaller/makes noise. She loves it just as much and now both of them play with each of them together.
Green Toys + Hot Wheels have been a staple in our home since 2013 when there was only baby Conner, and all 4 have grown up with them now. I love how well Green Toys hold up and how many different vehicle options they have – they’re definitely our favorite push and go toys. Within the last month, Colly has started to take interest in our Hot Wheels basket in the toy closet but mostly to teeth on them or throw them around (if you watch my stories, you probably have caught this happening! 😆) Hun still enjoys the different cars and lining them up and racing.
Puzzles, of course, are also huge around here since the beginning as well. With each of my babies I start introducing letters/sounds/body parts/colors/shapes/animals around 15-18 months and these puzzles (along with our flashcards) have been a great way for them to “play” while retaining. We love the pretty pastel alphabet ones I picked up when Honey was younger, but also own these rainbow ones too!
This should go without saying but some of these things I can’t let Colly play with completely freely as they could pose as a choking hazard. Any of them that do, I usually take away for the time being and let them play with the larger items in it, or if she’s napping and Honey wants to play with them, then I put them back.
So that’s a little over view, but check out my full list over here on my LTK!
What are your littles into right now? I’d love to know!
