Great Toys for Little Engineers

     In this post, I will talk about some amazing toys for kids who love to think, build, and create. We have been struggling with boredom at home with our newly 4 year old. With the cold winter upon us, I was looking to add a few toys to the playroom that would hopefully engage my son, and let him build and create to his hearts content. The list below includes some old favorites, along with some fantastic new additions:

Puzzles
     Both of the kids LOVE puzzles. Sometimes my 4 year old likes to work on his own, and other times, he wants the whole family to help. The cardboard floor puzzles are definitely the favorites at the moment. I love the Melissa and Doug puzzles, and the Crocodile Creek brand also has some unique and fantastic puzzles.

MagnaTiles
    You can read my previous review on MagnaTiles here. These are still a huge favorite with both my boys. Two year old Baby E is very into the tiles now, and my older son constantly comes back to them with new ideas and ways to use the pieces. I love that they really grow with the child, and each child can find something creative to do that matches his development.

Magformers
     I really thought that these would be redundant since we already had MagnaTiles. Around the holidays however, there was a sale that was just too great to pass up. We got a 62 piece set to start off, and I have been thrilled with them. Magformers allow the kids to build different types of structures, and my older son has really enjoyed playing with them. Magformers have much stronger magnets, and my son really enjoys that he can pick up and work on his 3D creations.

Clics
     Clics are much more affordable than any of the magnetic toys, but are great for endless hours of building and constructing. These are a little bit harder to manipulate, and my 4 year old definitely still needs help when building with these. It's a great quiet activity though, and I can see the clics having great play value even as the kids get older.

Lego
    I felt that I could not have a list like this without Lego. My kids have never really been into legos, but they would definitely be on my list of toys to try if your kids love to build and create.

What are your kids favorite building toys? 

9 Tips for Air Travel With Young Kids

I've been away for a while busy with the Jewish Holiday Season. But now I am back to real life, and I have some fun posts planned. Now back to my tips for air travel with young kids...

1. Don't do it! Just kidding, kind of. Flying with young kids is not high on my list of fun things to do. However, with a bit of planning and preparation, it can be made more manageable.

2. Pack light and consolidate. Getting through the airport is a major operation, and the less stuff you have, the easier it will be. For the past couple trips, I have been using one large suitcase for myself and the kids, while my husband has one smaller sized suitcase.

3. Backpacks are your friend. They leave your hands free for important jobs such as pushing the stroller while pulling a giant suitcase.

4. Plan, plan, plan. Literally plan out how you will get from the car to the terminal, through the security checkpoint, and then on to the plane. Make sure there are enough hands to push, pull, and carry everything that needs to be moved. We travel with 2 carseats and a double stroller, so getting through the airport can be tiring. We get a lot of comments about our "wide load" and jokes about "traveling light".

5. Don't lose the lovies! We almost had a crisis when my toddlers lovey disappeared somewhere between the terminal and the door to the airplane, but thankfully it was found. I would rather him not carry his lovey through the airport, but he was not fond of that idea.  

6. Fill up those carry on bags! My husband gets the backpack full of diapers, wipes, and changes of clothes. Bring extra diapers because you never know how many you will need. In my carry on, I pack the kid entertainment and snacks. Lots of small bags of snacks work best, and easy entertainment that has no small pieces which can be dropped. (The iPad is your friend)

7. Make sure you know how to install your carseat(s) on the plane, and remember that most airlines require carseats to be installed by the window.

8. Be prepared to answer questions such as: What is a water evacuation? Is the airplane falling? Why is it so bumpy?

9. Breathe a huge sigh of relief when everyone is happily off the plane...Until next time!

What are your tips for air travel?

Sorry for the lack of pictures in this post - I guess I was too distracted and stressed to take any during our travels!