This shop is part of the #TargetToys #shop hosted by #CollectiveBias and its advertiser. All opinions are my own.
In our home, we believe in balance and democracy, which means that we all get to have a respected Voice. This concept pretty much applies to every aspect of our lives, and for our family, it works. We have found that our children have a pretty strong idea of how they should be raised, what they should eat, and how they should be able to spend their free time. Although we may not always agree with them, we try to base our final decisions about something only after we’ve really listened to what they have to say.
This democratic system often comes into play whenever the discussion of toys comes up. Our kids know that we like to place a strong emphasis on STEM toys and activities in our home. If they can pitch a toy to me and explain how it uses science, technology, engineering and/or math, they know that I will most likely approve the purchase. I have to say, they’re getting really good at figuring out how many things relate to these important skills in life.
Anyways, we needed to pick up some presents for my niece and nephew, so we headed off to Target. My kids were bouncing around the store showing me all of the things that they were hoping to see under the Christmas tree in a few months time, and I had to keep refocusing them on the task at hand – their cousins!!
I was really excited to see that Target is carrying all sorts of cool brands that are right up my STEM-loving alley. (I’m a big nerd – and I’m proud of it.) From Melissa & Doug, to Thames & Kosmos, to Alex Toys, they had tons of items that focused on discovery and exploration. As a parent, I prefer picking out toys that foster creative play. I don’t care if they’re pretending to be a sous chef, or they’re hoping to mix up a foul-smelling potion, or they’re pretending to be an Olympic gymnast – as long as they’re using their brains (and are off of electronics), I’m happy.
We ended up picking up an array of new food items from Melissa & Doug – one of our favored brands. Their food supplies last forever and they really encourage kids to explore their food options and discover new ways of assembling things. I love playing restaurant with the kids and watching their faces light up when they serve me something “gross” and I devour it with gusto! They also like to tell us all about the restaurants they will own when they grow up – one even includes my son using a marshmallow gun to shoot folded napkins across the room and right into people’s laps!
When we got home, the kids asked if they could look at some of the toys that they saw in the store online, so I opened up Target’s Toy Emporium (available online) and let them browse around a bit. It’s brand new and is divided into six themes that make me really happy: build, create, explore, imagine, discover and move. These themes are meant to encourage your child’s development and foster creativity in their lives through play.
When I got done wrapping the presents, I found my children furiously scribbling on some white sheets of paper. At first, I thought they were drawing, but upon further inspection, I saw that it was a list. A Christmas list. I couldn’t believe my eyes. We hadn’t even gone trick-or-treating yet and the little gremlins were already working on their Wish Lists. But to be honest…I couldn’t blame them. With all of the cool toys in Target’s Toy Emporium, it would be impossible not to get excited for the holidays.
#TargetToys #CollectiveBias
Explore and discover some great new toys,
Denine
Want some gift buying inspiration? Check out this Pinterest board:
I absolutely adore those Melissa and Doug toys! They offer so much creativity for kids! #Client