a little bit of m & d l-o-v-e

Fun, fun, fuuuuunn games were played over here today, and it was awesome to see how differently my kiddos used them.

The very cool thing about these three toys from my most favorite company in the world is that even though they all are geared toward children, ages 3 and older, Cora (who just turned 2) was just as interested in them as her 5 and 3-year-old siblings. And all of my children played with one of toys from the time they were babies.

The company is Melissa & Doug, and they are the makers of incredible children’s educational toys and products. I totally heart them and I swear I don’t–but I secretly wish I did–work for them.

• Latches Board: I’ve seen this board in a ton of my friends’ homes, but we finally landed one for ourselves, and it’s wild to see how differently Maddy, Owen, and Cora play with it. Six doors, numbered 1-6, are each a different color and have different animals hiding behind them. Cora focuses not on locking the doors but what animals are behind the doors; Owen was counting the animals behind the doors and locking and unlocking them, and Maddy was trying to lock them as well. It’s great for color work, counting, and hand-eye coordination.

• Wooden Tool Kit: We’ve had this little tool kit ever since Maddy was about a year old, and it’s still hanging in there, looking great, despite the hard play it’s endured from three kids and countless little friends banging away at it. It’s really just a simple toolbox–complete with a hammer, screwdriver, wrench, and a number of other screws, nuts, and other parts. My kids love it and use it to “fix” our other “broken” toys, tables, and chairs. It’s the kind of toy that can occupy a little person’s attention for a long while, and it’s one that my children have used from the time they were teeny-tiny–and will use–for a long time.

• Mailbox: No joke this toy is crazy awesome. It’s a mailbox with 6 pieces of mail and interchangeable stamps. There are three sorting slots on the top of the box and a key to open the door.

Cora loves to sort the mail on through the slots, then open the door and empty the box, then do it all over again and again. Owen likes to put the stamps on the mail and try to fit them through the slots then mix them up and repeat. Maddy has had a ball trying to read the mail, and the colorful artwork and writing on the mail pieces is actually very funny–Maddy really gets the giggles when we read who sent the mail and where it’s going.

I’ve mentioned before that we’re Melissa and Doug crazy over here, and today was no different. I have a special place in my heart for a company that makes smart, creative, strong toys for my three favorite smart, creative, strong little people.