Trying to keep this little bubba entertained during months and months and months of lockdown has been no easy feat. Every day, we can see his brain growing and developing, soaking up new information about his surroundings, and learning from his daily routines.
I have been ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED that because he is at home for the foreseeable future and has been unable to explore the world the way we thought he would at this age, his development will slow and his brain will turn to mush. I know – slightly dramatic. But very much true.
When Cassius was turning one, we were looking for birthday gift ideas and knew we had to step up our toy game. Enter Fat Brain Toys. The name alone put my mind at ease. I began perusing the endless pages of age-appropriate toys and found some new additions to our collection that have made the bubba smile, laugh endlessly, sparked his curiosity, and kept him engaged and focused.
Click the images below to shop his current favs on Amazon – hooray for Prime shipping! If you have a little one OR if you are in desperate need of a gift for a little one, this should be your first stop. I got you.
Whirly Squigz: BY FAR, HIS FAVORITE! These things are awesome because you can stick them to a window, a tabletop, a mirror – basically any flat, non-porous surface. Once you give them a spin, they go around and around, providing endless entertainment to your little one and teaching them cause and effect. The spinners are made of silicone so they are easy to clean and safe for teething. Whenever we venture outside the house, which is rare, these come with us.
InnyBin: This is currently in our shopping cart. Cassius is fascinated with different shapes and textures so this seems right up his alley. There are six different shape blocks that you must push through the elastic bands of the cube. It teaches kiddos fine motor skills and spatial reasoning and we could all use a little help with that.
Dimpl: The beauty of this toy is in its simplicity. There are five bright-colored silicone bubbles that you push all the way in to pop them through to the other side. I am not sure who loves this toy more – me or Cassius. I often find myself sitting on the floor of the playroom popping the bubbles in and out for hours at a time. If you are someone who constantly needs to be doing something, this toy will bring pure joy to you & your little one.
Squigz: Another one in our shopping cart. You can push these together to build just about anything, which I think Cassius will LOVE now that he’s older and his fine motor skills have improved. When you pull them apart, they make an oddly satisfying POP, which adds to the allure. Just like the Whirly Squigz, these will suction to any flat, non-porous surface. I can already picture Cassius sitting in front of the large floor-length mirror in our bedroom with a bucket of Squigz, going to town.
SpinAgain: This is the runner up for Cassius’ affection. He has taken a liking to getting all the discs off the corkscrew pole, no easy feat, and throwing them on the wood floor at 7am. CON. PRO: when you drop the disc on the pole, they spin SUPER FAST until they reach the base, which is mesmerizing for both kiddos and adults. He loves to stack the discs in different orders and then turn it upside down to watch them all tumble to the ground. It’s a step above regular stacking toys and a MUST HAVE for your little ones.
Wooden Personalized Name Puzzle: Can we say holiday must-have? ANYTHING personalized is my jam. It shows you are thoughtful, but more importantly, it shows you have your shit together because you ordered something in time to have it personalized. WIN WIN. I have some variation of Cassius on more things than I would like to count at the moment but you can never have too many. Trust and believe. An actual puzzle with his name on it. Yes please.
Whether you are looking for your little one or for a gift idea for the Holiday season – how is it that time already?! – I promise, you cannot go wrong with these Cassius -approved favs.
Love you. Mean it.
xx.
Myn