Gifts for Kids: Alex Toys First Pops First Snaps

Toys can be hit and miss with kids for the holidays. Many years DH and I have hunted for THE BEST toys for the kids only to have ONE be the singular toy they play with leaving us feeling defeated with having spent hours hunting for fabulous gifts. This year we opted to find great gifts that are functional and fun for the kids and not one to be thrown into a toy box.

The twins were a bit harder to shop for this year as they are not quite little kids, they are not babies any more, they are at the precocious toddler age where everything is fun and a learning experience. They also adore Grant's Lego's a bit too much that I am afraid of the choke factor. Too many times have I seen Lego Heads and Lego Darth Vader in someone's mouth, NOT FUN.

I found the First Pops and the First Snaps with Alex Toys that I so graciously received to review for the gift guide. These are fabulous! They snap and of course pop together. Not to mention the fun bright colors which keep the twins' attention. I also love these toys not because of their click together action and bright colors but for the learning. I know you are sick of me beating the learning term into you, but learning and education are high on my priority list.

The learning for the twins is so important because they were born premature. While they were full grown preemies born at 36weeks, they are still nonetheless premature kids who have the adjusted age and so some skills are slower to them than other children. Such as the fine motor skills.

The First Pops and First Snaps are perfect for this because they have to really concentrate on hooking the pieces together. The twins need to have a sharp eye and a steady hand to click them together to make their wonderful creation. The pieces are also perfect size for their little hands where the toys are not too big where they are fumbling and not too small where they could put them in their mouths and possibly choke. The material is also wonderful because it is a soft, rubbery plastic feel, very pliable but not too pliable and can withstand the beating any toddler can dish out.

Each package of First Snaps and First Pops also comes in a handy carry tote that I know my kids loved. They enjoy helping to put toys and things away in the house. So pickup time was a lot of fun, I think they emptied the bucket at least a half a dozen times while playing and picking up.

First Snaps and First Pops come in packages of 14-pieces and retail for $17.99. So they are not too overwhelming with the number of pieces and they fit right into the affordability range for those families on a budget this year for the holidays. But these are not the only toys that Alex Toys has to offer, they offer a wide variety of toys for infants and toddlers, painting, reading, craft and bath toys, and style such as beaded toys, watches, and jewelry.

*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE! 

Don't forget to DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog

 HERE and all the fabulous participants, savings, and giveaways!

Up and.....running?

Seems that a year has basically blown past me in what seems like just a day. Exactly a year ago today I was laying in my comfy king size bed, flipping channels aimlessly in an attempt to find something entertaining to watch as I was forced to lay there until I absolutely had to get up, which the absolute was generally a bathroom break. Yes, I was on what I called house arrest, bed rest, as I was 34 weeks and 6 days pregnant with Thing One and Thing Two. I had gone into preterm labor at 34 weeks and 2 days, in hopes of delivering as I was miserable, only to be put on a magnesium drip for two days and sent home on bed rest.....which I failed to do. I am not one to just "lie down" on the job.

So here we all are at a year later and my little Peanut, who came into the world with her eyes wide open is now up and attempting to walk. She is 11 months and 16 days old and dying to walk around. The cutest thing about her attempts to walk is that she is so short and so excited, you can just feel the energy bursting inside her, that she becomes so frustrated and crawls into you like a freight train. Anyday now....anyday, she will be up and toddling into and over everything. She already scales all of the furniture, cabinets, your legs, she is like Spiderman the way she can crawl up something to stand. So anyday now she will be walking and then...running! Oh how time flies and they grow so fast.