The question about work-life balance has come up from quite a few of you lately. You want to know how I balance being a wife, a mother to three young children, and a small business owner? For right now, I’m not entirely prepared to answer how I ‘do what I do’ because I’m still formulating my thoughts on that topic. I’m imagining me saying, ‘just run around like a crazy woman’ is not exactly the answer you were looking for…….though sometimes it’s the truth. So until I can clearly articulate myself on that topic……..I thought I would share some bits and pieces of our life that will maybe bring the whole idea work-life balance together.
For the most part (excluding today ~ ugh!), the girls are really good at entertaining themselves and playing together. The fact that they are only 16 months apart really helps because they are pretty much interested in the same things. I would say they are definitely each others best friend. Having them be able to play independently helps allow me to tend to their baby brother, Caspian Finn, and get some work done with The Cottage Mama.
Today I thought I would share some of The Cottage Kids favorite toys. Now mind you, Matilda Jane is 2.5 years old and Savannah is almost four. So, these are what they are into now………I’m sure that will change down the line, but I’ll give a little update when it does. I also think it’s fun to see what other kids are into and might give you some new ideas for toys for your little ones.
The Bilibo is a new toy that the girls received for Christmas from my in-laws. We aren’t entirely sure what it’s supposed to do, but that’s the beauty of it ~ it can be anything you want it to be. You can sit in it and spin around, you can put your baby dolls in it as a little doll bed, you can wear it on your head and pretend to be an astronaut (a favorite idea of Savannah and Matilda), you can carry your toys around in it. The wonderful thing is that it lends itself to great imaginary fun.
Beginner Pattern Learning Blocks
Mega Blocks Princess Building Set
Lindsay Wilkes is the owner and designer behind The Cottage Mama. She creates timeless, vintage inspired sewing patterns for children’s clothes. She is also a fabric designer for Riley Black Designers / Penny Rose Fabrics, author of the book ‘Sew Classic Clothes for Girls’ and can be seen teaching nationwide and online in her video series ‘Lessons with Lindsay’ sponsored by Baby Lock Sewing and Embroidery machines.
What a nice post! My kids are similar in ages to yours, but we have two boys and a girl. They like trains and blocks, but their favorite activity is to dump toys into and out of anything – dump trucks, pillow cases, boxes. . . anything!
I’ll have to check out the Bilibo. That looks like it would be a big hit around here. Thanks for sharing!
My girls are 9, 4, and 2 and my little ones are very much into the same things you posted! We LOVE Melissa and Doug and have many of the same food sets. I really want to learn how to make felt foods as well b/c they look so darn cute on Etsy. They both got new American girl dolls for Christmas (my youngest got a bitty b/c the hair on the big girl dolls is just too much to handle) and they LOVE playing with their babies. I’ll help them build a fort, and they will pretend its a home, a school, the drs office…everything! They are major into arts and crafts, but I save the really messy stuff for warmer weather so they can do it outside.
I’m very interested to see your book list as our kids love love love to read too!
I was surprised how many of the same toys my daughter also likes to play with. (2 1/2 yrs) Love the Bilibo idea as well as the gears. She received lacing cards as well for Christmas & is still mastering. I’m just happy she’s interested enough in them. We got some 2nd hand Thomas the Train toys, tracks, etc which she is currently in love with. I think we have a little tom boy 🙂 Loved the post & thanks for the great ideas!
Oh this makes me miss my girls being that age and playing with these types of toys. They loved their kitchen set (we had a wood one too), tain set (Geo-Trax), wood blocks, puzzels, baby dolls, tea sets (this was a completly different game than when they played kitchen and dress up. Oh and the rocking horse they loved that so much.
My girls all liked the kitchen set we had too. it had the washer and ironing board and that was the favorite! I highly recommend one with that option to anyone looking to buy a kitchen set for their little daughter(s)!
Our wooden dolls house has been a fantastic investment and every kid who comes into our house goes straight to it. Dress ups and duplo blocks are also a favourite. The other 2 toys I highly rate are plain old wooden blocks and our box of scleich animals – lots of imaginative games come out of both of these from all ages.
my little guys would totally love that wood kitchen 🙂
My girls are 8 and 4 and still love the bilabo. that is one great toy. My oldest loved thomas trains when she was a toddler. Her fave was Gordon. My youngest has always been into dolls. And they both still love wooden play food! They also both like the Plan Toys victorian doll house but not the plan toys dolls. The polly pockets took over the house.
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With regard to presents, keep clear of just offering them money.
Offering money basically sends out the perception, “I could not be worried to think excessively for you, here you go, that’s effectively all you really are worth for me.”