12 Trick or Treat Alternatives for Celebrating Halloween

As much as it breaks my heart, there will come a day when my girls don’t want to trick or treat. There may also be years when trick or treat just won’t work, like when bad weather blows in. Fortunately, just because you can’t trick or treat it doesn’t mean the fun has to end!

Check out these 12 trick or treat alternatives for celebrating Halloween.

1. Host a Halloween Party

No matter your kid’s age, a Halloween party is always a fun idea. Invite your friends or neighbors to come dressed in costumes. Put out bowls of candy and punch. Turn on some Halloween hits and let everyone enjoy the spooky evening indoors.

2. Have a Scary Movie Marathon

With all the streaming services available, it is super easy to plan the ultimate scary movie marathon according to your kid’s age. Head to Disney Plus for more family-friendly scares and HBO Max for more adult features.

3. Boo Your Neighbors

A new fad is to boo your neighbors. This means packing a bag or basket of Halloween goodies and leaving it on your neighbor’s doorstep. One idea is to “boo” the neighbors with the best decorated homes.

4. Get Spooked at a Haunted House

If trick or treating isn’t your kid’s thing and they want bigger frights, take them to a haunted house. Many of the haunted houses offer “do not scare” medallions that you can wear to alert the actors that you (or your kids) don’t want to be scared. This works well for families of kids of different ages.

5. Visit an Amusement Park

Many amusement parks offer special Halloween-themed events, such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, which are good for kids of all ages. You can enjoy the rides, as well as characters in themed holiday costumes and themed treats.

6. Carve Pumpkins

Spend Halloween decorating or carving pumpkins. Then, post pics to social media and ask your followers to vote for a winner.

7. Tell Scary Stories by the Campfire

If the weather cooperates, head outside to tell scary stories by the campfire and make s’mores. If you struggle with telling stories, ask your Amazon Alexa to tell you a few. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, cuddle up by the fireplace.

8. Find Your Way Out of a Corn Maze

See if you can find a corn maze nearby for your family to get lost in. Even better if you can find one that is open in the evenings. Some of these double as haunted corn mazes.

9. Take a Ghost Tour

Bigger kids may enjoy going on a ghost tour. There are many ghost tours in New York City, including Haunted Broadway and Candlelight Walking Tours.

10. Play Some Horror-Themed Games

Keep the spooky feeling going by playing a horror-themed board game. You can take Clue to the next level with games like Escape the Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment and Betrayal at House on the Hill.

11. Volunteer at a Halloween Event

With all the different Halloween events happening, there is a great need for volunteers. For example, if your kids are too old for Boo at the Zoo, sign up to volunteer at the event to make it enjoyable for the next generation.

12. Pass Out Candy to the Littles

When the day comes that your kids don’t want to go trick or treating, see if they will join you in passing out candy to the trick or treaters that show up at your door.

What trick or treat alternatives did I miss? Let me know in the comments!

Why Summer is So Hard for Moms

I’m going to admit something – this summer has been hard. I love my girls, and I look forward to spending time with them during summer. But summer is so hard for moms! Especially working moms. I know I’m not the only mom who feels this way – even if some of you are afraid to admit it.

Comedian Crystal Lowery wrote, “Why is summer so hard for parents? Because things have changed. When we were kids, we'd just run around town from dawn until dusk, unattended. Instead of mom slathering us with sunscreen, we burned, then peeled our damaged skin like molting snakes. Instead of sensible snacks, we'd ride our bikes to 711 to purchase fists-full of Jolly Ranchers and Atomic Fire Balls. Instead of parents entertaining us, we'd knock on our neighbor's doors and invite them out to play.”

Those days are long gone. Now, kids stay closer to home (and mom) all summer long, which makes summer exhausting.

Here are the main reasons moms struggle in the summer.

Lack of Childcare

I hate thinking of school as childcare, but the truth is I don’t have to find childcare during the school year between 8-3 because my girls go to school. For working moms, childcare during the summer is a whole thing. This is especially true when your kids are in the in-between ages – when they are too old for daycare or sitters and too young to stay home alone all day. We end up utilizing summer camps to fill the gap.

Fortunately, my girls love Chelsea Piers Summer Camp. Read all about it here!

Changes to the Routine

I am a creature of habit and so are my daughters. So, the transition from our regular school year routine to summer’s lack of routine is a challenge. Every summer, I try to create a summer routine or schedule – and it only lasts a couple of weeks before it falls apart between vacations, camps, and other outings. But when the routine disappears, the frustration begins.

Too Much Time Together

Sometimes summer provides too much time together for a family. For example, siblings are forced together for more time than usual, which results in more fighting. Being around fighting kids more often tries mom’s patience. And on and on. I love them, but I need a break. And there are far fewer breaks in the summer months.

Constant Need to Entertain

As a mom, I feel the constant pressure of society to ensure my girls are spending their time wisely and safely. So, if I allow them to binge watch TV all day, I feel guilty. If they complain they are bored, I feel like I have to find something fun and educational for them to do. And when I give up entertaining them, I have to listen to them whine and complain. It’s a lot easier to just hand them the remote or tablet.

All the Food

As my girls have gotten older, I have been amazed by how much they eat! This is especially true during the summer when they manage to eat a month’s worth of snacks in a weekend. I am constantly shopping for food and preparing food in the summer.

What makes summer hard for you? Share in the comments!

Simple Traditions for Busy Families to Embrace

I will never forget the time I asked a friend about her family traditions growing up and she told me they didn’t have any. I was shocked.

But, as I’ve gotten older, I have realized that many families don’t have traditions (or don’t think they do) because they put so much pressure on them.

We tend to think of traditions as being elaborate when they can really be something simple and routine.

For example, growing up, I enjoyed Saturday morning cartoons with Dad. It was a weekend tradition that we kept up until our Saturday mornings became filled with extracurriculars.

And these simple traditions matter!

According to Brett and Kate McKay, “Researchers have consistently found that families that engage in frequent traditions report stronger connection and unity than families that haven’t established rituals together.”

Here are 10 simple and easy traditions to help your family bond and make memories.

TV Night

My family loves a good dinner and TV night. Whether we watch a favorite show together or a movie, we enjoy sitting in front of the TV now and then for a chance to enjoy some quality entertainment together.

Family Walk

Another easy family tradition is the family walk (or family hike). You don’t always have to go to the same place. The key is to do it regularly, so it feels like a tradition.

Game Night

Some families love to play games with one another. If this is you, start planning regular game nights for your family. Have some key things you do each time, such as putting phones away and setting out snacks.

Taco Tuesday

A simple tradition to embrace is enjoying the same meal on the same night each week, such as Taco Tuesday or Meatless Monday. Kids like knowing what to expect – especially if what they are expecting is a meal they love.

Car Ride Chat

With my girls, I have started car ride chats on the way to and from places. I ask the same questions, so they know what to expect. We use the rose and thorn technique. We take turns sharing our daily rose, thorn, and bud. Your rose is the best part of your day, your thorn is something disappointing that happened, and your bud is something that you are looking forward to.

A Go-To Celebratory Restaurant

Many families have a go-to meal tradition without even realizing it. For example, do you tend to cook the same celebratory meal for birthdays or special occasions? Is there a certain restaurant your family likes to go to after a big win? These are traditions!

No Tech Thursday

Try to embrace a tech free day in your home regularly. At first, your kids won’t like the idea. However, if you are intentional about finding fun tech-free ways to spend the day, your kids will come to love it.

Community Service

A great tradition for families is serving their community together. Find an organization that shares your family’s values and volunteer regularly.

Read Together

Even as your kids get older, it is still nice to read together. While you may not read books together before bedtime, you can enjoy audiobooks on road trips or start a parent/child book club where you read books separately and then plan a special dinner to discuss them.

Milestone Trips

This family tradition takes a little more time and effort, but it’s worth it. I’m talking about the milestone birthday trip. We plan a special trip for each kid on milestone birthdays (10, 13, 16, and 18). It’s a special tradition and one our girls look forward to.

What traditions do you have in your family? Share them in the comments!

10 Tips for Encouraging a Love of Reading

I’ve posted several photos on Instagram recently of my daughters reading and have received many comments about their love of reading.

The most common comment is “How do you get your kids to read?”

I’m not a teacher or reading specialist, but I can tell you what I have done to encourage a love of reading in our home.

Consider the following findings from Comfy Living:

• Reading could help reduce mental decline in old age by up to 32%.

• Reading fiction can make you a better decision-maker.

• Reading increases emotional intelligence, and consequently, your career outlooks.

Don’t we want all of that for our kids? By encouraging a love of reading, we can guide our children to a brighter future.

1. Model Reading

The very first thing you need to do to encourage a love of reading is to model it!

Let your kids see you read regularly. Talk to them about the books you loved as a kid and what you are reading now.

2. Support Their Interests

It’s easy to want to push certain books on kids – especially those books we love.

But that may backfire.

Instead, find books that support their interests. Don’t worry.

Even if your kid has some really unique interests, there is a book that exists about this strange topic.

If they want to read graphic novels, let them! If they want to try a book at a higher reading level, don’t say no.

3. Encourage Library Use

Kids love libraries if they are shown the power of it.

Take kids to the library and explain how it works. They can borrow tons of books without spending any money. Get them their own library card.

They can participate in programming geared for their age group. *Summer reading programs are getting started so check out your local branch for kid, tween, and teen activities.

4. Have a Mom-Child Book Club

One of my favorite ways to encourage a love of reading is to participate in a mother-daughter book club.

If my daughter has a book she loves, I’ll read it. Then, I will make a date to discuss it with her at a restaurant. It makes her feel very grown-up and encourages her to continue reading.

5. Listen to Audiobooks Together

Audiobooks are excellent for auditory learners.

Many of today’s audiobooks are dramatized, which means they are acted out rather than having one person narrating the entire thing.

We like to listen to family-friendly audiobooks, like the Percy Jackson Series, while we are on road trips.

6. Keep Books in Every Room

I try to make it so my kid never has an excuse to say they don’t have anything to read.

I keep books in all the rooms where my girls may possibly read. And in the car.

7. Allow Kids to Read Past Bedtime

I like to encourage a little rebellion.

I will never forget when my daughters realized they could silently read a book with a flashlight past bedtime.

They felt like they were being rebellious, but I loved it.

Now at bedtime, we have to tell them to read but not to read too late.

8. Go All in for the Book Fair

Remember how much fun the Scholastic Book Fair was when you were growing up? It is still just as fun for your kids!

Go all in! Send them with money, order from the pamphlets, or volunteer.

And if you don’t have a school book fair, treat bookstores like a very special place where kids can get the books they really want.

9. Create a Reading Nook

Sure, you can read anywhere.

But there is something really special about a dedicated reading nook.

There are tons of ideas on Pinterest for creating reading nooks in homes.

10. Embrace Technology

Lastly, don’t neglect technology. Kids these days are used to getting everything they want or need via a mobile device or tablet.

Therefore, embrace technology. Download a library app for e-books or give them an allowance for buying books on their devices.

You can even set up time limits on devices, such as 1 hour for games and unlimited for reading.

How to Prepare Kids for Real Life Emergencies

As much as we hope we’ll never have to call 9-1-1 or rush someone we love to the emergency room, it happens.

That’s why it is so important to prepare kids for real life emergencies.

A friend of mine recently shared something that happened to her that made me think about what my kids would do in a similar situation.

My friend’s daughter swallowed a large coin. My friend has an older child who was able to call their dad from their Alexa device while the mom was handling the daughter. The older child then knew to run to the neighbor’s house as the mom rushed the daughter to the nearest urgent care center.

Would my daughters know what to know in a real life emergency like the one she described?

I wanted to make sure, so I took the time to go over the following information.

Discuss Possible Real Life Emergencies

Kids need to know what qualifies as a real emergency and what doesn’t.

A lost toy doesn’t qualify as a real emergency. I reminded my girls of the story of the boy who cried wolf to emphasize the importance of only claiming something is an emergency when it truly is.

Then, we talked about real life emergencies, such as a major cut that requires stitches, when you might need an ambulance, car accidents, fires, etc.

Teach Kids When and How to Call 9-1-1

Once kids understand what qualifies as a real emergency where first responders are needed, such as mommy being hurt and unable to move, they need to know how to call 9-1-1.

While 9-1-1 is only a three-digit number, it requires more than three steps on a mobile device.

For example, you need to teach your kids how to 9-1-1 on your phone – especially if you keep your phone locked.

Teach them how to find the emergency button that allows them to override your passcode protection and then how to dial 9-1-1.

They also need to know what to say once they call 9-1-1. They’ll need to know your address, calmly explain what has happened, and listen to the operator’s instructions.

Talk About What to Do and Where to Go

In some types of emergencies, it is more appropriate to get help from someone close by.

For example, I have told my daughters to run to our neighbor next door. We have a good relationship with our neighbors and trust that they would help my daughters.

We also talked about the types of emergencies that require you to leave the home (fires and intruders).

Explain How to Reach Others

If your kids are too young for their own phones and you don’t have a shared phone in your home, how will your kids reach others in the event of an emergency (such as dad and grandparents)?

You can teach your kids how to use Alexa or Siri to call these people, write their numbers on a dry erase board, or add identifiable emojis to their names in your phone’s contacts.

Show Kids Where to Find First Aid Supplies

It is also important to show kids where you keep your first aid supplies.

We keep our first aid kit in a pantry where they can reach it. They know where it is because they tend to need a lot of Band-aids.

It also gives peace of mind knowing I could yell at them to get it if we needed something quickly, such as wound seal for a cut that will require stitches.

Model Appropriate Behavior

Finally, I am trying to remember that how I respond in an emergency will greatly affect how my children respond. If I panic, they’ll panic. If I act scared, they’ll be scared. My goal is to try to stay calm during any real life emergencies.

What advice would you add? Tell me in the comments.

End of the School Year Survival Tips

We’re coming up on the end of the school year, which tends to feel like the longest, hardest stretch of the entire year.

My girls are finished. They are ready for summer, and so am I. We are so thankful for a relatively normal school year compared to the last couple of years.

But we are tired.

Hours feel like days. Days feel weeks. Weeks feel like months.

How do you finish strong when you just feel done?

Here are my tips for surviving the end of the school year.

1. Say No Often

May and June can feel busier than December. There are school concerts, award ceremonies, and parties.

On top of all the busyness happening during the school hours, there are tons of activities taking place after school, such as recitals.

If you don’t have time to do anything extra during these final few weeks of school, just say no.

2. Utilize a Family Calendar

Again, there are so many events parents are expected to be at. This is especially hard for working parents.

Make sure you utilize a family calendar so that you can divide and conquer the end of the school year sprint.

3. Create an End of the Year Countdown

Give your family a reason to keep going. Create an end of the year countdown calendar.

4. Stay Focused on the Goal

When you are tired and ready to call it quits, stay focused on the goal. And help your kids stay focused.

Remind them why they go to school and why they need to keep learning until the last day.

5. Prepare Teacher Gifts

Don’t let teacher gifts sneak up on you.

Go ahead and buy the gift cards, order the personalized gift, or write the thank you card.

6. Stick to Your Routine

Don’t let your normal routine fall to the wayside.

Stick to what’s worked all year.

Now is not the time to let kids stay up past bedtime or start doing homework in front of the TV.

7. Book Summer Camps

Summer camps are going to be back in full force this summer, so you should expect them to fill up quickly.

If you haven’t booked summer camps yet, now is the time.

Plus, this gives your kids something to look forward to and help them continue working hard.

8. Plan Summer Vacations

Like summer camps, travel experts are expecting summer travel to increase.

According to Destination Analysts, “Overall enthusiasm for leisure travel and the number of anticipated leisure trips in 2022 are also on the rise. This week 72.8% of Americans expressed higher levels of excitement for their prospective travel future—reaching the highest level it's been since the Omicron wave began.”

9. Clean Out Bookbags

If your kids are anything like mine, their bookbags are a mess.

They bring home all sorts of papers I need to see and sign – the end of the year seems to have double the usual amount.

Make sure you stay on top of daily bookbag cleanings to avoid missing out on important information.

10. Restock Supplies

Remember, school is not over yet.

Check with your child’s teacher and see if any school supplies are needed. Pencils, paper, and tissues tend to be running really low at the end of the year.

7 Tricks for Teaching Kids How to Budget

Financial literacy is so important, but unfortunately, it isn’t taught in many schools. That means it is up to parents to teach kids how to budget.

Fortunately, this is much easier than it sounds. By giving your kids opportunities to practice budgeting, you are teaching them an essential lifelong skill.

1. Let Them Shop for a Meal

Give your kids a budget for grocery shopping for a special meal for the family. Make sure you give them a realistic amount of money but stress that they cannot spend more than you have given them. Instead, they will have to add up costs and find ingredients that fit their budget.

2. Allow Them to Plan a Family Activity

Kids don’t seem to grasp that activities cost money, so put them in charge of planning a family activity. This means giving them a budget and allowing them to find something fun to do with their limited budget. They’ll quickly learn to search for budget-friendly activities, like hiking or dollar movies.

3. Have Them Plan a Party

One of my favorite tricks for teaching kids to budget is to let them plan a party. I gave my daughters the chance to plan a sleepover and set a budget. They were responsible for using this budget to get all the party supplies and food.

4. Encourage Them to Set a Savings Goal

Kids need to understand that there is a real reason to budget. That’s why I encourage my daughters to have a goal in mind of something they want to buy, like American Doll accessories or LEGO sets. If they have a savings goal, they can better understand why they need to budget the money they have.

5. Find Ways to Entertain Them

The best way to teach kids to budget is to fool them into thinking they aren’t learning anything. It’s what the best teachers do! Find ways to make learning fun. For example, every time you play Monopoly or Life, they learn about making financial decisions. There are also several movies that provide valuable lessons about money, such as Blank Check, Confessions of a Shopaholic, and Harry Potter.

6. Set a Vacation Spending Budget

If your kids are anything like my girls, you know the pain of vacation shopping. Every time we walk into a gift shop, my daughters go crazy and want “just one more thing.” And each thing adds up! Instead of giving in to their begging on vacation, we now give them a vacation budget. At the start of each vacation, we tell our girls how much money they have in their vacation spending budget. This money goes towards souvenirs and extra snacks. Once they spend all the money, that’s it.

7. Give Them Opportunities to Earn Money

If you want to teach kids how to budget, you need to give them opportunities to earn money. They can’t practice budgeting if they don’t have any funds! Pay them to help with extra chores around the house and encourage them to look for other opportunities to make money.

What tips do you have for teaching kids how to budget? Share in the comments!

15+ Kid-Friendly April Fools' Day Pranks for Families

April Fools' Day is the end of this week (Friday, April 1st), so now is the time to prepare to prank your kids.

According to LiveScience, "Scientists say it's not only OK, but such humor plays an important role in American culture and society, and also helps humans bond with each other."

If done correctly, this can be a day full of silliness and fun. Your kids will laugh about the pranks you pulled on them for years to come.

How Did April Fools' Day Begin

Historians believe April Fools' Day may have started as early as 1582, but there are many theories about why it began.

According to The History Channel, April Fools' Day may have started for the following reasons:

• "When France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. […] People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called 'April fools.'"

• "Historians have also linked April Fools' Day to festivals such as Hilaria (Latin for joyful), which was celebrated in ancient Rome at the end of March by followers of the cult of Cybele."

• "There's also speculation that April Fools' Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather."

Today, April Fools' Day is celebrated worldwide with people doing silly pranks and then shouting, "April Fools!" to those being pranked.

Understand the Point

It's important to understand that the point of April Fools' Day is to laugh. It isn't to mock, make fun, or belittle.

April Fools' Day pranks should be harmless. If the prank will cause your child to cry, then it is a prank you should avoid.

Parents should also understand that kids will most certainly try to prank their parents back – so play along!

Kid-Friendly April Fools' Day Pranks

1. Change the Alexa Wake Up Word: Super easy but very annoying

2. Put Googly Eyes on Everything: Add eyes to their lunch, foods in the pantry, etc.

3. Use Food Coloring Liberally: Turn their milk blue, change the color of the toilet bowl water

4. Plastic Wrap Doors: When they are asleep on March 31st, plastic wrap their door for a morning surprise.

5. Shift the Morning Alarm: Wake kids up way before their normal time, and then once they start getting ready, yell "April Fools!"

6. Write a Hidden Message on Toilet Paper: Unfold the toilet paper, write a funny note, and reroll the TP

7. Balloon Door Trap: Blow up a bunch of balloons and use painter's tape to secure them in a cage on their bedroom door. When they open the door, all the balloons will fall out.

8. Amazing Growth Spurt: Lay out clothing that is a few sizes too big

9. Serve Brown E's: Tell the kids you made brownies and watch them discover paper cut into the letter E

10. Give Them a Frozen Breakfast: Freeze a bowl of cereal with milk and spoon

11. Bust Out the Fake Bugs: Hide fake bugs strategically around the house

12. Short Sheet the Bed: While kids are at school or in the bath, short sheet the bed that evening.

13. Fill Their Pillowcase: Take their pillow out of their pillowcase and refill their case with balloons

14. Sit Out Whoopie Cushions: Place whoopie cushions in their seats

15. Prepare a Moldy Sandwich: Use green food coloring to make their bread look moldy

16. Make Undrinkable Juice: Prepare grape jelly in juice cups and watch them try to drink it

17. Put a Honk Sign on Your Car: Place a "Honk for April Fools' Day" sign on your car

18. Have a Ridiculous Argument: Start a silly argument, such as "No! You can't wear shoes to school today."

Toys and Books to Celebrate Women's History Month

As a mom of two little women, I am being intentional about celebrating Women's History Month this March.

My girls are growing up in a time when women are celebrated more than ever before – because of the many generations of women before them.

It's hard for them to imagine not being allowed to vote, work, or have their own credit card because of their gender.

Regine Muradian, Psy.D., a California-based clinical psychologist explains for Parents, "You can tell your children, 'We celebrate things so we don't forget them […] We celebrate so we honor how hard women fought to get to where they are today.'”

I want my girls to recognize and understand the importance of this history.

The following toys and books make it easy and fun for kids to celebrate Women’s History Month.

Little People, BIG DREAMS

We love the Little People, BIG DREAMS biography books! The series features many incredible women, from Amanda Gorman to Gloria Steinem and more. They all started as little people with big dreams and achieved incredible accomplishments!

This series includes many different types of changemakers, from artists to scientists and activists. These books are all told as a story, with facts and photo sections in the back, making them great resources for kids to read and learn.

The books are available in hardcover (ages 3-7) and board book formats (ages 0-3), and the website also has coloring sheets and fun activities that you can download for your kids.

American Girl Dolls

It’s no secret how much we love American Girl. It is one of our go-to toy brands. Not only are these dolls super high-quality and diverse, but they honor history.

The American Girl doll books are historical fiction that specifically tackles issues that girls in the past overcame, covering topics such as voting rights. However, even the more recent books feature young women overcoming challenges, such as earning a spot on the school sports team.

If your child has an American Girl doll, encourage her to read the related book or create a backstory that celebrates her value as a woman.

LEGO

Another go-to toy brand, LEGO, has a special set that works well for Women’s History Month. This set is the LEGO Women of NASA Building Kit. It includes astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, astronaut and physicist Sally Ride, and astronaut, physician and engineer Mae Jemison.

Inspiring Women Barbie Collection

We also love Barbie here in our home. And the Inspiring Women Series is one more reason why! This unique series features female heroes that made their mark on the world. Instead of a made-up backstory, these are beautiful doll representations of amazing women, such as Helen Keller, Ida B. Wells, and Rosa Parks.

Bold Made

We love card games like Old Maid. Bold Made is a re-imagining, positive spin on the classic card game. You play the game the same way (or like Go Fish), but the cards are designed with beautiful illustrations of brave, change-making women from history, such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Malala Yousafzai.

Know of any other fun resources to celebrate Women’s History Month? Share them in the comments!

My Go-To Toy Brands

As long as toymakers keep inventing toys that encourage creativity, imagination, and fun, I’m going to keep buying them!

Honestly, the day my girls pack up their toys and say goodbye, I’m going to cry some big Toy Story tears.

Part of the reason is because today’s toys are fantastic.

If you know the right brands, you can purchase toys that are well-made, high-quality, and long-lasting. Plus, they will be toys that not only entertain your kids but teach them something.

That’s likely why Capitol Counselor reports, “In 2020, the US retail sales of toys reached $25.14 billion.”

Parents are willing to spend the money when they see that toys are worthwhile.

Now that my girls are a little bit older, I have noticed that certain toy brands we return to repeatedly. For a good reason! My girls love the toys by these brands, and I don’t feel like I have wasted my money.

So, the next time you are searching for a gift for a kid, look to these go-to toy brands.

American Girl

If you have followed me for any amount of time, you know my girls are huge fans of American Girl Dolls.

These dolls are pricey, but they are worth every penny. The craftsmanship is superb, and I love my daughters having dolls that look like them!

Here is some history about American Girl: “Since the first catalogue debuted in 1986, American Girl has provided inspiring products for each stage of a young girl's development—from her preschool days of baby dolls and fantasy play through her tween years of self-expression and individuality. Through an array of premium-quality books, dolls, clothes, toys, and accessories, American Girl has earned the loyalty of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators.”

KidKraft

Imaginative play is at the heart of KidKraft products. We have owned several, including kitchens and dollhouses, and I can tell you that they are built to last (and last).

KidKraft makes it easy for kids to pretend and explore.

They say it best: “KidKraft products are sold in more than 90 countries, resulting in infinite smiles from children around the world.”

Mattel

It’s no surprise that Mattel is a go-to toy brand, bringing in 4.58 billion US dollars last year.

Mattel has been around since 1945 and makes favorites, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, and UNO.

Speaking of Barbie – did you know over 1 billion Barbie dolls have been sold since she first was introduced?

According to Mattel’s About Us, “Mattel creates toys appropriate for children at various developmental stages, designing products to match their current abilities while challenging them so they can learn and grow.”

VTech

My girls have owned several VTech toys since they were babies.

These tech-based toys are great educational products that kids are instantly drawn to.

Thankfully, my girls haven’t outgrown VTech yet. But, sadly, the day is coming since the toys are more from elementary and under.

The good news is that they are so well-made that we can pass our well-loved VTech toys down to the next generation.

What are your go-to toy brands?