I have been looking all over for a toy washing machine for my daughters play kitchen area.  It seems that no one makes a decent quality one anymore. I came across this one when looking for one for my daughter and I think that this one may do the trick.  Step2 now makes the Deluxe Nursery Center which includes a mini washing machine, changing table, sink and highchair all in one unit. The unit is nice in the fact that it has multiple play areas so your child can use it for many different uses other than just a mini washer. For parents it is also great because it can be easily wiped off with soap and water.

I must say that these are the cutest set of ice cream cones that I have ever seen.  My daughter received the Smart Snacks Rainbow Cones by Learning Resources for Christmas and they are an excellent edition to her play kitchen.  The colors are nice and bright- and they are the true ROYGBIV colors which makes them easy for small children to identity. The scoops easily attach to the 2 cones that come with the set and stack neatly one on top of the other, which is great for young children to do to practice their motor skills.  The thing I like about this toy the best it that it is multifunctional- it is educational yet it can also be used in a play kitchen as well.

If your child is anything like mine, every time you go to the supermarket they want the shopping cart with the “car” attached to it.  Now thanks to the folks at Little Tikes your child can now have their very own cart cart to push their own babies around in.  Plus there is enough room for them to carry their own groceries in too.  The thing I love about the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Shopping Cart is that it is small enough that you can fit it in your car and bring it to the store with you so your little helper can shop along with you.  A great solution for those busy toddlers that do not like to sit in carts or strollers.

A great new toy from Little Tikes, the Neighborhood Market is a nice addition to a toddlers play room.  My daughter just received this for Christmas, and after it was put together, I must say, it was a big hit.  Surprisingly it came with a lot of nice accessories (cash register with money, some assorted fruit, muffins, and ice cream with scoop). Every morning my daughter loves to serve me muffins from her little market and loves to pretend that she is a little shop keeper.

Although it seems small in size it is the perfect size for a child age 3 to 7 (although my daughter is 2- she is extremely tall for her age).  From a parents point of view, if you are limited on space it is nice that when it is not in use it can fit nicely against a wall or could be stored inside of a large closet. It can also be wheeled around easily so it can go from indoors to outdoors very easily.

Little Tikes Neighborhood Market

• A maze game where players must maneuver a small marble around challenging barriers inside a transparent sphere
• Provides a three dimensional experience
• Shift, flip, and twist the sphere to guide the marble
• Entertaining, educational, and great for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
• No set-up, clean-up or batteries

Product Description
Perplexus is a maze game where players must maneuver a small marble around challenging barriers inside a transparent sphere. Unlike traditional flat-surface mazes that are composed of one path, Perplexus houses various exhilarating tracks with 100 barriers and provides a three dimensional experience. Players select which track they would like to attempt, and then must work with gravity and carefully shift, flip, and twist the sphere to guide the marble. Players can race each other or the clock. On top of being entertaining, Perplexus is also an educational toy, and assists in child development. It is a great toy for children to exercise their motor and dexterity skills, as well as improve their hand-eye coordination. Its small size makes it easily portable. No batteries required. Ages 6 and above…. More >>

Perplexus Maze Game by PlaSmart, Inc.

• A maze game where players must maneuver a small marble around challenging barriers inside a transparent sphere
• Provides a three dimensional experience
• Shift, flip, and twist the sphere to guide the marble
• Entertaining, educational, and great for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
• No set-up, clean-up or batteries

Product Description
Perplexus The most fun you’ll have with a maze! This is not the maze puzzles of the past that you knew and grew bored of. This 3d puzzle maze is the coolest maze you’ll ever hope to solve! With 3 levels to solve Perplexus will have you busy turning, rotating, angling, balancing…anything to get that metal ball down the correct track!… More >>

PlaSmart Perplexus Maze Game

Do you keep your wooden toys? Perhaps they are still around. Plastic toys do not last as long as wooden toys and so, they are usually not around when the owners are all grown up. Thus, wooden toys are more ideal as souvenirs, as they are more likely to be still around to bring back happy memories. So for old times sake, preserve and keep your wooden toys.
This is easy enough to do because the one thing that separates wooden toys from all the other toys is that it seems to last forever. But first, before we rant about how great wooden toys are, here’s a brief history lesson.
During the seventeenth century, wooden toys really began to catch on. And many German toy makers have been known to create innovative toys. Plastic eventually starts to replace wood when it comes to making toys since its cheaper for mass production. Hence, many toy makers switched to plastic. Now if you are buying toys solely based on price alone, this fact alone could affect your buying decision. But toys are precious things. And some things, money can’t buy.
For instance, wooden toys are widely used by child care centers for education purposes. Children love wooden toys because they can play with them both indoors and outdoors. Many people don’t know that the secret to improving thinking and motor skills is to use simple wooden toys to play simple games. For example, use wooden blocks for counting games, or use puzzles to help encourage thinking. Some children like to use wooden toys for pretend play. Pretend play stimulates a child’s imagination. Playing simple games with wooden toys such as building blocks encourages development of motor skills and thinking skills. Besides, wooden toys are not exclusive to any gender. Both boys and girls like to play with them. Just make a visit to any child care center and you can see for yourself – Boys playing with wooden toy guns, while girls play with wooden kitchen sets. A lovely sight for sure.
But bear in mind that toxic paints on a wooden toy can be dangerous for children. So make sure that the paint is non-toxic before giving the toy to a child.
There are many reasons why people choose wood to make toys from. One primary reason is that wood can be made into anything – little toy cars, puppets, and even furniture. Although plastic toys may be cheaper, wooden toys are far more durable and can last for a long time.
There are many different types of wooden toys. Wooden toys with a good old age are sometimes very valuable because they can’t be found anywhere else. Money can’t buy them because they are out of production. So needless to say, the value of the toy goes up.
When sourcing for wooden toys, buying toys online would be a good place to start as most toy stores these days don’t sell wooden toys anymore. Wooden toys are gaining popularity because they are environmentally friendly.
From a toy collector’s perspective, wooden toys that are hard to find and well preserved are worth more. So preserve their physical condition by cleaning them on a regular basis with clean water. Also, toy collectors should look out for wooden toys that require more skill to produce. They are harder to find and therefore, they often fetch a higher price.
Think about why are wooden toys so widely accepted. Many people like to collect wooden toys because they come in many forms. Tiny wooden toys look cute and adorable, and many people would love to own them.
Because wooden toys are durable and reusable, they are often ideal educational toys. They can be used again and again without breaking. In the longer term, wooden toys will save you more money. They last longer than plastic toys, and have greater replay value.