7 Quick Takes Friday, Favorite Kid Things!

 I've been taking a few photos of some of our favorite "toys" and other things the kids enjoy on a daily basis.  I know I enjoy reading others' blogs about things like this, so I thought I'd write one too!

--- 1 ---

I'll start with the musical instruments!  I ended up writing up an Amazon Wish List (I think it's actually a Shopping List) after a friend asked for some gift ideas for the kids.  I'd been wanting to purchase handbells the past few Christmases, but never did.  The kids received these from their godmother and enjoy them every day!  They came with some little music sheets, and they also use them as bells during their play.  I thought it might get annoying but the sound isn't that bad, especially when they're playing real songs!

--- 2 ---

Last Christmas the kids got a small guitar.  It's the one instrument I can actually play a little bit, so I'm hoping to be able to teach the kids at some point.  I actually found it on our local classified website and it turned out that a sweet family we know was selling it.  So I think of Hans and remember to pray for him when the kids get it out.  I've yet to be able to teach any of them a real chord, but they do enjoy strumming it, and even pretending it's a violin!

---3---

Well, the piano isn't exactly a toy, and is a bigger investment, but I'm so glad we were able to score this other great Craigslist deal a few years back.  The kids have yet to have formal lessons, but still play around and teach themselves little songs each day.  Thomas is one of the biggest fans of the piano.  He can't climb up himself yet, but asks to be put on the bench and really enjoys hitting the keys.  Last night he was sliding from one side of the bench to the other and listening to the sounds.  Definitely a blessing to have music in the home, even if we don't really know how to play these instruments yet!

--- 4 ---

I cannot believe how much my girls love their inline skates.  They are constantly taking them on and off all day long.  I've been having to get onto them about wearing them in the house because it's starting to get frustrating to walk down a hall and have a child rolling down straight at you!


SJ is also really taking onto his "running bike" which he got for his 3rd birthday but has just started riding.  He's doing really well and we're hoping to get him on a real bike with pedals soon.  I think he'll be our earliest biker; both girls learned around age 4 1/2.


We're glad to have a fun long driveway to play on, tonight we brought chairs and sat outside for dinner during the last few minutes of daylight.

--- 5 ---

The kids have also spent a lot of time playing with their Playmobil sets the past few months.  Mary Clare received a school and small house, and Steven Joseph has the pirates and knights.  They make for lots of fun imaginative play, but we've had to find some special places to keep them so that Thomas doesn't find the little pieces!

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These are two more of our favorite toys that are used almost daily.  Again, they were found used, so I can't really give links, but I know the kitchen is from Lakeshore Learning.  I like that the kitchen is sturdy and neutral-colored, and I like that the dollhouse can be used more imaginatively with peg people and wooden blocks to create rooms and scenes.

--- 7 ---

My last items to share are two of our favorite books.  These were also gifts from their godmother since our old copies were literally falling apart!  They are rhyming books that tell about the different animals.  The illustrations are cute and the kids have all loved them.  There's also a Barnyard Hullaballoo book in the series.

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To see more Quick Takes, visit Hallie at Betty Beguiles who's hosting this week!