5 Favorite High-Impact Playtime Products for Babies and Toddlers

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When choosing playtime products for your child, you’ve got a gazillion options. Will they outgrow this toy in a matter of months? Is it going to annoy the bejeezus out of you as the parent?

In an effort to make playtime a bit less daunting and more enjoyable, here are a few of my family’s favorite high-impact playtime products, i.e. they’re multi-functional, attractive, and easy to maintain.

Since Coffee Chats and Yoga Mats is all about being intentional with your life, I’ll occasionally feature products that have been a valuable use of my family’s time, energy, and resources. The goal isn’t to have “more stuff” but rather to create space and peace in your life.

You can live intentionally with passion and purpose as God’s beloved.

Head’s up! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no extra cost to you. I’m committed to only recommending products that have made a positive, meaningful impact in my life. My readers deserve no less.

Curious to learn more? Let’s dive in!

What do I mean by “high-impact” products for babies through toddlers?

I realize that “high-impact” products may vary depending on your own preferences and needs. For this post, high-impact products for babies and toddlers include:

• Multi-functional – It can serve more than one purpose and/or be used effectively for more than a few months
• Attractive – Again, this is subjective. Personally, I just don’t like a lot of little kid gear – the style, colors, and sounds drive me bonkers. I like walking around my house and not feeling like I’m trapped in a daycare.
• Easy to maintain – It must be easy to clean and move around. Less cleaning, more enjoying life!

Below are some of my family’s best high-impact playthings for babies through toddlers. Enjoy!

Play Mat

Our experience with this playtime product

Our play mat feels like a really cushy yoga mat. We’ve logged a lot of time hanging out on this during the past year and a half or so.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find the specific mat we’re using (it was a gift), but the links above should be useful.

With our particular mat, we were able to choose different images for each side. We chose to go with a forestry look on one side and polka dots on the other.

Every few weeks or so, I flip the mat to give it a good cleaning and feel like we have a new play space.

Honestly, I’ve debated about getting another mat like this for our family office – it just feels so good! Family yoga! It’s definitely been a great high-impact item for babies through toddlers (and parents!).

It’s supportive for rolling, sitting, and learning-to-stand babies. Little Man was fascinated by the colors and shapes.

Our mat permanently lives in his play space. As when he was younger, we spend a lot of time hanging out on this mat playing with toys, random objects, and ice cubes.

Perks

• Safe, cushy surface for play – including slippery play, like ice!
• Customizable to the aesthetic you prefer
• Easy to clean – wipe it with a Lysol wipe or simple cleaning spray or vacuum it

Potential issues

• If vacuuming it, very high suction might suck some of the patterns off (it’s weird but true)
• Your child might want to roll up the mat to see the different pictures on the other side (haha)

Loveevery play kits

Honestly, I can’t gush about Loveevery play kits enough. I’d been debating about taking the plunge with their play kits for months until his first birthday rolled around. I’m so glad we tried it out!

Lovevery’s play kits are designed with the following in mind:

• Made for learning – designed with a team of experts, academic researchers, and specialists
• Stage-based play – support your child’s brain development at each important stage
• Thoughtfully crafted – made with sustainable, organic, and natural materials that are good for your child and good for the planet

If you can identify with any of the following, Lovevery play kits may be a good option for your family too!

• Find choosing playthings a bit overwhelming – Where do you start? What might be most appropriate for your child now and later?
• Curious about adding things to your household that is geared toward your child’s development. Play that can help your child learn invaluable skills, including gross motor, fine motor, language, math, and more?! Count me in!
• Want toys in your house to be meaningful and attractive. Why are so many playthings so darn ugly and obnoxious?

Our experience with this playtime product

Since our first play kit, we’ve continued with our membership and have gotten the following play kits:

• The Babbler Play Kit (months 13, 14, 15)
• The Pioneer Play Kit (months 16, 17, 18)
• The Realist Play Kit (months 19, 20, 21)
• The Companion Play Kit (months 22, 23, 24)
• The Helper Play Kit (months 25, 26, 27)

Little Man hasn’t been immediately fascinated by every item in the play kit when we’ve gotten them. Most of the time, though, a few items grab his attention from the get-go.

It’s been surprising to see over time how he’s gravitated toward previously ignored items and enthusiastically played with them. I’ve appreciated how the toys can appeal to a spectrum of your child’s development and interests.

Perks

• The play kits come every three months (you can always cancel a shipment), which is often when your child may be ready for something a bit more challenging.
• The books, toys, and other items are so fun, attractive, and simple. I nerd out every time about all the fun we can have and the new skills Little Man can develop.
• Each play kit comes with a handy little book that talks through potential developmental experiences your child may be going through, encouragement for parents, ideas for how to use the playthings and more ideas not tied specifically to the toys.

Potential issues

• You can’t select playthings or books separately. They all come as part of a play kit.
• The price tag can be intimidating. I’ve found it helpful to see what’s in the play kit, check the total anticipated bill and calculate how much it would be per item. Often it’s $8-10 a piece, which I’m okay with – if this is my primary toy purchase for the season (which it is).

Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller

Our experience with this playtime product

When we got our first stroller, we went with an umbrella style. We didn’t need anything fancy, right?

During the months to come, I realized that the umbrella-style stroller wasn’t meeting my needs and wants. I was constantly concerned about Little Man getting torched by the sun and whacked in the head with my water bottle.

We upgraded to the Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller and I never want to go back.

This stroller has rocked my socks off since we got it! Little Man enjoys climbing in and buckling up and asks to go on stroller walks.

Perks

Starting from the top down, here are some perks of this stroller:

• Sturdy cupholder. Seriously, I had no idea this could be challenging to find until I tried two other strollers first. Since this particular stroller has a cupholder with a sturdy base, your water bottle or other beverage won’t go flying on the ground or on your child’s head if it gets bumped. Win.
• You can adjust the shade from multiple angles, which comes in handy when you’re changing directions (i.e. walking into or away from the sunlight).
• The shade also has a mesh space in the top so you can check if your child is asleep or tossed their glasses on the ground. Not that my child has ever done that…
• The straps are adjustable so it can last your child longer.
• Easy to maneuver (three wheels are a huge perk)
• Smooth ride for your child (at least my son has never said otherwise)
• BIG storage basket below – so nice if you’re lugging a diaper bag, tossed shoes, winter gear, mail, etc.

Potential issues

• It’s relatively easy to fold down, but it can be challenging to fit into the trunk of a car. (You have to pop off the back two wheels, fold the stroller, and then somehow artfully cram it into the back of your vehicle.
• If you drive a car, it’ll probably take up the majority of the space in your trunk. (How on earth do you do road trips??)

Highlights Hello

As avid readers, we read books multiple times a day. Highlights Hello has been a great option for:

• Bringing in fresh content with topics a small child could be interested in (I forget that topics like vacuum cleaners could be fascinating to a baby!)
• Baby and toddler-friendly pages – sturdy, easy to turn, and chewing friendly
• An affordable way to expand our library

Our experience with this playtime product

Initially, Little Man tends to be fairly uninterested in new reading material. However, after having more time to explore the pictures and hear the words, he tends to keep coming back to them over and over again.

Some of the original Highlights Hello magazines we received are now his favorites to study in-depth.

Perks

• Fresh baby and toddler-friendly content every month or so
• Simple rhymes and stories that can teach your child something about the world
• Tips for parents about activities and conversations to explore with your child

Potential issues

• Contacting customer support to resolve order issues can take some time (but not always)

Organizational Baskets and Bins

Our experience with this playtime product

How could organizational bins and baskets possibly be playtime products? In our household, I use the heck out of them for containing toys, books, etc., and for toy rotation.

(Not sure what toy rotation is? Here’s some information to get you started!)

For instance, when I notice he hasn’t been playing with a particular set of blocks for a time, I put it away and pull out a different option. When he sees his “new” toy, he’s pretty stoked to play with it and it’s interesting again.

All that being said, we use a variety of simple baskets and containers to house the toys. I’d like to think it’s easier for Little Man to find his favorite items because he knows what they’re in and where to find them. We’ve used organizational baskets and bins from babyhood onward.

(Note: Natural baskets are often encouraged for the sake of beauty and texture. With our child I went with plastic and cloth options because Little Man kept trying to eat the baskets… and actually had some bites of the basket that I frantically dug out of his mouth.)

Perks

• Depending on the materials you use, they can be really easy to clean and maneuver.
• An attractive way to contain and display playthings
• For clutter-haters, this can create a bit more peace in your space
• Multi-functional – you can use them for many other purposes around your house

Potential issues

• Your kid may try to eat your organizational baskets and bins…
• Quality may vary depending on what you purchase

Articles related to high-impact playtime products for babies and toddlers

• 5 Best Mealtime Products for Babies through Toddlers
• 14 Easy Mealtime Hacks for Parents of Toddlers
• Why You Need Healthy Happy Movement in Your Life
• 7 Ways that My Toddler Has Improved My Self-Care

Recapping the best playtime products for babies and toddlers

I’m pro-high-impact products for babies and toddlers, especially when it comes to the seemingly never-ending options for playtime items. A few of my favorite high-impact playtime items for babies through toddlers include:

• Play Mat
• Loveevery
• Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller
• Highlights Hello
• Organizational Baskets and Bins

These playtime products have been a great investment for our family to enjoy playtime even more. For your family, you may have different needs, but I hope this list gave you some helpful ideas for what may serve your household!

You are God’s beloved. Your life matters. Live intentionally.

So – it’s your turn. What caught your eye? What are some high-impact products you’ve used for your family? Suggestions for the next season?

Let’s talk in the comments!

P.S. Want some crazy simple steps to start living intentionally? Grab the Embrace Your Potential Playbook. It’ll help you zoom in on your God-gifted personality and give you practical tips to be more intentional, passionate, and purposeful as God’s beloved so you can become the best version of yourself.

cort.k.loui

Cortney is a Christian life coach and recovering over-achiever who is passionate about helping Christian women embrace who God created them to be so they can confidently step into any season of life with passion, purpose, and peace. She’s also an ENFJ, MBTI® coach, M. Ed in College Student Development, Pilates and Yoga teacher, wife, mama, and entrepreneur. In her pre-kid life, she coordinated programs for, coached, funded, and provided leadership training for more than 60+ student organizations and 100s of university students for 7+ years. (Helping people highlight their inner awesomeness and reach their goals is her jam!)

More importantly, she’s God’s beloved.