Christmas Planning

I literally am not sure I can wait for Christmas this year.  The decorating (in our new house!!), the gifts, the parties...oh my, it's going to be a blast.

So, here's some of the gifts we're thinking about getting for Cole this year:

1. A tool bench

 

 

Cole just LOVES to help Dad fix things - he'll use any excuse to run out to the garage to get a tool to "fix" something.  So when I spotted a tool bench like this one at a yard sale with a bunch of wooden screws, I thought he'd really enjoy it - and you can't beat $12 for the whole set!


2. Wee Sing CD

We have all the Wee Sing songbooks, and one of my favorite things to do is cuddle up with Cole and sing through all the songs.  While Cole hardly ever sings along, he does enjoy listening to music, so I thought I might order him one of the CDs so he can listen to along with his Raffi music...also might be nice for ME to not have to listen to a single Raffi CD on repeat all day long!


3. Bilibo

Rated as the best toy by several different parenting groups, I've wanted to get this for Cole for a while...but at almost $30, I just couldn't see spending the money.  But then I found one at a yard sale for $3! Sold...now how am I supposed to wrap this one??!  I love the open-endedness of this one (there's no "right" way to play with it) and I can't wait to watch Cole and see what he decides to do with it!


4. Wooden Puzzles

 

Cole received a set of these puzzles for his birthday and he just loves them!  There's just the right number of pieces to keep him challenged without frustrating him, the wooden ones are sturdy for his little hands, and the bright designs are easy for him to put together.


5. Legos

I have seriously been looking forward to buying Cole Legos since I found out we were pregnant.  They are truly one of the best toys out there, in my opinion - and with how much Cole loves to build things, I can't wait to see what he'll do with these!  I've been putting off buying them until he's old enough to use them independently, and I think this is the year.


6. "Steam Train, Dream Train"

Of course I'll probably get Cole a few more books, but this one is at the top of my list.  "Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site" is one of Cole's very favorites, and I know this one by the same author and illustrator will be just as fantastic.

So there we go!  As always, I've been trying not to overwhelm Cole with too many "things" gifts, keeping close to the "something you want, something you need, something you wear, something you read" philosophy.  Quality over quantity, without spending too much money.

What about you? What's on your must-have gift list for your kiddos this year?