@Kenson Parenting Solutions

How is that my once sweet, lovable infant who went to bed so easily when I put him down and walked away has morphed into this tantrumming toddler, screaming at the top of his lungs who bangs the walls, shut doors in my face, then trashes his room by dumping all the books from his bookshelf on the floor? I’m mortified and horrified to think what he’ll be like as a teenager. What on god’s earth did I do to this poor child to have a 2 hour tantrum before bed that has him pushing me with two hands and screaming these words, “Go Away!” So I walk away. Then it’s “Come Back You!” “Lie Down You!” “Right there, you can see, he has no idea what it is he wants, I think he’s just over tired and just looking to control me.

Then, I proceed to scream at my husband from the top of the stairs during the whole incident that he better be “googling” how the hell to help this kid while I’m up there taking my nighttime beating physically and emotionally after working all day when I have very little left to give.

There are any number of things that may or may not have happened for us to be the recipients of Gavin’s new found ways of love these days. For sure the holidays definitely got us off our bedtime schedule out late at parties. He’s had multiple sinus infections, respiratory infections and a bout of diarrhea. A few days after Christmas, we transitioned him to a full size bed because he was climbing out of his crib like a circus act. And well, there’s the he’s just a toddler excuse. This is what toddlers do, this wonderful, I guess, thankfully normal stage of development where they are trying to become autonomous. Oh, one more. Since all his teeth are in, he’s definitely got to be growing.

So now that we’ve gotten through the excuses– I will say, parents, it’s so much easier and calmer to help someone problem solve this from the clinician side, being stuck in the trenches yourself does not allow for a lot of mental clarity, that I will say. So I called my best friend and toddler expert, another OT who works with this age group and bounced some ideas off of her to get back on track. Phone a friend people, you are not the only going through this, I promise.

Here’s the plan and though it’s not perfect, the tantrums are not 2 hours long anymore and it’s getting definitely easier. This routine may not work specifically for your child or family but it might spark an idea that will. Whatever the case, make sure to read about my reward chart secret weapon, that is the take home piece of this story.

- We needed to get back to a very structured bedtime schedule. I’ve started the bedtime routine at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. to allow for more time and am trying to focus solely on him. I leave my iPhone downstairs so there are no temptations to “tweet, pin, or update my facebook status.”

- Being in winter we haven’t been doing regular baths to save time and my energy, but it’s definitely a routine with warm water and calming capabilities so we’re back to short, nightly baths.

-For safety purposes, we gated the door of his room with a First Years gate that he can not climb over. So if he’s mad I can come back and check on him without needing to go into the room.

-After bath we put on his diaper, he has a choice of his pajamas (only 2), and I’ve started a lotion routine. It helps keep his dry skin at bay and he seems to enjoy the massage effect.

-We actually go back down stairs after he’s in his pajamas, which may not be the best choice, but we bring his blanket and pacifier with us. Before, if we tried to stay in his room to do the entire bedtime routine he knew it was coming and the  behaviors escalated. I wanted to keep time in the room to a minimum, so he knows it’s bedtime and not playtime.

-Then here comes my secret weapon, the I Can Get Ready for School Chart (pictured above), which is a reward chart from Kenson Parenting Solutions. This company makes a whole host of customizable charts to help kids be rewarded with stars for their good behavior from daily routine charts, to getting ready for school charts, to potty training charts. They have different pictures that can be attached to the chart and there is a magnetic back to be placed on a refrigerator or metal door. It costs $9.95, much less than a sleep specialist.

-I pulled out several of the velcro squares. Clean Your Toys, Brush Your Hair and Teeth, 3 Blank Ones (1 for each book we read) and the Go to Bed/Stay in Bed square.

-We clean up his toys, then he removes the square and places it on the opposite side of the chart to indicate it’s finished. We brush his teeth and do the same.

-We dim the lights and sit on the couch together with his blanket. The 3 blank squares signify the 3 books we read. He has a special bag of library books and choses 1 book at a time. After each book is finished we move over the square. When we reach the time to Go to Bed square he moves it over and  we head upstairs.

-Once in his bed, I read one final story. His absolute favorite which is the same book every night, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen. I leave only the hallway lights on when we read together, at this point I know it by heart, and he holds his special Lighting McQueen flashlight.

- He lies down on the pillow and I give him his pacifier and blanket. For some reason he started requesting months ago that I pat his bum, which I do, usually for a count of 10, then I kiss him goodnight, leave the room and shut the gate.

- I have joined the rank of every good parent and for successful diaper/dressing changes, and attempts at peeing on the potty, he gets an M&M as a positive reward.

Last night it took him almost 45 minutes to settle down and fall asleep but it was without any major tantrum incidents. I could hear him talking and he called for me a few times, but it was much better than previous nights. He is very rules oriented and structured, so the visual chart has been the best choice for us at this point.  This is the part of parenthood that is so hard, especially when you are tired and spent at the end of the day. Being consistent is the hardest thing to do, but a visual chart may help keep you both focused when you are both to frustrated for words. What ever you do, don’t weather the storm alone, because you definitely aren’t alone.

Kenson Parenting Solutions has provided these reward charts free to facilitate this review. The opinions above are my own with a little help from my best friend Debbie Beaulieu, a magnificent OT in Connecticut.

Mommy & Me Tech Segment on Better TV

Back in December I got a really fun opportunity to be part of a television segment on the Better TV show in New York City, which is hosted by Audra Lowe. The segment, sponsored by VTech Toys, discussed some concerns that moms like myself might have about introducing a young child to technology.  Brett Larson, a technology expert, was included in the segment to provide his view of what age is good to start exposing young children to technology toys.

The video itself is hosted on the Better TV site, so please view it by clicking this link:

Mommy & Me Tech with Keri Wilmot from ToyQueen.com

In case you might have older children, Tracie from Penny Pinchin Mom and Crystal from Simply Being Mommy were included in an additional segment on Better TV, that discussed how to include technology with multiple children at different age levels.

My travel expenses were paid for as part of this opportunity. I was not provided with any additional compensation. All opinions expressed in the video are my own.

Ruckus Media Group, a fabulous creator of great ipad apps for kids, has been producing a variety of children’s apps that are very interactive in nature, educational and many are based on some great traditional stories. You can read some past reviews on Tom Thumb, Pecos Bill, The Velveteen Rabbit and Chuck the Truck here.

A Present for Milo is an interactive storybook where children can follow Milo the cat on a chase after a mouse in his house. There are all sorts of interactive spaces where kids can touch different pictures in the book that come to life. Gavin’s favorite page is one of the first pages where it says, “Knock Knock Knock!” He will then start banging wildly on the iPad screen repeating it. With the flick of a finger kids figure out real early these days, they can easily turn the page. The only thing that’s hard with a toddler is that once they figure out the ability to activate different pictures their impulsive little selves rear their ugly heads and before you know it they are pushing the home button on the iPad and flipping back and forth between pages like crazy, at least driving me a little nuts. I did find this app to be a little sensitive on the page flip, but the interesting piece for me is how smart and resourceful even toddlers can be. Gavin has figured out that I can activate certain pictures on the page easier than he can and he’ll often take my index finger in his hand and guide it to a picture on the page that he wants me to help him with.

What I love about this book, which is why it’s great for toddlers and preschoolers, is that not only can it help them to learn some basic vocabulary, but it allows children to learn even more specifically about “cause and effect,” which gives them a sense of curiousity and control in their lives as they remember that by touching a certain place on the page, something happens, which causes them to do it again, again and again. There are great sound effects in this book with dozens of experiences on each page. This book is also great to teach kids about those hard to learn prepositions: in, under, across, through, and down. I won’t spoil the surprise of the story, but if you are looking for a real inexpensive birthday gift idea to share with your child on their birthday, this is a great book and app to help celebrate that special occasion. Apps are definitely way cheaper than actual cards these days, they don’t end up in the trash and can provide memorable and educational experiences for your whole family day after day.

Ruckus Media provided this app free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

©Fisher-Price

The Fisher-Price I Can Play Basketball Hoop

Geared for kids ages 18 months and up, this hoop is toddler friendly! There are 4 different height positions, which are very easy to change. There is an additional rim making it easier for kids to score at younger ages!

©Fisher-Price

The Fisher-Price Grow to Pro Basketball Hoop

Geared for kids ages 2 and up, it grows to 4 different heights, 3 ft., 4 ft., 5 ft., and 6 ft.

©Discovery

Discovery Kids Bubble Bouncer

This is a folding trampoline for kids ages 12 months and up to work on their gross motor skills for bouncing and jumping!

©Derek Wilmot Photography

YBike Pewi

This is a ride-on toy for kids ages 12 months to 36 months. It can hold a maximum weight of 44 lbs., but it’s 4, quiet caster wheels are amazing indoor since they do not scratch, mark or damage wooden floors.

Fisher-Price provided the  I Can Play Basketball Hoop and YBike provided the YBike Pewi to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

@Sesame Workshop

Even before Gavin was born, I knew I wanted him to have a pacifier, despite many people’s contradictory opinions. Working with children who have self-regulation difficulties, or kids for some reason or another who haven’t learned to soothe themselves when they are upset, I was determined to find something for him that would help him self-calm that wouldn’t be me, the bottle or my breasts. And much to the lactation consultant’s dismay, he had a soothie pacifier the day we left the hospital, and never suffered a moment of nipple confusion. Call me crazy but my personal philosophy was simple, you can’t cut off a child’s thumb or fingers, but at some point when they are ready, you can transition them away from the binky by throwing it away, cutting the nipple or giving it away. Gavin is now 2 and his Wubbanub soothie pacifier is his best friend, and I’m not kidding.  As he has learned to talk, he has had multiple nicknames for it along the way, “ming ming, minky, my minky, binky,” and I know as well as anyone, once he named it, we were doomed. Now, like many people, here we are right in the throes of trying to figure out how to get rid of the pacifier.

@Wubbanub

We tried for a week over the summer taking it away cold turkey when he was about 20 months. For those of you familiar with Wubbanubs, which is an adorable animal, attached to a Soothie pacifier, we actually removed the pacifier from the stuffed animal and gave him the animal to sleep with. That week was the most miserable of our lives, probably more so than his. After 1 week of being pacifier free, we actually gave it back. Yes, I broke the rule and did what everyone told me not to and I went back on my word. Nap and nightime got harder and harder for him to fall asleep, or he would wake up in the middle of the night and would be crying desperately trying to find it in the crib. Being a full time working parent and blogger, I personally needed Gavin to sleep consistently because his nap time and bedtime is my work time. Though we didn’t fully transition him away from the binky forever, during that experience we did make some headway. He stopped bringing the binky to daycare for naps and at home we have tried to allow access to the pacifier only in his bed or in his room.

So now that he’s two, we are on step 2 of the plan. A few weeks ago, was national “Put Down the Pacifier Day.” I was asked about reviewing a copy of a new Sesame Street DVD, called, Bye-Bye, Pacifier! Big Kid Stories with Elmo and I jumped at the opportunity. This DVD features 3 different segments with Elmo and his Sesame Street friends that help kids make the leap to big kid things like saying good bye to the pacifier, riding a bicycle and getting a haircut. Gavin is mesmerized by the pacifier segment. What I love about it is that there are multiple strategies that Elmo proposes as ways that he tried to stop using his pacifier. He places them all in a box to give to another baby, he attempts to trade one in at Hooper’s store for another comfort item, and leaves them under his pillow for Abby Cadabby the Binky Fairy. Multiple times along the way Elmo is not successful or ready for the big transition either. That’s the message I love about this DVD, it gives kids a way to practice and plan for the big event. There’s an adorable song that Elmo sings along with Gordon called, “Bye- Bye Binky, Binky Bye -Bye,” which Gavin frequently requests that we watch together on Youtube and I hear him singing on his own when he’s playing. We don’t have a specific timeframe right now of when the big day will come that we will say goodbye to his best friend again, but in the meantime, we’ll keep watching Bye-Bye Pacifier! Big Kid Stories with Elmo hoping that our good friend Elmo will help pave the way for a successful transition, whenever it may be.

Wubbanub Review at Toy Fair with ToyQueen

Photo Courtesy of Amazon.com

This year I got an awesome change in my schedule and I now have Mondays off from working as an occupational therapist, so I started looking for some fun, local, free activities for Gavin and I to do in the morning. Our local library has a “lap sit” toddler group in the morning where for a half hour parents, their children and the librarian sing songs, blow some bubbles and read a few stories. I can not tell you when the last time I actually went to the library was, but I dug out my old card so we could take some books home with us and off we went.

After the group when we tried to pick out books, Gavin was so excited, he ran running through the stacks of books, playing peek-a-boo on the other side. He had no interest in sitting to read any books or to play with any toys. He was more preoccupied with licking the water fountain and trying to wash his hands in the bathroom.

I had asked the librarian if one of our favorite authors, of course whose name I did not know off hand, had any other similar books to his favorite, Click Clack Moo Cows that Type.  While I was asking her, Gavin was sliding books off the shelves quicker than I could imagine and from places I could have never found on my own to return to the proper spot. I was looking for books in the actual library, by how cool the cover looked, just like I can see them in iBooks on my iPad. Except, the books are stacked in rows by their bindings and very few covers were showing. I did manage to grab a few books before we then sat waiting at the check out area. After a few minutes the librarian looked at me and said, “Can I help you?” I said I wanted to check out my books. She then pointed me to the self-checkout line and then had to give me a tutorial. Yes, just like the grocery store, our library has a self checkout area. After I tried to scan the UPC code of the book, just like I would do at the supermarket, she had to point out that there was an entirely different sku area. I couldn’t have been more happier to get out of there feeling horribly guilty that Gavin the tornado had left his mark on the place. Can I just ask, when did the library actually come close to being hip with the times, and where have I been during this transformation?

So in retrospect here were some simple ideas I had so when we make our return trip next week life me be just a little easier. Simple I know, but they would have made my quality of life, that much easier this morning.

- I will bring one of those re-useable shopping bags to carry the books in. I hardly carry a purse or a diaper bag anymore, so I walked in with Gavin empty handed. A flailing toddler and 5 books up and down a flight of stairs was not fun.

- Next time I will plan ahead, days ahead. These days with the addition of the ability to find books and hold them online, from the comfort of my computer I will reserve to my heart’s content without having to try to find something I think Gavin will like, in the moment of insanity. Maybe we’ll hunt for one book when we are there, instead of trying to locate an entire stack!

©Spinmaster

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am a huge lover of Aquadoodle, especially when working with toddlers, because I think it’s one of the safest ways to teach kids about coloring without the worries or fears of damaging any walls or furniture. Using the water filled pen, kids draw on the large white mat, and their lines magically appear. In older versions of this toy, the lines drawn were always blue. Now, with Aquadoodle Color, colors magically appear when the child uses the pen to draw on the mat! Then, once the water dries on the mat, the drawings disappear. This is a great toy that can be used repeatedly, involves no mess other than water, and it folds up easily, so it’s perfect to take on an outing to grandparents’ houses, to the park or to playdates.

The mat itself has a variety of drawings on the side paired with their corresponding letter of the alphabet. The drawings are comprised of simple curves and shapes, making them easy for older elementary school aged kids, as well as adults to recreate. My toddler loves watching us draw the pictures and likes to guess what the picture is, which is a way to also build his vocabulary. Thankfully, I can actually use the drawings to create something he can identify, because drawing is definitely not my strong suit! We also like to draw a big race track on the mat, he loves zooming his cars on the path.

If you are looking for an even smaller travel alternative, Aquadoodle Doodle Buddy comes as either a bear, bunny or penguin, which children can use the pen to draw accessories onto the face or tummy.  The toy’s hand includes an elastic attachment which stores the small pen.

Spinmaster provided Aquadoodle Color and an Aquadoodle Doodle Buddy free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Despite actually being a really sweet and cute movie, this was the first movie that my family got to see together, so just because of this sentimental fact, it will always hold a special place in my heart.  Yes, we were the crazy ones who decided that we’d try to take a 20 month old toddler to the movies at 7:00 p.m. at night, for the first time. Could have been a disaster, but thankfully it wasn’t and to any of you who were there, Gavin was one of the many little voices chirping throughout the theater, who could also be heard clapping and yelling “Yeah” and “Bear” after some of the adorably silly scenes and musical scores.

The movie itself was short, only 68 minutes, and with a toddler in tow, it was still a bit long for him. He was great for the first 30 minutes, but the moment that there was even the hint of a pause, he was trying to engage the kids in front of him and behind him in a game of peek-a-boo. Though I can’t remember the last time I actually watched Winnie the Pooh, it had a nice pace, with several great, but not overpowering musical sound effects that thankfully kept drawing Gavin’s attention and interest back to the big screen. In case you might be bored at the thought of attending this movie with your kids, there was plenty of adult humor to go around. I found myself laughing out-loud on several occasions, especially when Winnie the Pooh’s tumbly gets all rumbly.

Winnie the Pooh and his friends, Christopher Robin, Rabbit, Eeyore, Owl, Piglet, Tigger, Kanga and Roo all work together to help find Eeyore’s lost tail, all for the reward of a one, gigantic, sweet pot of honey. There is also a lot of drama that ensues as the crew worries that Christopher Robin has been taken by a monster, called a “Backson.”

Overall, I really enjoyed the soothing sound of the character’s voices and accents throughout the movie and it was definitely one, “sweet” and memorable performance, our family enjoyed together.

Here’s a little clip of all of the cute ideas that were suggested to replace Eeyore’s old tail:

Here’s the official movie trailer:

Will you and your family see the Winnie the Pooh movie?

Disney provided our family with a free showing for Winnie the Pooh. All opinions are my own.

A few months ago we received a new tricycle for my 1 1/2 year old son, so I went on the search for a new toddler bike helmet. Some people might wonder why I would be so diligent about getting a helmet for my toddler; considering he’s in a 5 point harness and I’m pushing the tricycle with one of those large extension handles. Not only do I have a job because children suffer from brain injuries that are often the cause of freak accidents, but just like the dentist tells you brushing a child’s teeth at a young age is more about forming a good habit, I thought the same for my toddler. If he’s always known to wear a helmet when he rides his bike, I’m hoping there shouldn’t be any issues around wearing one when he gets older. Not to mention, though he might not be the one falling off yet, if we are pushing him on the road near cars and other bikes, I’d rather be more safe than sorry.

The Giro helmet is pretty stylish for the little guy, he absolutely has no problem wearing it, and it sits squarely on the top of his head, nice and snug. This particular helmet has a pinch-free buckle, visor, bug netting and two blinking red lights that are battery operated to help warn oncoming traffic.

In our family, helmets will be a must-wear, with no if’s, and’s or but’s allowed. The same goes for you parents, if you don’t wear a helmet, I would expect an argument from your children. Practice what you preach and make sure the entire family gets outfitted for a sturdy helmet. Giro has an extensive line of bike helmets for adults and children for both cycling, skating and snowboarding, and on their website they have a nice video that will instruct you how to measure the head appropriately for proper fit. We need to make sure those little noggins are protected in any way we can.

Need to personalize your helmets, also check out an interview I did with my friend Gregg from Helmtops last summer!

Giro provided this helmet free to facilitate the review. All opinions are my own.

Photo courtesy of Derek Wilmot Photography.

So we’ve been through several show phases starting with the Backyardigans, The Wiggles, Sesame Street (Elmo’s World specifically) and now our “go to” guy of the month is Barney. Yes the hopping, leaping, goofy purple dinosaur, whose best friends are Baby Bop and BJ, and the dinosaur who has had all sorts of awful songs created about him. Let the innocence of childhood prevail because Gavin has no biases, he is just as happy to see Barney appear on television sometimes, as he is when my husband or I come home at the end of a work day. So I put on my educational hat and have rationalized why we continue to watch certain shows in our house. No matter what anyone says, these shows mostly involve real people or even animals that talk conversationally and have real personalities. They sing real songs, some which have been around for decades that we learned as a child and there is  some element of promoting real life skills by teaching letters, numbers, how to have manners and how to be a good friend.

I can say, Gavin is honestly learning from this show. He loves trying to imitate the hand gestures to familiar songs like the Itsy Bitsy Spider along with the show. Even more adorable is that he loves the song Barney sings at the end, “I love you, you love me, we’re a great big family, with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won’t you say you love me too.” Not only is he singing along, but he is giving these tremendous squeezes and wet sloppy smooches in the right spots, everytime. We sing it now before he goes to bed as part of our bedtime routine, which he emphatically requests multiple times over and again saying, “more YOU!” So Barney, right now I am forever indebted to you for how absolutely stinking adorable my little man is –every time we share this moment together.

In honor of our love for Barney we are giving away two DVD sets, the Barney Playdate Pack (3 DVD’s shown above) AND the Thomas the Train Playdate Pack (3 DVD’s)!

Mandatory entry:

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Giveaway ends June 27th, 11:59 p.m. EST.

These DVD packs were provided free to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

One of the most amazing things I find working with children is how much these little minds and hands take in during their first year and a half of life. At such a young age, they are able to match shapes and colors, as well as to learn to complete simple puzzles.

What makes the Ambi Lock A Block different than some traditional shape sorters, is that not only do children learn to match by shape and color, in order to get the pieces out of the box, a key needs to be inserted into the lock to open the door. Though this is hard for many toddlers, it’s a great feature that makes this toy great for a children at different developmental levels. I love how the key is attached to the box, no more missing keys in your playroom!

For young children under the age of one, who might be learning to put items into a container, but haven’t perfected the art of easily letting the pieces go, open the box with the key and use this wide open space for children to put the pieces inside.

The circle is the easiest shape to insert because it does not require any rotation of the pieces to fit. After children master this skill, next encourage them to match the square and triangle.

You might need to help your child by placing your hand over their hand to teach them how to rotate the piece into the proper position. The same is true for learning how to insert the key and turn it to open the door. Small and portable, this toy has found a permanent home in my home visit toy bag for children under the age of 3!

Schylling provided this toy free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

International Playthings provided this toy free for review. The opinions represented in this blog post are purely the bloggers own.

The YBike Pewi, which my husband assembled easily in about 30 minutes, has been the answer to our prayers. It is a small, stable, very lightweight (4 lbs), aluminum frame. Since Gavin has perfected the use of a ride-on toy, it has provided him with a totally new experience that provides speed and with multi-direction castor wheels, he is able to turn the bike quickly, smoothly, and in circles! Initially on the Pewi, until he gained his balance, he has slipped off the sides a few times and one time went forward over the front. No fear on this kid, he couldn’t wait to get back on and keep riding. So for those of you with daredevil toddlers like myself, a shiny new bicycle helmet might also be a good idea for safety. This bike is recommended for children ages 12-26 months and for those kids who weight less than 44 lbs.

We own several multi-use ride-on toys that were great push-toys for Gavin in his early walking stages, when he was learning to gain stability on his feet. Now that Gavin has transitioned into the toddler phase, we still allow him to zoom all around the hardwood floor with ride-on toys in our living area. He is an active little guy where moving, pushing and pulling things are right in his line of interest these days. However, as he has grown taller and heavier, it makes riding some other plastic ride-on toys a bit more challenging. Many ride-on toys are low to the ground, which as he has grown taller, puts his body in an awkward position when he propels his feet to move it forward. This also makes for a challenge when navigating indoors between carpet and hardwood, but he has quickly learned to lift the toy up when riding to gain clearance. Plastic ride-ons seem to move great, as long as you ride them straight. None of these things seem to bother Gavin, but the main drawback I have found with other ride-on toys is that though he is quite happy, the large plastic wheels can be really loud on the hardwood floor with the rest of us in the room.

I have not yet used this bike with a toddler learning to walk, but the instructions state that it can also be used as a push-toy. I would definitely suggest, due to the smoothness of the wheels, that you find a way to weigh this toy down, because it is FAST! Either wrist or ankle weights might be wrapped around the legs of the toy to slow the wheels down until your child has the control to maneuver it on their own. Or, you might consider using it on carpet first, before letting a new walker push it on a smooth surface like a hardwood floor, tile or linoleum.

The YBike Pewi was provided free to facilitate this review. The product image is courtesy of Derek Wilmot Photography.

Fisher-Price provided the Lil Zoomers Shake and Crawl Racer free to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.

These cars are targeted for children ages 1-3, and there are 3 pieces in each box.  Their suggested retail prices is about $3.99. The bottom piece includes the four wheels, and the other two pieces fit together like a puzzle to create the car on top. If you have multiple cars, the pieces are interchangeable, so you could have the front of a police car and the back of a fire truck. They are a perfect size for little hands and even teach kids on a very simple scale, the process of trial and error to figure out simple puzzles. Developmentally, right at the age of one, Gavin loved putting them together and taking them apart, first with help to turn the pieces until he figured out how to do it on his own. They are plastic, but I’m not a huge fan of the diecast metal cars at this age anyway, because of the amount of mouthing play children do, making these also pretty easy to clean with a wipe.

There are many different types of these little cars, and there is even an entire town you can put together to zoom these little cars in, complete with trap doors and stunts! All the pieces fit inside the container and it’s easy to take with you to a playdate, on vacation, or to family events. Check Toys r’ Us for these cars in the United States.

Mega Bloks provided a few of the Tiny n’ Tuff vehicles and the Tiny n’ Tuff Buildable City free to facilitate a review. The opinions are my own.