Noisy Dirt Gift Guide

What’s the saying… “Being a mom (or parent) is the hardest but most rewarding job”? I hate to be cliché, but it really is true. That said, we decided to add a few extra twists by becoming self-employed and managing not one, but three businesses. Yes—we might be a little crazy.

All of that to say, I set out to start a blog and am just now getting to my second post… three months after my first. I’m choosing to give myself some grace and power forward.

Although this is only my second post, I’ve “written” several blogs in my head that just never quite made it onto paper. We just wrapped up Christmas, so gifts for my five noisy machines (aka the inspiration behind Noisy Dirt) have been a hot topic around here. If you have boys—especially toddlers or early elementary-age boys—you know toys are often chosen based on one simple question: Will this survive more than 24 hours?

Durable Toys for Toddlers and Young Boys

For my toddlers, there is only one toy brand that has truly impressed me, and that’s saying a lot given the level of chaos in our house. So far, Green Toys® have proven to be by far the most durable. Not only do I like that they are made in the USA, but they are built tough from recycled plastic.  You know how today’s plastic toys you can almost snap in half with one touch…not these toys. They are heavy duty. We own many different Green Toys, and some of them have lasted years. Can you believe it?!

My youngest received the orange wagon* for Christmas and absolutely loves it. This brand has great options for both boys and girls, and over the years I’ve been able to find them at major retailers as well as smaller local boutiques—which I especially love because it lets me support local businesses.

Board Books That Actually Hold Up to Toddlers

The other thing that doesn’t tend to survive the roughness of our boys? Books. Before becoming a parent, I had no idea how many ways a book could fall apart. Torn pages are just the beginning. I’ve seen mangled board books, and some of our most well-loved books have had bindings that literally turned to dust as if they never existed. I have taped up more books in our house than I care to admit.

There is, however, one author’s board books that have consistently survived this household: Sandra Boynton. I don’t know why her books hold up better, but they just do—and every one of my boys, at some point, has chosen her books over all others. Currently, my youngest (about a year and a half) is obsessed with Dinosnores!* and all of the boys still love Snuggle Puppy*.

Shopping for children isn’t always easy, so I hope this helps you narrow down a few options for the next birthday or holiday season for your own noisy dirt.

*amazon associate link