Wednesday's deal is a contest link

Life in a Shoe shared a fun toy on her blog.   The pictures of her children playing with it are priceless so check it out and enter the contest on her blog for a Down-to-Earth toy.  In the electronic era it's fun to see these creative toys!

Swap toys/clothes for Christmas?

Frugal parents can save a bundle by shopping the local classifieds and using sites such as ThredUp where people swap children's clothing and toys with each other.  Read here in the DesNews about how a local mom does it.  Craig's List, KSL Classifieds and Freecycle are all easy to use negotiating sites.  But, be careful - there are also scam artists out there.  A negative experience on Craig's List made me skeptical because they don't help you with additional info if you get ripped off and try to find recourse.  You're on your own.  But, if you do it cautiously, you can save a bundle.

Great Baby Toys

About.com shares the best 10 baby toys, including the classic Fisher Price Ring Stack toy.  One reason this one is so good is it is self-correcting to help them learn size relationships, it is colorful and the donut design makes it easy to grab.  Colorful and inexpensive with bright colors and safe plastic. Your baby learns about sizes and colors. No batteries or excess noise either!  This one has stood the test of time.


Here are some suggestions on choosing toys for babies to six months.  Read here to learn why rattles are good toys for babies.

You can also find a dangerous toy checklist here.

Do you have a personal favorite toy for baby?  Feel free to comment here.