Two toys can look almost identical on the shelf but create completely different play experiences. In this edition of my ✅Buy It or ❌Skip It series, I’m comparing picnic baskets, toolboxes, and doctor’s kits to show why I almost always choose the simpler option. Learn how to spot toys that encourage creativity, imaginative play, and problem-solving, and why more features don’t always mean better play.

Shopping for babies and toddlers can be overwhelming, especially when every toy promises to entertain and educate. In this edition of my ✅Buy It or ❌Skip It series, I’m sharing my favorite Walmart toys for kids 2 and under that encourage open-ended play, creativity, motor skill development, and independent exploration. From wooden blocks and puzzles to pretend play favorites, these are the toys I’d happily buy again, and the battery-operated, overstimulating toys I’d leave on the shelf.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to find toys your kids will actually play with. In this edition of my ✅Buy It or ❌Skip It series, I’m sharing my favorite Target toys under $20 that check all the boxes: open-ended, creative, educational, and built for lasting play. From Kinetic Sand and Water WOW books to the Magnadoodle and National Geographic T-Rex Dig Kit, these are the affordable toy finds I’d happily buy again, plus a few budget toys I’d leave on the shelf.

Shopping the Walmart toy aisle can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In this ✅Buy It or ❌Skip It series, I’m sharing my EMC method, a simple framework I use to choose toys that actually earn their place in our home. EMC stands for Easy, Motor-building, and Creative, and it’s also a nod to the Empty Mug Club, my community of parents who believe the right toys can encourage independent play (and maybe even let you finish your coffee while it’s still hot). From the Little Tikes Pop ‘n Pitch Trainer to the Melissa & Doug Dentist Play Set and Learning Resources Cash Register, these are the toys I recommend, and why they work.

Shopping the Target toy aisle doesn’t have to end with buyer’s remorse. In this first post of my ✅Buy It or ❌Skip It series, I’m sharing the toy-buying rules I follow every time I shop, from avoiding battery-operated, overstimulating toys to choosing open-ended toys that encourage creativity, imaginative play, and STEM learning. These are the simple guidelines that have helped us spend less, reduce toy clutter, and build a toy collection my girls actually play with year after year.