Toyi-Toying about Toys – taming toddler tantrums

Toddler tantrums are what nightmares are made of and I’ve had my fair share of embarrassed looks and red-faced exits from toy shops when thinking I would treat my son to a shopping expedition.

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However, we were treated to a relatively calm expedition recently when I took our kids to choose their own Christmas stocking fillers. My son is mildly obsessed with construction vehicles and fire trucks. Ok, maybe that’s an understatement. He is beyond CRAZY about police cars, firetrucks and anything with wheels. Typical boy, I suppose. So, the incredible kiddie versions of all these vehicles from Bruder (and available from ) did the trick of taming the toddler momentarily. Note to self, any lessons on patience and waiting to exit the shop before ripping off the wrapping need to be enforced next time. But, since I was doing the shopping expedition with a wriggly, curious baby strapped to my person and a toddler and pram in either hand and other shopping in my imaginary third hand, I decided to not fight “that” battle then. You have to choose your fights wisely with little people, particularly when you are outnumbered 2 to 1 đŸ˜‰

I found the most curious looking being called Furby at and decided to investigate how well this would do as a play companion for our boy and his cousins. Firstly, I went to my usual trusted toy reviewer, Ryan, who has millions of YouTube subscribers and is not even 10 years old- about 8 billion views across his videos and 5.5 million subscribers! He seemed to as much as my boy. Furby is recommended for kids 6 and over, but as a parent, you can use your discretion of course đŸ˜‰ It is one of the top selling gifts this Christmas and after “test-driving” it myself as an adult, I can even understand the obsession. I must be honest, if I had to go through the process of preparing a child for a real pet, this would be a great starting point. Furby is as close to a “human” like baby in the sense that it almost develops a personality over the time you get to “know” each other, It comes with an app that you can download onto your tablet and interact in this way too. It speaks it’s own little cute language, giggles when you tickle it and makes a fun companion for road-trips as it manages to keep a number of kids at the same time. It retails at just under R2000, so it’s not cheap. but I’d say it makes a great gift to a group of children too.

Needless to say, my little girl who is just over 8 months old tried to constantly eat it (Furby eats too – just try popping something into it’s mouth – toooooo cute!), but luckily my boy managed to wrestle it away from her and entertain her from a safe distance – safe for the little pink, furry creature đŸ˜‰

So, if you are stuck with all the amazing choices this festive season, choose from the Festive Season gift guide in store or get a Toy Kingdom gift card. I think half the fun is in choosing yourself, so gift cards are a lovely idea always.

We’d like to share with you this festive season too and are giving away a R1000 gift voucher from Toy Kingom too! Please share below what you’d like to get your or any child for Christmas as a comment đŸ™‚

Lots of love and light,

MoMo AKA JoJo

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Modern Mommy Written by:

28 Comments

  1. Gillian Wentzel
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    Hi Jo-Ann

    I will get my 3 month old a few more books as she loves us to read to her as well as a few chewy toys ?

    Wishing you and your family a blessed holiday…

    Gillian

  2. Desiree Lenfort
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    I would simply love to give my 5yr old son one of the large lego toys. He simply loves building these intricate lego displays and my husband and I love to join him and watch him piece things together

  3. Shahzaadee
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    After reading this post I wouldn’t mind furby for myself ? Well I would like to get my 3 nieces and 3 nephews all different ages different things and I could also use the voucher to throw summin in for my house helpers kids and my little princess .

  4. Lynn Scheepers
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    my 2 year is really into trains and I”d love to be able to buy him a proper train set, can so relate to the tantrums, especially now that he knows and is aware of his only child status coming to an end next year!

  5. Boitumelo Mazvidza
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    My 4 year old loves anything Paw Patrol!

  6. Jocelyn
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    My 6 year old son loves aeroplanes and helicopters. I would like to get him a remote controlled aeroplane or helicopter. And a quitar for my 4 year old son.

  7. Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    I would love to be able to get my 8 months old baby girl the Fisher Price Bright Beats Dance & Move BeatBo.

  8. Emizer Vinkhumbo
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    My 2 Year old son loves cars so much. i would love to get him a huge tractor. I know that it will make him so happy đŸ™‚ đŸ™‚

  9. soda Amojee
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    Hi.my sons are also CRAZY about cars and trucks so natrually i would spoil them with does.my princess ..i would love to get her a little doll and pram for.it.

  10. VIOLET RASHALAHA
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    i WOULD LOVE TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE PRAM SET OR THE HOUSE SET FOR CHRISTMAS!

    GIVE A GIFT OF LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS WITH JO-ANN!!

  11. Mols
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    I’d love to get my 2 year old daughter a little Furby. She love cats and this would be the perfect way to introduce a pet to the family, seeing as I’m also still on the fence about pets. So Furby would be great for all of us đŸ™‚

  12. Romaine Hendricks
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    I would like to get my little boy Lego for Christmas and for my daughter a Holiday Barbie doll. ?

  13. Alicia Human
    Tue, 20 December 2016
    Reply

    I would love to get my son the fire truck displayed above as this will make me an even cooler mom!

  14. Janine
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    I would like to spoil my 2 little girls. The 5 year old has been dreaming of LEGO for so long and my 3yr old is a pretty princess who loves everything pink and sparkly! I would love to surprise them with their hearts desires.

  15. Sylvia
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    I would Love to give my som a present nut just cannot afford to this year so as long as we have each other thats all that matters.

  16. mira
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    I would Love a Furby or the a Lego for my little boy.

  17. Candice
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    I have two little guys utterly obsessed with Fireman Sam so would definitely want to treat them to the awesome looking fire engine and find a big yellow tractor as the littlest’s favourite book is Toby the Tractor.

  18. Alicia
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    Hellooo, after reading this post, I think we “need” Furby. We heading to the Karoo on Saturday to visit my husbands mom for the festive season. Its a 6 hour drive but we plan on driving over max 12 hours as we would need to stop every hour or two with our 4 year old and 9 month old. The Karoo for the holidays with two kiddies in this heat and with it the heavy drought they experiencing, anything to add to making their holiday festive and fun as they will be inbound during the day as its just to hot outdoors over there and therefore not safe is welcome thanks! ?

  19. Lesley Baard
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    My little boy is obsessed with Thomas and Friends. Every where he goes he talks about Thomas the train and everything he plays with he would pack in a row so that it would look like a little train ?. I would love to get him the Thomas collection trains plus the railway set, it would just make him the happiest little boy ever!

  20. Charndré Hallet
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    Hi Jo Ann

    It’s my 9month old sons 1st Christmas and I would like to get him anything to do with trucks or anything that makes noise like drums. I would also like to buy him something to do with Handy Manny as he loves watching it and sits for 40min straight watching 2 episodes. It will be an awesome prize.

  21. Simone Echardt
    Wed, 21 December 2016
    Reply

    I choose my battles wisely too! Fortunately my 4 year old understands when I tell hom that a toy us a bit too pricey. His got his mom’s temperament ? He wants a Buzz lightyear for xmas but I have searched hi and low for one with no prevail. Toy Kingdom had amazing one about a year ago but I enquired recently and they did not have stock. This is all he is asking for and I really would love to get this for him. But I have also been eying the Leap pads that they stock

  22. elvina fredericks
    Thu, 22 December 2016
    Reply

    Hi Jo Ann
    Its difficult for any parent when it cones to a toy shopping spree yes my kids are well mannered but sometimes we as moms must give in, gift i would want for my babies would be a full set of thomas the tank engine #son loves trains# eat n sleep thomas,percy,diesel,gordon etc

  23. Thu, 22 December 2016
    Reply

    my four year old relly love fire trucks and trains, this is awesome prize

  24. Charndré Hallet
    Thu, 22 December 2016
    Reply

    Hi Jo Ann

    It’s my 9month old sons 1st Christmas and I would like to get him anything to do with trucks or anything that makes noise like drums. I would also like to buy him something to do with Handy Manny as he loves watching it and sits for 40min straight watching 2 episodes. It will be an awesome prize.

  25. Candice Thomas
    Thu, 22 December 2016
    Reply

    My two sons wishes for a laptop to share for school assignments and tasks,but understand financially I can’t now we just
    in a house after my divorce my boys has been threw so much but are extremely happy now and understand that when I can mommy will buy one for them so for now we go to the internet cafe to do tasks etc.
    I have a steady job which is a blessing and everything takes time.
    Thank you for reading this jo anne.
    Blessed festive season and thank you for making a difference in people’s lives.
    Regards, Candice Thomas.

  26. Sunette
    Sat, 24 December 2016
    Reply

    My daughter is obsessed with Barbie and my son with fire trucks, so that will have to be it!!

  27. Gazelee Duimpies
    Sat, 24 December 2016
    Reply

    I would love to get my Eli some Books and lego’s. Eli loves books but they are honestly expensive these days as well as lego’s. Cars and other toys are easy to find, they dont have to be from an expensive store.. Its the books and proper building blocks that can be quite costly ?

  28. Constance
    Thu, 19 January 2017
    Reply

    I would get my 1 year old a lot of balls because he simply loves balls and it is his first spoken word!
    I would let my 8 year old choose his own toy as he is very fussy and seems to be going through some kind of ‘i prefer choosing my own gifts, okay’ phase, mind you☆

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