Stacy Craft

Best Outdoor Toys for Preschool Boys

June 2, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Find the best outdoor toys for preschool boys that you need in your backyard this summer!

As a relatively new boy mom, I’m finding out what #boymom is all about! I have 3 step-daughters, a 5 year old daughter and now a boy. A wild and crazy toddler boy that is completely different than any of our girls. I mean totally different.

So what is a mom to do? She goes on a mission to find ways to wear that little boy out on a consistent basis! Since one of his very first words was “outside” it is only natural to start searching out the best outdoor toys for preschool boys (and lots of these work for toddler boys too)!

And for that matter, my 5 year old preschool daughter loves most of these toys too.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Best Outdoor Toys for Preschool Boys

One thing that I dislike is spending money on a toy that gets shoved in a corner and not played with. When I decide to spend on a toy purchase, I want my kids to enjoy and use that toy.

So this is a collection of toys that I have purchased or that they received for Birthday or Christmas gifts that are the best outdoor toys for preschool boys (and girls!). The toys are all different price ranges. Some are active toys and others build imagination. I think you will find at least a couple of things that will be awesome for your active kid.

Flybar My First Pogo

Gone are the days of the Pogo stick you might remember. I guess I had my old Pogo stick in the early 90’s and it was so hard to get the thing to actually bounce with me.

My daughter got one of these for Easter this year and we just gave one as a birthday gift to a friend’s little boy. These Pogo sticks are made out of foam and are easy enough for a preschooler to get the hang of it quickly.

There are no springs to potentially cause injury which I love. And the elastic band easily stretches to fit with your child’s height. I am 5’4 and may have jumped for a second on my daughter’s Flybar after my husband said it looked too short for my 5 year old!

Bubble Mower

Remember that quote in the movie Knocked Up, “I wish I liked anything as much as my kids like bubbles?” It is so true isn’t it? Kids love bubbles.

The bubble mower is cute because it allows the child to mimic what they see adults doing. It is an active toy to get kids moving, pretending and of course it shoots out bubbles so it is an all around win!

Bubble Blitz Machine

While we are on the bubble subject, a bubble blower may save your life. Not to be dramatic! But seriously, I have blown so many bubbles that I literally have gotten lightheaded.

The bubble machine puts out more bubbles than you could possibly blow. My kids run and dance around in the bubble “rain.” Trying to pop them, trying to avoid them. They can come up with all kinds of games to play while using this bubble machine.

Backyard Critter Case

When I was growing up, we caught lightning bugs in a mason jar with some holes punched in the lid with a sharp knife.

I guess this is kind of the same concept just made a lot cuter. My daughter had this cutesy butterfly insect cage but she isn’t really into catching bugs!

Little Tikes Cook N Grow BBQ Grill

We keep this Little Tikes grill near Daddy’s real grill. That way when we are outside cooking dinner, our kids can cook their own pretend food. We own lots of Little Tikes products are are always pleased with the quality of their toys.

Since most outdoor toys are active play toys, I enjoy having a toy that encourages the imagination and playing pretend.

Step2 Hot Wheels Extreme Thrill Coaster Ride On

My daughter got this when she was 3. They make it look like a “boy toy” but I am hear to tell you it may be the best gender neutral toy that we own!

It is always a favorite when we have cookouts and parties. All the kids want to ride it.

Reasons for parents to love: the kids can push the car up the track themselves so you can sit back and watch.

We have it set up on a slight decline in our backyard and the roller coaster goes pretty fast. My 5 year old still loves it and my 18 month old can even do it mostly on his own. The slide is relatively high so he is very cautiously supervised when using it.

It is also great quality. We have had it outside in the elements for the last two years. Aside from needing to be pressure washed (purely cosmetic) it is still in outstanding condition.

Little Tikes Inflatable Bounce House

Aside from loving toys that my kids actually play with, I love toys that last. We have had this toy for close to 3 years now and it is still in perfect shape.

When it is nice weather we will sometimes use this for a weekend at a time. It is great to blow up in the backyard and let the kids jump until they are completely worn out! It is a super easy set up and inflates in just a minute or two.

We use this when we have a bunch of kids over for a party too. Several toddlers or preschoolers can jump and slide at one time which is nice.

Power Wheels Little Quad

This is the perfect size for a toddler. I like that my little one can ride it totally on his own without any help from me (he is 18 months and got it for his first birthday).

The battery lasts a pretty long time before you need to recharge it which is also a nice benefit. My petite 5 year old will even hop on and ride from time to time!

More Outdoor Toys for Active Toddlers/Preschoolers

If you liked this list of the best outdoor toys for preschool boys, be sure to check out our favorite outdoor water toys for summer too! There are some great ideas to beat the summer heat with some cool toys.

Other Fun Water Activities for Kids

Father’s Day Gifts On Amazon

May 30, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Finding the perfect Father’s Day gift on Amazon is easy with this review of tried and true products that men love!

Father’s Day is coming up! In our house, my kids usually make some kind of DIY craft or card for Dad. Then we choose a gift or two to buy. My five year old has been into choosing her own gift for special occasions this year.

She picked out a variety of pink lip glosses for me on Mother’s Day and chose green dinosaur socks for my husband’s birthday. Thank goodness for Amazon because I don’t know where in the world I would have found green dinosaur socks without them.

Since I’ve been trying to come up with a great gift for hubby this year for Father’s Day, I thought I would share some of the most loved gifts that we have given over the last few holidays. This list of Father’s Day gifts on Amazon will make your shopping easy and your husband or Dad happy on the big day!

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Father’s Day Gifts on Amazon

These are gifts that I have actually purchased for my husband. Included are only things that my husband has really liked! You know sometimes you think you have a winner and it ends up being a flop.

These reviews are for things that he has really used frequently and enjoyed! Hopefully you can find something that the father of your kiddos will love as well.

Slide Belts

My husband kept having the problem of not having a belt hole in the place that he needed one. These slide belts completely eliminate that problem! They are belts with no holes! You simply slide the belt to the custom length that you need.

They remind me of the canvas slide belts that I had back in the 90’s but these are actually stylish! They are sleek and modern enough but without being too much for my traditionally dressed husband.

Great quality leather and perfect if your hubby has the same belt problem that mine did!

Quick Release BBQ Skewers

These skewers will make your next bbq kabobs so much easier! These little kitchen/bbq gizmos make me wonder “why didn’t I think of that?” Grill the meat and veggies then use the tool to easily slide the food onto your plate without burning your fingers!

Grilling gifts are always a fun Father’s Day gift because it is right in the heart of grilling season and these tools are relatively inexpensive.

Stuffed Burger Press

Another interesting grill item. I remember watching on the Food Network years ago about the famous Juicy Lucy burger and this tool allows you to make one at home.

Think bacon and cheese stuffed burgers, jalapeno popper burgers, swiss and grilled onion stuffed burgers. The possibilities are endless and these burgers are HUGE so bring your appetite.

Cupsy Cup Holder

We use these in our extra room couch. We have a big sectional (perfect for watching movies with the kids) but it doesn’t leave us a lot of space for side tables to put cups.

This Cupsy fits perfectly in between the cushions and in the last 2 years since we bought this, we have had no spills.

Other Awesome Father’s Day Gifts

While Amazon always comes through with amazing and hard to find items like green dinosaur socks, there are a couple of other gifts that are worth mentioning that would make amazing Father’s Day presents.

Me Undies

Ok, Undies may sound like an unexciting gift but don’t let me lose you. These are amazing! I stuffed a couple of pairs into my husband’s stocking at Christmas time and he couldn’t stop raving about them.

They are truly the softest underwear you have ever felt. I went with the solid colors but they have some fun print options too if you have an adventurous hubby!

You can save 20% on your first order by clicking here!

They have them for women too and I plan to treat myself to some soon!

Hawthorne Custom Fragrance

I did this last year for Father’s Day and my husband is still using these 2 bottles of cologne.

It is a really cool process, you fill out a form about their likes and dislikes and then your custom fragrance is on the way.

Here is the post giving you all the details on this unique Father’s Day gift.

Dollar Shave Club

This is a practical gift but one that you know they will use!

I have been a member of the Dollar Shave Club since 2015 and both myself and my husband use the razor. I find the quality to be great and it costs much less than buying at retail.

And since it comes right to my mailbox, I never have to remember it on my shopping list. They offer lots of other personal care products so you could make a cute gift basket with lots of essentials.

What are you getting your Dad or Husband for Father’s Day this year?

Lillypost Children’s Book Subscription Box Review

May 28, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Lillypost Children’s Book Subscription Box review by a mom of two. Choose a board book subscription or a picture book subscription to suit your child’s age and comprehension level.

Wanna know a secret? Okay, more like an embarrassing mom confession. Here it is, I don’t always love reading to my kids.

I mean it is enjoyable sometimes… The educational benefits of reading to your kids is proven. Spending time with your kids away from tv screens is great bonding time. Helping your children develop a reading hobby is nice. It all sounds wonderful but…

BK (before kids), I used to imagine snuggling up in pjs with a big pile of books, reading and soft little giggles before bed. I’m not saying this never happens but most of the time there is loud talking instead of listening, the kids end up fighting, someone gets their hair pulled, a book page is torn. Not exactly that picture perfect storybook evening I had in mind.

And if I have to read Brown Bear Brown Bear one more time. Cute book but I needed something to spice up our reading life and make it time that everyone including me look forward to at night.

So when I saw the Lillypost advertisement on my Facebook recently I wanted to know more. A few new books in our library could probably pull me out of my ‘I don’t want to read’ funk. This Lillypost Children’s book subscription box review details our experience with our first Lillypost box.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Lillypost Children’s Book Subscription Box Review

This Lillypost children’s book subscription box review explores two of the three subscription boxes that you can choose from when choosing a plan.

There are 3 plan choices to choose from: board book box, picture book box or a mixed box that includes both picture books and a board book. Since I have a 1 and a 5 year old, I chose to try the board book and picture book subscriptions.

You can choose to have the books wrapped for an additional fee. I chose to allow them to come unwrapped because I didn’t want to pay extra for wrapping. And let me tell you, it still felt like a present even unwrapped! The packaging has a clean, updated design and the books shine through all on their own, no gift wrap required!

Board Book Box

The board book box includes four board books. I like that you get one extra book in this subscription since the board books tend to be much shorter than picture books geared at older kids.

In this subscription we got the following books in our first Lillypost mail:

Spot Loves School

Love Monster

One Rainy Day

The Crayons’ Book of Colors

The total retail value of this set was just over $26. I paid $4.73 per book using my coupon code Box30. Definitely cheaper using the Lillypost service and the books were delivered right to the door.

If you have a 0-3 year old, you know that is a blessing. No car seat to buckle on the way to the book store (are those still a thing?) and no screaming kids to deal with at Target.

It was fun opening up the box and seeing a bunch of new books to read. Even though we were familiar with a couple of the books like the Spot series, we did not own these particular books so they were great additions to our collection.

Picture Book Box

The picture book box was impressive as soon as we unboxed the books in the Lillypost. The books were all unique with very beautiful and inviting covers.

Included in our first box were the following books:

A Dog Wearing Shoes

Raybot

Norman the Slug with the Silly Shell

If you price these out at retail, you would spend more than $50 for the lot. Using the coupon code Box30, I got the one month box for a grand total of $18.92 (including shipping). That is only $6.30 per book!

We were excited to see that we had never read or even heard of any of the books in this box! All of the books were enjoyable but our favorite was reading about Norman and his silly shell.

We read all three books in one night! And you know what? We had fun! All of us. Even me.

Charity Donation for Your Purchase

Not only is this company an asset for families that are looking to improve the literacy of their own children, it is a blessing to those in need. For each box that is purchased, Lillypost donates one book to a child in need.

Finding companies that give back to our communities is something that I value and appreciate. Particularly when the beneficiary of that good deed is a child that is less fortunate.

Would I Do It Again?

After reading this Lillypost children’s book subscription box review, are you asking yourself if I would subscribe again? The answer is yes, my account is still active and we just got our second box! Spoiler alert – it was just as good as the first.

We enjoyed the extra excitement and variety that the Lillypost box brought to our reading time as a family. I would definitely recommend the service as a way to save on the retail price of children’s book and also add that fun element of surprise that the monthly subscription offers you every month.

If you are like me and can’t imagine another toy coming into your house, this would be an awesome gift idea to throw to the grandparents when they are asking for birthday or Christmas ideas!

Terms of the Box Subscription

It is a monthly box subscription. You can save money by committing to several months at a time or you can choose to purchase month to month. The website does state that you can cancel at anytime so if you need to take a pause, it should be easy to do.

Don’t miss some of our top kid posts:

8 Best Outdoor Water Toys for Toddlers

May 26, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

The 8 best outdoor water toys for toddlers to keep your active kids cool and entertained all summer long.

Even though I thought winter might never end, summer is about to creep right up. I know summer doesn’t technically hit until mid-June but it usually feels like summer in May here. So that means ideas for outside play that also keep the kids cool are a must.

Water really makes everything more fun! We have always spent a lot of time outside but with our newest babe, outside time is no longer an option, it is a requirement. That new baby is 18 months old and he is so active. Out of his few words, his favorite to say is outside! He love it and wants to go out constantly.

And you know what? His behavior is better when we are outdoors. I’m not sure what that is. Maybe he feels like he has more freedom? Maybe he just likes fresh air. But I like the ability for the kids to play together with less fighting. Plus it is good for them to spend their summer days outside. I know I sure did.

Here are several of the best outdoor water toys for toddlers that we own or have played with before over the past few years. I think they will be a hit with the toddler and even the preschoolers and early Elementary kids in your family.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Best Outdoor Water Toys for Toddlers

These toys span all different price ranges. I usually buy a couple of inexpensive items at the beginning of every season and then many of our bigger items are still around from when my 5 year old was a toddler (and by the way she still eagerly plays with all these too)!

So if you are looking for some of the best outdoor water toys for toddlers this year, check out the list!

Water Table

My kids love water tables. The 18 month old loves to splash and pour into the different containers. The 5 year old will add in pretend games where she uses her imagination to create different scenarios in the table.

We have actually owned several different water tables over the years (one at our house and one at Grandma’s house). We needed a new one this year and went with the Step 2 Rain Showers table. We are only about a month in with using it but so far the kids really love it and I am typically really pleased with the quality of Step 2 products.

I will also sometimes help them with variety buy adding new or different items to the water table to make it new again. One of our favorite activities has been to make vegetable soup in the water table. Adding something new to an existing toy often revives it and makes it fun again.

Splish Splash Water Park

My kids love going to the neighborhood splash pad but this toy brings that to your own backyard. I bought this a couple of years ago for my daughter and used it last year as well when my baby was about 9-10 months old. He could sit up unassisted so that would be my criteria for if this would be good for your child.

I love this because although it does collect a few inches of water, it isn’t like a blow up pool that can hold a couple of feet of water. Of course you always have to keep a close eye on kids around any amount of water, but I do really like the splash pad concept.

My daughter still liked playing on this at four years old so it was great to be able to pull out one toy to please both kids. You can control the amount of “splash” that comes out of the toy by simply turning your water flow up or down. I would do it low while the baby was playing and then crank it up for more fun when it was just the preschooler.

The one thing that was kind of a dud with this was the slide. I guess we could have used it with the baby but he didn’t really care. It wasn’t really tall enough to work like a real slide even when our daughter was using it at age 3. That didn’t bother me because everything else was fun and entertaining. Definitely not a deal killer for us (we loved it for 3 years) but worth mentioning.

Slide & Slip N Slide Combo

I wrote an entire post about this combo last year. You can read how fun it is by clicking here.

It simply takes one of those plastic toddler slides that you probably already have with an inexpensive slip n slide. The result is a fun way to get the kids active and keep them cool. And it is perfect for little ones that don’t really have the coordination to run and slide on the slip n slide.

Little Tikes Slam N’ Curve Slide

I have had this boxed up in my living room for a week now. My BFF (AKA the Amazon delivery driver) dropped it off on Saturday but my teething 18 month old has prevented us from testing it out yet.

While this was a larger purchase, I am anticipating that it will last us at least several years. We bought the Little Tikes bounce house almost 3 years ago and it is still in perfect shape (and we use it often). Definitely worth the money.

Once we pull this awesome looking water slide out, I will come back and update you with my thoughts!

UPDATE:

My kids absolutely adore this toy. We have played with it every day since they got it for hours at a time. My fairly coordinated 18 month old can even do the rock wall by himself and my 5 year old thinks it is amazing.

Insider Mom Tip: It will automatically drain most of the water in the pool when you turn the air blower off. Let it drain and then manually drain off the little bit that won’t drain automatically.

Then turn the blower back on. Let it stay inflated with no running water for a few minutes to air dry any remaining water before you deflate it to store. I even take a dry towel and mop up any droplets that I see.

Deflate it. Then I stretch it out as much as I can and elevate it so that the bottom of it can dry. I use some patio chairs and stretch it out over the top of those and allow to air dry overnight before storing. This is an abundance of caution but I don’t want it to get moldy and gross.

It sounds like a lot of work but it only takes me about 10 minutes of active work to get it cleaned up. Since I am planing to use this year after year, it is worth it to me to keep it in good shape.

Water Toys Under $20 For Toddlers

So the four toys above are some of the best outdoor water toys for toddlers and preschoolers in my opinion. But you can still find quality and entertaining toys for your kids without spending a bunch of money upfront.

Here are some of my favorite toys that won’t break the bank but still make a splash!

Kid Sprinkler

Playing in a sprinkler is basically a happy childhood requirement.

When I was growing up we didn’t have a cutesy kid sprinkler to play in. We just ran through the normal sprinkler while Mom was watering the grass. And that still works today! But if you want a cute little kid sprinkler, Amazon of course has all the cute sprinklers that you you could think up.

Play Sink With Running Water

A couple of years ago this thing was flying off the shelf at Christmas time. I saw moms in some of my BST groups paying more than triple the regular retail price for one of these little sinks. While I would not do that, they are really cute.

The sink comes with lots of dishes, play cutlery and even a little bottle of pretend dish soap. You fill the sink with water and then the faucet will actually turn off and on to produce running water. My kids go bananas over this!

It could be played with inside I guess. If you are into water all over your own kitchen floor. I’m not so we like to play with it outside!

Basic Inflatable Swimming Pool

Yes, they make all kinds of adorable inflatable pools for kids now. But you know what? Your kiddo is going to have a blast splashing around in the water. Period. End of Story.

They will not care if they have a $60 Candy land inspired pool or a plain swimming pool. Add in some inflatable balls, water toys or even some plastic kitchen utensils for them to pour with and make pretend soup. They will have a blast.

Water Squirters

Water squirters are fun to play with in the backyard or even in the inflatable swimming pool. I like the squirters vs. a traditional water gun for a couple of reasons.

One, they are cute! The second reason is that they are easier for little hands to fill themselves. I even have trouble sometimes getting the small valves on regular water guns closed and this eliminates that issue.

I hope you find a favorite from this list of the best outdoor water toys for toddlers this summer.

If you are headed to the beach this year with your little ones make sure to check out these tips and tricks for having a successful trip!

Low Fat Black Bean Tacos

May 24, 2019 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

These low fat black bean tacos are not only a tasty weeknight meal, they are also quick and cheap! A Trim Healthy Mama “E” Meal.

Do you have a weeknight fall back meal? A meal that is your go to when you forgot to thaw meat or just don’t feel like making something complicated? Low fat black bean tacos is that meal for us!

I am a firm believer that you need at least one meal that you always have everything on hand for and that you can whip up in just a couple of minutes. Having this plan helps me to stay within a grocery budget and prevents us from eating out due to lack of planning. That way we can purposely choose to eat somewhere that we really like instead of wasting money and calories at a drive-thru.

The second reason I like to have these tried and true, always on hand meals is to keep my family eating healthier and allowing me to stick to my Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle. Yes, I can eat out and even eat fast food on THM, but it is sometimes easier and certainly cheaper to eat at home.

And lastly, my family likes it. The whole family, kids and all. Maybe because kids like tacos? Well mine actually don’t but this recipe is completely adaptable and easy to make your whole Trim Healthy Family happy. I will show you how!

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Low Fat Black Bean Tacos

I feel like I often write recipes where my first comment is “well this isn’t really a recipe” because it is so simple (like the THM E Simple Ham and Beans or the THM S Grilled Sausage and veggies). These low fat black bean tacos are in that same ‘not really a recipe’ boat. But I like to share these things with you because these are my real deal, show up on my supper table meals.

We all know that Trim Healthy Mama cooking can get overwhelming if you let it. Trying to add in a bunch of special ingredients and complicated recipes are a couple of THM things that I don’t do often. Having these ultra easy meals can help you stay on plan and keep your dishes down to a minimum.

And we can all get on board with that right?

Preparing the Tacos

Your main ingredient is black beans. I use two cans for my family of 2 adults and 2 kids under 5. If my step kids are over, I would add another can or two.

Warm your black beans up on the stove. I don’t add seasoning or anything. Just warm the beans.

Remember that “this is so easy” comment? Are you believing me now?

If you are following Trim Healthy Mama, you want to serve your warm beans (drained) on a low carb tortilla or wrap. Even though an E meal allows you to have carbs, you are still trying to keep your carbs under the threshold.

And the recommendation for using the Mission Carb balance tortilla is one per serving. So pile my taco full of beans. Like really full. I should probably call these black bean burritos because a taco that big is really a burrito.

And if i am still hunger after, I would just have another small serving of beans and toppings without another shell.

Toppings For The Low Fat Black Bean Tacos

When I make these tacos for myself, I want to keep the meal as a Trim Healthy Mama E fuel. So my toppings are going to be low in fat to stay within the E meal numbers.

I like to spread a Lite Laughing Cow cheese onto my Mission Low Carb Tortilla. You could also drain your beans and melt your LLC in the pan with your beans. Not everyone in my family will eat the LLC so I just keep it separate.

After that, I just pull out anything in my fridge or pantry that fits in an E meal that would be good on a taco!

Here are some taco topping ideas:

Chopped Lettuce or baby spinach

Diced Onion

Diced Tomato or even canned Rotel

Salsa

Greek Yogurt (Sour Cream Sub)

Low Fat Cheese (keep it light to stay in an E)

THM E Meal or XO

The cooking process (or lack there of) is certainly a positive for a Drive Thru Sue or any busy mom. But aside from that, I also love that we can adapt this meal to many different members of our family.

For example, I usually want to keep my meal an E. So I have the low fat toppings listed above.

My husband is much bigger than me and usually needs a XO (crossover) at this meal. He would typically have his black bean tacos with real sour cream and regular cheese. By adding these fats to the carbs in the beans he moves into that crossover territory but stays on plan.

My daughter won’t eat a taco. I know. It is crazy but it is what it is. I’m assuming it is a stage because a life without tacos seems so strange! Anyways, she loves a big bowl of just black beans topped with lots of shredded cheese. So a XO for her as well.

Cheap THM Dinner

I love finding ways to incorporate inexpensive meals into Trim Healthy Mama. For one, I just like to save money. Keep more of what I work hard to earn. Gut the second reason is because I enjoy finding answers to problems and lot of people find THM difficult because of the expense.

And I’m not disagreeing with them. It can be expensive if you buy a ton of special ingredients and eat steak every night. Or you can invest some of your time into finding ways to make it affordable. And this recipe is one that makes it super affordable!

.60 per tortilla (And I only eat one since that is the recommendation by the sisters for this type of frankenfood)

.40 beans (my whole can is around .80 and I don’t think I eat half but I’m being conservative here with my estimate)

The remaining toppings are negligible amounts and things I usually keep at home but I will add in .40 just to allow for those. So my grand total for my meal is $1.40 per serving.

So add these low fat black bean tacos to your E meal plan today to help you meet your Trim Healthy Mama goals. And here are 7 more frugal THM meals to check out.

Want to check out what I eat every day on THM? Follow my THM Food Diary on Insta!