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Reading a favorite book during evening storytime

Our house is overflowing with stuff.  Toys, furniture, random baby and kid items.  We're literally busting at the seams.  It's truly amazing what you can accumulate with children in just three and a half short years. But of course, we had to do it as each stage is different and how he's used different toys and items at each age. 

So what are we using at age 3 (and a half)?  Here's my top 10 list of our own personal toy products in no particular order:

Sidewalk chalk.  This one's been a hit since about 18 months but this summer especially is it really such a blast for him.  We're out on the driveway almost daily creating all sorts of masterpieces.  His favorite of late is hopscotch.

Hullabaloo.  See my review from last week - a great game, creativity inspired.

Play-doh.  It never gets old, and in the warm weather this is such a great outdoor activity for us.  I lay out all his Playdoh with accessories and he'll sit at his picnic beach for long periods of time playing with it all.

V-tech V-Smile.  We have the tv version and the handheld.  The handheld is made for 5+ but he's just fine with it and it's a must-have on car rides.  It keeps him entertained for hours.  Plus their system is a "learning" and "teaching" one.  Meaning on each level he has to move forward by answering and doing various educational things like simple math, sorting shapes and colors.

Our play tent and TeePee for Me.  We have both a teepee and a "shark" tent that was a gift from one of the sets of grandparents last Christmas.  He adores both.  He goes inside alone or with friends and has all sorts of imaginary play inside.  I've definitely seen a huge development in his imaginary and creative play due to these items.

Cars & trucks.  We're all boy here.  He loves any of his miniature cars and trucks.  Of course they race each other, crash and do other boy-type things. 

Legos.  This is also a standard from like 12 months plus, kids love to build. Lately he's into building castles and dragons.

Balls.  Anything round he can throw, bounce, play catch with.  It never gets old.  Inside and out - we've got soccer balls, lacrosse balls, t-ball and more.  But really it doesn't even take a "themed" ball to entertain - give him just a regular old ball that bounces and he's happy.

Books.  We have storytime every night.  He loves to both be read to and to read back.  I think the reading back part is important - he obviously can't read but he makes a story out of the pictures and gets really creative with it.

The computer.  I didn't learn how to use a computer until we got our first one when I was 10.  It was the first Mac and I remember playing some really simple games on it.  I'm sure everyone reading this can relate because it's so amazing to me to see my 3-year-old on the computer.  He uses my old laptop.  He can turn it on, navigate his way to the Internet and he gets on the Nick Jr. site to play games (which he's very efficient at).  I love it because he's learning how to use the mouse and keyboard and many of the games are educational so he's learning that way too.