Use Your Imagination

What creative kid needs FAO Schwarz’s Big Pianos or hand-painted nesting dolls from Russia when we can play with a few of our favorite things around the house? A note to Mommy and Daddy: Don’t wait on line for the hottest holiday toys but instead, invest in more of these for me and my baby sister…

Elle Belle is an adorable preschooler who lives in the Upper East Side of Manhattan with her magnificent mommy, dapper dad, and baby sister. She can be reached at ellebellenyc@gmail.com or like at facebook.com/ElleBelleNYC.

Remotes and Telephones
These help me and my sister learn letters and numbers while giving me the satisfaction of turning on the TV or calling grandma 1/100 attempts!
Step Stools
These build my muscles. I love to move them around to get something I shouldn’t be able to. It is a challenge to climb up the stool to reach what is forbidden and then come down without dropping it and/or hurting myself. I love a good challenge.
Dog Bowls
Teach me shapes! I learn circles, squares and bone shapes. And if I get them all I right I even get an unusual treat or a fun drink of water.
Kitchen Utensils
Playing with these enhances my musical intelligence. I can drum on pots, measuring cups, Tupperware, and cookie sheets with my hands or musical, kitchen items like a fork, soup spoon, or spatula. It’s music to everyone’s ears--especially my neighbors!
Laundry Basket
Teach gross and fine motor skills (or so I hear). I use my gross motor skills to pull up and inside. Then use my fine motor skills to grasp, pick up and drop all the laundry out of the bucket. And gross motor to crawl back out. It’s great exercise!
Sealed Air Packing Materials
Function as a great cause and effect toy. When a package comes, I get so excited for my "air stompie thingies." I can jump on them and they pop! I jump high and low and on one or two feet and land and there’s always a different pop! Plus, my jump and pop routine makes my little sister giggle nonstop –another great cause and effect.
Drawers
Another great cause and effect toy. My little sister can open and shut drawers just like the favorite kiddie song "Open Shut Them." I sing it as she repeatedly does this and if we ever get bored of the open and shut cycle (which is rare), we then decide to crawl inside the drawer to explore.
Dish Soap
Wish dish soap (and Mommy's help), I can conduct amazing science experiments. What happens if I rub the dish soap in my hair? What if I finger paint with it? What if I decorate the house with it? It’s good, clean fun. Pun intended!
First Aid Kit
This teaches professional skills. I don’t need a pretend doctor kit when I can break open the child safety lock and get out the real first aid kit. There’s ointment, hot and cold packs, tweezers, Band-Aids, and everything I need to be a real life Doc McStuffins.
Cardboard Boxes
These develop my vivid imagination. A box? No, it is an imaginary airplane, boat, magical, flying dragon or skyscraper soaring machine. The possibilities are endless. And when my mission is complete my baby sister simply loves climbing in and out over and over again