Educational Tools for Toddlers

As parents, our goal is to teach and instruct our kids in their life. We buy books, invest in time and everything around us to help them succeed.
I remember when Bella was born, how much I use to worry about her. If she was at the same level the babies around her age were or if she was accomplishing the same milestones as them, and as much as I tried to let her grow and reach her milestone at her own time as a parent did I worry, as  most of those milestone she had to achieve by herself with no help from us.
Now that she is older I still worry a little but not as much as I know she will kill' it when she is ready.
We help her in what we can as her parents and understand when she is not ready. As she reaches the toddler years we are now implementing a little more education but still doing it through play time.

Here are some of the things we are loving now with our almost 2-year-old.

Melissa and Dough puzzels: I've been a big fan of their puzzles for years and now with Bella even more. She gets to work on her motor skills and learns to build. Check out the ones with sound as well.

Playskool Flash Cards: These are great as a learning tool and entrainment. I can't tell you how many times we used these on our trip. I had 2 zip locks bags and she would take them out of one, say their name, and put them in the other one. Entertainment for hours, or at least 30 minutes which is a lot in toddler time.

ABCmouse: I know many parents are against screen time but in our house, this works and is a learning tool for us. She can color on the iPad or I can print them out as an extra activity for the day. the best part is she is learning and letting mama drink her coffee while still hot. If your kid is like mine, she needs music 24/7 and we can get it through here as well.
The best thing about ABC mouse is that they are now offering it for 2nd graders as well, and if you click the link below you have the opportunity to try it out for 30 days free of charge.
Guys, as a home daycare owner this works! the kids love it. Most of the time they don't even know they are learning! IT WORKS!

Legos: This is every moms' night-time worst nightmare. Have you ever stepped on one at 2 in the morning?! Ahhh! But as an educational tool, they are great! we build towers as Bella counts the "bricks" and separate them into groups according to their colors as well.

The most important thing to remember as parents, is that our kids learn through play-time. Letting them play is the best learning tool ever created.
So keep playing and teaching them and remember you, as their parent, are their first educator and teacher, if you set a path for them the first years you have to strengthen and straighten a tree that is in its first crucial years!