Blocks are so important to building a child’s skills through play, that I’ve used them to assess whether or not a child was developing on track. Yes, that important.

From the small wooden cubes that babies instinctively like to stack to the brick-sized cardboard ones that are perfect for team projects, blocks are… well… um, a building block of your child’s development across multiple domains.

The best toys grow up with your kids.

The best toys are multi-purpose, versatile, and friendly. By “friendly” I mean that a good toy plays nicely with differing ability levels, developmental stages, and age groups.

For “Most Valuable Toy of All Time”  – a toy that stands up to being kicked around, a toy that is at its best when it is shared, an heirloom that can be passed down from sibling to sibling, I nominate:  The Ball.

We’ve all heard about (or seen firsthand!) the kid who ditches the toy, and plays with the box instead.

Today’s blog post is for every parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent who has ever wondered why that happens.

MommyGarten.com starts our summer schedule today.

Check back weekly for updates on summertime fun with your baby, toddler, and young child.