Golden-Brown Every Time

"Cookie, Mama?"
"Honey, Mom's getting full."
{short pause + adorable face = Mom's heart melting}
"Ok, just one more."

Wooden cookies were a staple at our house when the girls were toddlers. My little ladies are only 17 months apart, and this was the one toy that they played with together. So when my best friend, Tiffany of Peanut Blossom, told me her parents were getting her daughter a toy kitchen for a holiday gift, I recommended they get her a Melissa & Doug Slice & Bake Cookie Set to accompany it. Years later, it brings me joy to see her TWO daughters playing with it together (see photos below). There's something about the simplicity of this toy that leads to a world of imagination.

"Nom. Nom. Nom."

This August, Melissa & Doug will be celebrating their 25th Anniversary. I am honored to be a Blog Ambassador for a company that I so passionately admire. Two years ago, when I discussed the opportunity with Tiffany, she told me, “Every Melissa & Doug toy in my house I’ve bought because you’ve recommended it. You’ve been an unofficial ambassador for YEARS!” That sealed the deal in my mind.

Why do I adore Melissa & Doug? Their classic wooden toys facilitate free play and often also naturally introduce basic math principles into your home.

For example, below are five ways to make "cookie play" educational:

• Provide your child a pad of paper and markers, then ask her to fill a "cookie order" for you. Request specific amounts of frosting flavors. For example, two chocolate swirl and 1 vanilla sprinkle cookie. Have your child draw the order.
• Practice decomposing numbers with your little one. For example, show him that 1+5 and 3+3 both equal 6. This can easily be practiced when verifying delivery orders.
• Have your little one sort the cookies by the four frosting options. Have her count how many of each variation there are, then have her count the total.
• Ask your child to count the circular candies on a vanilla cookie. Take it to the next level by asking him what 3+3 is. Show two cookies next to each other to walk through the equation visually.
• Play "What's fair?" with batches of cookies. For example, ask your little one, "If I have eight cookies, how can we divide them evenly so it's fair?" Joke around a bit and ask, "Is it fair if Mommy gets six of our eight cookies and you get two?"

Throughout my girls' toddler years, I ate hundreds of wooden Melissa & Doug cookies.
The thing is, they're golden-brown every time. How can a mom resist?

2013 Blog Ambassador | Let's Lasso the Moon is proud to be part of the 2013 Blog Ambassador program. We worked hard alongside Melissa & Doug to explore fun ways to keep children inquisitive and to promote classic creative play. Click here to read our full sponsorship disclosure.