Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Columbus, OH

Each year my family asks what to get my daughters for Christmas, and each year I give the same basic answer. I want them to have toys that are educational, developmentally appropriate, and please don't let them be too annoying or loud. There's nothing worse than loud, annoying toys with no off switch. I also prefer they get a mix of electronic and non-electronic toys. Sometimes you can't beat a simple box of Legos.

Here are a few toys that are kid-tested and mom approved by my family:

Leapfrog Fridge Phonics Magnet Set - I bought this when my first daughter was a toddler, and two years later she still plays with it. Now her little sister is playing with it, too. The letters are chunky and easy for little hands to hold, and the song played for each letter sound will quickly get stuck in your head. But it's one of the first toys that helped my older daughter learn her letters, so it's worth the song repetition! (Good news - it has a "soft" volume option, as well as an off switch!)

Leapfrog Word Whammer Fridge Phonics Set - Once your preschooler has mastered the single letter phonics set, this toy is the natural progression in learning to spell and read. It has slots for three letters so your child can spell one of over a hundred three-letter words. The toy lets your child know when they've spelled a real word and praises them for it. There are also games built-in to encourage your child to build on the knowledge he already has.

Candyland - This is the first game my preschooler has ever been able to play and understand. She has autism and often has trouble staying focused on any one activity. But thanks to how quickly this game is played, and how simple the rules are, she played twice in a row on her first try and loved it. Now we bring out Candyland at least once a week.

My First Quatro Set - My husband is a Lego geek, and wanted to get our daughter her first Lego set as soon as possible. This was the first set he picked up, and she quickly learned to add pieces to the car base to make her own Lego creations. These blocks are good for young toddlers who are working on basic fine-motor skills. Older preschoolers would probably prefer Duplo blocks instead.

My Tent - My daughter received a tent like this one when she was three years old. At the moment the tent is set up in her room, where she occasionally "camps out" in it overnight or just hides from the world for a little while during the day. It's been a cave and an igloo for her as well. She's not very good with imaginative play, but this tent has inspired her more than many toys.