All-time greatest toys

We have two toys that have been in our house since Reed was a baby. These toys have stood the test of time, with kids coming back to them over and over...and over again.

The first is a ball drop, given to him on his first birthday by my friend Betsy Young. I think it has somewhat of a hypnotic quality, you can get into the motions, doing them over and over again, watching the balls fall down, roll side to side, and out...then start all over again. Even older kids can't pass this thing by without stopping to hammer a few balls through it (though Reed usually preferred to push them through with his hands when he was smaller).

The second is the Doodle Pro. This was a gift to Reed from cousin Cristie for his fourth birthday. Reed was never super into it, but he did enjoy it. This one is a go-to for Amy. As soon as she was old enough, she started drawing on the Doodle Pro and hasn't stopped since. Any time you like, you can draw. No fuss, no muss. Take it with you in the car, take it anywhere. Great toy. It also came with a companion smaller size Doodle Pro which has also been well-loved. It's in our living room right now, after just leaving her bedroom where it lived for a while. She doesn't play with it all the time, but her love for it goes on and on.

Not the greatest picture, but this was the night of
Big Steve's 55th birthday in November 2006
when Cristie gave Reed the Doodle Pro.

Look how great her drawings already are!!
This is from July 2007 – she is just over 2 years old.

Notice something about these two most enduring toys? No batteries required.