Some toys will sit lonely and unused on a shelf for longer than you ever imagined. Regardless of how interactive or brightly colored said toy may be your child may ignore it—choosing instead to give his time to cardboard boxes or empty Tupperwear containers. W was particularly disinterested in pull toys. Though he was outfitted with a wide selection of the funniest, fastest, most charming toys that could possibly be pulled behind you, he gave them no attention. Not a glance. Until he started walking, that is. Now that he’s comfortable on two feet—trotting, skipping even running—he’s happy to drag his hopping wooden frog or his clacking wooden (wood’s obviously the way to go) alligator behind him.
One day your child will be ready to pull a toy. And when she is, you’ll be prepared. Here’s where to start:
You know how I feel about the multi-functional toy. OK. I’ll remind you. I feel very, very good about toys that do more than one thing. If my child’s toy entertains him in more than one way I feel like I’m really getting my money’s worth, that the dollar to amusement value is top notch. Plan Toy’s Sorting Train ($19.79) is a superior dual-function toy. The train can be pulled along for traveling fun or your tot can stop and sort the blocks that make up this petit choo choo. So many options for fun.
Animals are a classic pull toy option. Toddlers find it innately satisfying to tug a little creature by a string and have it hop or roll or bounce behind or beside them. And Wonderworld’s Pull-Along Dachshund ($25) is extra cool, dazzling little eyes (and big ones—I’m impressed) with a multi-colored, multi-patterned body constructed from biodegradable fabrics and bright green wheels made from rubber wood and non-toxic paints.
Along with dinosaurs and ducks, alligators and crocodiles seem to be on kids’ top 10 favorite animal list. And while a stuffed toy is nice, you can’t beat Selecta’s Crocolo ($24), a pull toy that opens its jaw and swishes its tail as it moves across the floor. As an added perk, the brightly colored croc is coated with non-toxic paints.
Sometimes I buy a toy for W, but sometimes I buy it for me. EverEarth’s Pull Along Koi ($11.75) is clearly in the second category. The clean, simple design and bright orange accents would look equally amazing perched on a shelf or being tugged aggressively across the kitchen floor. That the entire thing is made from wood sourced from renewable forests and water-based paints only makes it better.
