Santa's Candy Cane Express + Donating Some of Our MindWare Favs to Toys for Tots!

This post is in partnership with MindWare Toys. All words and opinions are my own.

We’re well into the holiday season and we’ve been trying to make an effort to enjoy the experiences of the season before the big day. It’s something that we struggle with even more so since we have to save family activities for weekends. For me, it doesn’t feel like the holidays if we’re not out participating in holiday festivities, taking it all in. And truthfully, I measure my year based on how much we’ve done during the holidays. There’s so much anticipation surrounding the holidays. So when the time arrives, I feel this need to enjoy it. I’ve spent so many seasons glued to a computer that I actually want to step outside and do.the.things. For me, it’s less about the presents and more about the experiences and GOOD memories. We recently crossed off two things from our holiday bucket list:

Donate toys
See Santa

We’ve never taken the kids to see Santa so we’re already off to a good start. Do we really do Santa? Not really, but we’re letting the littlest ones carry on as they wish. While flipping through a local events calendar, I spotted the Santa’s Candy Cane Express event held at Hesston Steam Museum. They were offering one free locomotive train ticket per $5 or more toy donated to Toys for Tots. MindWare Toys was kind enough to send the kids some toys, plus an additional set to donate so we decided to take the toys to the event with us.

The kids cashed in their toys for tickets to ride one of the steam engines, then it was off to visit Santa in his caboose. Next on our list? A few light displays and maybe ice skating!

MindWare Toys

Special thanks to MindWare Toys for sending us toys to donate and keep the kids busy this holiday season! Shop the toys we were sent in the guide below. If you want to get your order by Christmas, be sure to order by December 17th!

Acorn Soup Ages 2+

Making Acorn Soup is easy as 1-2-3! The round box bottom doubles as a bowl, which contains wooden ingredients and a sturdy wooden spoon for mixing and stirring. Simple recipe cards teach toddlers to identify the ingredients and count as they cook. Mix, stir, eat and play together! Counting, pretend play, sorting, fine-motor skills are benefits of this fun, interactive game!

Quick Pickle Ages 8+

This fast-paced, family-friendly card game has you tossing toppings and collecting pickles as you complete categories, hold your nose or cover your mustard mouth! Flip a card and be quick to react to keep your pickle stash intact. Take too long or run out of rhymes and you’ll be passing pickles to your opponents. Even if you run low on pickles, you can always hope for a Pity Patty! The player with the most pickles at the end of the game wins. Includes 50 cards and 60 pickle chips.

Double Spot Ages 6+

Get ready to out-pattern your opponent—but watch out! The double-sided disks mean each time you get closer to matching a pattern card—so do they! You’ll need a keen eye and the luck of the die to make a match and claim a card. The first player to earn 5 cards is the winner! This new take on the classic play pattern of connecting playing pieces is sure to become a classic itself! Includes game board, 40 double-sided disks, 40 pattern cards, 2 card stands and colored die. 2 players.

Playful Chef: Chocolate Studio Ages 7+

A melting pot that is cool to the touch AND magically turns your chocolate chips or chunks into velvety swirls of perfectly smooth, melted chocolate? It’s not a dream! Featuring child safe temperature settings and a silicone lip, the Playful Chef Chocolate Studio will make sweet, successful memories for young chocolatiers.