The Investigator Play Kit from Lovevery has 7 toys in it designed for months 31, 32, and 33. The toy we use more than any other Lovevery item is in this kit… I won’t spoil it just yet!!
Our family has invested in just about all of the Lovevery play kits and we adore them. But I completely understand if you need to pick and choose items or if you just don’t want this entire play kit.
So, if you’re looking for Amazon alternatives to some of the famous Lovevery play kit toys, I’ve got some good ones!
Be sure to check out the full blog series here to see other age ranges: Lovevery Amazon Alternatives for Every Play Kit
Twist & Pivot Pattern Puzzle
The twist & pivot pattern puzzle is such a smartly designed toy on Lovevery’s part – I remember being incredibly impressed by this when we first opened The Investigator play kit box.
It’s a massive challenge at months 31, 32, and 33, and you can see your child’s brain working as they try to decipher how this complicated puzzle works.
My daughter mastered the pink twisting circles first, and when she finally got it, it was a huge celebration! She struggled to spin it the right way, but it was like a lightbulb when she got it. She was so proud.
She is now 41-42 months old, and she still struggles with the other two parts of this puzzle, but it makes for a great challenge. One day, she’ll get it, and I do appreciate that this toy has different levels of difficulty.
The closest Amazon alternative I found for the twist & pivot pattern puzzle is from Hape, which is pretty interesting because my understanding is that Hape manufacturers some or all of the Lovevery wooden toys. So, I’m curious to see if the quality of this puzzle matches the Lovevery version, which is sturdy and very high quality.
The Hape version is definitely a little bit different, but the concept is the same! It provides a unique spin on a classic stacking puzzle toy.
Match & Tap Hammer Box
The Match & Tap hammer box is a really fun one to include in a toy rotation, especially if you have a display shelf. It’s really pretty, and my kids love taking this one off the shelf and sitting down for some dedicated playtime.
One component of this hammer box that I found difficult to dupe is the pattern card component. Most hammering toys available on Amazon do include the pegs and the hammer, but they don’t include the pattern card. I love that this toy goes above and beyond in that way. We can practice making patterns and color matching in addition to the whacking!
So, while the Amazon versions aren’t quite as nuanced or as nice as the Lovevery version, I did find two great choices.
This Bimi Boo version has colored rings around each peg hole, allowing your child to practice color matching, even if you can’t switch up the patterns.
Melissa & Doug also has a very similar version, but there are no colors around the peg holes.
If that’s not too important to you, the Melissa & Doug option was only about $10 at the time of this writing (Amazon prices fluctuate daily – sometimes multiple times a day – so just double check).
Liquid Lab
The Lovevery Liquid Lab features a tray with three beakers and a funnel. You can do all kinds of fun things with these items, including one of our favorites: mixing vinegar with baking soda and food coloring for a fizzy (controlled) eruption!
Even just pouring water from one beaker to another is a fun activity for toddlers.
Most of the chemistry equipment options on Amazon were overwhelming, but I think I found a hidden gem!
This SmartLab science lab includes beakers and a sink, much like the Lovevery lab, but it also has tons of other things you can use for science experiments. There are stirring sticks, plastic tubing, a petri dish, and even glow-in-the-dark powder! This kit comes with an illustrated booklet that features 40 STEAM activities, something the Lovevery one didn’t come equipped with.
While I like the look of the Lovevery version a lot better, I think the Amazon version might be a bit more practical, encouraging you to utilize it with plenty of different experiment ideas.
Countdown Color Timer
This is it. This is the Lovevery toy that we use every single day, multiple times a day. This countdown color timer has gotten our family through potty training, bedtime routines, clean-up time, and SO much more.
If you don’t have a countdown timer as part of your current everyday routine (or weekend routine if you’re a working mama), get one!!
This timer has helped so much with transitions and routine management for my toddlers, I hardly give it enough credit through words.
I may even have to do a dedicated blog post on this topic at some point, but in the meantime, pick one up and start using it to warn your kids about upcoming changes. For example, “In 10 minutes, this timer is going to go off, and we’re going to get ready for bed!” It’s amazing.
This Amazon timer is simple, and I actually really like that it goes up to 60 minutes. The Lovevery one allows for up to 20 minutes, which is a little bit short for some use cases.
Things That Move Memory Game
We love memory games at our house! This particular one from Lovevery comes in a very handy box, and when we first got it, I remember my daughter was super interested in looking at the different images. She’d start pairing them up, but it hasn’t been until recently (around 41-42 months old) that she’ll sit down and truly play the memory game.
I found a wonderful Amazon alternative that comes with 56 vehicle memory cards (way more than the Lovevery version).
Jump-In Eco Hoops & Organic Cotton Bean Bags
The hoops and bean bags are a really fun activity, but you definitely have to be intentional about using them and modeling how to play with your toddler.
I’m afraid this toy has fallen a bit to the wayside for our family. I did show my daughter several ways to play with this toy, but she’d almost instantly lose interest and move on to something else.
If you want to try it out, there’s a very inexpensive alternative on Amazon that includes 8 hoops and 8 bean bags!
While the bean bags aren’t made with organic cotton, this still gets the job done and offers up the same options for play.
‘The Play Date’ Board Book
The “older” these play kits get, the harder it is to find good alternatives for the books. The Lovevery books do such a fantastic job of walking toddlers through real-life scenarios. They also use photos of real people, which can be doubly hard to find.
The Play Date is the story of two toddlers playing together, and they get into a little argument. I love this book, because what toddler doesn’t get angry when another child takes their toy? The book prepares your child for this situation at a time when they are completely calm. After all, it’s kind of hard to talk through this when your child is in the middle of a tantrum! I love this book for that.
I couldn’t find a good alternative that featured photography, but the illustrated book, That’s Not Mine, definitely covers the topic of sharing.
The story is really fun and can help your toddler talk through the concept of sharing and wanting the same thing as someone else.
Lovevery vs. Amazon Price Comparison
Here are the prices for the Amazon alternatives, but please keep in mind Amazon prices fluctuate and may be different at the time you check:
- Twist & Pivot Pattern Puzzle alternative: $21.14
- Match & Tap Hammer Box alternative: $21.99
- Liquid Lab alternative: $19.33
- Countdown Timer alternative: $16.14
- Things That Move Memory Game alternative: $16.07
- Jump-In Eco Hoops & Organic Bean Bags alternative: $8.99
- ‘The Play Date’ board book alternative: $7.49
The total cost to get Amazon alternatives for the Lovevery Investigator play kit is $111.15, or $8.85 less than the Lovevery kit.
The hammer box alternative is clearly nowhere close to the Lovevery one in terms of options for play and overall craftsmanship, so I can see why the Amazon alternatives ended up costing a little bit less.
But overall, I’m really happy with the alternatives for this particular play kit! There are some great choices here for the 31-33-month-old age range.
Conclusion
The Investigator Play Kit has a ton of fantastic toys in it, including the game-changing countdown timer. If I had to recommend a couple of toys to get, I would go for the timer and the Hape puzzle.
Let me know in the comments if you got the Lovevery kit or if you plan to get any of the Amazon alternatives. I love hearing your feedback!
Thank you! I appreciate the time you take to put these together 🤗
You bet!! 💕