Favorite baby toys

ATolentino89

I am starting to look at different toys for DS since he is now interested in EVERYTHING around him. I know some of you have a jump start and some of you are STM,TTM, etc so I am asking what type of toys does your LOs like? What toys grow with them and are worth the investment? Basically I'm an FTM trying to NOT go into Buy Buy Baby and spend tons of money on stuff he will not use or that's redundant. 

ammnam14

Yesss. We don't have much space so an amazing all in one toy would be awesome lol. I'm not sure that exists.

groovylocks

Olive never really showed any interest in toys before. Nothing (other than baby einstein which, were were informed, she is too young for) held her attention at all. 

Until we found this:

The piano can be upright, like this, to accommodate older babies. It can also be laid  perpendicular for young babies to kick. 

Not only does Olive love this, it has sparked a leap forward in her intelligence. Within 48 hours of getting this toy she is now reaching and has started chattering in multi-syllable utterances. Might be a coincidence but if nothing else, this keeps her fascinated for up to an hour. 

redfallon

groovylocks said:

Olive never really showed any interest in toys before. Nothing (other than baby einstein which, were were informed, she is too young for) held her attention at all. 

Until we found this:

The piano can be upright, like this, to accommodate older babies. It can also be laid  perpendicular for young babies to kick. 

Not only does Olive love this, it has sparked a leap forward in her intelligence. Within 48 hours of getting this toy she is now reaching and has started chattering in multi-syllable utterances. Might be a coincidence but if nothing else, this keeps her fascinated for up to an hour. 

This is what I would recommend also. DD loved this when she was a baby and now DS loves it. He will stay under it for a half hour sometimes. He likes looking in the mirror and grabbing the hanging toys. We got a good six months or so out of this with DD. This is the second time we are borrowing it from SIL. 

This seat I'll link to is something that we bought for DD to use once she started to be able to sit up on her own or right before then, around six months. Summer 3-Stage Infant Super Seat Positioner Booster and Activity Seat, Neutral https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H4E9WLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_hh71wb6C49Y7G

They also make one that has a bar that hangs over the baby, but we didn't get this one: Summer Infant 3-Stage SuperSeat Deluxe Giggles Island: Positioner, Activity Seat, and Booster, Neutral https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BBKLWWI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_Fi71wbKYE1Q1Q

misamima

DD loved Firefly Freddie when she was a baby. LO has also been enamored with him lately. 

Lamaze Clip & Go Firefly Freddie https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I2Q0F4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_.C71wbK02HRJ3

Mizuiro007

The classic oball with the rattles disks is great. DS still loves it so I had to hide it back in the bedroom for DD to get a chance. We've also gotten great use from a fisher price tummy time mirror. It has little things they can bat at including a roller that will trigger music playing.

They're maybe a little much until about 6 months but DS loves all the fisher price laugh and learn toys. It started with my mom getting him the train, then the plush puppy, activity table, and he now has the zoo and some others. They're all staged so they present different challenge levels. He's actually learned a few colors, shapes, and some Spanish from these.

littlebitmom

That piano is my DD's favorite. She loves it so much, I bought a used one to have at my parents house for when they keep her. She will play with that piano for close to an hour without losing interest.  It's awesome!

ATolentino89

Thanks for the replies. We have the piano already and DS loves it. We are starting to look at exersaucers and jumperoos specifically along with rattles/ stackers and blocks. 

teachmegs817

We have that Fisher Price piano mat as well.  DS LOVES his Rainforest mat by Fisher Price too, so we decided to get him another one to keep downstairs and to switch it up from the other one.  He loves both and will be entertained underneath either one for up to an hour at a time.  I have a Bumbo seat, so when he's able to sit up and control his body a little more we will start using that. It has a tray that comes with it.  I have several suction cup toys, OBALL and a few others that we'll attach to there, hoping that'll keep his interest.  I'm looking into what kind of exersaucer to get him in the next few months.  We received a walker/activity center by Fisher Price from my shower, so we'll see if that works out.

taysun

We also have the piano which DD loves. We also have the FP rainforest activity mat and that's also a big hit. We're going to buy the matching FP rainforest jumperoo soon (we picked it because it's only $60 at BJs). 

Mizuiro007

We recently got the fisher price step n play piano. DD can already sit in the seat and DS loves playing with her in it and playing with it without her. There are already parts she's been playing with on her own. It's a little bigger but for us we were looking for something DS couldn't drag around.

taysun

Mizuiro007 said:

We recently got the fisher price step n play piano. DD can already sit in the seat and DS loves playing with her in it and playing with it without her. There are already parts she's been playing with on her own. It's a little bigger but for us we were looking for something DS couldn't drag around.

Is it worth the price? We looked at it and I really wanted it but I couldn't justify spending that much when I could get the FP jumperoo so much cheaper. 

Mizuiro007

@taysun I feel like it's worth it. We had a cheaper hand me down with DS that ultimately broke. Last month we traded it in at babies r us toward the step n play. DS is almost 17 months and since we set it up he spends the majority of his day playing with it. We even threw one of his blankets over it yesterday and he was playing with it like a fort. The seat comes out pretty easily (for me) and then it's all open so he can stand between the rails and play. Then it's as easy to slide the seat back in for DD. She's been able to play with both toys on the seat, can see the mirror, and reach the side piano keys already. Oh and I didn't notice until putting it together but there's a buckle under the seat to adjust for height. The seat we had with DS it was a lower platform you adjusted and that's the part that broke.

pupsicle23

I was inspired to go get the piano mat. DD loves it.  She kicks the keys and lifts her hips off the ground to kick the hanging things.  I put it in a little hallway between the bedrooms and the bathroom, put up a baby gate,  and trained the dog on the other side of the gate.  She was happy as can be and chattering away.  

She also really loves cloth books that crinkle and squeak. 

2winterbabies

taysun said:

Mizuiro007 said:

We recently got the fisher price step n play piano. DD can already sit in the seat and DS loves playing with her in it and playing with it without her. There are already parts she's been playing with on her own. It's a little bigger but for us we were looking for something DS couldn't drag around.

Is it worth the price? We looked at it and I really wanted it but I couldn't justify spending that much when I could get the FP jumperoo so much cheaper. 

If you feel comfortable buying from CraigsList, try from there.  I see them all the time in my area. 

momotheflyinglemur

Right now Odie loves the Baby Einstien Octopus Rattle. It has several different bells and shakers as well as a mirror that moves and reflects light when he hits it. I am sure his tastes will expand quickly here soon.

JulieK79

Man - Fisher Price has made a lot of money off of us with the Kick n Play piano and Rainforest mat. I have both too! Lily loved them and my son loved them when he was little. I actually caught him playing with it the other day.

ksrkim

DS loves both the Kick n Play and then Rainforest one. I just want to add this toy: 

DS could listen to the noise forever, it even helps him fall asleep. 

meansallison

Braiden loves this! He will lay in it for up to 45 minutes. The elephant lights up and plays music and you can move the toys around. All the sides come down to grow with your LO

keiragann

Crinkly books are DS' favorite right now and he likes to lay under his activity may that has a mobile above it.