thoughts on this for a 1st birthday gift?

redshoegirl · March 2011

We're not planning on getting the boys a lot of stuff for their first birthday; probably just a few new board books and one big toy to share (when they're older they'll get individual gifts, but at the moment there isn't much point).

This is what I have my eye on for the toy - tell me what you think:

I know it says for ages 3+, but they have one of the wooden bead mazes at daycare and they LOOOOVE it. I think they'd also like the abacus, tracking maze and xylophone sides (although I might take the mallets away until I can teach them not to whack each other - it's a growing problem in our household lol). The side that's a dry erase board wouldn't be used at this age.

I also think it's groovy that the bead maze can be flipped over and stored inside the box - makes it easier to shove the whole thing in a closet if we ever need to.

Thoughts? Opinions? Other ideas? Mamas who have 1+ year olds, what did you get your LO for their first birthday?

P.S. If this is sold in the States, please don't tell me how much cheaper it is there because I'll cry lol. Wink

MauiWedding08 · March 2011

we don't have one - but I love the idea. Jack loves playing with one similar at the dr. office.

As for what we got Jack? No present... meany parents! haha, no worries - he got plenty from others.

sanae78 · March 2011

I think it's awesome. I'm sure Kaya would love something like that.

I got her this (to commemorate her bday trip to WDW):

Yay for Castmember discount. :P

lola808 · March 2011

That looks awesome, especially since there are multiple activities so both boys could potentially use it at once. I would love to get something like that for A, but he's not the sit-down-and-stay-occupied type just yet. I got him one of those bead maze things on a pushable train, and I'm still trying to get him into it.

We got him a steel and wood Radio Flyer wagon as his main gift. I also got him a baby t-ball set and some circus books to go with his birthday theme. He loves the outdoors, so I think he'll have a lot of fun with the wagon.

lelekay · March 2011

I think it would be a great idea. We just got Henry a bead maze, and he LOVES it! I love how this one has different kinds of beads to make it more interesting. I think this is the kind of toy that they will play with for years, too.

MrsZiz · March 2011

Bella has something similar that the neighbor passed down from her kids and Bella really likes it.

inamra · March 2011

I actually had my eye on something like this but on one side they had a maze with small magnets and that's dangerous (they recommended ages 3+) so I didn't end up getting that one. So now I've been looking for another one or a smaller version of one. So yea, I think it's a great gift! I assume yours doesn't have the small magnets side (can't see all the sides in that pic...)?

vanceandlori · March 2011

We don't own one, but Brooke loves to play with them (still) at Borders and whatnot.

We got her a PB anywhere chair which she still uses... mainly to jump off now

redshoegirl · March 2011

inamra:
I actually had my eye on something like this but on one side they had a maze with small magnets and that's dangerous (they recommended ages 3+) so I didn't end up getting that one. So now I've been looking for another one or a smaller version of one. So yea, I think it's a great gift! I assume yours doesn't have the small magnets side (can't see all the sides in that pic...)?

The other two sides have an abacus (I'm assuming plastic or wooden beads) and a magnetic dry erase board. The dry erase side comes with some magnets, but I figured if they're small enough to choke on, we just wouldn't bother using them.

inamra · March 2011

vanceandlori:

We got her a PB anywhere chair which she still uses... mainly to jump off now

This! is the other possible gift I'm eyeing right now

inamra · March 2011

redshoegirl:
inamra:
I actually had my eye on something like this but on one side they had a maze with small magnets and that's dangerous (they recommended ages 3+) so I didn't end up getting that one. So now I've been looking for another one or a smaller version of one. So yea, I think it's a great gift! I assume yours doesn't have the small magnets side (can't see all the sides in that pic...)?
The other two sides have an abacus (I'm assuming plastic or wooden beads) and a magnetic dry erase board. The dry erase side comes with some magnets, but I figured if they're small enough to choke on, we just wouldn't bother using them.

Ahh yeah, the one I saw is a bit different. It was a wooden maze with magnetic balls that you guide through them with a magnetic pen...so if we didn't use the little magnets then it would be a wasted side. I guess that was enough to stop me =P

redshoegirl · March 2011

inamra:
Ahh yeah, the one I saw is a bit different. It was a wooden maze with magnetic balls that you guide through them with a magnetic pen...so if we didn't use the little magnets then it would be a wasted side. I guess that was enough to stop me =P

Yeah, that probably would have thrown me off too! What age was it rated for? It's always strange to me when manufacturers give things low ages and the toy has little choking hazards - like super flimsy little wheels on toy cars.

mrspresley · March 2011

i think that's a great gift and a really cool toy, better looking than the one we saw at our pedi's office (apparently every pedi's office has one from what i gather from this post? LOL)

i thought it was so cool i looked to see if it was avail. in the US and it is...but that is where i came across very mixed reviews. i probably would getting something similar but after reading the reviews i don't think i'll get this particular one, esp for the higher price tag.

for Miss A's birthday i got her a PB chloe doll that was on sale and that was it! we didn't do anything big since she doesn't really know... and like Robbi said, everyone else got her lots of gifts too

Married2MrWright · March 2011

MauiWedding08:

we don't have one - but I love the idea. Jack loves playing with one similar at the dr. office.

As for what we got Jack? No present... meany parents! haha, no worries - he got plenty from others.

This exactly!

There's one at our doctor's office and Libby likes it a lot. For you boys it would be cool since they could both play with it at the same time and it'll grow with them. Not sure why it's marked age 3 and up. FWIW, we have a couple of toys that say age 3 and up for Libby. I guess because, potentially, it has small parts that if they broke off, etc. could become a choking hazard. We check out her toys often and feel comfortable about letting her have these things...but again, it all depends upon why the partiucular toy has a 3 and up rating. Have you read any reviews of parents who've used it with younger babies?

Libby got lots of gifts for her first birthday...ours was her party. Oh, and I did get a crib bedding set since she's sleeping in there now. I got her bumpers (to keep her chubby legs from getting stuck in the slats) and a matching comforter. She loves them!

Other gifts were a cool Plan Drum, Leap Frog Birthday Candles Counting Toy, Disney Treasury of Children's Classics, a gorgeous red tutu, a Radio Flyer Red Wagon, and tricycle.

inamra · March 2011

redshoegirl:
inamra:
Ahh yeah, the one I saw is a bit different. It was a wooden maze with magnetic balls that you guide through them with a magnetic pen...so if we didn't use the little magnets then it would be a wasted side. I guess that was enough to stop me =P
Yeah, that probably would have thrown me off too! What age was it rated for? It's always strange to me when manufacturers give things low ages and the toy has little choking hazards - like super flimsy little wheels on toy cars.

I remembered it was 3yrs+. At first, I didn't get why. Then I saw the magnetic maze thing and I was like oh..yeah..okay. So then I thought maybe I just need to wait and get something like this for a 2nd or 3rd bday instead of his 1st =P

inamra · March 2011

Married2MrWright:
Libby got lots of gifts for her first birthday...ours was her party.

I like this! I already got B a small gift and had been trying to find a bigger one as the "main" gift, but now I'm thinking maybe we should do this instead!

eacerna · March 2011

i also think it's a great idea! i have to bookmark this and revisit when E is bigger :-). i like that everything is contained in one place and you don't have to worry about different toys scattered around.

myday1708 · March 2011

One idea... Is there a way to let your boys play with a similar toy at a store to see if they'd like it? There is a big block toy like this at daycare and Miss A has NEVER paid it any attention. At the aquarium, we saw one and I tried to get her to play with it (she was 13 mo) and she was not interested. I got her a small bead toy for Christmas (15 mo) she has never played with it, no interest. I'm sure some kids love this stuff, but so far, she is not one of them. So maybe try out a smaller toy or let them check out a similar one first? Just an idea!

myday1708 · March 2011

Oh, I would add that the toy itself is GORGEOUS... If they get into it, I can imagine great photos of them playing on it together! :-)

redshoegirl · March 2011

myday1708:
One idea... Is there a way to let your boys play with a similar toy at a store to see if they'd like it?

Unfortunately no, although that's a really good idea - we only have one kid's store here, plus Target and BigW (kinda like a small scale Walmart?), and none of them have toys actually out of the boxes. I know they like the bead mazes because they play with it at daycare, but I'm just guessing that they'd like the other stuff...although after reading the reviews that Jaime linked too, now I'm not so sure about this one. Which makes me sad because it's so cool looking! Crying

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