DH thinks I spend wayyy too much money on crap. (I probably do, I'll give him that.) He says the baby has way too many toys, and she doesn't even play with them. She does play with most of them, but when he's home on the weekend, she's more interested in playing with him. She does get tired of some things, but there are others that she absolutely loves, like her little activity table. (The one that plays music with the book in the middle and the little keyboard, etc. I think everyone has one.) Does anyone have a toy that your LO has liked for a while? I'd like to get her something she can pull up on and use to push around. Maybe something with a little longevity, if that's at all possible.
A loves his ride on toy (Prince Lionheart Wheely Tiger) and Elefun Busy Ball Popper. Other than that, he plays with his stacking cups, links, balls, and blocks every day.
He also loves all of his books, anything he can chew, anything Elmo, "vroom vrooms" (cars, trucks, etc. that have wheels and batteries or wind up) and other than that, it's something different every week.
He also loves all of his books, anything he can chew, anything Elmo, "vroom vrooms" (cars, trucks, etc. that have wheels and batteries or wind up) and other than that, it's something different every week.
Part of me thinks fancy toys are a waste of money because Nora's favorites are the old school type toys:
.. but then sometimes I see all of the toys that other babies have and I feel like I'm neglecting mine lol.
I mean, she has a few other things.. the Leapfrog Musical table some have mentioned, My Pal Violet etc.. but the 2 I posted are her absolute faves.
This. My son also loves the toys I "make". Wipes container with tied scarves (loves to pop the top and play peek-a-boo under the scarves), plastic cups that he stacks and makes noises into, puffs container bowling, etc. A laundry basket also makes for a load of fun. lol
Yep, we have that table, too. K does love it and her VTech Sit to Stand walker. Honestly, her fave that she always seems to go back to...tupperware. That and those mini travel bottles for J&J Baby Wash. She has a drawer in the the bathroom that has a couple of them and she adores them. Yeah, I know, my kid is weird.
For longevity, my three year old still loves the Vtech train too - now he is at the point where he can recognize letters and follow instructions to put in a certain letter block. His shopping cart is also still used, but for the babies, it isn't sturdy as they try to push it around - it tips backwards onto them.
As far as whether toys are a waste of money, Yes and no. It's more an issue of how much money you have and how to best use it. My DS1 and the babies play with a lot of the same toys - Battat trucks, balls, shakers, Duplo blocks, Little People - but in different ways. They definitely don't need as many toys as they have, but I also couldn't have predicted which toys would really be a hit. Play dates and play areas are a good place to let them play with different kinds of toys so you don't have to own them all at home.
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My sister got her daughter for christmas the 3 in 1 Vtech Zebra Scooter. When we were there DD loved it. It's a push toy, ride-on, and scooter for older kids. My nephew who just turned 4 was playing with it too. Oh and it is the first ride-on that DD could push herself, so that is always good!
I buy most of DD's toys at consignment shop so I don't feel as bad about spending the $$ if she doesn't play with them. They go through phases of playing with different things.
We are toy minimalists, so in some ways, I do. LO loves playing with kitchen cabinet doors and measuring cups as much as his blocks. That said, have you tried reducing the number of toys and books that are out---maybe just 1-5 things out (count a set of things--like blocks) as 1) at a time, and then rotati through them every few days to a week? I think that toys just become "white noise" when they are constantly available. Plus, with so many toys out, kids cannot get deeply into using them and find different ways of using them, which keeps them fun. For example, a roller toy can be pushed pulled, banged, be like a massager, you can spin the wheels with your hands, etc.
When rotation day comes, LO sometimes goes straight for a thing that he hasn't even looked at for awhile because the novelty is back.
These kids have a TON of toys and unfortunately I would say most things I think "this will last a long time and many stages" and almost everything is short lived.
We have push toys, ride on toys, stacking toys, sorting toys, toy laptops, phones, activity table cars/trucks/race tracks, a HUGE amount of little people toys since they are not a choking hazard and DD can pretend, a bizillion stuffed animals and baby dolls, art supples (play doh, paint, crayons), melissa and doug kitchen with hundreds of wood food to match.
DD's favorite toys are her stuffed toys and etch-a-scetch and DS loves to play with the cabinet/end table in the living room.
I think the big, obnoxious, noisy light up toys are a waste. DD has most fun with her stacking cups, shape sorting ball, and mega bloks. She'd be just as happy with tupperware and measuring cups. She also likes to sit and flip through board books.
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
Part of me thinks fancy toys are a waste of money because Nora's favorites are the old school type toys:
.. but then sometimes I see all of the toys that other babies have and I feel like I'm neglecting mine lol.
I mean, she has a few other things.. the Leapfrog Musical table some have mentioned, My Pal Violet etc.. but the 2 I posted are her absolute faves.
Yes, this is exactly how I feel right now!!! We have a weekly playgroup that rotates households, and the last two houses I went to had WAY more toys than we have. Shelley's favorite playthings are her Big Bird puppet, board books, and stackable blocks. She loves plush animals, too, and loves playing with them.
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I think educational toys are good! I gave my DD a lullabye and goodnight fabric book when she was 14 months old and she still likes it. It is really cute. Little teddy takes her through the nighttime ritual in playful melodies. The bear actually moves from page to page so it is fun for kids. I got it personalized for her so it is all the more special.
Re: Do you think toys are a waste of money?
my son has that table too LOL
He also loves all of his books, anything he can chew, anything Elmo, "vroom vrooms" (cars, trucks, etc. that have wheels and batteries or wind up) and other than that, it's something different every week.
Right now he's obsessed with this:
https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-2-in-1-Singing-Band-Walker/dp/B001JQLJG8
This!!! My daughter loves that thing!!! Highly recommended.
Part of me thinks fancy toys are a waste of money because Nora's favorites are the old school type toys:
.. but then sometimes I see all of the toys that other babies have and I feel like I'm neglecting mine lol.
I mean, she has a few other things.. the Leapfrog Musical table some have mentioned, My Pal Violet etc.. but the 2 I posted are her absolute faves.
This. My son also loves the toys I "make". Wipes container with tied scarves (loves to pop the top and play peek-a-boo under the scarves), plastic cups that he stacks and makes noises into, puffs container bowling, etc. A laundry basket also makes for a load of fun. lol
Life with Blog
For longevity, my three year old still loves the Vtech train too - now he is at the point where he can recognize letters and follow instructions to put in a certain letter block. His shopping cart is also still used, but for the babies, it isn't sturdy as they try to push it around - it tips backwards onto them.
As far as whether toys are a waste of money, Yes and no. It's more an issue of how much money you have and how to best use it. My DS1 and the babies play with a lot of the same toys - Battat trucks, balls, shakers, Duplo blocks, Little People - but in different ways. They definitely don't need as many toys as they have, but I also couldn't have predicted which toys would really be a hit. Play dates and play areas are a good place to let them play with different kinds of toys so you don't have to own them all at home.
By lilenatalem at 2012-01-28
My sister got her daughter for christmas the 3 in 1 Vtech Zebra Scooter. When we were there DD loved it. It's a push toy, ride-on, and scooter for older kids. My nephew who just turned 4 was playing with it too. Oh and it is the first ride-on that DD could push herself, so that is always good!
I buy most of DD's toys at consignment shop so I don't feel as bad about spending the $$ if she doesn't play with them. They go through phases of playing with different things.
We are toy minimalists, so in some ways, I do. LO loves playing with kitchen cabinet doors and measuring cups as much as his blocks. That said, have you tried reducing the number of toys and books that are out---maybe just 1-5 things out (count a set of things--like blocks) as 1) at a time, and then rotati through them every few days to a week? I think that toys just become "white noise" when they are constantly available. Plus, with so many toys out, kids cannot get deeply into using them and find different ways of using them, which keeps them fun. For example, a roller toy can be pushed pulled, banged, be like a massager, you can spin the wheels with your hands, etc.
When rotation day comes, LO sometimes goes straight for a thing that he hasn't even looked at for awhile because the novelty is back.
More Green For Less Green
These kids have a TON of toys and unfortunately I would say most things I think "this will last a long time and many stages" and almost everything is short lived.
We have push toys, ride on toys, stacking toys, sorting toys, toy laptops, phones, activity table cars/trucks/race tracks, a HUGE amount of little people toys since they are not a choking hazard and DD can pretend, a bizillion stuffed animals and baby dolls, art supples (play doh, paint, crayons), melissa and doug kitchen with hundreds of wood food to match.
DD's favorite toys are her stuffed toys and etch-a-scetch and DS loves to play with the cabinet/end table in the living room.
The only toy so far to really get a lot of use is theFP laugh and learn home https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Laugh-Learn-Learning/dp/B004717NNU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1326384168&sr=8-3
and the play kitchen and books most of them from $1 area of target .
bfp#4 3/19/2014 edd 12/1/2014 please let this be the one!
beta @ 5w0d = 12,026! u/s 4/22/14 @ 8w1d it's twins!
Yes, this is exactly how I feel right now!!! We have a weekly playgroup that rotates households, and the last two houses I went to had WAY more toys than we have. Shelley's favorite playthings are her Big Bird puppet, board books, and stackable blocks. She loves plush animals, too, and loves playing with them.