Product Spotlight Series: Toys

galactickates · August 2018

Let's talk toys!

To view past Product Spotlights or view the upcoming schedule, see here:
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(Also just a reminder that if anyone wants to revive old threads to ask questions as we get further along and it becomes more likely everyone is doing further research, please feel free!)

bradleysmommy28 · August 2018

When DS was little we had an activity play mat that had a piano at the bottom. It was seriously the only toy that would keep him entertained and I've told so many friends about it. I hope this DS is equally entertained with it! Also, I'm a huge fan of all things v-tech. I think the only actual baby toys we kept from DS are all v-tech ones!

kns1988 · August 2018

@bradleysmommy28 We also had a play mat and piano that were the main sources of entertainment until DS was mobile.

It's hard to remember what toys he cared about when he was little, probably because he didn't care about any that much. He liked his wooden blocks. He still likes stacking cups. He currently loves Little People and any kind of ball now that he's older. I'm a fan of Melissa and Doug toys because I like the classic wooden look.

pttomato · August 2018

DD liked board books and things that crinkled. As a baby she was mostly entertained by household objects or being outside more than toys. Like I tucked tissue paper under the cushions of the couch and let her kick it and she thought that was fun. https://www.candokiddo.com/news/tissue-paper-kicking

kmvisioli · August 2018

We avoid all toys with batteries in my house. My goal is "open-ended" toys, so things like duplos, wood or foam blocks, little people (we have the farm, school bus, and airplane), cars/trucks, train table and play food. Early favorites for mine were the activity may, stacking cups, big soft blocks, O ball, a plastic key ring toy, and the doorway jumper. And tons of board books! For the toddler age I love the Instagram feed BusyToddler - tons of awesome play ideas and activities for ages 1+!

tosh24 · August 2018

Activity mat was a godsend once my kids became more curious/aware but weren't mobile yet - get one with lots of different sensory items: crinkly parts, vibrating attachments, music, mirrors, etc.

Also, if you're looking at noisemakers like rattles and such for when babies can finally grasp, make sure they're soft rattes! Babies have no idea what they're doing and will continuously smash themselves in the face with whatever they're shaking, so get a soft/padded rattle instead of a hard plastic one!

+1 for O balls!

sweetyjenj · August 2018

I'll engage more in this later, but basically my biggest feedback is:
You don't need everything. I gathered as many toys as I could get. Lots of hand-me-downs, kept everything we got from baby shower or Christmas. Then I got a rude awakening when 75% of our BABY toys didn't get played with..like ever. She played with a lot, but a lot of the same things, and by the time I did my first toy rotation, she was onto the next level of toys

hollye30 · August 2018

Rattle socks. Socks with rattles on them. You can also get ones that velcro around the wrist. Because babies can't grasp anything right away.

I can't remember what else my baby liked. I haven't pulled all the baby stuff back out yet.

sfgiantsgamerbabe · August 2018

We also had a playmat with a piano. DS loved it! We also had soft blocks, rattles, board books with different textures, etc. When he got a little older, he had his Baby Einstein exersaucer that he loved.

kns1988 · August 2018

When DS was between probably 6 months and 10 months old, he liked the jumperoo. We got one secondhand for 25 bucks. They're way too expensive new for the short amount of time that the kid will use them, but he really did love it for a while. It was nice to have a place to plop him to play where he could be upright.

emmaaa · August 2018

A play mat was great for the first 6 months or more. Even when DD started sitting up, she would play with the rattles and things that hang on it. Also an Rock n Play. This was really nice in the evenings when we got home from work to turn on the music and light for her to look at while we got supper ready.

BeatBo/BeatBelle is still a hit in our house hold and DD loved it during tummy time.

So many items people bought us when untouched honestly. I would get a few things that are good for infancy and tummy time and see what your baby likes as they get bigger. DD has always loved stuffed animals, blocks, stacking toys, etc so we continue to buy her age appropriate things like that. But half the time she would rather play in the box or with a piece of paper rather than the actual toy.

sweetyjenj · August 2018

The play mat with the piano is amazing, DD loved that. The one we have you can detach the piano so when they get older they can play with the piano.

molosmiles · August 2018

Count us in on the play mat with piano. We still have the piano and probably the little attachments floating around.

My daughters daughter's favorite thing to play with now are bowls, plates, and spoons. She gets them from the kitchen. Her drawer is the lowest so she gets her own out and pretends to feed us and all her stuffed animals. She also likes play doctor kits. As far as baby toys she loved balls and she had this giraffe from Target that all sorts of things hanging on it. Also the monkey and elephant chew toy, similar to the super expensive giraffe but a much better price. I think those three items were elephantino brand?? Something like that.

nononorman · August 2018

I ditto the kick and play piano. My daughter loved Freddy the Firefly (Lamaze toy w lots of sensory items) for car rides and the Baby Einstein aquarium which plays a little song or white noise and has some “soothing” animals moving around in a nightlight sort of situation. Your kids do tend to find misc household items they love like water bottles or dog food kernels but it’s nice to have something to toss into the car seat for a 20 minute ride to the store when they need entertainment.

kmos816 · August 2018

We got a turtle play mat that turned into a ball pit- we did not use the ball pit much but she loved the play mat.

We didn’t need to and still don’t buy her many toys, we get lots of hand me down toys and gifts from grandma!

As a baby she didn’t really need much- she loved the crinkly books and little blanket lovey type things.

I would also say avoid anything with batteries- we got some as gifts but she really didn’t like them and they are annoying.

Bouncers, exersaucers and jumperoos are a must! I wasn’t a huge fan of the door jumpers.

rooonilwaazlib · August 2018

does someone have a pic of this miracle playmat/piano? I have no idea what you're talking about but want it!

Edit: Found it!
https://www.buybuybaby.com/store/product/fisher-price-reg-deluxe-kick-and-play-piano-gym-in-green/1062887823?Keyword=kick and play

Product Spotlight Series: Toys

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