We're Going Toy Shopping

I feel like the boys are bored with the toys they have right now. Their favorites have been the tiny piano, the rainbow of rings that fit on the post, a crab with little crinkly fabric pieces fof them to suck/chew on, and of course key-type rattles. But now it seems they're more interested in empty water bottles and spoons. I'm looking for ideas for toys that I can place on the floor around them to get them motivated to move towards them. We need the best ones for the best value because since they're at that stage where they both want whatever the other one has, we now have to buy two of everything! Thanks in advance!

-Larami

 

Containers, containers, containers! Look for a couple sets of nesting cups. It's great if there's also some way for them to stack up. (I don't know of any current examples - my babies are playing with some stuff that dates back to when my older brothers were babies. But there should be something out there.)

 

These three are favorites (and we only have one of each):

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2466359

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2783732

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?p...ellingItem=true


We have the older version of this, which Karina loves:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2561688


For "big" toys -- I love the LeapFrog Learning Table and the Fisher Price Sing-Along Stage, but neither is a crawl-toward-it type of toy. Oh, and the babies love these little rubber pull-back cars that I found at Target, which came in a set of four, so you'd only need one package...I can't find them on the website right now, but Kevan is holding one in this picture (and that's the old LeapFrog Alphabet Ball that Karina loves to spin):

https://app.onlinephotofiler.com/images/A_4...aying_dca5f.jpg

It's easier for us, because we still have a gazillion toys from my older DD, so I haven't had to buy a ton this time around...

 

I found the snap loc beads to be a really great value-for-money toy. They come in packages of 12, they're really chewable, you can put them all in a tupperware to make a great rattle, and the cats love batting them around the house, too!

I remember from my own childhood that when we got teeth, we'd chew off the little lock on one end, but for now they're great!

 

Playskool ball popper - they still play with that thing! Also the Laugh & Learn house and piano.

 

From 6-12 months, our kids loved this activity cube:
Parents Magazine Busy Street
http://www.drtoy.com/2005_1/2005_1_005.php

It is marketed for ages 1-3, but they lost interest just after learning to walk and never really played with it again. I have another friend who bought it as a first b'day present for her DD and her DD was never interested. I think it's much better suited to babies who can sit up but not crawl, or who can crawl and pull up a little. They especially loved opening and closing the doors, and spinning the little gear-wheels.

When mine were pulling up, they also loved the mini piano.

Any toy they can manipulate or that reacts when they do something to it is a winner at this age.

I've also heard good things about the playskool ball popper, but personally the noise would drive me absolutely batty. I can handle toys that make noise, but not toys that make LOUD noise.

 

Thanks for the great suggestions ladies.
Becca, I LOVE the drum set! I think the boys will enjoy that.

 

My girls have the animal sounds ball and they like it but they don't love it. They do have the stacking cups and they loves those. My girls love anything that makes noise and has buttons to push and doors to open. They also have a tiger basketball thing with balls and they love that. I think that mine are starting to out grow their little chewie toys though.

 

The Fisher Price Laugh and Learn house is a huge hit at my house. And the Leap Frog table.

I just ordered the ball popper and the fisher price table with the mirror/microphone/piano for their Easter presents. We shall see how they go.

Oh and nesting cups are great. They play with them a lot.

For little toys, the HABA stuff really intrigues them. They like to play with the mini piano and I recently got them a maraca that is wildly popular.

 

My boys aren't 9 mos yet, but we bought the Baby Gymnastics Play Wall by Fisher Price & I KNOW they'll love that for months. I think it'll be a LOT more fun once they can crawl & pull up, but for now, they like to sit & bat at it. I can't find a link for it, but I got it at BRU.

My nieces LOVED these around that age & we plan to get them as well....

Sit To Stand Giraffe

Roll A Rounds Dinosaur

Have fun...I LOVE toy shopping!