So are toys not supposed to be played with then?

[ShinyMoonInAPurpleSky]

Ds is only just 9 months old, he does't fling toys about because he can't throw yet. He does't smash them up or mistreat them. He mainly slobbers on them and rolls them about the floor if they have wheels (he loves wheels).

So do we just have really bad luck when it comes to toys or are all toys destined to die an untimely death?

Ds has a number of toys that have stopped working or become faulty between 1 hour and 1 months use. 1 item lasted a whopping 6 months before going kaput and even worse imo these are all big brands in the toy industry so Aibu in expecting them to last longer than a few months before they break?

The noisiest most irritating ones will last forever!

Cheap toys (especially with electronic bits) never seem to last. But we have a set of 10 plastic stacking cups from ELC that DD has played with from 6 mo to 3 years. So now I only buy solid, simple toys. Nothing with little bits that could break.

Simple traditional toys are fine. Avoid cheap ones with moving parts-the 'all singing, all dancing' type ones.

i totaly agree, my ds1 had an eeyore with flapping ears singing if you happy and you kinow it, blasted thing cost a fortune and lasted just a few months. ditto a rolly mo, pepper pig rockets with doors that fall off, transformers that fall appart in your hands, very anoying and always a favourite that bites the dust first
not cheep either, the large brands tend to import their toys. from low cost economic countries (am sure thats the correct terminolgy, and does in no way reflect my opinion ) and quality isn't what it should be.
having said that little tykes seem to stand the test of time, and elc are ok, if you opt for the wooden ones, train sets play tables etc. also take along thomas sets,

YANBU

I too get irritated by toys with a very short lifespan or that don't even work straight from the box or have bits missing.

The worst is yet to come for you as your DS is only 9 months. Just wait until he is old enough to want a toy, save for it, go and buy it, rush home, open the packaging and find it does not work. Cue huge disappointment and much wailing. Mum rushes to shop to change said toy, repeat whole opening ceremony and find number 2 also does not work.

My advice - keep the receipt and complain.

I hear you.

DS has toys passed to us from my mum that were my brothers (now 24!) Obviously theres been a break when they weren't played with). Even some toys that were mine and passed right the way down to my brother (I'm 30!) and are now here at mine.

Wooden toys are the best tbh.

clayre has a point

Yup, I know wooden is seen as PFB or twee but IME wooden toys generally last way longer than plastic. DS's wooden blocks were bought when he was a newborn and are still going strong two and a half years later, despite much abuse. Ditto the wooden trucks, train set, jigsaws etc. The plastic ones have all been trashed.

sorry my point was the ole 'they don't make toys like they use too'

Plastic can be indestructible. Duplo and Fisher Price stuff lasts for ever. Anything that talks or plays a tune is better off dead anyway IMO.

gkys - you were lucky re the singing Eeyore, ours was sodding indestructible!

Our Eeyore still going 10+ yrs 3 children and still makes us giggle. Yup we sad like that

Plastic is fine-as long as good quality.

My DD is 14mo. Anything with twindly bits, hinges, small pieces has been destroyed.
Simple toys still going strong and getting constantly played with/thrown/climbed on - in particular Fisher Price Noahs Ark, ELC emergency vehicles garage, stacking cups, VTech walker, dolls and teddies.

We have found that the toys that have lasted the longest are the cheap simple ones. The ones that dont do anything seem to work longer. My DS has a car from a pound shop that he's had for 5 years and is still as good as new.

BTW our DS was scared of that singing eeyore so it never had chance to not work.

send me your eeyores

Ds's ELC stacking cups are now 8 years old - lasted through both my DC and are on their second year in a friend's nursery school.

I remember my estranged father's act of supreme evil... he bought my little brother a sound-making He-man (from the first time round, not any faffy remake) sword.

How we wanted to insert the sword of torture somewhere that would have resembled the sword in the stone legend but with more flesh and wobbly bits after a few days of it.