what toy is invaluable to your 18mo?

[sircoughalot]

I have just realised that as dd is approaching 18mo, she has either baby toys, or older toys, like little people, which keep her interested, but not for long.

She has a teletubby island with 4 teletubbies which keeps her entertained for hours, and she likes fiddly little things like posting or threading toys etc

If I were to consider getting her some more toys, what would you recommend please?

Thanks.

have you seen the cotton bobbins and thread thingy in the elc?

what about a little kitchen set? dd loves playing with kitchen and the play ffod, but i wish we had got a wooden one and not a plastic one!

dd also loves her little doctors set and it helped that when she had to give a bllood sample recently, she's 2.4, we explained this was like doctor daisy, and dd wobbled a bit because f the needle, but kept saying 'little bit like doctor daisy' over and over and didn't cry! tat's my hint abnd tip!

ds is 18 months and loves his toy kitchen, also his 'little people' aeroplaine. he likes just pottering around really so a box full of younger (boring) baby toys amuses him for so long while cos he likes emptying and filling the box. my tupperware cupboard gets emptied and filled about 10 times a day too . ds likes to do anything we are doing so i found that giving him a duster when i'm cleaning and his own little hoover and mop has actually meant i can get housework done and not leave him to scream through bordom! i like the idea of the doctor thing yousaidit, must be a very brave girl though, i still hate blood tests now! lol.

basically i find my ds can play with anything whether it's a toy or not. my dad has these copper kettle things on his hearth and my ds spends ages just putting things in them and claniging them together etc.

anything that makes a noise is good, ds has a little drum set which sings songs too, it's bloody annoying after a while but he loves it!

My little one is 19months and loves her push along dolls buggy she spends ages putting her dolls in and out of it. She also loves her Aquadraw by Tomy, basically its a big mate then you fill the special pens with water and hey presto, your little one can scribble all over the mat with the magic pens, then when it dries, it disappears. They do tend to just suck on the pens at first but its only water so no harm done!

My dd is obsessed with colouring pencils and pens at the moment. We put her in her highchair with paper, a biro, colour pencils and these crayola first felt tip pens (suitable from a year) and she scribbles away

She also likes playing with her miniature pots and pans set and a set of pretend wooden fruit/veg that you can slice into pieces with a knife (the fruit segments are held together with velcro)

We also have a golf set (plastic) from ELC. She spends a bit of time batting the balls up and down our hallway - if you have wooden floors it is great fun.

She likes playing with her Megablocks but gets bored quickly.

However I think at this age they will make a game out of most things round the house ie sorting the laundry, arranging the dvds on the shelf, playing with the pots and pans/tupperware, dressing up in daddy's shoes and wearing his underpants as a hat. Like MeandJoe's DS she likes to 'help' with the housework and will sweep the floor with a dustpan and brush we got her. They are little mimics at this age

DS1 loves his magnetic drawing board www.elc.co.uk/toy/baby-scribbler-blue/ and his cleaning trolley to "help" mummy www.elc.co.uk/toy/cleaning-trolley/

A dustpan and brush - just get a cheap adult one and a duster. Honestly best buy I ever made at your lo's age.

oooh fab suggestions thanks!!! am off to check out ebay, elc and my cleaning cupboard!!!

These are our favourite:

dolls pram and bett (no doll, she uses her teddies) You can use a big shoebox as a bed without any problems.

tea set and cooking set

crayons

HappyLand set

dustpan or little broom

wooden puzzles

Megablocks are a hit and miss, some days favourites, most days not.

www.amazon.co.uk/Tomy-Hide-n-Squeak-Eggs/dp/B00068Q7LC my son's fave from 1 year old (only plays with them every now and again now he's nearer two) www.amazon.co.uk/Tomy-Thomas-Friends-Sit-Ride/dp/B00009R64Z this is still a fave and gets used every day. The seat opens up to hide goodies, and the beeper beeps!