Best toy/s you bought your 6-12mth old?

[scratchandsniff]

Just been looking on Amazon at toys for my baby, but so many on there I can't decide on anything. Also I don't want to waste my money on anything crappy. Please tell me about toys/games you bought your baby and would highly recommend or couldn't do without? (already have a few of the lamaze toys)

TIA

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Hello, this thread is quite old and some of the suggestions are a little out of date. Take a look at our round up of the best toys for babies aged 6-12 months for the latest Mumsnet user recommendations.

Thanks!

Jumperoo! Get one off ebay for half the price, they are a godsend for keeping LO entertained before they get mobile. And they retain their value so you can sell it on when your done with it

Wooden baby gym thing from IKEA. Like a bridge shape with wooden toys hanging off it. Literally the only think ds played with for a year. Put it over his bouncy chair.

A Jumperoo was the best investment/invention ever!

The tomy plastic eggs in an egg box. DS loves emptying them all out and banging them together, and trying to put them back in.

Another vote for the rainforest Jumparoo and the Tomy eggs. I'd also like to add stacking cups DD loves them. Whether its knocking them down, banging them together, pulling them out one by one or gnawing on them, she loves them!

Vtech first steps baby walker is still going strong at 12 months here. If you're not bothered about second hand you can pick them up for about a fiver.

Another vote for some form of walker, if you get one that has something to do on the front then they can start playing with it the moment you get it. Fantastic when they start to pull themselves up, but we also use it out on the front path now she is starting to walk on her own.

DD's favourite toy for months now has been the ELC Noah's Ark, she just lives the little wooden figures, she talks to them and will play with them for hours.

Agree with Tomy Hide and Squeak Eggs and Vtech walker.
Also stacking cups (extremely versatile) and a basic shape sorter.

DD (11.5mo) had an ELC 'HappyLand' farm for Xmas, which she loves. Colourful barn with various animal noise buttons, and she also loves handling and 'chatting' to the little people (also very reasonably priced compared to some branded toys)

stacking cups, jumperoo and leapfrog learn and groove activity centre

another vote for the eggs, although they will drive you nuts when they disappear under the sofa!

What about making a treasure basket with everyday items in it: www.google.co.uk/search?q=treasure+basket&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=Pcc&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=9f8jUdj-OYOQhQfS4IG4CQ&ved=0CEYQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=571

Oh blimey yes, the case of the single missing egg/eggshell-very frustrating!
(P.S. on the fourth google image of the treasure baskets it looks like there is a baby included, or is it just me on stupid tiny laptop screen?)

An empty juice bottle full of food pouch lids to shake.
Halilit bells and baby musical instruments, anything that jingles.
The vtech cube.
Duplo bricks and wooden blocks to chew bang together and knock down also plenty of growing room.
Books, he loves a story.
Anything noisy and interesting, but we go to baby sensory and one of the big things I've learnt is that they don't needs lots of toys, plastic bottles filled with ribbons, rice, bottle tops, pasta etc are so fun for babies, also a plastic tub and wooden spoon drum kit!!

Jumperoo, squeaky eggs, stacking cups all a big hit here (looks across at 10mo DS putting cups inside one another!)

I only read the title and immediately thought the eggs! Dd1 still plays with them at 3.
I bought happy land and dd1 has no interest in it and chewed the coaster on the table instead.
She liked balls and stacking cups and soft bricks nothing too complicated and she was scared of noisy toys

another vote for the stacking cups, and balls, any kind of ball really.

Vtech walker.. Ds played with it at 6m pressing things on front then walked with it. At almost 2 still loves vroom vrooming around downstairs sometimes. You will start to hear the vtech songs in your sleep though!

Football...any balls.
X

Oops

Multitasking with a text which was what the x was meant to go on the end of but hey nevermind have a wednesday morning kiss for the fun of it!

Jumperoo! Without a doubt the best thing ever. Also Fisher Price stacking cups, a noisy telephone thing with buttons that played tunes and a wooden train that had blocks on it - like this: www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-10572-Stacking-Train/dp/B0007LLMM2/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1361363240&sr=8-11

Oh my daughter also loves the ELC music kit thing. It's a drum which had maracas, castanets, harmonica, kazoo thing and jingley bells. She loves making a racket with it, least its not a vtech noise!

Click clack cars and squeaky eggs.

these are the best ever. Bold, indestructible, DS and older cousin still love them at 3+. If I could be a sales rep for Wow toys, I would (but I'm not).

Also, YY to home made stuff. We have a 'bean box' which started out as a textures / shapes box made up from household things. Every so often I take out some bits and put in fresh inspiration. When I clear out my own craft box all the stray buttons, fabric off cuts, foam shapes etc all go in. I've topped it up with dried pulses so he can dig and bury things in it. Big hit even now - just start out with age/stage appropriate sized things. At the eating everything stage, ripped up paper bulked it up well and was good for hiding treasure in.

Pretty much anything from the Sassy range.

Wheelybug, when he was older.

Thanks for all of your replies. I have hopefully just bought a second hand jumperoo on gumtree. Was thinking of getting one and your replies made me decide to go for it. Really like the treasure basket idea and think I'll also get the eggs as so many of you mentioned them.

LO loves his jumperoo but by far his favourite 'toy' right now is an empty wet wipe packet!

The Tomy Eggs are amazing. DC will be playing with them for years and years. I buy them for everyone. Great price too!