Worried DS doesn’t have the right toys

[atvh]

My DS is six months old and has a selection of toys including ribbons, teething bracelets, crinkly books, an inflatable tummy time mat, rattles, cuddly toys, black and white books, balls and a playmat with a mirror and things he can kick to make a sound.

He’s had all this stuff for a while now and I’m worried that it’s not stimulating enough now he’s six months old - and that his toys don’t encourage him to be particularly active?

My friend’s child has a Jumperoo but we don’t have space for one in our small flat. I also have a second hand chair thing that you attach to the door frame, but haven’t used it yet as I don’t trust that it’s secure enough!

Are there any other toys DS might enjoy now that he’s six months old? Any suggestions welcome.

They sound find. I used a lot of household things at that - spoons, whisk, little dishes, sponges, bubble wrap, gift bags to put things in, empty bottles with pasta, rice, pom poms in. I used to pick up cheap things in home bargain or pound land that I thought my DD would like to explore/mostly chew.

In terms of extra toys, a set of stacking cups are great and I love sensory scarves - my 2.5yo still plays with both.

My DS still plays with a lot of those things and he's 14 months. The only thing I might suggest is wooden (or plastic blocks) - DS has always been obsessed with his. But it's not a big deal. As PP says, everyday things are just as good as toys. Tupperware is DS' favourite thing in the whole world to play with.

Honestly at this age they don’t need toys as such. Fill a basket with clean and intact household objects, no smaller than baby’s fist. Check them each time for loose parts or broken bits. Different textures and shapes will stimulate baby well.

At 6 months, I wouldn't worry too much. My DS is 12 months and only just starting to get into toys. At 6 months he loved household objects. Stick some dried pasta in a tupperware box and it makes an amazing drum!

If you want to get toys though, I'd suggest a soft ball. DS has loved his for a while now

In the nicest possible way, you know there are millions of children in the world with no toys at all who manage to grow up just fine? And for most of history babies have been entertained with nothing more than what people had immediately to hand? Relax, give the baby a wooden spoon and a plastic bowl and get on with it!

My DS is 12 months and only just starting to get into toys.

I see lots of people say this on MN, but DS seems to be really into his toys now. He spends ages turning them over in his hands, looking at them, whacking them and chewing them!

In the nicest possible way, you know there are millions of children in the world with no toys at all who manage to grow up just fine?

Fair point!!

Yep, stacking blocks/cups and household objects all good. Things like rattles that light up as well. They really don’t need anything in particular.

Google treasure baskets

If he likes them and plays with them they're the right toys.

Sounds like a great selection of toys for a 6 month old.
As pp said before household items are always a winner.
Maybe stacking rings or cups as already mentioned or something which makes noise with buttons, for example these bongo drums were a winner for my DS at that age;
www.boots.com/bright-starts-safari-beats-drums-10206127?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc--PLAs--(GB:Whoop!)+Bright+Starts-_-(GB:Whoop!)+Boots+Shopping+-+Category+-+Baby+-+Medium+Margin+-+Mobile&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh7X3s7Sy7AIVW-ztCh0mfwrQEAQYASABEgLTaPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Children will play with anything that catches their interest, my dd had the usual toys but always made a bee line for the kitchen and played with the onions!

When I say just getting into toys, I mean using them for their intended purpose. So he can roll a ball down a ramp and put shapes in a sorter. This is after months of tapping 2 toys together and mostly wanting my keys

I have all the toys for DD (I'm the last of my social circle to have babies) and honestly, her favourite one is an empty plastic bottle I put a rolled up bit of foil in so it rattles around. Also high on the list is a box of odd socks that are looking for partners that she loves to unpack when I sort washing, the salad spoons with animals on the handles and any groceries that she can hold whilst I unpack them .....
household items are so the way to go! DD is ten months, and besides these items she does like toys that do something when you push buttons. But I think she'd still be ok unpacking my boxes and bashing my wooden spoons about ....

I have a 6 month old and I also have what you've described. The best thing by far though has been sticking a load of household objects in a bowl, then he goes to work on it. Unloading it, putting things in his mouth. When that gets old, I sometimes put him in front of the washing machine when its on - hes fascinated in that.

My 10 month old spent most of this morning playing with a whisk and my shopping receipt....I'm sure he's fine OP! Sometimes it's the simplest things

@Letsallscreamatthesistene that sounds good - what sort of household objects do you use? (Clearly I have no imagination!)

Rolled up foil in an empty plastic bottle sounds good too!

Oh gosh, he's only 6 months. At that age kis will pick up anything touchy feely. My little one preferred to go through my handbag than any if his toys. Jumperoos and walkers aren't supposed to be very good for them anyway... Although we have them. 😳

I remember thinking the same thing when I had my eldest. Then I had my youngest and in three years, my house was cluttered full of plastic tat that didn't get played with!

Today I had a sieve, a wooden spoon, a baby shoe, a whole apple, a small empty box and a potato masher all in a bowl

[quote atvh]@Letsallscreamatthesistene that sounds good - what sort of household objects do you use? (Clearly I have no imagination!)

Rolled up foil in an empty plastic bottle sounds good too![/quote]
Also once she spent three consecutive mornings blissfully lying between DH and I whilst we drank our morning coffee and caught up on news playing with the checkatrade leaflet... sadly we had to take it away from her as she tried to eat it in the end. But it has started a bit of a love affair with tradespeople and she is obsessed with the plumber who came to do some work recently and watched in detail what he did.
Also I forgot about the washing machine - she absolutely loved that when she was smaller!

@zaffa that made me laugh!

Ah @zaffa, that reminds me of the day we had where DS refused to stop playing with the piece of cardboard you remove from the middle of a tissue box when you open it.

Ah those halcyon days. Three kids in and you'll just want to chuck everything away and let them play with their hands.

Agreed that household stuff is interesting at this age. Pots, pans, spoons, Tupperware etc. Agree with above suggestion of treasure basket.

No need for Jumperoos etc if you don’t have space.

Maybe make some sensory bottles? Glitter, tiny Pom poms, buttons/beads, coloured rice etc. Different visual effects and noises. Screw the lids on tight or glue them to be extra sure.

When mine were that age, the most pleasure they got was looking at trees 🤷‍♀️like trees were the most interesting thing they’d ever seen so I’d take them out to look at trees 😆. Please don’t fall into the trap we did, surrounded by plastic toot (mainly provided by well meaning relatives) when everyday things (obviously provided they’re safe etc) are just as good, if not better. I wish I could go back in time and spend more time using our world to educate through play (it’s been a long day so hoping I’m making sense).