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Original poster

Toys for newborn

28 replies

Nov2023 · 03/10/2023 10:22

Hi all
I am shopping for our first baby due next month. I have a lot of the practical stuff but am now onto toys! What will be useful for a newborn or the early weeks?

Here is what I am considering for now:
Sensory cards/ black and white book
Wrist and feet rattles
Playmat with toys above head
Mobile for crib
Spiral toy for pram/ pushchair
Bouncer
Comforter-I know to get two of the same but when do you actually let the baby have them?

I have an Ollie owl for white noise. It looks like a lot of things for a small baby but I would prefer he had everything needed for his development without over stimulating him. Does anyone have anything to add or remove?

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Torganer · 03/10/2023 10:36

I’d say nothing for the first few weeks. It’s not a good idea to put anything in the cot. A couple of large muslins are good for swaddling, but at the beginning all they do is feed, sleep, and poo 😂

BarnacleBeasley · 03/10/2023 10:39

I honestly wouldn't bother as lots on your list are the sort of things people will give you as presents.

The one thing on your list I did buy was a cot mobile - because I'd seen one I liked and it's a decoration as much as a toy, you'll have to look at it all the time!

Olika · 03/10/2023 10:40

Nothing for now.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 03/10/2023 10:42

I wouldn’t bother- see what people buy you, and buy toys at Xmas, your baby will be too young before that.

When you get there I highly recommend stacking cups.

PivotPivotmakingmargaritas · 03/10/2023 10:45

Buy nothing it’s not needed at first just a playmat and you!! Lots of tummy time but everything is sensory to a baby as everything is new!!

Also don’t buy shoes until starting to walk no need …. I wasted so much money on cute shoes 🤔

Also buy yourself AirPods for those times you are nap trapped

neleh87 · 03/10/2023 10:47

You likely will receive most of this as gifts, but if you're excited and you want to buy things, your list looks good, and they will be gradually useful over the first 6 months. The black and white cards are good for tracking/ for baby to look at during nappy changes.

I wouldn't bother with comforters. That's for way later on, to help with sleep. I received at least 4. If my baby gets attached to one later (he's only 6 months) I can just buy another.

neleh87 · 03/10/2023 10:49

Also I bought a toy with white noise but I just use my phone more than anything! Baby will be with you when they sleep anyway for 6 months.

SunRainStorm · 03/10/2023 10:54

I think a bouncer chair thing is helpful for when you want to put the baby down.

I wouldn't buy any toys though, people will give them to you.

For the first few weeks the baby doesn't play or interact with toys, so they'd just be in your way.

Original poster
Nov2023 · 03/10/2023 11:27

Thank you everyone

I'll hold off on most of it and see what we get as gifts. I'll get a playmate and bouncer sorted soon though.

OP posts:
ChloeN · 03/10/2023 12:15

@Nov2023 the Etta loves Muslins are really good! My baby loves them. I’ve used a tummy time pillow a lot too!

PinkRoses1245 · 03/10/2023 12:16

I wouldn’t buy any toys. I’m too paranoid to buy anything but the bare minimum until baby is arrived

clouise30 · 03/10/2023 12:21

@Nov2023 I actually disagree and felt underprepared with toys for my 12 week old. Most presents we got were clothes and I honestly thought she wouldn't interact as quickly as she has so didn't see them as priority when getting newborn bits ready.

I really recommend
A play mat with hanging bits - particularly a mirror!
Scrunchy books - Aldi have got some great ones in the middle aisle.
A tummy time pillow - ours is mamas and papas and she enjoys the mirror on the end and also soft attachments.
Hand and ankle rattles
A bouncer with hanging toys
A hanging toy for the car seat is a life saver for us!
Black and white cards for definite!!

She had a beautiful comforter but really has no interest in this yet.

Hope this helps and all goes well with your new arrival 😊

PickledScrump · 03/10/2023 12:40

Play mat is good. We got black and white cards from the health visitor. Bouncer if you must get one get a cheap second hand one, my second absolutely hated being in it and they’re not supposed to sleep in them or be in them longer than around 20 minutes so they’re not a great investment.hand and ankle rattles are a waste of money, as is a tummy time pillow. For mobile just gets in your way and can actually end up being a distraction when you want them to sleep. I had it all with my first and so much is just a total waste of money. Keep things simple.

one thing I found great was a Ewan dream sheep white noise machine. There was a heartbeat sound that always settled my second down.

SharonEllis · 03/10/2023 12:45

Nothing in the first few weeks. They want to see your facial expressions, they are fascinated by shadows. Please dont strap rattles to their limbs! The only thing I would introduce might be a soft book with clear pictures. Be sensitive to over stimulation & remove things that are annoying them. Get a sling, even round the house & they will take in everything they see around them!

writteninthewater · 03/10/2023 13:04

Sounds like a good list OP, I always prefer to be prepared too. Comforters can be introduced at 6 months, sleep with it for a few weeks before you give it to them so it smells like you.

VivaVivaa · 03/10/2023 13:12

We rented our baby Bjorn bouncer. I’d recommend - DS2 is happy in it for 15 minutes while I do some jobs but prefers to be on the floor. DS1 didn’t like it at all! Glad we didn’t buy it new.

WithASpider · 03/10/2023 16:23

If nobody buys them get some Lots of Links toys. They're only about £5 and you can attach them to anything. Great for teething and you can chuck them in the dishwasher!

Black and white basic toys for a newborn, nothing particularly special because they can't focus for a few weeks and it'll be much longer before they grab stuff.

dadwhothinksheaboy · 05/11/2023 22:48

Defintely soft or sensory toys. www.thetoywindow.com has great stuff even for ideas.

THE TOY WINDOW

THE TOY WINDOW

http://www.thetoywindow.com

110APiccadilly · 05/11/2023 22:53

The playmat with hanging toys was the only place I could put DD1 down for the first few months without her crying, so I recommend one of those!

They don't need anything but you to start with though.

BertieBotts · 05/11/2023 22:55

Newborns don't really use toys. They like to look at your face 🙂 about two months in they'll start to look at other things.

riffraffroff · 05/11/2023 23:00

Toys aren't a priority. Do you have a sling/carrier? I'd recommend booking an appointment with a local sling library once baby is here.

YippieKayakOtherBuckets · 05/11/2023 23:07

A Wimmer-Ferguson mobile. You can swap out the cards as the baby gets older and their eyesight develops. Not over the cot as it is too stimulating but an absolute godsend over the change table. It is my go-to new baby present after we were given one for DD and it was the only thing that would calm and distract her in her nightly colic sessions.

Lavender14 · 05/11/2023 23:09

I'd read up a little on baby's vision over the first few months as it changes a lot and I kind of used that as a guide when thinking of things to get because they really can't see very far away when they're very wee... they really don't need much at all.

I got ds some sensory boards in black and white and mirror that I could prop up in front of him and some black and white flash cards. I got the ankle and wrist rattles and a nice play gym with a mix of black and white and colours and different textures for tummy time. I would have played ds different music but he really loved you just talking to him and playing with him by making faces and telling him stories and making lots of eye contact etc. And when he could see a bit further he loved books and I got some finger puppets to go along with our songs and nursery rhymes and stories and he loved watching them pop up. He also was really happy getting out in his sling or pram and we'd have gone to look at the fish in our local garden centre, or out to a coffee shop or a park. He loved just watching all the lights and people. Ikea lights section was a gift as well lol.

Don't put yourself under mad pressure, I tended to watch what he was doing or starting to work on and then I got a couple of things that would encourage that particular milestone or skill. I found that ds concentrates better when he's got a couple of things to focus on than the option of loads of stuff all at once. So now he's bigger I only give him a couple of toys to play with for the day and then rotate them every day so he's not using the same stuff all the time. It also really helps us with storage because our house isn't that big.

I went to visit a friend the other day and she's got a beautiful big playroom for her ds and it's crammed with lots of different toys etc, and initially i felt really sad that ds doesn't have anything like that, but honestly watching him in the room ds didn't really know how to play with any of it in a meaningful way because it was like he was so overwhelmed by the amount that was in there. So that reassured me that they really actually don't need huge amounts, just age appropriate things that encourage open ended play and time and interaction from you and the other people in their life!

thecatsthecats · 06/11/2023 02:43

Echoing others on the "don't go mad" factor, but will add in some child development expert wisdom (not mine, I hasten to add) which is that touch is a baby's first language.

So no scratch mitts unless very necessary, and interesting textures whilst they can't see. My baby isn't fussed about engaging with a book, but he's fascinated by the textures on a couple of his sleepsuits or on my tops - embroidery especially.

I've always worn leopard print when I go to meet other newborns, but mine seems to hate it!

Original poster
Nov2023 · 07/11/2023 07:41

Thanks for all the input ladies. @thecatsthecats i hope my. baby won't have an aversion to leopard print. I wear far too much of it! The scratch mitts idea is interesting too.

I have bought a bouncer chair attachment for the highchair and a playmat with some hangy toys .. That will do for now. I went a bit mad with with books and books for tummy time too but they can all be used as he gets older. I love books and hope he will too! I'll have a look at a mobile for the changing table when he is a bit bigger

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