Toys for young babies

[lulupop]

What toys do your babies aged 4-12 months really enjoy? My DD, now 5 months, is at the age where she wants things to play with and chew, and we haven't got that much at the moment. I can't remember what DS liked at this age, but I do remember wasting a lot of money on stuff he never looked at.

I have a friend whose DH is American and she's got loads of great things - every time I ask her where she got something which my DD is enjoying playing with, she'll say, "Oh, that came from the States". So frustrating.

So, what do your babies like?

Straps, slippers, hair, paper, remote control, cheese grater (OK, so I don't let her have that..)
DD is 6 months - seem to have a mountain of toys, all hand-me-downs so not bovered if she doesn't play with them much. Things she likes best are things she can get hold of, pull, put in her mouth, shake, hit etc.
ELC do some quite good stuff I think.

DD enjoyed toys with mirrors, and baby-proof photo albums full of pictures of familiar people and herself.

We also had toys that moved a lot - to try and encourage her walking and cruising - so balls, and walkers (the type baby pushes). Tomy used to do a very strurdy one which was virtually impossibe to pull over - I tried!!!

We have a yellow cat made by Lamaze which dd (6mths) loves. It has teething rings, rattle ball, crinkly legs. ELC has something quite similar with lots of tactile things. She also has a piano thing which is a mothercare item that came off the top of her play gym which she is always playing/thumping.
Am going to have a look at the things Hulababy talks about with cruising as dd is starting to pull herself into standing and there isn't much here for her to pull up on.

Message withdrawn

DS 9 mths has loved since 6 mths and still does. Those stacking cups from Mothercare, cost about £5 and he loves knocking them dowm, pretending to drinks from them and soon (Ihope) he will stack them up. As the all fit inside one another they are great for taking away with you. Very colourful and washable.

He also like the baby rainmakers and bell rattles etc... from ELC.

I forgot, that out of all of his toys he would rather look at a board book!!!!!!! Then chew it

Ds's current favourite toys include wooden spoons, some old foil pie dishes, a thing from the early learning centre with mirrors and dd's Little Tykes school bus. Oh and dd's cardboard "house" (a big old box).

The thing is though that children and babies are fickle. You might find that even if you bought the fancy American toys, your dd would play with them one day and ignore them the next. I wouldn't worry about it - just give her anything in the house that's safe!