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Toys and games

From first toys to big kid favourites, share your best finds and recommendations. For the latest must-have toys loved by parents, sign up for Mumsnet Swears By emails.

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Original poster

Good present for Christmas

22 replies

Ryoko · 19/08/2010 10:51

I know it's a bit early but I was thinking of getting my son the Vtech First Steps Baby Walker for Christmas as he will be 8 months then.

that was until I spotted the thing running can anyone recommend a good toy I can get him that does not have an annoying voice singing songs every five seconds?.

Lights are fine, sounds are fine but annoying voices saying "C is for cat, lets sing a song about cats" is a no no for me.

If it's any help I was thinking of getting him a simple wooden cart type walker with number bricks in it, some of those magnetic vehicles from ELC and a rock and scoot zebra or scuttlebug or something like that all are 12+ months, I just can't seem to see anything interesting to get him for Christmas that is in the correct age range.

OP posts:

Original poster

Ryoko · 19/08/2010 10:53

Sorry I forgot to say that the wooden walker, Zebra and that are what I'm going to get him for his first birthday as they are all 12+ months.

OP posts:

DomesticGoddessInTraining · 19/08/2010 13:08

My DS got this learn and groove table at about 6 months and really loved it. The legs come off so it can be used before they can stand up. He still plays with it occasionally now.

He also got one of these before he turned 1 which he enjoyed (though probably didn't get really into it until he was one).

WRT to walkers - DS had the vtech one and then got a wooden one for his first birthday. Although annoying, the VTECH one was much easier for him to manoeuvre around and he played with it loads. He used to get really frustrated with his wooden one as it was more difficult to turn around etc.

HTH.

TonariNoTotoro · 19/08/2010 13:15

Yes, avoid the VTech walker if you don't like the random singing (it does it a lot).
DS did love it though (and still plays with it at 2.7!!)

Also avoid the Fisher Price zoo train like the plague

Definitely get a wheelybug for 1st birthday. Best present ever. Small, wooden and DS LOVED his.

I would second the advice about the play table - they do have some annoying songs but they are brilliant and encourage cruising.

Original poster

Ryoko · 19/08/2010 13:47

Wheelybug are expensive, I don't really want to spend alot for one present his birthday I was thinking cheaper things and lots of em or ones with 2 in 1 modes, last thing I want is to spend £50 on something he don't like.

Do you think this is ok for his first birthday
Zebra

I know the wooden block carts are not that great as walkers, I'm just thinking about what I played with most when I was a kid, toy cars, soft toys, blocks/lego and my wooden cart that was still in use when I was about 8 (it broke in the end.

That leapfrog thing sounds worse, it's so American or does it have a different voice on the UK model? (I'm watching a video review on Youtube).

OP posts:

TonariNoTotoro · 19/08/2010 14:10

I personally wouldn't buy the zebra (I think it's weird) and also you can get a wheelybug for £42 on amazon so not that expensive.

Anyway...

Original poster

Ryoko · 19/08/2010 14:47

Weird? and a giant wooden bee isn't?

OP posts:

TonariNoTotoro · 19/08/2010 15:15

hey don't me, you asked for opinions.

Original poster

Ryoko · 19/08/2010 16:00

I know I did, it just seems a very strange thing to say and then recommend he ride a large bee.

OP posts:

SparklyJules · 19/08/2010 16:03

I vote for the Scuttlebug! It's fab and will last for ages. We bought one for our DS in January and he's been on it every day since - folds down very small, is very light and easily steered. He can zoom extremely fast on it, so be warned if you have wooden floors!

Honeydragon · 19/08/2010 16:19

Ryoko Please don't be mad , but the zebra is weird; I've seen one in RL and feel the same as TonariTotoro; I can't but my finger on why they just look like a toy that hasn't been finished properly.

Original poster

Ryoko · 19/08/2010 17:00

Just looks like a rocking horse with stripes to me.

OP posts:

DomesticGoddessInTraining · 19/08/2010 20:03

The leapfrog table has 2 modes as far as I can remember, one of which plays music. It's not particularly loud, but like most battery operated toys it will be a bit annoying if it's on all the time - unfortunately for us grown ups babies and toddlers seem to love them. We have a house full of lovely looking wooden toys but they don't get played with nearly as much as the noisy/flashing light battery operated ones.

DS loves playing with wooden blocks too though and you can get a bag of these for around a tenner in lots of places.

Original poster

Ryoko · 19/08/2010 20:51

Yeah but those are 12+ months, honestly there isn't enough toys for kids of 6+ months, lights and music is fine by me, I'm used to the annoying tunes repeatedly produced by mobile phones and video games (I am a games tester after all) I just don't think I can stand an American voice singing all the time.

Still if it make him happy but then isn't it bad to have Americanisms, his father watches way too much US TV and says words like yanks do , I have to keep correcting him, don't really want to do that with two.

OP posts:

bibbitybobbityhat · 19/08/2010 20:54

MNHQ - dear God, its time for the Christmas topic already. Is this the earliest ever?

ElbowBeach · 19/08/2010 20:59

You can turn off the sound on the VTech baby walker you know ! DS LOVED his - it was played with every day from about 8 months (that being said, you really need the sound on to get most use out of it until they get to cruising stage). He still plays with it every now and then (13 months) even though he is walking independently now.

I would also recommend the learn and groove table but funnily I found it more irritating than the noise from the VTech walker.

The Fisher Price Amazing Animals Choo Choo has been very popular since 6 months + too.

DomesticGoddessInTraining · 19/08/2010 21:42

Bibbity - there is a real Christmas topic with loads of threads!

Ryoko - did you say that your DS would be 8 months by Christmas? Honestly, a lot of 12 month plus toys would be fine with supervision. My DS didn't get his wooden walker till his 1st birthday and he could easily have played with it before then. Likewise the wooden cube I linked to earlier, megablocks, chunky wooden blocks etc.

My DS has had both the Vtech walker and the learn and groove and I can promise you that at age 2 he doesn't have any americanisms.

How about this rocker btw? It does say 12 months plus, but DS had a ridiculously overpriced lovely rocker from mamas and papas that was suitable from 9 months and I don't see how that would have been any safer than this one. DS has played on these loads at toddler groups etc and they're always popular. The added bonus is that they can be used outside too in the summer.

Oh, I think the scuttlebug looks fab btw - a great 1st birthday present imo.

HTH

StrikeUpTheBand · 19/08/2010 22:07

Vtech in this country has an English accent. You may still find it annoying but I have to say that I (and everyone I know that has/had one finds it keeps their DC busy for hours! DS at 3 and a half still plays with his (brought it down from loft for 8-month old DD who loves it). So I would recommend it myself. It also has the benefit of being able to be unclipped from the walker and taken along for travel.
However, if you can't stand it, I would recommend maybe one that doesn't make a sound? The wooden trolley with bricks wasn't very stable for DS to walk along with, but there are quite a few out there that do more than one thing (I'm thinking cube-shaped wooden things with activities on every face, etc).

Good luck!

bibbitybobbityhat · 19/08/2010 22:57

Then why the flip isn't this thread in it then???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Original poster

Ryoko · 20/08/2010 12:29

Because it isn't about Christmas presents, it's about alternative ideas to what I was going to get him for Christmas.

Yes by Xmas he will be 8 months old, I'll buy him the walker or the Leapfrog table (see if they are in sales before xmas), I may hate it but if he likes it, I've got MP3 players I can blast my ears out listening to Disturbed.

I'm leaning more towards the scuttlebug, when he's old enough it looks light and it folds for taking to the park, I do live on the third floor so that would be ideal.

Right now I'm going to go off and buy him some cheap stacking cups and a stacking ring £2 each, can't resist.

OP posts:

IMoveTheStars · 20/08/2010 13:38

erm OP, your thread title is 'Good present for Christmas' so you can see where people have got confused.

This thread's got a bit arsey, why not start a thread titled something like 'present for a 1yo' or have a search for one?

hth

silverfrog · 20/08/2010 13:47

If you want music, and lights, then the Munchkin Magical Mozart cube is great - my two still play with it (dd1 is 6, dd2 is 3)

also, the leapfrog cube - sings about colours/animals. not flashing lights though.

there is anew one by Tomy - but may be a bit old for your ds, hold on will check......

hmmm, yes, says 18motnhs+, but haven't looked closely to see why.

I reckon with supervision (and who wouldn't be supervising an 8 month old?) it would probably be ok.

PfftTheMagicDragon · 20/08/2010 13:58

I find the vTech walker annoying HOWEVER - an advantage with it and its plasticity over a wooden walker is that the vtech is weighted well so does not tip backwards and we found that a wooden tray walker (with blocks in the bottom) tended to tip over backwards when they put weight on it.

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