Baby Toys - Ideas wanted!

nottslass_2

Sharra wrote: »

The best advice I can give is to hit the boot fairs, you will get a HUGE sack of toys for the price of one brand new thing, and so often they are hardly played with

I've done that for DS - have found some great quality stuff for next to nothing.Gave everything a good wipe with dettol and checked the condition.

Tammer

Hi,

A guy I work with told me his local library rents out baby toys for 25p a day. They used that to see which ones their kid liked and then bought a new one. Saved them buying stuff the kid never uses.

Sounded a good arrangement to me.

claire1977_2

For my children i bought some clip/rings on there own similar to these http://www.mothercare.com/Early-Learning-Centre-Together-Rattles/dp/B0039VW9NI/sr=1-2/qid=1278403315/ref=sr_1_2/277-9107663-7681713?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=42764041&mcb=core (sorry dont know how to do littlle links) and then lots of toys from boot sales that could be then hung on the baby/gym/bouncer/buggy/car seat etc which can then be quickly and easily alternated.

Do you have a Sure Start centre near you, ours has a toy library and for about £5 a year you can hire as many toys as you like, the toys range from baby mats right up to big garden toys - they can also deliver and collect the bigger items.

pinkclouds

choccymoose wrote: »

as your little one gets older and is beginning to sit, consider introducing a treasure basket, fantastic value and very MSE.

That is a very good tip - my lactation consultant suggested it to me too.

To be perfectly honest, kids are not terribly interested in toys. If you can't afford to buy anything particular, then it really doesn't matter. Give them your saucepans, wooden spoons, dried pasta, bangles, combs, measuring spoons, plastic cups, old cell phones, etc, and they will be happy. Let them play outside with mud, grass, water and small stones and they are even happier! The only toy really worth buying in my experience (so far) is lego/duplo but at 10 weeks it is too soon. Honestly, baby will get as much or more entertainment out of some colourful socks and a clean plastic bottle. Or whatever. Just substitute whatever you have at hand.

So long as they get the opportunity to occasionally lie on the floor and sit/stand on your lap then you will see them start to roll, move and explore all by themselves. You don't need to do anything. And what's more: you can't.

This post sounds really cynical, doesn't it? Put that down to two toddlers and a "darn, I wish I could have believed that before" permanent feeling. One day it will be your turn to tell new moms all the stuff you *think* you wished you knew before but actually preferred to find out for yourself and wonder why they won't listen to you! rofl Enjoy the early weeks - wish I had them back again. lol

clairehi

^^ agree with Pinkclouds to some extent. I have one child who was never bothered about toys from babyhood onwards (age 10 now) and the other one only really likes Lego.

However, at the after school club they will play with all sorts of things that are the same as the toys at home they completely ignore!

brians_daughter

do you have a sure start group near you? mine do toys that you can borrow and try - if lo likes them i go and buy them if i think its good value for money! A baby gym is always good, and we got some little finger puppets from ikea and i used to sit for hours with my youngest playing with them with him...we hung them on string too and stuck them on his shelf so they hung above his cot like a mobile obviously out of reach etc(we never got a mobile this time as the last 2 didnt bother with them!)

Pee

My tip is bright colours. Most babies love bright colours.