toys

Any faves or loathes? We are looking at getting some more 'grown up' toys for our 8.5 month old to start growing into. She still loves the crinkly / rattly types and we wont take those away, but she needs more, things she can do stuff with, or do something to make something else happen. Cause and effect. Learning and development. Something that will last ages (quality and type of toy) and develop her skills and imagination. But what though? There is so much out there!

We dont have a lot of money but dont mind spending a little more on something great.

So what do your kids enjoy? What toys / sets have you invested in? We found some regular mega bloks in an op shop and they are great, but should I get some of the sets with barns/cars/people etc or get some Little People sets? Both have been recommended by friends! They do look kinda similar, if you take away the blocks. She loves her roll arounds, what are the dinosaur or jungle tree house things that they go with like? Or is there something else we should be looking at? (We are looking for play with now toys and long term toys.) Sometimes I look at something and it doesnt look like it does much, but it might be great for a baby!

Agree with SpecialK's suggestions with the addition of a large sandpit!

ETA - Jude and my nephew who is the same age get HOURS of entertainment from one of those long shallow underbed storage containers filled with water. They fill small cups with the water and empty them off the side of the deck or into another bucket. Lol. Cheapest entertainment ever AND aids learning and development, shows cause and effect. Its amazing what you see them learn with a container of water and a cup! (They only started this once they were walking though - so perhaps not relevant for you right now).

So my advice, like SpecialK's is simple is best

Edited by Delli

I don't think you need the 'fash' toys - Lily has some Duplo and a couple of Little People toys but honestly her faves are the pots and pans, match box cars, bouncy balls, sand pit (if we go somewhere and there is one), toys that stack or nesting toys... Blocks! Especially ones that fit together rather than stack...

I washed a couple of nappisan containers and put cheap $2 shop beaded necklaces, plugs, corks, shells, pegs, sticks and bits and pieces in them and they are still one of DD's favourite toys. She used to spend hours tipping all the stuff out and putting it back in, putting the necklaces on, sorting the pegs etc.

She has stacking rings which she loved and nesting containers which she still plays with. Her shape sorter also got a big work out when she was little.

I second the sandpit - I brought a reasonably cheap one from Bunnings and cheap sand toys and she has spent two summers so far playing in it.

She also has a little people plane and car with the people and she loves them to bits. She is just starting to get in to Duplo now and I brought her the pet shop set plus some starter bricks and she loves that too. Your baby might be a bit young for that though coz I think most of the duplo says 3+ on it.

Thanks everyone. So I'm not a slack mum by giving her a box with a baby sized hole cut in and filling it with small toys, scarves, pegs then?! In a funny way I'm really looking forward to the pots and pans being pulled out of the cupboard whenever I turn my back - I might even leave a wooden spoon in there too! At the moment, the mega bloks get pulled out of the box, chewed slightly, then some even get put back before the next ones are removed. I'll keep an eye out for something that stacks too.

Its amazing what they'll play with. I'm watching my monkey playing with a plastic tube we made for the roll arounds to go through. No roll arounds in sight, but it makes a good noise when bashed with something else!

I guess I'll save my money and see what I can find / make. Give my imagination a wake up call!

Thanks again all. (But if anyone has any more suggestions, they'll always be welcome!)

Also been helpful for me too.

At the moment my girls love a toy called Pop Up Farm Yard Friends. It has animal heads under little door things. They have to push the button to make them open then they can click it closed again. Sorry probably not a very good description. We got ours secondhand but I've seen them at the Warehouse and they aren't too pricey.

Other than that they will take any object they get their hands on, into the kitchen and bang it on the tile floor

Balloons, DS goes nuts over them, otherwise just the same as the others have already said.

We have a huge set of Little People but I bought that off TM and we also have duplo it is awesome. Both my girls (1 and 3 years) love these. My youngest got a wooden trolley with blocks for her b'day.

Anything they can post at that age. We've also got a piggy bank that she can post the coins.
I got a used formula tin and put 3 holes in it and she posted pegs. Absolutely loved it for ages.

I agree with the plastic bike.

My oldest has a cradle and blankets for her baby and my youngest has just started to be interested in putting her baby to bed. A great toy to grow into.

Stacking blocks are great for building and knocking down.

My oldest also has a wooden oven with pots and pans and tea sets which my youngest is also getting into.