Must Have Items for Ages 4-8 months?

[new_mom_mry]

Ok, by "must have" I really mean "nice to have" items and "made my life so much easier" items, which includes toys of all sizes and shapes and anything else you can think of! I know this sounds a bit vague, but I hope the vagueness of my question will still inspire some good answers. So far DS has a Luv U Zoo jumperoo, LeapFrog Scout, lots of teethers, some stacking cups, Manhattan Toy Winkel and Skwish, a bunch of colorful Lamaze toys, and that's about it. I know that mamas on these boards love the LeapFrog Learn and Groove Table, but what else will DS enjoy playing with in the coming months? We will be moving in the next 4 months, so that's why I am limiting the age range to 4-8 months, but if you can think of items that will be handy in the 8-12 months range, please share them as well! TIA!

[katydid1971]

On the lower end of that age range we loved our gym I got from baby resale store. This one: http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Love-Delu...8055358&sr=1-2
On the later side we LOVED the learn and groove table!!!!

[mom2khj]

Some sort of push toy?

[vonfirmath]

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Home?

And some kind of mat with hanging toys over. This becomes VERY useful at this age. To lie down and see toys over without mom or dad having to hold them.

[new_mom_mry]

Originally Posted by mom2khj

Some sort of push toy?

like a walker wagon of sorts? any recommendations?

[new_mom_mry]

Originally Posted by vonfirmath

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Home?

And some kind of mat with hanging toys over. This becomes VERY useful at this age. To lie down and see toys over without mom or dad having to hold them.

forgot to mention that he also has the tiny love gymini and the bjorn bouncer, and a set of musical instruments by b. parum pum pum--didn't mention these items because I was looking towards the future and he is getting lots of use out of them now. Oddly, he is only somewhat interested in the gym...I think he isn't in love with laying down unless someone is showing him something super super exciting, like the musical instruments. He likes being upright, and he LOVES looking at himself in the mirror

[citymama]

SOPHIE THE GIRAFFE! I guess it's in the "nice to have" rather than must have. Also Haba wooden teethers - DD has preferred these over her Winkel or other plasticky teethers. As soon as she could sit up (around 6 months) she has loved her shape sorter box (we have a cheap Fisher Price kind). I also LOVE the Oball rattle - PVC and BPA free ball that's so easy for babies to hold. And Green Toys stacking cups for bath and floor time.

At this age, I also loved: Fisher Price Healthy Booster (we haven't used a high chair with either), Mimi the Sardine wipe off bib (so much easier to clean with the puree baby food smeared everywhere), Robeez and Hanna mocs, and most of all, our Pikkolo and Ergo Baby carriers. Those last two are truly "can't live without" items.

ETA I should add that my DD2 is 9 months old, so I feel I have some recent expertise to share - unlike say, 6 months ago when I couldn't remember a darn thing about this stage from our older kid!

[mom2khj]

Originally Posted by new_mom_mry

like a walker wagon of sorts? any recommendations?

Yes, something like that. No recs from me though, DS is just entering this age and it's been 5 years since I had a baby, LOL.

My mom did purchase us one for Christmas, but I honestly didn't look that close at it and it hasn't been opened yet. It's something by V-tech. My request to her was something he could sit and play with once he's sitting, then converts to a push-toy for when he's cruising/getting ready to walk.

ETA - this is the one my mom got us -

http://www.amazon.com/Vtech-Sit-Stan...8058236&sr=1-5

ETA - DS also LOVES Sophie. He can hold onto it better than the other teethers he has and he goes to town!

[new_mom_mry]

Originally Posted by citymama

I also LOVE the Oball rattle - PVC and BPA free ball that's so easy for babies to hold.

thank you so much for the wealth of recommendations--DS has a bendy ball (http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-.../dp/B001UF8BL4) --does that qualify as the Oball rattle?

[mom2khj]

I just remembered, I re-bought this for DS because DD1 loved it so much.

Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube

http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-3106-...58045&sr=1-106