Recommendations for Shape Sorter for 11 Month Old

[shanesmom]

Hello --
My baby just turned 11 months old. I'd like to get him a shape sorter type toy, but there are so many to choose from. Any winners that I should be aware of? Thanks!

[egoldber]

My DD realy enjoys her "My First Blocks". I think it is made by FisherPrice. It has a shape sorting lid and several small blocks (triangle, circle, square) that fit through the lid). Although to be honest she much prefers dumping the blocks out to putting them back! Almost every baby I know with this toy really enjoys it.

HTH,

[atlbaby]

I'll second the recommendation on the Fisher Price 'my first blocks'!! I really like that they are *simple*--no bells and whistles, just the blocks in a container, like we had when we were a kid. I sound like a commercial, don't I :)? Arielle loves them--she's trying to figure out how they go back in (using the lid with the shape holes). She also loves to walk around carrying the empty container while putting her face into it and hearing her voice all hollow (is she normal? ;) )

I got mine at KB toys I think, but I'm sure they are sold all over.

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[twins r fun]

I third the vote! We have one with more shapes also, but they aren't ready to deal with that yet-3 shapes is perfect. And Rachel, my boys do the same thing with yelling in the container! The lid by itself is a very popular toy around here also.

Nicole

[JMarie]

Just to recommend a different one, my niece loves the Tupperware shape sorter - it's a blue and red ball with lots of yellow shapes. Granted, there are quite a few more shapes than three (I think it's either 10 or 12) and she didn't really get too into it until closer to 15 months, but it's a classic - I had one when I was a baby! Target now carries this one over by their kitchen containers. HTH!

JMarie
Mom to Aidan Christopher 01/28/03

[MinnieMouse]

Another vote for the FP Shape Sorter. My dd has been playing with hers since about 6 or 7mo and is now 19mo. There were different stages of play with it...first sucking on the blocks, playing with the blocks, putting the blocks in the bucket, pairing it with dumping them out of the bucket, carrying the bucket and blocks around the house...you get the picture :-).

We also have the tupperware sorter. My sister bought it for dd before she was born. Dd likes it, but even at 19mo can't manipulate the many different shapes just yet to get them into the holes. She can do it with our help, but not by herself.

In addition to both of these we also have the Little Tikes Discovery Sounds Kitchen which has a shape sorter in the fridge...works like an ice maker :-). Dd ADORES this sorter. She played with it over and over between 9mo and now. The only down side to the sorter is that all the shapes fit into the circle hole!...but this didn't dissuede dd the best thing about it for her is that after you "sort" the shapes, you push a button and they all fall out of the door.

I suggest getting the FP one now (and bonus it's only about $10!) and wait on the tupperware one until a bit older.

HTH

Christine

[atlbaby]

Really Nicole? That's so funny they yell into it too! I always find it so interesting to see/hear how other children play with the same toys! :)

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[dd_ani]

We like the one made by Brio. It has 3d shapes, so any way the shape is turned it will fit in the appropriate slot.

Michelle

[egoldber]

LOL! Sarah doesn't do that with this container, but she does it with sippy cups! I have a few that I didn't like, so I gave her the cup (without the lid and valve) to play with. She loves to "talk" into the sippy and hear the strange noises. :)

[dodo422]

Hi,
Check out the Busy TIme Playbox by Discovery Toys. It is so much fun and is more than just a sorter.


This is their description:

BUSY TIME Playbox Item #1617

For busy hands and busy minds, our carry-all playbox invites exploration in pattern recognition, sorting by shape and color, memory and understanding of cause-and-effect relationships.

I just gave it as a gift for a one-year old's bday and he LOVES it.


Dawn :-)
[email protected]

[parkersmama]

I prefer the FP "my first blocks" as well. From my experience, at the time that babies/children are interested in shape sorters, almost all the others are too advanced for them. By the time they are able to do the more complicated ones without getting totally frustrated, they have completely lost interest in this activity and moved on to bigger and better things. We also have the Tupperware one and while it is very attractive and looks fun, my kids have hardly ever used it. We've had several others pass through the house, too, although I can't remember the brands right now and they were almost all duds too! There was one by Tomy that my kids liked pretty well. It was shaped like a curved tube and one end had the shape sorter on it and had 3D shapes to insert (ball, cube, and pyramid) and the other end had a soft foam "sunburst" sort of thing that allowed the pieces to stay inside but you could reach in from that end and pull them out.


Denise
mom to:
Parker, 9/1/1997
Wesley, 3/9/2000
and #3 (a girl!) due 4/29/2003