Favorite non-toy toys?

[Rachels]

Hand Abigail a spatula, a water bottle with soapsuds in it, a coaster, a TV remote, or a wooden spoon, and she's a happy girl! Yesterday we went to a friend's house, and Abigail discovered the joy of one of those plastic balls that hampsters run around in, filled with a few wooden beads. She was delighted. What do your babies love that they'd never sell in a toy store?

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[Andrea S]

Andrew loves the remote, the coasters, anything on the coffee table (yesterday he pulled all of clean cloths I had just folding on the floor), wooden spoons and paper he attacks me if I am reading a catalog I have to wait until he goes to bed/nap to read anything now.

Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

[Momof3Labs]

My computer keyboard!!! And just about anything else Colin can get his hands on...

[Rachels]

Forgot to mention that she loooooooovvves too shred catalogs. Check this out:

http://www.shutterfly.com/view/picture_dt.jsp?state=67b0de21be32fbcdf4d1&idx=3

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[egoldber]

Sarah also loves catalogs. My DH travels a lot and brings home those plastic cards that are the new hotel keys. She LOVES these. She also likes junk mail and the tubes that paper towels come on.

One of her favorites now is several of my old scarves that I gave her along with Mardi Gras beads. She loves to put these on and "dress up". :)

[atlbaby]

Here are some non-toys Arielle loves:

-Empty pasta boxes (I give her different size/shape ones)

-My plastic water bottles

-Plasic cups (except now she always wants water in them to practice drinking like a big-girl! Lots of accidents this way!)

-My walkman (it's a sport one, so it's bright yellow. Sadly, this is the only use it gets:( )

-Empty paper towel rolls

-Tv remotes (we have 2 tvs, and have had to get universal remotes for *both* since she sucked one until it broke, and has hidden the other somewhere!)

-She also *loves* picture frames (and looking at picture albums), but these are dangerous to walk around with. I've been looking for a soft/safe one for ages--anyone have any ideas?

-Playing in the laundry basket (preferrably *with* clean clothing that she methodically tosses out)

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[August Mom]

There are lots of soft picture albums at BRU. Sassy and Tiny Love both make them as well as others. Some even have teething handles. As far as frames go, I would think that the molded acrylic ones would be the safest, although I don't know if Arielle would like them as much as fancier frames. I've seen these at Kohl's in all sizes.

[August Mom]

Justin's favs are:

Remotes
Cordless phones
Laptop
Newspaper, napkins, paper towels, magazines (anything paper)
Shoes
Baskets
Aquaphor Jar -- He LOVES this
Heating/Cooling vents
Water bottles or glasses with ice cubes

He doesn't necessarily get to play with all these, but he'd like to.

[Karenn]

Colin loves:

*Cardboard Boxes- he pulls up on his knees and pushes them all over the room.
*Magazines
*Cords (unfortunatly!)
*The shower curtain
*Daddy's briefcase
*I can't remember what they're called, but he loves to play with the flaps of fabric that are at the bottom of the couch and other furniture.
*The handles on furniture drawers that flip up and down

[jojo2324]

Gannon adores pretty much all the same stuff:

-Remote controls, all types!

-His nasal aspirator (lovingly referred to as the snot bulb in our house).

-A wooden rice paddle.

-Cords. :'( Especially the one attached to the vacuum cleaner.

-My tube of hand lotion.

-The tassles at the end of one of our area rugs.

-Magazines...Is this okay? I am always afraid that he is going to get a paper cut. But he just goes to TOWN shredding them.

-Shoelaces, and shoes in general.

And just about anything I don't want him touching...Like the cats' food bowls! Like a moth to a flame with those! :D

[muskiesusan]

Well, lately it has been my box of tampons!!! Nick pulls them out of the cabinet every chance he gets and spends a good 15-20 minutes putting them in and out of the box as well as playing with the wrappers. He then moves on to the pamplet on TSS!! He trys to carry them around, but I like to limit it to the bathroom. It really is cute and sometimes buys me a shower.

Other favorites are...

Our two dogs and the water bowls (any suggestions on how to keep my dogs hydrated without worrying about Nick spilling water everywhere would be appreciated!)

Metal measuring spoons

The swiffer-I removed two of the links so he can actually use it.

Business cards

My keyboard, mouse and copier.

An old telephone and remote no longer in use

I think that's it for now.

Susan
WAHM to Nicholas 10/01/01

[cara1]

Definitely noticing some trends here...My DS also loves

cat food and water
his socks
hairbrushes
anything paper
TISSUES--I have a box of tissues on my nighttable next to his crib. About an hour after I put DS to sleep the other night, I went in the room to check on him. He was absolutely COVERED in shreds and shreds of blue tissue. He was buried under shreds, he was lying in shreds, there were moist shreds and dry shreds. There were shreds in the crib, on the floor, on my nighttable, in his pajamas. Needless to say, the tissue box has been relocated... :)

[atlbaby]

Thanks! I will check out the molded acrylic frames (though you're right, they may not be as much of a draw to her:))

She has a soft picture album (My First Picture Album) from BRU which she loves, as well as some pocket picture albums (soft) that she looks at all the time. I should have been more clear--I don't like her carrying the frames for saftey reasons; when she pulls out the big albums it's more a fear of her destroying them!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[Andrea S]

I hope you got a picture :)

Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

[Rachels]

Oops! Just realized that link doesn't work. This one will. I LOVE this picture!


http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b334de9fa42f

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[atlbaby]

She's so adorable! Abigail looks like she is so proud of her "artwork" too! Does she like the sun I see in the background? Arielle was given it and it was a favorite forever! The music was nice so we enjoyed it too! I actually just put it away with some of her very early baby toys (sniff sniff).

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[jojo2324]

She DOES look extremely proud of herself! She is so adorable! :D

[megsmom]

Meghan played for months with plastic measuring spoons and cups. It allowed me to cook dinner most nights. My mom even got her her own set since I was constantly having to relocate and wash anytime I did any cooking from a recipe. Meg has always had a huge thing for my aluminum bread pans and most recently she has begun fighting me for my keys. She loves to pretend she is locking and unlocking the door.

Jen
mom to Meghan 7/13/01

[jojo2324]

Isn't this a riot?!?! Just today Gannon became *quite* attached to the small plastic bag his Babyshoos came in! And by quite attached I mean I couldn't take it away from him without a tantrum following! :D

[danielleh]

Jimmy for some reason has become enchanted by Diet Coke cans, perhaps because DH is always drinking out of one. Just showing him the can gets a big smile and lots of cooing. Plastic water bottles are also a hit.

Danielle
mom to Jimmy born 8/29/02

[Andrea S]

Rachel,

Love that picture. She is to cute.

Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

[parkersmama]

That is too cute! She is adorable and so smiley! I am truly impressed with her ability to shred things and make a mess. :-)

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

[cara1]

But of course!! :)

[shibababy]

Let's see:

She doesn't play with any of her toys!
Her favorite non-toys are:
paper (of any kind)-(this is also her favorite food)
tissue
remote control
cordless phone
cell phone
3 gallon water container
keyboard
mouse

any time I need her to be occupied for a short amount of time, I just give her the remote control.

Did anyone notice that in Abigail's picture-she has a huge amount of toys BEHIND her?!

[KathyO]

These days... my underwear. Opens my dresser drawer, pulls out all the bras/panties she can get her hands on, and puts them over her head like a stack of Hawaiian leis, then parades around the upstairs chanting, "Momee's unda-weh! Momee's unda-weh!" Under supervision, of course... Have NO idea where this came from. Have taken a photo to embarrass her with in years to come.

Favourite toy at Gran and Granddad's is the short chunk of railway track (about 8 inches long, and HEAVY) that Dad uses as an anvil. Can't lift it, of course, but spends ages tugging on it to try and budge it a few inches...

KathyO

[atlbaby]

Kathy,

That is hysterical (the underwear part)!! The picture is sure to be priceless someday! This is why I can't wait till Arielle starts to *really* talk and get creative--I'm dying to see what she comes up with!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[jubilee]

This is what I remember from when my 11 year old was little:
Favorite: Squirt bottle. Jacob loved to have a bath once I gave him a squirt bottle! Also it's great as an outside summer toy. I let him water the plants, etc.
Second favorite: a fan and a balloon. He discovered that the balloon would fly across the room when the fan hit it. I can still remember the fits of laughter! :)

[mspacman2]

My 15-month old DD's favorites:

Fat highlighters (they're dried out and I attached the caps with electrical tape)
Remotes
Old phone, with cord removed
Plastic bottle caps
Disposable Glad and Ziploc containers (great for peekaboo)
Baby magazines
Diskettes
Those free AOL CDs (with careful supervision, so she doesn't break them)
Photos - she always crumples them
Plastic cards - old credit cards, old hotel key cards

She also loves to help me Swiffer, and empties the dishwasher! (I take the knives first)