A Toy that Occupies DS for 30 Minutes!

[August Mom]

I just wanted to plug the Melissa and Doug Hide 'n Seek Doors. Grandma gave one to DS for Christmas (which we celebrated with them over Thanksgiving) and this toy is fascinating DS. He loves it. It's wood, with 9 hinged doors. There are magnets beneath each door that can be removed. He loves opening and closing the doors and removing and replacing the magnets. I can't believe how entranced he is with this toy. I guess Grandma knew what she was doing. BTW, DS is 15 months. Although in looking at the website it appears that this toy is for 3 years+, I am not concerned about DS playing with it. The magnetic material covers the entire back of the magnet.

http://www.gummylump.com/front/f_product.php?id=59

[MommytoDylan]

This toy looks so neat! My DS LOVES hinges. He opens and closes doors, cupboards, and turns the pages on board books constantly. Is it easy for your son to get the little doors open?

Thanks for a great idea!

Meredith

[Karenn]

We have this toy and it's a favorite around here too! It was another gift from Grandma. She got it for Colin when he was REALLY into hinges and he loved it then and still plays with it now. It did take a little practice before he was able to open and close the doors on his own, but he was highly motivated. :) I have to confess though, we may have taken some of the magic from the toy- Colin was young enough when we got it (7 or 8 months?) that we were still very worried about the magnetic pieces ending up in his mouth so my mom super-glued them into the puzzle. :) Now that he's older, I kind of wish we hadn't, but at the time he was SO excited by the hinges that it was worth it.

[August Mom]

At 15 months, my DS hasn't had a problem opening the doors. He often fails to close them, but it's not because he can't. I find them easy to work and they have little finger cutouts to help with the opening.

[Andrea S]

Thanks for sharing. I think Andrew would love that. Did your Mom find it in a store or order it? Your Mom is the best shopper.

Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I bet Tristan would love this, he too seems to be a hinges man. He runs in his walker over to the corner cabinet on a hinge that hides our lazy susan. I really think he's going to be an engineer he has to check out everything!!!!
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[mattysmom]

Neve,
which walker do you have for Tristan? My ds was born on 2/18/03 and I'm looking to get him one for xmas. Also, my ds looks a little like yours - my husband is asian and I am caucasian...
Thanks,
Ali

[August Mom]

My mom is a great shopper, but this time the credit goes to MIL. I'm almost positive that she got it in a store as she does very little on-line shopping. As it's Melissa & Doug, I would look first at TJ Maxx/Marshall's. It also may be available at Zany Brainy or TRU/Imaginarium. I'm not positive, though.

[COElizabeth]

Do you think the magnets are small enough to be swallowed? James is not much younger than your son, but he still puts everything in his mouth. I think he'd like the toy, but I am a little worried about getting it for him. Thanks!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[August Mom]

There are different sizes of magnets. The smallest ones are about 1.25 x 2 I personally have not been concerned about choking because I think the pieces are large enough for it to not be a problem. However, DS also seldom puts random objects in his mouth anymore either. If it was an issue, you could always remove the smallest magnets and save them for later. The knight, cow and car magnets are pretty large.

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

Sorry I didn't see you post earlier...
I'd love to see pics of your DS!!!!

Tristan only has the "walker" that he sits in and walks around in. It is borrowed and he's been in it for months. He does not have a walker that he holds onto and cruises. I am starting to just now look into one, and actually hope that I am convinced to defer from getting one. He is crawling up on everything and can go from like sofa to coffee table and then I hold him and play "walker". some friends gave us a hand me down plastic walker that has no breaks or stop on it so it is in the attic because it scares me death.

IF I got one it would be the radio flyer I am certain...but I'm wanting to get him the nice wooden wagon they have and I fear a possilbe over lap of the two and would rather my money go towards the wagon.

But the jury is still out, I really don't know what I am going to do at this phase...I'll keep you posted and let me know what you decide as well. I jsut feel that I have enough around the house for him to use as a "walker".

By they way my favorite purchase has been an activity table for him, he uses that to walk and cruises around it playing with puzzle peices etc...
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[mattysmom]

I think we are both struggling with the same dilemna! I think I have talked myself out of the RF walker, at least for now. But now I am at a loss for a "big" Christmas present...what are you giving Tristan? Do you have any sort of indoor climbing thing? What activity table do you have?

I've attached a pic of Matty too!
:-) Ali

[COElizabeth]

Thanks - sounds like a good solution!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I jsut typed the longest response and lost it with the accidentla click of a button. Tristan was trying to reach for Matty :)...Matty is adorble, they do look similair, Tristan has no hair though.

I will 100% be getting T the Radio Flyer big wagon with the assessories, I am not certain if for Christmas or when...but that has been a must on my list even before T :)

We do have a big "climbing thing" it called MOMMY!!!!!
But with the exception of me he has the furntiure to climb on and I caught him on step three while cooking the other night heading upstairs (YIKES!!!!).

His activity table is our favorite and best purchase. I forgot who makes it because I bought it at Salvation Army for $29 and this one in particular retails for $250!!!! They didn't know what it was they had it labled "toddler bed" I don't think it had been used, who knows it couldn't look better if bought new!!! It is wood and allows for me to put his toys on it and he walks around playing with them up on it. I posted the link to it from the internet in a post about two weeks ago in the lounge. I think maybe MAXIM was the name of the company.

I am not to stressed as to what goes under the tree this year as much as probalby in the future. I come from a very small family and sadly Christmas was never a highly decorated or highly gifted thing in my childhood home. I hope in the future to go "all out"...I lick my wounds a lot over my childhood and Christmas but then I have to remeber I grew up in Europe and all of my Christmas involved waking up at some the best ski resorts in the world so I need to remind myself of that. Twigs from the forest were our trees, and popcorn and orange peels were our decorations...
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[mattysmom]

Thanks for the reply, Neve! You are quite the busy poster today too! I too am not that concerned about what goes under the tree - I'm just looking to get Matty a few things - and maybe one thing that can be his "special" first Christmas gift. Maybe it will be the PBKids chair... I tried to find your post about the activity table, but to no avail. Please let me know if you find out the name of it. And, do you have your eye on a particular RF wagon? Keep me (and everyone else who follows yours and T's adventures) posted!
Thanks!!
Ali

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

Yikes-I have a new ergonomically correct key board that is driving me batty and curtailing my minimal typing ablities...UGHHH willing to give it a chance but it is not going well so bare with me here...

DH is home that lets me get in my computer time ...it's nice for him to see how it is during the day all day so I gladly let him see :)...

Here is the wagon that is interesting to me. I like that it holds 3 children and is all terrain, I think I'd like to get the bumpers too...but as you can see from the price that's why I didn't want to overlap my purchases
http://store.yahoo.com/radioflyer/mod29alcarwa.html

Here is the activity table I got...they call it a train table but you can use it for anything I would imagine...we are
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/trains-4-tots/whittraintab.html

Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[kalebsmama]

I saw this at Zany Brainy the other day. I think I will go back and see if I can get it when they start marking everything down.
DS loves opening and closing things over and over again.

[hwin708]

I am almost positive that the train table is the same as the one they sell at Target for $80. I can't swear as to it being the same brand (I only noticed it quickly in passing), but it looked identical, with the green top, white wood, and two drawers. Anyway, it was in the toy section, on a bottom shelf, probably below the trains.
HTH!

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

If they have that awesome deal I highly recommend this, we are really enjoying it!!! We moved out the coffee table from the play room and put it!!!
Neve
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[mattiew]

They are marked down 20% off at Zainy Brainy; we bought one!

Carrie

[MelissaTC]

What a great toy! I have seen this at TJ Maxx. Makes me want to take a trip back to pick one up. :)