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View Full Version : #1 toy purchase???



cchavez
07-14-2004, 09:46 AM
Just wondering what is the BEST toy purchase you have made for your DS/DD thus far??? Diego is 14.5 months and our best purchase has been the Leapstart Learning Table. He started using it at 6months and just LOVED it! And even now he plays with it at least once a day!

LucyG
07-14-2004, 01:42 PM
This was a gift to us rather than a purchase we made, but I would say the wooden doll cradle that my in-laws gave DD for her first Christmas. She was 10 months when she got it, and now, at 16 months, plays with it daily. It has a seat attached, so she can sit and rock her babies. She spends lots of time talking to the babies while she rocks them, covering them up, flinging them out of the cradle, etc!

As for something that we bought ourselves, I would have to say her books. She has a ton of board books, and those are some of her best and most-loved playthings. I don't mind spending money on books, because of their long-lasting appeal and educational value.

murpheyblue
07-14-2004, 02:07 PM
I'd vote for the Leapstart Learning Table too. DD loves it and has used it everyday since she could sit up. She loves the purple door . . . Open, close . . . Hello, goodbye.

cchavez
07-14-2004, 02:10 PM
Diego is a definate book worm too! He can't get enough of his books.

egoldber
07-14-2004, 02:45 PM
Our Little Tikes easel. Hands down the best toy we have.

khakismom
07-14-2004, 04:02 PM
Ours would have to be the Air-tivity Ball Popper. Santa got this for Ellen for Christmas last year and she is literally addicted to this toy. She loves the balls popping out, and goes to fetch them when they go all over the room. She pushes the button to start it and claps her hands when the music starts. Even Kathleen loves to play with this.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/9191.jpg

For Kathleen, it would be her baby doll (Corolle soft baby that was a gift for her 1st birthday from my parents). She totes this thing everywhere, sleeps with her, plays with her, tells me stories about her. Even named her Madison. We've thrown her in the washer and she comes out looking perfect. Wonderful toy!

amp
07-14-2004, 04:13 PM
I think I would have to say either our kiddie pool, or his Kiddio Supertrike (kettler) from TRU. Man, he LOVES that bike!

Mikesa3
07-14-2004, 05:45 PM
I'd love to know where they found the cradle.Was it handmade?Having a seat attached to it sounds so cute.

Nancy-Mom to 6 great kids

LucyG
07-14-2004, 09:46 PM
Nancy,

Here is a picture of it. They found it at an antique store, but it is not antique (just sold there, I guess). Someone who is gifted at woodworking could certainly make one. My grandfather made a doll cradle for me, but it did not have a seat. This one is small, but a good size for a toddler to use.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/9201.jpg

August Mom
07-14-2004, 09:46 PM
Overall, the Leapstart Learning Table, although any type of ball is a close second.

Raidra
07-14-2004, 10:11 PM
Our favorite is the FP Piano that has three settings: one where the baby lies under it and bats at toys hanging down to set the piano keys off, one where the piano is very low and the baby can sit at it, and then one where it's higher so the baby can stand at it.

Colwyn has used it since he was 2 months old (in the first setting, while he was sitting in his bouncy seat) and still loves to pull up on it and bang on the keys. He giggles like mad while playing with it. It's easily the longest lasting toy so far.

vikivoly
07-15-2004, 12:41 AM
Although we didn't buy it, I would say the Little Tikes Discovery Sounds Kitchen. DD received it as a gift for her first birthday and she still plays with it everyday.

sc
07-15-2004, 01:59 AM
A large(or different) set of Duplo! I bought all of them from garage sale.

My 10yo DS, 7yo DS, and 2yo DD love to play them together!

cchavez
07-15-2004, 02:11 PM
Glad to hear this! I have a Step 2 Easel that I cannot wait to use with D.....but he just go into coloring/drawing a few days ago.

jk3
07-16-2004, 02:49 AM
The Little Tikes Mailbox is his longtime favorite. He also loves the LT Kitchen + Playstore.

Jenn
DS 6/03

papal
07-16-2004, 09:16 AM
Her favourite toy is an empty Folgers Coffee Jar.. does it count? She does not play with any of her real toys.
The last real toy that she played with was a few months ago.. the Tiny Love Gymini.. once she started crawling.. this had no value to her anymore.

Jen in Chicago
07-16-2004, 10:11 AM
He plays with this daily. It was hidden for home showings, and he would stand by the hiding spot and wait for me to get it out. At first he just put the balls in the basket part, and now he rides it. He gets made if I make it a walker.

Grandma bought it used for $5, best $5 spent!

The learning table is good too.

stillplayswithbarbies
07-16-2004, 11:17 AM
For a little baby, I would say the Gymini, or any of the Lamaze toys (Freddy the Firefly was a favorite)

But as she got older the best toy was the ball pit. She loves to just sit in there or sit on the outside edge and lean back and relax or whatever.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

nwaddellr
07-16-2004, 12:43 PM
We have a three-in-one convertible walker from Tomy that DS got as a Christmas present and has been playing with ever since. It started out as something he could lay under and play with things dangling from the top, he played with the little toys (a mirror, Jacob's ladder-type toy, and a rattle) and now its a walker that he pushes around everywhere. Definitely the longest lived toy now.

jec2
07-16-2004, 01:52 PM
so far DS's fave is the very simple Wooden stacking rings. DS LOVES these. He is also hot for a wooden duck pull toy. These two toys have fast become favorites.

Dare I say, DS also loves the plastic disks that go with my Isis breast pump (the ones that are used at the bottom of the pump and to cover the horn) and drags, drops and tosses these all over the house. Finally, he goes crazy for plastic bags and magazines.

writeleigh
07-16-2004, 05:59 PM
So far, Baby Tad. Liam (nine months) still lights up when we turn it on.

Leigh

jubilee
07-16-2004, 07:09 PM
Little People Farm and a box of crayons (loves to color!!)

tippy
07-17-2004, 03:28 AM
When a baby, the fisher price kick-n-play. This was a hand me down from sil so I would say this toy has provided it's monies worth! DS would kick that thing LIKE CRAZY for what seemed like hours a day.

Second would be a toss up between the leapstart learning table and his ball-blaster and more recently his little tykes kitchen. Uses all every day (at 18 mo.)

Third would be any empty box (he particularly likes the big 148 count huggies box from Costco) and will crawl inside of it and/or drag it around the apt.

Ok...ETA that even though it isn't technically a "toy" his Evenflow Excersaucer probably wins out for longevity. At 18 mo he still likes to sit in it (he loves to spin) and now has gotten into pushing the buttons on the "legs" and lowering it (which unfortunately means I spend a great deal of time every day raising them back up again)!

Board books are huge and he has just started getting into leggos (I put them together and he pulls them apart).

Andrea S
07-17-2004, 02:06 PM
Andrew got a little people garage for his first b-day and he plays with it several time everyday.

Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

twinmama
07-17-2004, 04:45 PM
Hee! My girls love any kind of empty container: tupperware, cream cheese, water bottles; if it's recyclable, they love it!

They also really like their Little Tykes Push n Ride Doll Walker. One will ride while the other pushes, it's so cute to watch!

They got the Little People Loving Sounds Dollhouse for their b-day and they really like that, too.

--Lisa

DDowning
07-17-2004, 08:07 PM
Not really Kosher but DS's favorite thing to do is grab my hairdryer and curling iron out of the bathroom drawer. He'll also drag out every one of my 4 hair brushes. He'll practice brushing his hair while holding one of the hair tools - its quite cute! Maybe I have the next Jonathan Antin on my hands? Anyway, it makes it real easy to keep him occupied while I take a shower and get ready.

darby24
07-17-2004, 10:25 PM
Your DS and my nephew are a lot a like. Favourite toys at my place are; travel sized hairdryer and handheld mixmaster (without attachments though.) He will play and drag them by the cords for hours. Probably the funniest thing he does is when the vacuum is left out, he will undo the cord and hold it in the same hand as is holding his FP cornpopper. Basically making his own vacuum. Crazy child. Anyway, went way off tangent there.

His favourite toy would either have to be his A) Cozy Coupe or B) Tonka Preschool dumptruck (with handles on the side of the dumpbed).

Mommyto3
07-18-2004, 09:29 PM
The Leapstart table was by far our best purchase too!! Ava would stand at it forever just playing! And she will still play with it now! Definitely the best money that we spent...everything else is pretty much tossed to the side!!

fauve01
07-19-2004, 01:31 PM
GREAT QUESTION!! i'm so glad you posted this so i can get some ideas. DD is 9 months, btw.

It's hard to narrow it down to one toy but i'd say the box of Sassy Baby's First Toys we got as a gift has been the best/most useful:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000067QZI/qid=1090254860/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl21/104-7471828-4851165?v=glance&s=toys&n=507846


DD still really likes almost every single thing that came in that box, and some she LOVES (like the spinner thing with suction on the bottom--she now loves the balls that spin!). close second would be her books, she LOVES books. these are especially great:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0811832783/qid=1090255219/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-7471828-4851165?v=glance&s=books

lately she's loving her new ride on car (we got red). i can see we'll get TONS of use out of this, as all the kids at the park flock to it, even three year olds:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005NIUW/qid=1090255104/sr=8-5/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i5_xgl21/104-7471828-4851165?v=glance&s=toys&n=507846

Thanks for asking! and i can't wait to read what everyone else has said.

Anne + DD, 10-03

SissyTone
07-19-2004, 09:09 PM
Annabel is 4 months old. She loves:

1. Discovery Toys' Rainfall Rattle - it's like an aborigine digerdoo, brightly colored beads in a clear cylinder

2. Tiny Love WindChimes - We attached them to her playgym, and she loves to kick them

MommyH
07-20-2004, 10:51 AM
Aidan plays everyday in his Einstein baby gym and his Little Tykes exersaucer.

Setimama
07-22-2004, 03:49 PM
Definately the Fisher Price Aquarium crib toy. DS plays for 1/2 hour or more with it in the morning after he wakes up, and if he wakes in the middle of the night he soothes himself to sleep with it! Also, the HABA Rainbow Stacker . . . it's a series of 7 (I think, we've misplaced a few) wood circles that have a nob in the middle of them. DS has been playing with that since about 12 months and is just now stacking them by size. It teaches size and color and he loves spinning them when they are stacked.

jasmine
07-22-2004, 04:13 PM
Hi,

I would have to say a sand box with a cover. We got the Little Tikes frog shaped one when he was 1 year old, and almost 2 years later, he still plays with it almost everyday.

Monica

Mikesa3
07-26-2004, 11:09 PM
Ours was a gift.It's a set of 10 stacking buckets by Parents magazine.Three different colors with pictures on them,the biggest has a handle.It's about the only thing that can hold my 16 months old interest for longer then 2 minutes.He loves stacking and nesting them.We even took them on vacation with us.
Nancy-Mom to 6 great kids

kitmama
07-29-2004, 01:30 AM
My car keys!

But so far I think the best toy purchase has been a classic set of wooden alphabet blocks. DS loves them! Ours are by Ryan's Room- the "Around the Blocks" set.

Also "Mr. Moose", who was a gift- that is ds's special friend. He's a Ty Plushie.