What are some good non-noisy baby toys?

[Canna]

DD is just 6 weeks-old. I realize that she isn't ready for many toys just yet, but what are some good non-noisy toys for a child under 1 year? The stores seem mainly full of annoying toys that make noise when you press a button, which we don't like.

We have:
a soft doll for a baby
various rattles
a wooden stacking toy
LP Noah's ark
Sassy crib mirror toy

[LucyG]

To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't get much else for her for the first year. Maybe some blocks and stacking cups, but not much else. You'll find that she will enjoy household objects more than most toys, and most of those don't make noise! I would save your pennies and focus on helping her enjoy and explore what you have already.


http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif[/img][/url]
2 years and counting!

[babystuffbuff]

Wow, I am so with you on this!!! :) I am so. sick. and. tired. of opening the toyboxes of young babies (I have many in my life, lol) and hearing an electronic symphony! And the ironic thing is that most of them would be perfectly happy with a few Tupperware containers and a wooden spoon. The simplest toys are always the best, especially because they encourage imagination and creative play.

Okay, off my soapbox now. :) Sounds like you have a great start with toys. A good set of smooth wooden blocks is always a good idea (like these: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_3/601-4949176-6392964?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000067NXE). I know that it says they are for two years and up, but if you get ones that are a good size, you can use them long before that. I know many a 6 month old who was entertained by seeing block towers built and knocked down, and they are just the right size for those chubby little hands to hold. A shape sorter is entertaining (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1/601-4949176-6392964?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B00004TXOJ) as well as being simple and quiet. For a younger baby, the Baby Whoozit (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000A9Y5R/ref=pd_sim_toys_2/104-8091033-3290338?v=glance&s=imaginarium) is great to hang in the crib where baby can see it because at that age they are so fascinated by faces! So if you really want to entertain your daughter, prop her into her bouncer, put her on the floor in front of you, and read her a book (this is sooo important!) using silly voices and lots of facial expressions -- your face is probably her favorite thing to look at right now!

Good luck, I know it seems like battery-operated toys are being given to younger and younger kiddos these days -- it makes me so mad!! :P

[August Mom]

DS loved Celeste the Sun by Lamaze. It's soft and cute and stretchy rays that are fun to pull. The Clutch Cube by Lamaze is also a good one when babies start to grasp. It does have a chiming sound when shaken, but it is very pleasant. Finally, at about 6 months or so, our favorite toy was the Alphablock Sorter by Parents. It's a set of 8 soft blocks, 6 of which have shapes that can be inserted/removed. 3 of the shapes are rattles; 3 are teethers. It's a really cool toy.

[ellies mom]

My favorite and one of DD's too is this one by manhatten baby. We bought ours at a Hanna Outlet, but I've seen it at BRU also. We still keep it in her diaper bag.

http://sitemaint.digitalriver.com/dr/v2/ec_MAIN.Entry16?V1=632082&PN=1&SP=10023&xid=48105&V5=31033043&S1=&S2=&S3=&S4=&S5=&V2=&V3=&V4=&DSP=0&CUR=840&PGRP=0&CACHE_ID=0 (Sorry I don't know how to do the tinyurl)

Celeste and her "brothers" Buzz and Freddy were also big hits. I don't like noisy toys either so these were a big lifesaver. We clip them to strollers and what not. Although Buzz met an early demise at the mouth of our old dog, she still checks out Freddy quit a bit.

[brittone2]

We didn't buy many baby toys, and in retrospect, I'd have had even fewer. DS still at 13 months is much more interested in opening drawers, pulling out the pots and pans, chasing the cat, opening and closing a big lidded Longaberger picnic basket we have out, etc. He's just now getting interested in the ring stacker and for about 2 months has enjoyed playing with some simple puzzles.

Maybe a felted wool ball with a jingle bell inside?

For around 8 months and up, I think a knobbie gertie ball is fun, and DS really enjoyed his O-ball even earlier than that. It is easy to hold and manipulate with two hands.

Hmmmm...there isn't much else you really need IMHO. DS played with various rattles but they didn't hold his attention very long anyway.


As an aside, I saw a report (I think on cnn.com?) about the new toy show...I guess it debuts in March of every year. The overall "theme" seemed to be high tech, as it makes toys "come alive" for kids of today who grow up with appliances etc that talk to them in their parents' home. So obviously their toys need to talk too (this is basically what the toymakers were saying). There was a "reading system" that could be hooked to the TV and taught your kids to read sentences, but the author mentioned that mysteriously it doesn't come with any actual *BOOKS*. The article also mentioned that 75% of all toys today have a computer chip in them, and 80% of preschool toys contain a computer chip. Even Barbie is coming out with a computer chip (American Idol Barbie who sings Karaoke), and "retro" toys like Pound Puppies will now include a computer chip.

Interestingly, the author of the actual article seemed rather cynical about it all and that at least made me kind of happy deep down inside ;) So...no end in sight. The toy manufacturers are convinced we're all clamoring for this electronic stuff. Apparently someone is...

[heatherlynn]

I am sooo w/ you on this! I hate electronic toys, but of course, our families just love to give that stuff. That being said, DS seems to like the few he has, but it doesn't hold his attention long, so I only take them out every few days or so.

Anyway, Matthew loves this:

http://www.beyondplay.com/ITEMS/G223.HTM

It does make noise, but it's not loud or obnoxious (sp). And it's not an electronic sound. He can't crawl yet, but he can roll himself around, so he just kind of "chases" it the best he can. He also loves to roll it back and forth w/ me. My DD also likes this and she and her friends play with it, too!

H-
Heather
dd 3/98
ds 8/04

[mommyj_2]

I agree with the PP who said you probably don't need too many more. My DS liked playing with objects in the house more than any toy he had. I didn't buy him many toys until he was a year old, and I'm glad I didn't. That being said, a play silk for playing peek-a-boo is nice, and babies love the feel of silk. My DS also liked playing with this bead toy from IKEA:
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=12&productId=21032&langId=-1&parentCats=10106*13757*13819
It says for 18 mo+, but my DS liked playing with it from 6 months on, and he's still playing with it at 19 months.

[jacksmomtobe]

The only toy I really used early on was the Gymini play mat. I got a ton of use out of it. I used it for ds to practic tummy time and rolling over etc. The only additional attachment that I got was the baby's first wind chimes for when my son started to like to kick. The windchimes make a nice jingle. I was not into those noisy toys either. My other favorite is the Whoozit Wiggle ball. My Ds was fascinated by the wiggle ball. I also liked the fact that there were no hard pieces for him to whack himself with. Many of the toys for young babies have plastic pieces and before they get coordinated they bop themselves in the head. My son enjoyed the wiggle ball for quite a while. It was a good car toy later on. I give it as a gift to all the new Moms that I know.

Good Luck!

[August Mom]

One other thought. You probably would like the Skwish by Manhattan Toy. It's wood. There are beads to manipulate and you can squish it flat and then it pops back up.

[sadie427]

Plastic keys were a big hit when he could first grab onto stuff (by the first years, available at drugstores) and then he loved his stacking cups (the first years and sassy both make sets, available at Target and drugstores.) We liked the Skwish too. A big soft ball, like a gertie ball, is good once they can sit up. I would think the Noah's ark and the stacking toy wouldn't be that interesting to her until she's closer to a year.

Hearthsong.com has a decent selection of baby toys, and kidsurplus.com has many of the toys mentioned here.

[WooChx]

I bought a Tiny Love Symphony Mobile. The mobile is great and very visually stimulating, BUT I hate the noise. I figured out that you can easily take the cover off and either disconnect the sound or cover the speaker up with electrical tape to make it quieter. I've done this with most of DD's toys. I prefer to keep REAL classical music playing in the nursery!

[Karenn]

3 x 3 books are great for 5+ months. My DD will spend all sorts of time playing with books right now, and DS did at this age too. Celeste the Sun is a big hit here too. She also spends a long time playing with plain old links from Sassy or FP.

I'm with you on the noisy toys. There are a few toys which we have bought (mostly for kids over a year)and simply not put the batteries in. They are good toys that didn't need the extra bells and whisltes (literally!)