ISO: good toys for toddlers interested in mechanical things?

[mary b]

So, it looks like my 18 month old is a future engineer (LOL) and loves to tinker with stroller straps, car seat straps, etc. anything that clicks etc.. Looking for 1 or 2 SMALL and relatively inexpensive toys that I can get that she would enjoy. I have TONS of blocks, Megablocks etc and really looking for specific clicking toys.

TIA!

Mary
mom to Noelle and Lindsey

[JLiebCamm]

How about one of the wooden puzzles (like Melissa and Doug make) that have various latches to open? We have one that I really like. My only complaint is that some of them are hard for an adult to open!

[squimp]

I was wondering about this too! Sophia's also 18 months and suddenly obsessed with her high chair straps. She will fasten them and then say "help" for me to unfasten them so she can do it again. She will spend 20 minutes doing this, and I am really surprised at her intensity. Another mechanical engineer here :).

The Melissa & Doug skill boards what I was thinking of as well. They have one with metal latches and another with locks and keys.

http://www.creativebrainsonline.com/melanddougsk.html

[Setimama]

There is something called "gearations" that my DS loves. It has a magnetic battery operated "main gear" that additional gears "butt up" against. I can't seem to decribe it very well, but I found it at our Learning Express. I did a google search for it and found it at Leaps and Bounds also.

Good luck!

[Jeanne]

Hey Mary!
I second the Gearations. We have several of these and both girls have used them. We also have a magnetic one that is more simplistic but well loved.

Also, what about Tinker toys? I think that's what they are still called.

[August Mom]

That's what I was thinking of too, but it's neither small nor particularly inexpensive. :) That's why it's dangerous to hang out on this board. LOL

We have this one: http://www.learningexpress.com/childrens_toys/partNumber_TX6526/proj.html

There's also the refrigerator model: http://www.learningexpress.com/childrens_toys/partNumber_TX6995/proj.html

[cellenly]

I was at the toy store w/ my 12 mo old, and she seemed mezmerized by the Playskool Busy Gears toy. It seems like the younger version of gearations & a tad cheaper. I'm now thinking about getting it for her.


http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-Playskool-Busy-Gears-Purple/dp/B000BCEJ86