Toy ideas for 8 month old?

[KBecks]

DS is starting to play more, crawl more, etc. etc. The toys we have seem to be a little boring. Any ideas?

His favorite "toys" currently are:
1. The Very Patient Cat
2. The wind chimes
3. Any glass of liquid, and the refrigerator water dispenser
4. The remote control
5. The telephone
6. The camera


I have a jumperoo and a stationary play thing (doesn't rock like an exersaucer). He seems too old for his gymini-thing now.

Suggestions please? I think he does just want what the adults are using to a degree. But it seems like it's time for some more interesting toys for him to discover and work with.

Thanks!

[holliam]

Hi there! My DD is 9 months, and she loved these things during month 8 and continues to now:

- blocks, she really likes all the colors, shapes, and textures of them a lot. She also likes it when daddy makes stacks of them and then she CAREFULLY reaches for her favorite one... I think my kid is the only one who doesn't like to crazily knock them down!
- instruments
- old water bottle filled with beans, another with rice, etc. for different sounds. She's a simple gal. :)
- playsilks, playing peek-a-boo
- activity playcube (the one at Target from Parents mag)
- balls -- REALLY loves balls, little O-ball or Gertie are easy for little hands to grab
- stainless steel bowls from the kitchen with wooden spoons
- Little activity table that she can cruise around on
- books have become more interesting in the past couple of weeks, especially ones with texture or cloth ones
- listening to music, and us singing to her, playing finger games (itsy bitsy spider type things)

Really, she loves anything she can make noise with right now. :)

We don't have any electronic toys, jumperoo, exersaucer, and we're TV/video free with her, and she seems pretty entertained with our simple things!

Holli

[SummerBaby]

My DD also has always liked the remote, phone, camera, keys, etc. She has "toy" versions of all of them, but none are nearly as interesting as the real things! :)

I agree with what the PP said about simple things- we have a water bottle filled with golf tees that she loves. I've also found that most kitchen gadgets will entertain her, especially if they are stainless (i.e. mixing bowls, measuring spoons) and she can see her reflection.

One "real toy" that she has consistently been interested in since she was 6 months is the Leap Start Learning Table. For an electronic toy, the music is actually not bad.

HTH!

Val
Mom to Madeline
7/28/04

[ett]

How about a set of stacking cups? Those were big hits with DS when he was younger. We got a set of 8 from The First Years for only a couple of dollars.

DS also had several sets of peek-a-blocks when he was around that age.

They really don't need much at that age. Simpler toys are better. We had some fancier, more expensive toys that he really never got into. He preferred the cheaper stuff.

DS was also a big fan of the remote control and telephone. We did have to take it away from him eventually when he started turning on the TV and dialing phone numbers.

[KrisM]

DS was 8 months at Christmas. Of the toys he got then, he played with then and still plays with now:

1. FP Learning Home. He has played with it every day for nearly 6 months.
2. Stacking cups - these also double as bath and sand box toys
3. Playskool Ball Popper. Quite possibly his all-time favorite toy.

The way he plays with these things has evolved over the past 6 months, but I am very glad we have all of them.

His current favorite thing is to throw toys over the gate and down the stairs though. Things to look forward to!

[purpleeyes]

Our DS is nine months old and when he started to crawl he loved toys that he could push around on wheels-we discovered this interest when he started pushing the high chair around! Soon, I'm afraid the high chair will be one big fun ladder...but that's another post.
So, cars, trucks, animals on wheels-all that good stuff. He also loves the blocks and stacking cups, as PP have mentioned.
He also loves to bang, so any safe thing like plastic spoons, pots, tupperwear, etc are great fun.


HTH and have fun!

Beth