Recommendations for toys a 9-month-old will like now and into the future?

[silversun]

We're traveling to my in-laws with my 9-month-old DS and I want to order a couple of toys that will entertain him while we're there this time around and (hopefully) on future trips when he's likely to be, at minimum, 15 months old. (They're across the country and I don't expect we'll be back right away, but perhaps in six months or so.)

Any suggestions for toys that your kids loved early on and continued to find ways to play with? A friend suggested the FP Little People barn, and that's definitely the kind of thing I'm thinking of, but I'm not sure he'd enjoy it now. Am I wrong about that?

Any and all suggestions would be so helpful! Thanks!

Karen

[connor_mommy]

He maybe a little young, but how about a basketball hoop?

[caheinz]

It's more Fisher Price, but maybe a Peek-a-Block toy and/or RollArounds.

We first started on PABs around 6 months. He really enjoyed the elephant, hippo and dump truck at Christmas (around 9 months). He's now almost 17 months, and still plays with all 3 from time to time!

They did have LP barn in the infant room at daycare. The kids liked pressing the parts to make sounds, but the animals weren't for much other than chewing on at that age...

(We don't have any Roll Arounds, but DS really liked playing with them a month or two ago at a FisherPrice 75th birthday play area. I don't think they'd have enough life to buy them now, and we have enough Little People and Peek A Blocks!)

[kali]

How much space do they have, and do they have other grandkids? I ask because we got DS (now 13 months) a few big items between 6-10 months that we expect he’ll play with through his toddler years and maybe beyond. We don’t have endless space or cash, so anything we give him needs to buy a lot of bang for the buck. If there are other grandkids, you might be able to share some of the expenses. Some of these big toys live at my parents’ house and will be used for DS as well as his cousins.

Here are my top picks:

Costco/Kidcraft train table with trundles. (Approx. $125) DS used to pull up on this at around 6 months, cruise around it at 10 months, and stores/plays with toys now. It comes with track and other accessories and I’m sure around ages 2 through at least 5, he'll actually use it with trains.

Step 2 Kangaroo Climber. (Rated 24 months to 3 years—approx $75) DS started out crawling through the holes and door, then pulled up and cruised around it. Now he opens and walks in through the little door and is starting to try to climb up on the platform for the slide. Won't outgrow it until at least 3 or 4 I think. We use it entirely indoors.

Finding Nemo Activity Ride On toy. (Rated for 12 months to 3 years—approx. $25) There are many many aquatic-themed things to push on to make fun noises (plus a volume control for your sanity.) DS puts toys in the storage compartment under the seat, and we used to sit him on the seat and push him. Then, when he started cruising, he used the push bar to “walk�, and eventually learned to sit and propel himself along with his feet. I think this manufacturer makes similar toys with other Disney themes. We got it at Toys R Us.

Little Tikes Snug Secure Swing. (Rated for 9 months to 4 years—approx. $25) We keep this at my parents’ house. They have a porch to hang it on and he loves it when his grandfather swings him.

Wondermat 36-pc set with letters and numbers. (Approx. $70) When DS was still an infant, it was a soft colorful surface to roll/crawl on. Later he liked pulling out the pieces and [sometimes] snapping them back in. When he gets older, we’ll use it for all of the above, plus to teach him letters and numbers. You can make it bigger by adding tiles and/or borders.

One last thought: what kinds of things does your DS like? Even at 13 months, my son’s favorite toys are cheap/free things like the remote control, a cell phone w/o service, a pinwheel, a rubber ball…. My mother bought him a giant helium-filled mylar balloon shaped like a fish a month ago, which at first I thought was obscenely expensive. But, at $7, it’s probably the best-value toy we’ve ever bought him. He’s IN LOVE with it. He marches around the house, bouncing it up and down, kisses it, hugs it, and falls asleep holding the string. We’ve had it re-inflated 3 times. If your DS is anywhere near as weird as mine, you could probably buy him inexpensive things like this every time you go visit your in-laws.

Wow, this turned out to be quite a tome. I hope it helps someone!

[shishamo]

Hi,

I think you want to stick to the basics: colorful balls, wooden blocks, books (board books for his age), simple wooden train sets (check target and IKEA). These are something that can be enjoyed for next 5 years.


But honestly, I bet your DS will find your in-laws house fascinating as it is without any toys! Kids love new places: new platic containers, new dishrags, new remote controls, you get the idea :-)

Enjoy your trip :-)

[erosenst]

I agree that the "household" things are the best, especially for a short period where they're new. We went to see my parents when Abby was 13 months. I took a few toys, and my parents bought a couple of things. By far her favorites were (in no particular order) - shoes, especially flip-flops; ice cubes (fun to chase across the kitchen floor); the dog's pillow; a towel...you get the picture. The toys were ok, too - but not as entertaining!