What are the IKEA must haves?

[christymc33]

A brand new IKEA just opened nearby. I haven't been yet. What are some of your favorite IKEA finds? (DD is 12 months) I think I am going to pick up a table and chair set for sure. Thanks!!

[deannanb]

they have a wooden train set -
I just bought one at Target for $20- we glued it down so DS can play with it and not destroy it.

I also have a storage unit from IKEA - the bins pull out and are full of DS toys (the picture is on another computer) - it is wooden and looks like stair steps - I have two large baskets in the largest area - two medium baskets in the middle area and one medium basket in the small area.

you will find a bunch of plastic plates and cups if you need them

oh- if you don't already have one - the toy with beads that move back and forth over a metal track - it is only $7.99. I bought it for DS when he was around 12 months. He plays with it more now.

I would suggest going the first time with the idea to only buy the table and chairs... look around and then go back once you have had a chance to take it all in! And if you can go by yourself and leave DD somewhere - you will enjoy it much better. They do have great changing rooms and are very baby friendly!

Deanna

[tarahsolazy]

They have great toddler dinnerware. Really cheap, hard, safer plastics. We have cups, bowls, and got plates for Forrest's birthday over the weekend. We also got the plastic flatware, which is funky looking, but a great size for my two year old.

The storage unit somone referred to above is called TROFAST, I believe. We have one and I like it quite a bit.

[trumansmom]

We have a couple of polar fleece blankets from the kids section that are awesome! They are larger than baby blankets, and the bright colors are wonderful. They are both of my kids' favorites. I think they were $3.95 a piece.

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/01 and Eleanor 4/04
Independent Consultant, Do-Re-Me & You!

[applesauce]

I have an easel that is great. Also spoons, forks, plates and whatnot are awesome. Really inexpensive and cute.

[brittone2]

Toys as the PPs mentioned (finger puppets, train set, bead maze, etc. are all great). We have a great soft farm set from there but I think they changed it a while back and I didn't like the new one as much. Not sure if they still carry it? Oh, and a set of stacking cups for like 1.99 or so. DS LOVED these when he was really little.

There's a cute rocking moose. We don't have it but it always seemed very appealing ;)

Easel (obviously you don't need this for a 12 month old but you could check it out in the meantime)

Baby gates if you need any

We have the Expedit bookshelves for DS's toys

We have some grown up furniture...kitchen island, table, and parsons style chairs

The cafeteria is pretty yummy :)

There are some old posts on the topic..I know I'm forgetting some great stuff!

I miss Ikea :(

[Joolsplus2]

We LOVED our dinnerware and Trofast stuff (well, still love the Trofast, we have tons of boxes and several 'frames' to put them in).

and the Vagga rocker, which looks like a big wood semi circle with a pad on it http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15567&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=21908&langId=-1&parentCats=15567*15659*16116 (i hope that link works)...has been SO fun...it's a rocker when it's one way, and a slide when it's upside down, and is very high quality... spendy, but very fun!

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[crl]

There are lots of small (non-plastic) kitchen toys for a reasonable price.

We have a crane/shape sorter (the shapes sit in the back of the crane and have metal pieces so the magnet in the crane part can pick them up). It has wheels and can be pulled. It is wood and was cheap.

Check out the art supplies. Big rolls of paper for about $6, etc. I don't think the paints, etc are necessarily washable though.

They have lots of baskets at good prices.

[Beth568]

Ditto on the bead track toy - my 15 month old loves hers. And the plastic tableware is great for slightly older kids! The big rolls of paper from the easels are also very practical, even if you don't have an easel - you can roll out a great big piece on the floor for coloring and little ones have a blast!

I've found a lot of fun and inexpensive stuff in the toy section at IKEA, as well as lots of practical small storage pieces.

If you are going with the table and chair set, some unsolicited advice: the great prices on the SVALA sets ($39.99) are really tempting. But if the store near you has the GULLIVER table and chairs (same style, but white instead of unfinished), go with those. The unfinished sets are basically pretty sturdy, but there are quite often flaws and cracks in the wood, and they can be at best a PITA to deal with, and at worst a bit dangerous for children. The sets with a white finish don't tend to have those kinds of issues, and they're not that much more expensive, if I recall correctly. IKEA will replace a wooden piece that's cracked or has a big flaw, but then you still have to get back to the store. Or, to save that trouble, I'd recommend that you at least open up the box when you get to your car and look over the pieces very carefully before you drive away.

Anyway, have fun! I love IKEA.

[mommyj_2]

I 2nd the recommendation to open the boxes and look at any wooden pieces before you get home. We've had to make 2 trips more times than not b/c we got home and there was a major flaw in a piece of the furniture we got. I think the worst one was when we ordered a leather couch, and they delivered it 6 weeks later with a huge hole in the back. But, they're good about replacing faulty pieces/furniture. They let us keep the couch with a hole in it until our new one came.
I think it's worth the pain of shopping there b/c they have such great prices.
I got an unfinished table and chairs set, and it's been great. DS has used it for almost a year. PPs have mentioned many of my other favorites, but here are the ones that come to mind right away: bead maze, easel, paper for easel, tea set, frames for hanging art, shelves, wrapping paper, tealight candles, little wooden storage boxes (I put one in DS' play room, and he likes to put things in the little drawers)

[stefani]

DS has the rocking moose and he loves it!

[luckymom]

If you are looking for something particular, and the IKEA just opened, you might check online to see if it is in stock in your store. We drove out to the new Boston one to get a kids table and chair set, and almost every set was sold out, as well as most of the toys and dish sets. I also recommend being there when it opens, or avoiding a weekend. Even serveral months after ours opoened it was still crazy busy.

Have fun
Lucy

[boys2enough]

Hi, this is such a great question! Here are what we have and love (at a bargain price to boot!) Forgive me if some items have been mentioned:

plastic bib with a "catch all": your dd may or may not hate this though. DS2 hated the plastic on his neck.

Step stools for under $3 (I think. Memory kind of fussy). These are plastic ones with lots of round dots all over the surface, anti-slip as well. We have 6 in our house, strategically positioned. Sometimes we stack 2 or 3 of them together to make it higher.

Toddler dinner wear. They have changed the design several times. But always cute and CHEAP. One year I gave out a set of "flatware" as birthday party favors.

Pretend kitchen cookware, etc. Someone has mentioned this. I wish I had a girl because I really really want those china tea sets!

Inexpensive train track sets. (Someone has also mentioned this, but I just have to second it).

Table top roll-paper thingy. I don't know what it is called, but it is a wooden thing that holds a big roll of paper. They sell rolls of paper too.

Easel.

Toddler bedding set: comforter cover for twin size comforter. Very good price. They change the design regularly.

Paper storage boxes. They have one design that's dark red with little kids on them. Those are great for storing old clothing. Less than $3 for a pack of 2. (Again, I may have remembered the price wrong).

For older kids:
Play tunnel and play tent. The tent costs less than $9 and I love how they have reinforced plastic endcaps. My kids love these.


Household items: (please don't laugh at me...)

plastic colandar. I think it's $2 or $3. Sturdy, nice-looking and very useful. Better than the ones I have bought in the past.

toilet bowl brush... (Ok, please really don't laugh at me). They are $0.98 each. I bought a bunch and just throw the old one away when it gets too yucky.

Big colorful paper napkins. Thick and nice.

tea candles. A bag of 50.

cheap wine glasses. you don't have to cringe any more when your kids run around the table with wine glasses on them!

Big glass jars with lids for misc. purposes. DS1 has several of these in his room for his collections.

Sugar dispenser: this is a glass jar with a "straw-like" devide on the lid. So you just pour the sugar out w/o having the screw the top open.

Ok. I should stop here. Happy shopping!!

Oh, you should try out their restaurant. During the week, they may be even cheaper for lunch. Swedish meatballs. Yum!


Cheers, Lin
Mom to 2 wild boys
D 3/98
G 11/02

http://smilies.vidahost.com/kao/otn/pcomputer.gif

[Sillygirl]

My sister got Jonathan the IKEA crawling tube. It folds up when not in use, it's six feet long, and he loves it.

All these ideas are getting me ready to make the drive myself!

[tina-t]

Another vote for the wooden train set. I bought it for $19.99, I think.

We have a new Ikea here that just opened up last week. I am waiting for a few more weeks before venturing there. I want to get the easel too.

[christymc33]

Wow...Thank you everyone for the responses! You ladies are great! I have printed them all out, and am on a quest. I suggest everyone do the same!!
:-)
Christy

[darby24]

One last suggestion as I haven't seen this mentioned. Adorable and not very loud :-) The little "heads" get pushed back and forth through the toy as you push it.

http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/26094_PE111080_S4.jpg

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15567&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=53193&langId=-1&parentCats=15567*16117*16164