Alphabet blocks for a just-one-year-old?

[babystuffbuff]

I was thinking of getting my niece the Melissa and Doug alphabet blocks (the ones with the pictures) for her first birthday. I dislike how many plastic toys kids have around these days and I don't want to contribute to that. I usually give books, but I gave her a diaperbag full of (my) favorites at birth, and then more for Christmas. I want to shake it up a little this time. :)

But is one year too early to give the blocks? I know she would use them eventually, but if that won't be until she's two, then I'll save them for that birthday. TIA!

Sarah

Auntie to my seven munchkins

[mudder17]

Well, I got Kaya some regular blocks shortly after her first birthday and granted, she didn't pay much attention to them until she was 18 months, but I'm glad I went ahead and got them. I think the Alpha blocks might be even better because they have bright colors on them and neat little pictures and she might be able to enjoy them that way first. The only thing is that you may not want her to put them in her mouth, even though I'm pretty sure the paint is non-toxic, just because it will start wearing things out. Kaya was not putting everything in her mouth by then, so that might have worked for her. Anyway, whether it's too early for your niece will probably depend on your niece. I think Kaya would have enjoyed them before 1.5 years, so a 1st B-day present of these blocks would have been just fine. Especially because Kaya started getting interested in the Alphabet around 18-20 months (although she knows the signs better than the printed letters, thanks to ST).

I'm guessing this isn't that much help. :P

ETA: I would tend to go for it, because the blocks are so versatile in what you can use them for, so they'll have long playing value. Oh, and I forgot to say that Kaya loved knocking down towers much earlier than when she started playing with them on her own.

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
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http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
Kaya will be a sister, ~11/14/06!

[juliasmom05]

My DD just turned 1 and she loves her blocks. She isn't building anything with them yet, but she loves to knock down things that we build for her. I guess to answer your question, no I don't think its too early to get blocks, especially the brightly colored ones.

Marci

Mom to Julia 4/05

[jennifer_r]

I just gave these to my daughter a couple of weeks ago:
http://www.oompa.com/cgi-bin/item/VI2149

They are beautiful and DD loves them. I try to stay away from plastic and electronic toys as much as possible. I gave my DD Haba Fantasy blocks for her 1st bday but it's only the past couple of months that she's been trying to stack them.

ETA: At one, she did love to knock anything down that we stack/build (and still does).

Jennifer

Mom to:
Christopher 12/29/89
Adelaide 8/23/04
Bronwyn 11/9/05

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[lvales]

I found some wood alphabet blocks at Marshalls at Christmas for $12.99. They aren't Melissa and Doug, I'm not really sure what brand they are.

DD got them for her first birthday in December and she's been playing with them ever since.

[ett]

I think they would be a great gift for a 1 year old. Like PPs said, she may not be building with them or learning the alphabet from them, but they're great for other things like knocking down towers that you build. We got our M&D alphabet blocks for $10 on clearance at Marshalls.