Annual Favorite Toys by Age Thread! 2006

[s7714]

We've done this for the past several years, so I thought I'd start one up for this year!

Please reply to the appropriate post below and list your DC(s) age and their current favorite toys. Doing this allows other moms to see what toys might make good holiday gifts for their own growing DCs!

ETA previous year's threads for people to reference:

2003 - Fav. toys by age: http://tinyurl.com/yga7jj
2003 - Post-holiday toy reviews: http://tinyurl.com/yzofgu

2004 - Fav. toys by age: http://tinyurl.com/ym7qtj
2004 - Fav. toys by age part 2: http://tinyurl.com/yzxp5n
2004 - Post-holiday toy reviews: http://tinyurl.com/ye2du4

2005 - ??? Can't find the thread, but I know we did one! LMK if you have a link!

TIA,
Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[s7714]

Reply to this post if your DC is 0-12 months of age!

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[s7714]

Reply to this post if your DC is 13-24 months of age!

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[s7714]

Reply to this post if your DC is 2-3 years of age!

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[s7714]

Reply to this post if your DC is 3-5 years of age!

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[s7714]

Reply to this post if your DC is over 5 years of age!

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[s7714]

My DD's (17 months) current favs are:
Strollers, shopping carts or anything else she can push dolls/stuffed toys around in!
Books (currently loves Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle and Five Little Monkeys)
The Little Einstein Baby Santa video
Telephones
Musical toys: a Fisher-Price piano/xylophone and maracas
Foam mats (she loves to run around on them and then pull them apart)

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[s7714]

My 3 1/2 year old DD's favorite toys are:
Crayons, Markers and anything she can draw on!
Fisher-Price medical kit
Dinosaurs (especially Harry and His Bucket Full of Dinosaurs)
Books, books and more books! (current favs. are Curious George, Peter Pan, and Cinderella)
Purses and scarves
A telescope (small enough to carry around)
A working microphone w/speaker (that's a toy from Grandma...)

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[Mamma2004]

DS is 29 months old. Some favorites are:

Kitchen (including pots and pans, dishes, play food, chef's hat and apron, toaster, shopping cart, etc.)

Thomas trains and Costco train table

Books, books and more books

Floor puzzles

Aquadoodle, Doodle Pro and crayons/play doh/art

Balls

Musical instruments

Word Whammer and anything else alphabet related

DS loves "playing" on my old (disconnected) keyboard

Outside he loves his tricycle (I push), his play house, basketball hoop, sandbox (seems like a lifetime ago now that we've had FROST!).

I look forward to seeing everyone else's suggestions!

Stephanie

[mainepotato]

DD (13 months)

12" dolls, doll cradle
dress-up hats
whistle, mini keyboard
big sister's dollhouse
balls

[mainepotato]

DD (5 yrs)

books (Charlotte's Web, Magic Treehouse, Curious George, Hans Christian Andersen)
holztiger animals
play silks
dress-up clothes
dollhouse
cd player & cds
paper, glue, markers, paint, scissors..
play food

[meghna88]

my baby is 9 weeks old

[Momof3Labs]

DS is 4yo

Parents' Magazine animal hospital
Toy tools from Sears and TRU
Rescue Heroes
Anything with wheels, particularly fire engines
Road/town rug from Menard's or Home Depot
His "friends" (stuffed animals)

ETA:

Hullabaloo
Cariboo
Candyland
Memory

[Momof3Labs]

Whoozit
Celeste

[kboyle]

o-ball
skwish

[kboyle]

macky is 15 mos

anything with wheels (hot wheels, big little tykes trucks)
FP little people farm, he loves to push the buttons and make music & sounds

FP shake n go racers (they are heavy for him, but he can do it!)
FP laugh & learn house & chair
toy vacuum

[kboyle]

charlie will be 3.5y on xmas eve


books
hot wheels & accessories
playmobil stuff
animal planet dinosaurs (has played with these daily since 18mos)
leapster (Letter Factory, Talking Words Factory, Dora, Letters On the Loose)
pretty much anything with wheels
binoculars
scarves & a box or purse or something he can pull them out of.

[lisams]

DD is 4:

plastic animal/dinosaur figurines
anything horses
art supplies, including everyday things like tape, envelopes and hole punchers!
doll house
vet kit
books and music (always a hit!)
cash register, shopping cart, pretend food to play grocery store
more advanced puzzles, maze books
easy board games like Chutes and Ladders

She's still not into playing dolls, but she loves playing with her stuffed animals, especially dogs and cats!

[rupptopia]

DS is almost 26 months old.

He likes:

Balls, balls & more balls (soccer goal, Fisher Price basketball hoop, plastic golf set, Gertie balls, soft foam baseballs)

Toolbench w/ hammer, screwdriver & etc. Loves "helping" daddy

Books - anything with Elmo, How do Dinosaurs Count to 10, Duck in the Truck, Hit the Ball Duck, Kiss Goodnight Sam, Click Clack Moo (my fav!), Machines That Work, My Truck is Stuck

Playing with his stuffed monkey (Junglie Monkey by Jellycat)

Thomas trains and his Nilo table

Tractors, crane, bulldozer

Teepee with tunnels by Alex (at Costco)

Kitchen & playfood, especially the Melissa & Doug cutting food, play microwave

[LittlePrince_Mom]

DS is 3 and 2months

His favorites are:

Doctor's Kit
Tools
Tricycle (sometimes needs pushing) and Like-a-Bike
Books
Candyland
Magna-Tiles
Telescope
Racquets - either pingpong paddles and a ball (no table) or a kids tennis racquet, pretending or playing with a soft light ball
Musical Instruments
Pretend sword play - we actually haven't bought him a sword since we're trying to discourage violent play but he picks up any stick or other long object and pretends sword play with it, I have no idea where he picked it up.




-E
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[purpleeyes]

DC's faves:

ANYTHING kitchen related (including the food network. His favorite is Rachel Ray.) ;)

Trains (we have geotracks and fisher price)
Little People

Building (mega blocks, wooden, etc.)

Pretend play
kitchen, making food, having a picnic, cleaning
going to work (he plays on a 10-key and an old phone)
going to a construction site (riding the digger, pouring into the dump truck)

Reading
Jigsaw puzzles

Stickers

Music!-instrument set, singing

Great Thread!

Beth

[hillview]

DS is 16 months old. His favorite are:
Books!! BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS -- loves turning the pages and stacking them and putting them into and taking them out of boxes.

-Balls
-Anything that can be open or closed or stacked (blocks, food boxes, drawers, shelves with doors etc).
-Putting things into and our of boxes (are you sensing a theme?) sorting blocks
-Anything to do with water (bath, kitchen sink, bowls of water -- MESSY but fun)
-Ketler tryke he likes a lot
-Lift the flap books (I know More books!)

We have a bunch of other toys which are occasional things he likes but really -- a waste (SO SAD!).
/hillary

[redhookmom]

My 4 year old girl's favorites:

Blocks

Polly Pockets

Animals - she became really interested in these when we started buying "families." The display at Target includes Mommies, Daddies
and babies.

Vanity - she spends time everyday sitting at her vanity and orgainizing her stuff. She likes the little music/jewelry boxes.

Workbooks - if only I could get her big brother so excited about "homework." She is obcessed with letters and letter sounds.

Leapster - Letterpiller is her favorite game.

Tea Set, Pizza Set, Birthday Cake set, and play dishes.

Dress up!

Playdoh

[Alice523]

Up to 6 months or so, DS's favorites were the Lamaze Inchworm, Whoozit, Clutch Cube, Gymini, and a toy mirror.

6+ months, his favorites are/were the Leapfrog Learning Table (HUGE hit!), stacking rings, O-ball and inflatable balls, household items like spatulas, remotes.

At 11.5 months, he loves the Radio Flyer Walker Wagon, Leapfrog Table, car with popping balls by Sassy, any kind of ball including DH's football, and books, especially boxed ones and touch and feel/lift the flap.

Touch and feel/lift the flap books we like: Karen Katz books, Dear Zoo, That's Not My Dinosaur (Usborne series has several different ones), and Peekaboo Kisses.

[wendmatt]

DD is 4
Polly Pocket
Polly Pocket cash register
puzzles
Any books
Dora Candyland has been popular since 3rd birthday
Art supplies
Play doh
Magnadoodle
Franklin Dominoes
marbles and glass 'jewels'

[urquie]

i remember it being very helpful to put the name of the toy (or a few that will fit) in the subject line. :)

editted to change the subject line!

[urquie]

dd's favorite x-mas gift when she was 1 1/2 was her corelle calin doll and a little stroller to go with it.

at 2 1/2 she still plays with her doll daily. her other most played with "toys" are the playsilks from bumbershootbaby. she uses them for everything!

[urquie]

dd is 2 1/2 and still loves playing with the corelle calin doll she got last x-mas and the playsilks she got for her first b-day. these are by far her favorite toys!

[caheinz]

At ~32 months, DS loves:

Thomas trains and all that goes with them
Legos/Megablocks
Puzzles (moved up to bigger jigsaws already)
Kitchen and random food items (including many empty *real* food boxes and canisters!)
Books, and we're finally able to do more than board books
(one that he loves is "1 to 10 with Thomas and Friends", with a "magic" pen, that was at Costco a little while ago)
Toy vaccuum (have the pink PBK one here!)
Little People
Random vehicle toys (trucks, buses, etc)

[94bruin]

DD is 17 months.

Kitchen - we just got this for her and she *LOVES* it - we don't have food or accesories, yet, but she is happy enough to wash her hands several times an hour (yes, we are raising a very clean child!)

Books

Remote Control (not a toy, but DD can't get enough of any remote.)

Signing Time DVD (the only TV DD watches)

Doodle Pro - especially useful in the car

At other people's homes she is always attracted to the

Ride on toy
Baby stroller

[kijip]

;)

Also, art supplies/easel, books, puzzles and board games like Memory and Hi Ho Cherrio.

Kitchen stuff and little baking pan kit.

My son is 3 and 1/2.

[funda62]

9 month old DD LOVES the Baby Beach Band by Infantino. It is a huge hit. She also likes her taggies blanket and haba ring rattle.

[bnme]

Any type of cars
GeoTrax train
Shake and Go Racers

[bnme]

DS will be 4 in January. He loves

Puzzles with lots of pieces
Play Doh
Stickers
GeoTrax
Leapster
Play food & Tea set

[annasmom]

play and child-safe mirrors

stacking cups and rings

gertie ball

[NancyP]

DD (13 months)

Dolls - waldorf 16" doll
Wooden Ball Track - Selecta
Board Books - she loves to carry books around then sit down and open them up
Wooden Ring Stacker
Wooden Ball pounder

[NancyP]

DS #1 - 7 years

Computer game - Knights and Merchants
Wooden Building Blocks
Making tents in the living room with all his stuffed animals around
Venture Ship - Maxim
(I'm getting him Pelican's Landing ) for Christmas
Legos

DS # 2 - 5 years

Dressing up as a Knight and playing sword
Wooden Building Blocks
Legos

[redhookmom]

DS 7 years old

Lego and Playmobil men

blocks

castle

drawing

cash register - he sells items in his room to his little sister

swords and capes

chess

[MarisaSF]

At 26 mos:

DD has the Melissa and Doug floor puzzles with the extra-large pieces (Dinos have 48 pcs, Farm Friends has 32 pcs). We do them several times a day.

Toy kitchen and accessories

Duplo blocks

Coloring

Longer books

Music

Cool and very helpful thread!

[Tondi G]

LEAPSTER!

[VClute]

DS is 21 months old and is currently in love with the Playskool vehicle pals. He has tiny ones and medium ones (He can still hold the medium ones in one hand.)

He also loves books, especially those with lots of trucks and cars in them. He doesn't care about storyline or character development, just cars and trucks. sigh... :)

Amy in NC
mom to Dixon, born 2/14/05
...and let the shopping begin!

A GIRL (!!) Due 3/30/07

[hanaum02]

My son LOVES his guitar (1/2 size) and plays with it every day. Other toys that he loves include:

- Parents Instrument Set (drum with other instruments in it)
- Play Wonders kitchen from Target
- Animal figurines
- Puzzles
- I Spy books


Michelle
Zach (9/3/04)

[amp]

Leapstart Learning Table (now has new name)
Sassy Bug Jar (just now a fav at 12 months)
chunky, small type board books

[amp]

Anything cars, planes, trucks, etc - Matchbox or otherwise.
Trains - has wooden one and a Lionel electric Thomas one, both of which he loves.
Books - story/picture books
sticker books
Parking Gargage
In stores he loves anything kitchen related, so we're getting that for Chrismtas too.
DVD's (current favorites are Thomas, Real Wheels various DVD's and he's asking for Cars for Christmas)
Puzzles
Cariboo, Hi HO Cherrio

[holliam]

My DD is 26 mo and her favorites lately are:

Duplos
Trains
Ryan's Room firetruck and this other Safari truck we have (from FAO clearance)
arts/crafts
Kitchen play
Books to infinity (among her favorites are "I Stink", "Click Clack Moo", "Skeleton Hiccups", "I don't Have Your Eyes" and so many others)
Music
Games (she has an Eeboo memory one and an I Spy one so far that she loves)
Puzzles

Holli

[JacksMommy]

DD is 22 months. This is stuff both she and DS have loved at this age:

M&D play food
push toys (like ones by Haba)
baby stroller
Bear books from Barefoot Books
Purses

Laurel
Mama to Jack 6/02 and Maddy 12/04

Babywearing education in Napa, CA

[JacksMommy]

DS is 4.5

Lyra face pencils (from Magic Cabin) - he likes to apply himself, and they come off easily with soap and water
Swords
Dress up stuff
Hot wheels (still!)
He loves books but seems lukewarm about them as gifts


Laurel
Mama to Jack 6/02 and Maddy 12/04

Babywearing education in Napa, CA

[s7714]

The Lyra Face (Theater) Pencils look pretty neat! I'm wondering how easy do they wash off though--do you have to scrub or do they come off fairly easy? And do any of the colors leave a stain on the skin?

ETF spelling

TIA!
Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[jeniferrlynne]

Sassy Mirror 4-6months
Blocks (baby einstein soft) 6+
Blocks (wooden and Mega)8+ months
Balls (We have wiffle , nerflike baseballs, and Oball)6+ Months
IKEA Stacking Cups 5+months
Leapfrog Learning Table 6+ months
Fisher Price Corn Popper 10+months
Handle Hauler Trucks 10+months
Baby Signing Times (if videos count) 10+months
Little Tikes Climb n slide 10+months
Push and Ride Toys 10+months

[DAKnits]

sorry, meant to reply to the proper post ...

[DAKnits]

My daughter is 27 months (August 10, 2004), and her favorites are:

*Crayola Wonder Markers and coloring books
*Crayons (the chunky ones) and coloring books
*Stickers and sticker books
*The Alex Paper Roll to color on -- there's one in her playroom, and on the table in the family room.
*Painting on her easel -- I use the paints from the set by Parents' Magazine, and the easel she likes best is the Crayola easel, but it's at my parents' house. We have the Alex table top easel which neither of us love, but it doesn't take up room, so we have to use it -- there's no room for a standing one.
*Playdoh
*Anything CINDERELLA!!!! (she watches the DVD every night, has a fleece princess blanket, a Cinderella folding table and two chairs in her room that she uses every day, princess Stickers but especially Cinderella ones)
*Play Wonder "cutting" food
*Train table with train set (this is at her school -- she is obsessed with it. I just bought her a small train set for the holidays which she has gotten yet, which will fit on her small Nilo table).
*Playground playset (the Kellie playground set that isn't made anymore, I got it off ebay).
*Old vintage Fisher Price playsets (school house, the Village, sesame), all from ebay
*Baby dolls (she's got a lot of them) in their cribs and highchairs (I set up a little nursery in her room), with a Doctor kit -- she plays Dr. with them every day, and feeds and puts them to sleep every night.
* Books -- she loves books, right now she's really into the Dinosaur series "How does a Dinosaur eat his food" and "How does a Dinosaur play with his friends"
* Outside, she loves her Kettler Happy Navigator Tricycle, and loves the playground to no end!

I think those are her favorites -- she has so many more toys -- a rediculous amount, actually, but these are played with almost every day. Hope that helps!

[JacksMommy]

I would say they come off relatively easily with soap and water. I apply soap directly to his skin and then wipe with a washcloth and that works pretty well. You do have to use soap,though.

Have never experienced any staining of skin.

HTH,
Laurel
Mama to Jack 6/02 and Maddy 12/04

Babywearing education in Napa, CA

[ctmom]

the best gift my dd got for her 5th bday was a subscription to Highlights Magazine. She cannot wait for it to come in the mail every month.

Holly Hobbie doll and dvd
Charlotte's Web dvd and book(the new version, she already has the old version of both)
books, books and more books (this is what she put on her Santa letter she wrote yesterday)!!

Mary
dd#1 2/01
dd#2 12/03

[KrisM]

DS is 25 months and this is our list, too. I'd add cardboard blocks.

[sdbc]

DD is 2.5

Absolute favorites:
Easel with paint, markers, crayons, etc
Other art projects described in "Scribble Art" (collage-type things)
Things for "helping" around the house (her own rake, swiffer, etc)
48 piece puzzles
Books
BrainQuest game for 3-4 year olds
Music to dance to
Corolle Calin (still)

Likes a whole lot, but not favorite:
Battat wooden dollhouse

Doesn't care so much at the moment:
Play kitchen
tricycle
Rody horse

Has asked for repeatedly (and will get for the holidays):
Globe

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[youngmommy]

DD (2.5 yrs) loves:

Mr. potato head
dolls and her doll stroller, doll diapers, bottles etc.
DVDs
taking baths with bath toys and bubbles
books
gymboree oodles bubbles (i use)
no-spill bubble tumbler (she uses)
(http://www.littlekidsinc.com/products/98012_98015.asp)
kid-sized sunglasses
trike


We have so many books, I would only get another one if it was something really special that I wanted specifically. (Ex: I really want "I know a Rhino")

I do want to get DD more pieces for her "tÄ?do" as she calls her mr. potato head.

I also want a gymbo oodles bubble refill, another bath book, a dr. kit with a real stethoscope, and some dress up stuff like pull-on skirts and hats.

Great thread!

[Saartje]

At 30 months, Ishy's favorite thing is still his wooden trains. That's been true since 15 months. He likes pushing the trains around and he also likes building the tracks in different arrangements.

He also likes books, cars, helium balloons, his Gund stuffed puppy, fire trucks (this one's a new obsession), airplanes, dinosaurs, anything with letters he can pick out (especially the Leapfrog Fridge Phonics), and paper + things to draw with.

[thomma]

Ds and Dd are 3 1/2. Their favorites are:

Ds
Boggle Jr.
puzzles, puzzles, puzzles!
letter factory dvd
He's really starting to play with our fp farm and castle. He makes the characters talk to each other...it's adorable.

Dd
medical kit
fp first dollhouse
pens and little notebook

They both love their duplo blocks and play doh.

[Corie]

Here's my thread about this topic.
(This is from the year 2005.)

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=35672&mode=full

[s7714]

Thanks, Corie!

Jennifer
Mommy to
Miss Pure Energy 3/03
Miss Antsy-Pants 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
(100 posts & BBB member for 3 months req'd)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[bisous]

My DS is 3 years 1 month.

He likes:

Thomas Trains

Animal Planet plastic animals

Fisher Price LP animals

Large plastic animals from the Dollar Store

The cheapest plastic dinosaurs ever

Matchbox Cars

Anything that trains, animals and cars can be put into (boxes, buckets, jars, etc.)

Duplos

Magnets

Stickers

Fingerpaint

Playdough

Clay

Chalk

Sand toys

I'm lucky--his favorite toys EVER are completely free from the backyard including rocks, sticks, leaves, dirt, real bugs, puddles, flowers, etc.

Buzz Lightyear and Woody

The McDonald's HappyMeal "Cars" toys (he got from his Aunt)

Puzzles

Fun thread!

Jen

[denna]

DS from 2mo until present LOVES his Gemini (sp?) play mat. It was by far our best investment(!)

At 4mo he *picked* out a toy frog by Lamaze and still loves this. We also have the toy dragonfly that he still loves.

He has had the clutch cube since (Lamaze) since about 3mo and plays w/ it occasionally.

DS loves play silks and crawling around on his puzzlemats from www.greatmats.com.

*Also other toys that have been previously mentioned*

[stefani]

At 38 months, DS's favorite book is Richard Scarry's "Cars and Things that Go" (the one with Goldbug in it). He wants to read that every night, even after reading another book.

He loves animals (from Michael's), cars and trains.

[[email protected]]

I'm not sure if I should post in this part of the thread or the 0-12 month since DS turned 1 a week ago. Currently, his favoriteth toys are:
blocks (foam baby Einstein & parents magazine, peek-a-blocks and now mega blocks),
anything with wheels especially his fisher price peek-a-block train and Parents magazine cars,
he got a bead maze from his grandpa that my nephew 18 months couldn't get enough of,
and he and my neice fought over a big digger ride on.

When he gets bigger I think he'll really like the FP bouncy zebra thing (cannot for the life of me remember its real name). He's a little too short, but he kept trying to ride it at grandma's this weekend.

I'd love to see more suggestions in this category especially for boys.

Best wishes,

Christine W

[MeAndMyStar]

My DD is 17 months old. She likes:

-Books! Can't get enough of them!

-Simple wooden puzzles with knobs on the pieces

-Anything to do with numbers, letters, or shapes (puzzles, blocks, shape sorters)

-Ride-on toys

-Bath toys (duckies, cups, bath books)

HTH, Sarah

[egan284]

DD, 3yo

Scissors, paper, glue
Easel, crayon, paints
Books, and books, and books
Piano
Kitchen, Tea Set
Puzzle

eta Scotch Tape

[MelissaTC]

DS is almost 4.5

letter factory DVD
Leap Frog word whammer
unit blocks
kitchen
M&D lacing beads
trains
cars
cooking sets from Target
legos
floor puzzles
art supplies like crayons, markers, color pencils

[jacksmomtobe]

DS who is 2 yrs 8 mo loves his Imaginarium Train table & set. He is a big truck & train guy. He also loves books on trucks and trains some favorite books:
*Dumpy the Dumptruck by Julie Andrews Edwards (there are a whole series of them, I think we own 3 or 4, the only one DS hasn't loved is Dumpy and the Big Storm, these are books I don't mind reading him over and over)
*Dot the Fire Dog - we took this out from the library and ds constantly wants to take it out so I've ordered it from Amazon
*Richard Scarry - Busytown, Cars Trucks, What do People Do.
*Duck in The Truck - There are a few good duck books by Jez Alborough
Some others..Click, Clack Moo, Elmo books,

He loves Sticker books. The best ones are the "Sticker Activity" line which include ones such as "My Giant Sticker Activity Book", "My Big Book of Stickers". These have quality stickers. We took some of these on our last vacation where we couldn't bring a lot of toys and they were great. I got ours at Target but just noticed that Amazon has great prices on these.

Magnet books - He really uses his imagination with these. He has an airport one and gets really creative with it. We have a few from the Imaginetics line that are great. Choose a brand that has thicker magnets. I bought one book with thinner ones that were more like colorforms and they were too hard for my son to use. I also bought a Thomas imaginetics one that wasn't great because it only had a few pieces. I would suggest choosing sets that have a good number of pieces. Some of the pieces are things such as construction cones, etc. so they don't add much to creating a story. Also the Create a Scene line that has a construction set, fire station set are good as well.

He loves his ride on Home Depot Big Digger that I've seen at Toys R Us. He's on that every day (we keep it inside). He also enjoys pushing around his a giant yellow dump truck from Tonka.

Arts & Crafts stuff is also good..crayons, stickers, construction paper. He's now into watercolors. A great project for him is decorating boxes for mailing gifts (we had a big year for new baby & sibling gifts) or creating birthday cards using construction paper & stickers where I write some words in.

We don't have a play kitchen however he does like to pretend to be making pizza (another good book Pete's a Pizza) so this year I'll probably get him some kitchen gear & play food. Maybe next year he & his sister will get a kitchen.

Happy Shopping Everyone!

[jacksmomtobe]

I also forgot his toy cell phone from Parents magazine. He loves to "talk" on it to his friends. While we were on vacation he would "call" his friends each day and tell them what he had done. Some more good books Machines at Work and the other Byron Barton books.

[jacksmomtobe]

The toys I found most useful when Ds was this age were:

*The Whoozit - love this toy since it is soft and you don't have to worry about dc banging themselves and hurting themselves with it when they don't have great hand control. There is so much to interest them with all the colors, etc. Probably one of my favorite toys ever even though it is so simple.

*Different soft blocks with pictures & diff textures on each side

*The gymini - used this one all the time & now use it again with dd. It's great for tummy time and general playing. Absolutely love the "My First Wind Chimes" addt'l attachment that you can buy, someone on this board recommended it when I was looking for a kick toy without an electronic annoying noise, this one has a nice little jingle

*As they get older @8-9 mo the Leap Frog Learning Table. DS learned to stand right after getting this toy. It provided so much entertainment and I who doesn't love noisy electronic toys was not annoyed by the songs & noises.

Happy Holidays!

[mommyapb]

DD adores Thats not my Monster Usborne book. I don't mind reading it 100 timers a day b/c it is so cute.

[BeachBum]

DS is 15 months

Toys that get played with daily

I-Play Brand Tool box--it is an 18 mo toy and about 12"x9" he can do most of the stuff but not all, which is perfect. It has a screwdriver, hammer, wrench and battery operated drill. We also take it in the car a lot. Got it at 12 mo
I play bran- Ball Shute It has 2 balls, a penguin and a frog. The frog goes down the tube and the others go around, and have their own hole they come out of. Great toy.

Rocking Horse --we have the one from Magic Cabin
Step 2 Kangaroo Climber
Sandbox
Flash Cards
Lift the flap books
Little Tuffies Trucks--3 in the set

New things that seem to be a hit
Apple Pie Brand wooden dog pull toy
Learning Tower!!!!!!!