activity center/busy zoo/deluxe mini play cube

[larig]

I'm in the market for one of these kinds of things for my soon-to-be one year old son. I like the price of the first two (little activity center (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000CSQ71G/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A154Z3BZB2CCWS&v=glance) $32 and busy zoo (http://www.amazon.com/Parents-Busy-Zoo/dp/B000H396VY/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_3)-$48 respectively), so I've ruled out the Anatex deluxe mini play cube (http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Mini-Play-Cube-Anatex/dp/B00009IMDI/ref=pd_cp_ba_1) because it's $100.

Any feedback on any of these? Any reason why I should spend $50 more for the anatex? what about the safety of these things--paint & whatnot?

Thanks for the help picking out a bday present for my little dude.

[Momof3Labs]

We had the Parents one because I thought it was so cute! DS1 was about 4yo at the time and DS2 was a year or so. It got so little playtime that I sold it at a garage sale after a year.

Has your son showed interest in these toys at someone's house?

[larig]

He hasn't shown interest in one like it, but he has loved the toys on the baby einstein exersaucer thing my SIL is letting us borrow. It has things to spin and buttons to push, so I thought he might like this. Right now, he stands up next to the exersaucer to play with the toys on there when he's not even in the exersaucer. But if this is going to gather dust our house is way too small for it!

[Momof3Labs]

He hasn't shown interest in one like it, but he has loved the toys on the baby einstein exersaucer thing my SIL is letting us borrow. It has things to spin and buttons to push, so I thought he might like this. Right now, he stands up next to the exersaucer to play with the toys on there when he's not even in the exersaucer. But if this is going to gather dust our house is way too small for it!

My boys loved playing on the exersaucer like that too, but not the activity cube. I don't know why!

[hellokitty]

We had the Parents one because I thought it was so cute! DS1 was about 4yo at the time and DS2 was a year or so. It got so little playtime that I sold it at a garage sale after a year.

Has your son showed interest in these toys at someone's house?

That's what we have too. I'm eager for baby #3 to get to use it as well. My older two loved it and it's great for when they are standing up, b/c they like to hold onto it.

[lowrioh]

We have the Parent's one and DD plays with it a lot. She started showing interest in it at around 7 months.

[pastrygirl]

We have the Busy Zoo, and my son still plays with it occasionally (he'll be 3 on Wednesday).

[maydaymommy]

DS has not shown much interest in the Busy Zoo one. We have another, close to the Anatex, that he seems to like more. I am hanging on to it, thinking maybe the next one will enjoy it.