Must Have Items for Ages 4-8 months?

[new_mom_mry]

Ok, by "must have" I really mean "nice to have" items and "made my life so much easier" items, which includes toys of all sizes and shapes and anything else you can think of! I know this sounds a bit vague, but I hope the vagueness of my question will still inspire some good answers. So far DS has a Luv U Zoo jumperoo, LeapFrog Scout, lots of teethers, some stacking cups, Manhattan Toy Winkel and Skwish, a bunch of colorful Lamaze toys, and that's about it. I know that mamas on these boards love the LeapFrog Learn and Groove Table, but what else will DS enjoy playing with in the coming months? We will be moving in the next 4 months, so that's why I am limiting the age range to 4-8 months, but if you can think of items that will be handy in the 8-12 months range, please share them as well! TIA!

[katydid1971]

On the lower end of that age range we loved our gym I got from baby resale store. This one: http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Love-Deluxe-Lights-Activity/dp/B000067K0L/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1298055358&sr=1-2
On the later side we LOVED the learn and groove table!!!!

[mom2khj]

Some sort of push toy?

[vonfirmath]

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Home?

And some kind of mat with hanging toys over. This becomes VERY useful at this age. To lie down and see toys over without mom or dad having to hold them.

[new_mom_mry]

Some sort of push toy?

like a walker wagon of sorts? any recommendations?

[new_mom_mry]

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Home?

And some kind of mat with hanging toys over. This becomes VERY useful at this age. To lie down and see toys over without mom or dad having to hold them.

forgot to mention that he also has the tiny love gymini and the bjorn bouncer, and a set of musical instruments by b. parum pum pum--didn't mention these items because I was looking towards the future and he is getting lots of use out of them now. Oddly, he is only somewhat interested in the gym...I think he isn't in love with laying down unless someone is showing him something super super exciting, like the musical instruments. He likes being upright, and he LOVES looking at himself in the mirror :)

[citymama]

SOPHIE THE GIRAFFE! I guess it's in the "nice to have" rather than must have. Also Haba wooden teethers - DD has preferred these over her Winkel or other plasticky teethers. As soon as she could sit up (around 6 months) she has loved her shape sorter box (we have a cheap Fisher Price kind). I also LOVE the Oball rattle - PVC and BPA free ball that's so easy for babies to hold. And Green Toys stacking cups for bath and floor time.

At this age, I also loved: Fisher Price Healthy Booster (we haven't used a high chair with either), Mimi the Sardine wipe off bib (so much easier to clean with the puree baby food smeared everywhere), Robeez and Hanna mocs, and most of all, our Pikkolo and Ergo Baby carriers. :bowdown: Those last two are truly "can't live without" items.

ETA I should add that my DD2 is 9 months old, so I feel I have some recent expertise to share - unlike say, 6 months ago when I couldn't remember a darn thing about this stage from our older kid! ;)

[mom2khj]

like a walker wagon of sorts? any recommendations?

Yes, something like that. No recs from me though, DS is just entering this age and it's been 5 years since I had a baby, LOL.

My mom did purchase us one for Christmas, but I honestly didn't look that close at it and it hasn't been opened yet. It's something by V-tech. My request to her was something he could sit and play with once he's sitting, then converts to a push-toy for when he's cruising/getting ready to walk.

ETA - this is the one my mom got us -

http://www.amazon.com/Vtech-Sit-Stand-Alphabet-Train/dp/B0015399MG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1298058236&sr=1-5

ETA - DS also LOVES Sophie. He can hold onto it better than the other teethers he has and he goes to town!

[new_mom_mry]

I also LOVE the Oball rattle - PVC and BPA free ball that's so easy for babies to hold.

thank you so much for the wealth of recommendations--DS has a bendy ball (http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-30974-Bendy-Ball/dp/B001UF8BL4) --does that qualify as the Oball rattle?

[mom2khj]

I just remembered, I re-bought this for DS because DD1 loved it so much.

Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube

http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-3106-Mozart-Magic-Cube/dp/B00004TFLB/ref=sr_1_106?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1298058045&sr=1-106

[rin]

IKEA makes a really nice walker wagon that's fairly heavy so kids can't tip it over so easily. I wish we'd gotten that one, but our inlaws had already given us a wooden one that came with a bunch of colored wooden blocks in the wagon bed. Since we got it (about 7 months) our daughter's loved walking behind it, but she originally had a hard time pulling herself up on it since it's pretty lightweight.

[citymama]

thank you so much for the wealth of recommendations--DS has a bendy ball (http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-30974-Bendy-Ball/dp/B001UF8BL4) --does that qualify as the Oball rattle?

If it works, don't fix it!

The toys I recommended, including Oball (but not the FP sorter) are all BPA and PVC free "safer" toys, if that is a factor. You might want to get the regular Oball for your DS (not the rattle kind) since he will be able to play with that for a long, long time. My older DD who is almost 5 loves playing with the regular Oball since it's so easy to catch!

[sunnyside]

Citymama and I are like the same person.

My girl is 7 months and loves Sophie, Haba teethers and Haba rattles of all kinds, the Oball, the Green Toys stacking cups, she loves her Apple Park soft blocks, Manhattan Toys birdhouse fill and spill, Lifehouse teether ring, Jellycat soft books with the tails (she has the pets one, and i'm getting her 2 more). I"ll second the Healthy Booster seat and Ergo carrier. I also really like the 3 in 1 stroller shade by Protect a bub for keeping baby napping in her stroller when needed). We love the Leapfrog table, though she is still too little for it mostly. And we got a LARGE bead maze second hand that DD loves so much. It's her favorite, but we have to move the beads for her or at least supervise her really well because she can pull it over.

The boppy was indispensable for letting her sit up to play with her things until she could sit up by herself really well (last week). Definitely got our money's worth out of that one!


SOPHIE THE GIRAFFE! I guess it's in the "nice to have" rather than must have. Also Haba wooden teethers - DD has preferred these over her Winkel or other plasticky teethers. As soon as she could sit up (around 6 months) she has loved her shape sorter box (we have a cheap Fisher Price kind). I also LOVE the Oball rattle - PVC and BPA free ball that's so easy for babies to hold. And Green Toys stacking cups for bath and floor time.

At this age, I also loved: Fisher Price Healthy Booster (we haven't used a high chair with either), Mimi the Sardine wipe off bib (so much easier to clean with the puree baby food smeared everywhere), Robeez and Hanna mocs, and most of all, our Pikkolo and Ergo Baby carriers. :bowdown: Those last two are truly "can't live without" items.

ETA I should add that my DD2 is 9 months old, so I feel I have some recent expertise to share - unlike say, 6 months ago when I couldn't remember a darn thing about this stage from our older kid! ;)

[citymama]

Citymama and I are like the same person.

My girl is 7 months and loves Sophie, Haba teethers and Haba rattles of all kinds, the Oball, the Green Toys stacking cups, she loves her Apple Park soft blocks, Manhattan Toys birdhouse fill and spill, Lifehouse teether ring, Jellycat soft books with the tails (she has the pets one, and i'm getting her 2 more). I"ll second the Healthy Booster seat and Ergo carrier. I also really like the 3 in 1 stroller shade by Protect a bub for keeping baby napping in her stroller when needed). We love the Leapfrog table, though she is still too little for it mostly. And we got a LARGE bead maze second hand that DD loves so much. It's her favorite, but we have to move the beads for her or at least supervise her really well because she can pull it over.

The boppy was indispensable for letting her sit up to play with her things until she could sit up by herself really well (last week). Definitely got our money's worth out of that one!

Oy, we really are - I forgot about our Lifecycle teether ring and Jellycat books which I think are the best soft baby books ever, and one of my new fave shower gifts. We have the Manhattan Toys birdhouse, which my older DD (age almost 5!) adores but the baby has very little interest in! Mishka, let's keep trading notes re toys because we seem to have mirror toy collections! (Speaking of which, all these toys are stored in a 3 Sprouts elephant toy box (http://www.allmodern.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=OUT1000&refid=FR81-OUT1000) - I dare you to say you have the same toy box, because well, that would be just ridiculous ;)!)

[citymama]

IKEA makes a really nice walker wagon that's fairly heavy so kids can't tip it over so easily. I wish we'd gotten that one, but our inlaws had already given us a wooden one that came with a bunch of colored wooden blocks in the wagon bed. Since we got it (about 7 months) our daughter's loved walking behind it, but she originally had a hard time pulling herself up on it since it's pretty lightweight.

I've been thinking about this for DD2 - I was originally considering the Haba toys wooden walker wagon, but that is really $$$. The IKEA one seems similar at a fraction of the price. I'm just concerned with both of them about the risk of the unsteady new toddler banging into the stainless steel bar across the top. Has anyone had any trouble with this issue, with either kind of walker wagon? (To the OP, I do think this is more a 9-12 month toy than a 4-8 month one unless you have a super early walker!)

ETA This IKEA wooden shape sorter looks awesome - and $4.99! http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80163229

[new_mom_mry]

thanks everyone--lots of great ideas! I love the Apple Park soft blocks--so cute, as are all of the other recommendations! I love researching and buying stuff for DS, it's so much fun! DH complained when I would buy him clothes in the past, so now I have a sweet little guy who loves it when I shop for him, and DH is happy that I am no longer buying him clothes (he claims he has enough clothes for 10 years now). :)

[new_mom_mry]

Oh, forgot to ask, are Ikea wooden toys BPA and PVC free?

[sunnyside]

Oy, we really are - I forgot about our Lifecycle teether ring and Jellycat books which I think are the best soft baby books ever, and one of my new fave shower gifts. We have the Manhattan Toys birdhouse, which my older DD (age almost 5!) adores but the baby has very little interest in! Mishka, let's keep trading notes re toys because we seem to have mirror toy collections! (Speaking of which, all these toys are stored in a 3 Sprouts elephant toy box (http://www.allmodern.com/asp/show_detail.asp?sku=OUT1000&refid=FR81-OUT1000) - I dare you to say you have the same toy box, because well, that would be just ridiculous ;)!)

Haha, we have three little toy bins that her daddy got somewhere that I am not sure of. He is the organizer and I am the procurer of stuff which needs organizing. We definitely should keep comparing notes! We have the radio flyer wagon in the garage for the future, but I'm not sure about it yet either. And I am going to get her one of these Waldorf dolls soon. http://www.urthchild.com/jwhbd.html

[sunnyside]

Here's a pic with the Apple Park blocks so you can see how nice they are. They are so soft and well made. I love pointing to the various numbers, fruit, and animals on them and saying their names.:

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii71/cloudnineoneone/IMG_1149-1.jpg
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii71/cloudnineoneone/IMG_1191-1.jpg

[citymama]

Mishka, your DD is a doll! I love her outfit too!

[sunnyside]

Mishka, your DD is a doll! I love her outfit too!

Thank you! The outfit is Matilda Jane, which is usually not really my style that much, but I just adore the baby bubble.

[ohsara430]

sophie and although 4-8 months seems young for a push toy/wagon, since it was brought up, I'll give you a great recommendation for this one

http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Flyer-Classic-Walker-Wagon/dp/B00005AWB5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1298089880&sr=8-1-spell

Seriously best wagon ever, DD loves it and I can't imagine not having it. It has some resistance so she can pull herself up and walk without me worrying it's going to slide right out from under her. It's also not nearly as tippy as the all plastic push toys. LOVE this wagon!

[new_mom_mry]

MishkaMishka--your DD is adorable!! :) Love the blocks! I went to Apple Park's website and also liked their monkey lovey blankie, so ordered that for DS from Amazon for now. We will eventually need to trade him his lovey for his paci...so figured will be a useful item.

Thanks everyone else for your recommendations! Great ideas! Now I will just have to post in the kid food forum re: must have feeding solids items :)