Toys/Gifts ideas for our LO's for the holidays

[StrongFeather]

nak

so i have come to realize that i am a bit of a minimalist with toys and "things" for Sam, BUT on the same hand I want him to have some toys that will really get some use from him in the next couple months.

This is more for the Moms that have done this before, though, I bet some of you first time Mommas have an idea or two up your sleeve. What I am looking for is a couple of ideas of gifts to get Sam this Christmas. I know it's more for me and DH than Sam, as he really won't get presents by then, but he'll grow to understand the toys, and I am sure appreciate playing with them.

So I need gift ideas!

Anyone got a good one? I tend towards wooden things, natural toys, and educational ..but I have also learned that just b/c I think one thing doesn't really mean much. I am open to anything

What ideas have you got?

[lisa_nc]

I like Melissa and Doug stuff

[pjs]

we're getting a lambskin, some wooden blocks (rainbow sound blocks), and some books

[2boyzmama]

I think it's never too early for Leap Frog toys. We got Ian Lulu the Letter Spider for his first birthday, and within 6 months he knew every letter of the alphabet, you could say "Ian, find the 's'" and he would, or you could ask "Ian, what letter is that?" and he got it right every time. It was amazing! He started reading letters to me from street signs license plates, anywhere we went he was identifying letters. And he wasn't even 2!! Now at 4 he knows all the letter sounds and many combinations, so is sounding out a whole lot of words. Everywhere we go he's reading words to me.

SO...Leap Frog toys get my recommendation!!

[cristeen]

I've been looking through the Nova Naturals catalog and eyeing the rainbow stackers (I remember loving mine as a kid), the organic rattle ball, and the walker's wagon. I got a wooden helicopter pull toy at the thrift store a few weeks ago for $7, too. Probably a maple teether.

His nana, aunties, grandma and great-grandma will spoil him, I'm sure... so what that's going to leave me to buy will be his first doll, since none of them will.

[MichelleAnnette]

We don't really get the kids toys because the grandparents like to do that.

[dosergirl]

i know that we will get cora a christmas ornament for her first christmas, definitely.

i plan on getting some books, cause i am always getting her books anyway, but i saw a pop up version of The Little Prince and she must have that. haha. it's my favorite book.

as for toys, i know i want her to have Sophie the Giraffe, so that seems good, it's a teether so she won't neeed it for awhile but i love it
i'm also going to end up getting her one of those silly walker thing, the play circle things that they sit in and there are toys all around (althought i think they are stationary now not actually walkers?) anyway, i don't even know what they are called, they are hideous looking but i loved mine when i was a baby and have some friends who agree.

and good movies. i know babies aren't supposed to watch tv for the first year or two, but who am i kidding? the tv is on, so even if she isn't watching, i'd like to have some good things to pop on, like with music.

and clothes.

i'm sure my parents are going to go overboard and i probably don't need to actually get anything. i think i just want pictures of presents under the tree and such for her first christmas.

i am rambling.

[2boyzmama]

Originally Posted by dosergirl

i know that we will get cora a christmas ornament for her first christmas, definitely.

i plan on getting some books, cause i am always getting her books anyway, but i saw a pop up version of The Little Prince and she must have that. haha. it's my favorite book.

as for toys, i know i want her to have Sophie the Giraffe, so that seems good, it's a teether so she won't neeed it for awhile but i love it
i'm also going to end up getting her one of those silly walker thing, the play circle things that they sit in and there are toys all around (althought i think they are stationary now not actually walkers?) anyway, i don't even know what they are called, they are hideous looking but i loved mine when i was a baby and have some friends who agree.

and good movies. i know babies aren't supposed to watch tv for the first year or two, but who am i kidding? the tv is on, so even if she isn't watching, i'd like to have some good things to pop on, like with music.

and clothes.

i'm sure my parents are going to go overboard and i probably don't need to actually get anything. i think i just want pictures of presents under the tree and such for her first christmas.

i am rambling.

An exersaucer. And yes, they're great! It's a good place to put baby while you cook, clean, poop We had a small one that we could switch the toys out of to keep his interest. I used to bring it in the bathroom so I could take a long shower and baby would stay happy. We started using it at 4 months with baby propped up, he liked to just look at the colorseven if he couldn't actually play yet.

[StrongFeather]

thanks for the great ideas Mommas, keep 'em coming!!
I am indeed making a list

[Siobhain]

I was just looking through the Nova Naturals catalogue and found a few things I want to get for Soleil. She won't get much, maybe just a few things from us and one thing from Santa and a few little things in her stocking. Dh joked that we could just get her more cloth diapers and I got excited about that LOL but my bigger kids might catch on if Santa brings the cloth diapers that we use

[~Laura~]

Originally Posted by 2boyzmama

SO...Leap Frog toys get my recommendation!!

Ditto! We had the one with the letter pieces you stick into this speaker thing and it sang a song for each one. "The A says ahh, the A says ahh! Every letter makes a sound the A says ahh." So when they were starting to read and they got stuck on some letter sound, we would just have to say, "The M says..." and the would instantly finish it with the right sound. It's magic like that!

Same for the videos. We had them in the DVD players in the cars. Again, we use the songs to help the kids when they get stuck. "Silent E makes the first vowel says its name! mmmm-a-k-e, MAKE!"

For us, we are getting Emme:

- Sophie the Giraffe
- Cloud B Sleep Sheep
- Play Gym (the kind they lay under with hanging toys)
- A special organic blanket/lovey to start keeping with us for starting a sleep routine when she's a little bigger.

I think we've owned every piece of baby equipment there is, and we bought less and less with each kid. For this one, I am focused on safe things to chew on, safe places to play and explore, and lots of loving faces to look at.

Laura

[Lovinmum]

We got Kai some little toys like a stuffed animal and the leap frog doggie "scout" but he is also getting his brothers saucer for cmas. Those things really a life saver.

[tzs]

laura...
you aren;t the one who keeps outbidding me for the playskool kick gym on ebay, are you??????
i also ebay'd ada a "happy apple" just because i had one when i was a baby and my parents were determined that she have as well. too bad they don;t make some of the toy "greats" anymore. even "little people" turned into crap.

[2boyzmama]

Originally Posted by ~Laura~

Ditto! We had the one with the letter pieces you stick into this speaker thing and it sang a song for each one. "The A says ahh, the A says ahh! Every letter makes a sound the A says ahh." So when they were starting to read and they got stuck on some letter sound, we would just have to say, "The M says..." and the would instantly finish it with the right sound. It's magic like that!

Same for the videos. We had them in the DVD players in the cars. Again, we use the songs to help the kids when they get stuck. "Silent E makes the first vowel says its name! mmmm-a-k-e, MAKE!"

Laura

Yep, this is why Ian is reading in preschool It's not ME teaching him much at all, it's not like I'm sitting there with flashcards! It's all Leap Frog! We also have the letter magnets, now he has the one that forms words. He also has Letter Factory movie and the next level up, whatever it's called. Not only is it educational, but he likes it! I don't feel bad about putting in a Leap Frog DVD if I want some time without him underfoot!

[StrongFeather]

Originally Posted by tzs

laura...
you aren;t the one who keeps outbidding me for the playskool kick gym on ebay, are you??????
i also ebay'd ada a "happy apple" just because i had one when i was a baby and my parents were determined that she have as well. too bad they don;t make some of the toy "greats" anymore. even "little people" turned into crap.

omg, happly apple! LOVED that toy!

[tzs]

seriously, pretty much everything we are getting ada at this point is for my husband and i to play with. we found one of those fisher price braille-looking record players at a rummage and HAd to have it.

but i'm trying really hard to stock up on open-ended toys and avoid as many gadgets as possible...as much as they make me feel like we have to buy them.

i teach 2 year olds and it's sad to see these little kids who have a really hard time with imaginative play and instead only know how to push light-up-noise-making buttons. i usually go around taking the batteries out of all the toys in the room to force them to actually "play." my friend who teaches k4 tells me it's really sad how many kids get to her room without knowing what to do with a pile of blocks.

i read something once that i loved...that the best gift for a one-year-old is a box of kleenex. what a great thing when you think about it! i hope my mommy-brain can remember this for the 1st birthday!!!!

[pastrygirl]

I got this: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Toys-Teet...d=GJCYCOR8A7EI

Someone described it as a ball full of nipples... so I know that Caleb will love it!

I also got a vibrating butterfly teether that my old son LOVED when he was little.

[2boyzmama]

http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Toy-...ref=pd_sim_t_9

this was a big hit with my other two boys starting really young because they can grasp it wherever they want, there's no handle you know? and it's soft, so they can bang it on their own head and be fine

[acemama]

I have to say I discovered www.oompatoys.com on Mothering a few years ago an love it! They have some super cool stuff! I need to stay away from that site since we are having a credit Christmas this year

[tzs]

i think i've spent hours on the oompa site!