super engaging gift idea for 14mos old?

[omelette]

My son will be 14.5 months old at Christmas time.  What are some gift ideas that are engaging for that age group?

I've bought him a playmobil123 little truck and garage with shapes that fit through the roof and drop into the back of the truck but I am looking for something else to add with it.  

I've looked at the toy store but feel so overwhelmed - half of it looks like junk and the other half looks like fun but for the price I wonder how long he'll actually play with it for.

Any suggestions?

[Chamomile Girl]

My son just turned 17 months today and these are his favorite toys:

 Montgomery Schoolhouse cars

Plan Toys play food

Play Kitchen

This Zany Zoo (better pictures here)

Play scarves (sorry no link)

[crunchy_mommy]

We have something similar to the zany zoo (got it from a thrift store, I think it's the Maxim cube?) and DS loved that from about 14-18mos but has since grown out of it -- but the top comes off so now we store his blocks in it so it still gets lots of use!

DS also loved something like this for months but I guess it's just too easy/simplistic for him now http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Shape-Sorting-Cube/dp/B00005RF5G/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1291130748&sr=1-1

The thing he uses most right now (at 21mos) & that seems to have the most long-term play value is his little metal pots and pans (we're hoping he'll get a play kitchen for Christmas) and his tool set (just a cheap plastic tool set that includes power tools etc., like the Black & Decker ones, we got it second-hand but he loves it so much that I'm thinking of replacing it with a more sturdy wooden set when this one is too worn out). With the pots & pans he likes to pour dry beans & get spices out of our cabinets to pretend to spice them, and of course pretend to eat. He plays with his tools all day long, finding screws around the house to 'tighten' and pretending to cut his wooden blocks.

He also loves little animals & mid-size/large cars & trucks. We have a couple wooden cars (about 12") and he puts his little 2" animals in them & drives them around.

[tzs]

the one thing that dd plays with the most...like all...the...time....is her riding toy. also anything that can be pushed around. we have a big metal tonka-style dump truck that she pushes around and gathers things to put in the back of it. 

[kismetbaby]

I suppose it really depends on what kind of kid your LO is. . .some like toys that go, some toys that make noise, etc.

But my son is 14m and these are his favs right now:

--Melissa and Doug tool box/kit  (he loves anything with parts/things that fit together, they also make a pound-a-peg board that has fewer small parts, but similar idea)

--musical toys (current fav is a xylophone)

--pull back cars 

--hand puppets

--toy food/kitchen stuff (love the Plan toys stuff)

--lift-the-flap books

He loves anything with parts/lids/stacking, anything on wheels, and anything musical.

For Xmas we are getting him this: http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Flyer-Classic-Tiny-Trike/dp/B00005BRNH/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1291239638&sr=8-10

[shnitzel]

The only thing that will engage DD for a while is blocks. She can sit for over half an hour building tower after tower, and that's the only time she sits. It's a present that grows with them because he can start knocking them over now!

[tzs]

Originally Posted by omelette 

My son will be 14.5 months old at Christmas time.  What are some gift ideas that are engaging for that age group?

I've bought him a playmobil123 little truck and garage with shapes that fit through the roof and drop into the back of the truck but I am looking for something else to add with it.  

I've looked at the toy store but feel so overwhelmed - half of it looks like junk and the other half looks like fun but for the price I wonder how long he'll actually play with it for.

Any suggestions?

we JUST got that playmobil thing for chanukah tonight from the grandparents.....love it and so does she!!!!