what do you give your baby to put in their mouth besides toys?

[indigosky]

We have a couple nice wooden and cloth toys which DD (4 months) is really enjoying mouthing. I'm reluctant to spend the money to buy more, and increasingly skeptical of the safety of all the plastic stuff. She likes an ice cube tied into a clean sock, too. And I guess we can try spoons. What else is good to offer a baby?

[cat13]

DS (8 mo) likes anything that's not a baby toy. So, as long as he won't hurt himself and as long as I don't care if it gets drooled on or dropped, he can have it. He loves my keys, wooden spoons, the pasta strainer, the arm to our rocking chair, an old toothbrush (well, not old, but he took it over so I had to get a new one). He really, really loves my phone, but I'm not ready for him to destroy it so I tend to keep it away from him.

[blackbird2]

whole raw veggies - just be smart about choking hazards of course.

[Shaki]

get a washcloth wet and then stick it in the freezer...goodtimes!

[indigosky]

Thanks for the ideas!

For what it's worth, I don't think keys are considered safe for babies because they may contain lead -- see http://www.mothering.com/community/t/469226/psa-keys-contain-lead-dont-let-babies-play-with-them .