I've been asked multiple times from various people for a comprehensive list of the top items that have been helpful with Clara. I don't know how to do that all in one list, because what was extremely helpful when she was a newborn is often not anymore now that she's 13 months old. Therefore to address this question, I'm going to do a blog series of recommendations based on either an age or a category. I hope for many of you new mommies, or soon-to-be mommies, this is helpful!
Babies have such different temperaments; some are super laid-back and easy-going, others are high-maintenance and particular, and many fall somewhere in between. Please keep in mind that my recommendations are based on Clara - a highly active, busy, but happy baby.
TOP 5 TOYS
1. Little Tikes School Bus
I was getting desperate when I started searching for a small-ish playset that could work inside and outside, that Clara could climb all over without me having a heart attack. Clara is a climber, and she was starting to climb ladders, furniture, shelves, you name it. I stumbled across this gem available both at Toys R Us and Amazon.com. If you decide to purchase, check both sites because sometimes it's hugely discounted at one or the other.
PROS: Very durable - I believe it will last us through all of our kids. It has a good sized slide for a small child still learning how to slide properly. C also likes to climb up the slide and then come down. There are two "steps" for her to climb up on - one under the steering wheel, and one to the side. The stickers look nice, and stick well. There is an interactive steering wheel, horn, gear shift, and key, as well as 4 wheels that turn to display shapes, numbers, colors, and letters, and a stop sign that comes out. It's about the size of a generous coffee table, so it can fit easily in most houses and would tolerate outdoor conditions well.
CONS: Assembly is a PITA. We figured it would be after reading other reviews, so at least we were prepared. You will need a drill, although the directions don't claim you do. It took Bryan about 2 hours to put it together, and that's pretty fast compared to what other reviewers were saying. Once the stickers are on it is IMPOSSIBLE to fix them without tearing the sticker. The horn is also too stiff for a baby to honk, so you'll need to do it for them.
Despite the cons - 5 stars. Best. Investment. Ever.
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| Posing on the slide |
2. Melissa & Doug Shopping Cart
http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-4071-Shopping-Cart/dp/B000VO3GPG
The reason we started looking into kid-sized shopping carts was because whenever we were at the floor, Clara would want to push the cart from the ground (ewww). We thought if she had her own, perhaps she would enjoy pushing her's so much that she wouldn't care if she did it at Kroger or Target. We were half-way right :) She loves pushing her shopping cart, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to push the ones at the store either.
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| Barefoot in Walmart, ack |
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| With her shopping cart, and bear up front |
PROS: Well-made and durable. I know this is going to last us through all of our kids. Since it's made of metal not plastic, it does not tip nearly as easily as other shopping carts on the market. It's a little tall for a petite 1yr old, but I think that means it will work well the entire toddler/Pre-K years. It has a "baby" seat that can be open or closed, which C likes to put her stuffed animals in. It's deep enough to fit several toys, while not being so deep as to be unable to get them back out. Easy to assemble.
CONS: It could potentially cause damage to walls and furniture before baby learns how to steer. We personally haven't really had that problem (maybe one or two scratches on a door frame), but I noticed several other reviewers did. Compared to how busy this keeps Clara, I have no problem painting the few places that need touch-ups.
3. Fisher-Price Walker
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| She pushes it both ways |
PROS: Great for balance and learning to walk. Colorful. Fairly stable (keeping in mind a child is learning to walk using it :), especially for how light-weight it is. I have been known to take it to the doctor's office or other places where I know we will have to wait a while and need to keep her entertained.
CONS: There are other walkers on the market that are probably more engaging on the "activity" end of it (some play music, etc.) but they are more expensive. A determined child could peel the stickers off if she wanted to (*cough* Clara *cough*)
We were given this walker as a gift, and C has used the heck out of it. With this particular product, I would recommend shopping around to find a walker you like - but I would HIGHLY recommend you get one! We found this to be far more useful than the type of walker that the baby sits in and scoots around in.
4. DIY Ball Pit
I can't give you a particular ball pit, but I can link to you an example of a baby pool and balls to use.
Depending on how many kiddos you think will be using it at a time, you should let that impact the size pool you get. This would be a perfect example of a pool for a child that will primarily be using it by him or herself: http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Sunset-Glow-Baby-Pool/dp/B000I9RZOW/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1374505855&sr=1-3&keywords=baby+pool
With 2 or 3 kids, a pool like this: http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Kiddie-Pool-Summer-Sunset/dp/B0000U11LW/ref=sr_1_13?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1374505855&sr=1-13&keywords=baby+pool would be a better size.
If you don't have a crazy active child, a ball pit like this: http://www.amazon.com/Step2-Catch-And-Play-Ball/dp/B004SKXNOS/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1374506021&sr=1-1&keywords=baby+ball+pit would be really fun.
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| Stand-in-model |
The size of the space you have available would also impact your decision. I like to rotate toys, so we don't leave Clara's ball pit out all the time. I have a large bin I put the balls in, and deflate the pool. Every 2 or 3 weeks I blow it up and leave it out for a few days. Around the time it's no longer "new" to her, I deflate it and put it away. This has kept her interested in it every time I pull it out.
You'll also need balls to go into your pool or ball pit. We ordered these: http://www.amazon.com/Intex-49602EP-Small-Fun-Ballz/dp/B004CLZRVU/ref=sr_1_4?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1374506021&sr=1-4&keywords=baby+ball+pit
However, once a year Toys R Us puts them on sale for $9.99 per set. I wasn't aware of that when we purchased these. We have a VERY large baby pool, and it took about 700 balls to make a good impact, but that's because we regularly have anywhere from 4-8 kids playing in it. If you used one of the smaller pools above, you could probably get away with 200-300 balls.
Great for a rainy or super hot day! (Darn you Houston summers.)
5. Little Tikes Truck
This was a gift from Lulu and Papa for Clara's birthday, and even despite the insane heat, this has been a huge hit.
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| Hiiii |
CONS: The place designated for the parent to push is not back-friendly. You have to lean over pretty far and that can get uncomfortable pretty quick. I usually find myself standing to the side and pushing the roof of the car. The tailgate doesn't stick very well, and so there is the potential for all of the toys and leafs and whatever else your child has placed in the bed will come tumbling out regularly. There IS the fun in putting them all back in though!
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This may have seemed like far too much information, but I'm hoping those that it applies to find it helpful!
There are lots of other toys on the market that are wonderful. And of course your standard wooden spoon, ball, box, etc. make perfect toys. But if I was to PURCHASE a toy, it would be one of these!
Happy playing!
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