Which Toys?

I know around that age my son started LOVING those Peek-a-blocks. they're fun to throw, look at, & shake like a madman...also the Leapfrog maracas they light up, make noise, say colors & numbers (in english & spanish) The piano xxylaphones are awesome around that age too.

I've never seen a kid who didn't like the Leap Frog Learn and Groove Table.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=229334...

You can put it on the floor without the legs if she isn't pulling up yet and as soon as she starts to pull up, put the legs on. She will learn to cruise within a week or 2!

A note about a previous response...this is prime separation anxiety age, so putting her in another room without you is a little mean if she's not used to it. If she's showing any signs of SA, it's better to wait until she's in a few months before you start walking out on her. If she doesn't mind when you leave the room, then go ahead and try it.

My youngest just turned 9 months & absolutely loves 3 toys of hers--The Drop/Roar Dinosaur, The Fisher-Price Roll a round/swirlin' surprise gumball machine (takes the same balls as the dinosaur), & the Sit & Pound Arcade. I know the dinosaur is a little pricier than the others, but will last awhile. My 25 month old still loves to play with this!! I enjoy that the balls from the dinosaur work with the gumball machine. With the arcade toy, I don't let her have the hammer that goes w/it, but she pushes it through w/her hands just fine. I think the thing babies mostly like at this age are toys that light up when they achieve something! :)

It might not be the toys. She might be too dependant on your attention at playtime. Try putting her in a playpen out of sight from you and allow her to fuss a little. Eventually she'll calm down an attempt to occupy her time with whatever is available in the crib. Independant play is a skill that has to be learned. She should be able to play by herself for at least 20 minutes at that age.

E.

Hi C.,
I am a discovery toys consultant and have found a few of our toys are great with children around 1 year. The Hammer away boat is one of them, kids of all ages can't get enough of this one! Feel free to browse:
www.discoverytoyslink.com/jhood

J.

My nine month old was the same way and one day I just took them all away and put him in his playpen with just one toy and now its his favorite

Some kids just aren't into toys. My son who is now almost 3 still doesn't play with toys alot and he didn't start at all until he was almost two. He'd rather be outside running around and playing with mom and dad. I now have a 1 year old daughter who has liked toys since she was about 6 months of age. If she's a happy girl I wouldn't worry about the toy thing. She probably just enjoys being imaginitive and the best toys she has are mom and dad!
No worries!

Don't worry too much, my son was the same exact way. And I worried to death about it. He went from a not-amused-by-anythng child to a very intellectual child. He was nothing like the pictured kids on the boxes of the toys I would buy, he would look at the toy like "what am I supposed to do with this?". Nothing impressed him. But now he is very into puzzles, drawing, and spelling. He's only 4 and has been writing his name and some words since he was 3. My suggestion is that maybe your baby will lean more towards things like puzzles and color books. My son is also obsessed with rocks and bugs, and still has no interest in toys. I'm sure she is fine, in fact she may just be too "mature" for the toys her age!

This sounds pretty normal, kids of all ages loose interest after a short period of time. She would probably rather have Mommy attention, which is also pretty normal. She is just like you only little. My son would have more fun crawling around in a box playing with me than and expensive toy or sitting in a laundry basket while I helped him crawl in and out. They are little explorers, you just have to explore with them....As she gets older she will love being a little helper. When I folded towels I would give him a couple wash cloths and show him how while I folded the basket. He would try and then I would give him a couple more.

wooden puzzles? my kids both really enjoy puzzles more then age appropriate stuff

Hi,

I have found this to be the case with a lot of children. I have 2 of my own and I worked in a daycare. They tend to be happier with more simple toys (such as the box the toy came in). They like to be creative in their play.

You could try finger paints(I know this is WAY messy lol),newspapers(let her do whatever she wants with it. Anything that is simple that requires her to take whichever way she wants to. I have been known to make a box of chocolate pudding and sit them in the tub with it and let them 'paint' away!

Children this young like to see results from their actions. So, anything that she can look at and think 'ohhh look what I just made happen!'

Hope this helps!

Leigh Anne

When my son was that age, we put the Kangaroo Climber in the family room and he spent HOURS everyday climbing in/out/up/down and going down the slide. My daughter was the same way at that age. Things like the traditional nesting cups (from fisher price) also kept their attention for awhile. They both liked car/trucks at that age - matchbox cars were the favorite (they never put them in their mouth - but you have to watch them). Both were interested in kitchen stuff as well... nothing like banging a wooden spoon on a saucepan or pie tin for a good time! :-) Also any type of pushing toy since that's the age they wanted to standup and walk. Another favorite was taking all the cushions and pillows off the couch and piling them on the floor and letting them crawl all over them. It's an age when many kids are trying out the gross motor skills - standing, walking, climbing, etc - so give them plenty of opportunities to do so.

Pots and pans, large spoons, unbreakable bowls and plates. Preferbly on a low shelf or in a cabinet.
Also old fashioned blocks large enough so that they don't fit in her mouth. Balls, cars, hair brushes things like that. Oh and my 11 month old son loves his baby doll.

Generally the fewer fancy buttons the better my kids like it.

Hello! I am a rep for Discovery Toys and we have so many different toys that are fun and educational. Check out my website at www.discoverytoys.com/christylackey. There you can search by age group and discover what Discovery Toys has to offer your child.

My kids too often like the box were a toy came in better than the toy itself. I think it is quite normal for kids that age to have a very short attention spam. Probably as long as you play with her she loves playing with anything. But as soon as you stop playing she will stop too.

Unfortunately kids just do that. You spend a fortune on toys while they are growing up and most of them only last for a very short time. They lose interest and are on to bigger and better things. Try art things....coloring, finger paint, etc. My oldest daughter never played with a toy more than ten minutes growing up but turned out to love artsy stuff. Dont' fret...it's just part of being a mother. She'll have her own interests and you'll stumble onto them.

you have a lot of great suggestions here. My daughter loved (and still does) everyday things around the house. i let her have the bottom drawer in the kitchen. I put in a measuring cup, a plastic spoon, a dishtowel etc. in the beginning, she would just take things out and put them back, now it has evolved into "cooking" and helping mommy. She also loves to "help" with the laundry (which may not make your chores easier).

Another great idea that my friend gave me.... put some shaving cream in a zip lock bag with two different food coloring colors. then let her mush it around to make different colors. That one never held her attention for too long - but she loved it.

My daughter has a house full of toys, but the simple household things seem to pleasr her the most! Good luck!

A.