Toy recommendations for 8-9 month old

[Urowife]

What toys were a hit with your pre-toddler? DD isn't crawling yet, and is becoming seriously bored with her current toys (which are mainly rattles and teethers). Thanks!

[DCJenn]

There's a series of toys put out by Parents magazine that the dude liked- in particular there's a set of blocks that have inserts- the inserts are all different- three have stuff inside like rattles and the other three have solid plastic inserts. He was a little older but he played w/ those for a LONG time.

There was also a mirrored turtle that did stuff- each limb of the turtle made a different noise. He was pretty entertained by that for a while.

He also LOVED the fisher-price aquarium that attaches to the crib. That bought us 20 minutes more sleep every day for like 2 years.

Jenn

[Flynn]

"Parents" Goody goody gumdrops toy

Alphabet blocks by Fisher price you can "see" in.

The usborne touchy feely books (there are a LOT of them):

Any "phone" that makes beeping sounds.

At that age DS liked the following (and still plays with them sometimes):

Fisher Price Music Table - you can take the legs off until she is standing.
Fisher Price Animal Train - once she is mobile she can follow it.
None of the other battery operated toys held his interest for more than a day or so.

Stacking rings or cups - They are cheap, and quiet!!

[Urowife]

Thanks for the ideas!!!

[Michele]

I second the stackng cups. Daegan will even still play with them with Kai.

[peggyfromwastate]

We got the huge Fisher Price learning house thing-- you've seen it. It has a door that can open and shut, and it has lots of *learning modes*. There's a farm version of the same toy (like a barn, I think). J loves it- still plays with it a lot, and that's about 6 months after we got it for her at about 8 mos or so. She has used it to crawl through, as a stand support, to push all the buttons... Her favorite feature is the mailbox, which opens and shuts. Anyway, it's pricey, but you can get it on sale from Toys R Us for around $50 I think. For how much we use it, definitely worth it.

[peggyfromwastate]

Oh and if you need a walker type of toy, we got her the stroller version from ??? I can't find the brand on it! Maybe Playschool? Anyway, it's a sturdy looking stroller thing, but it's a walker for babies from around 9 mos I think. She loves to load it up with all sorts of treasures. I'm really happy with it, and it doesn't move too fast (the wheels actually don't roll, so it sort of scoots along but doesn't get too fast)...

I really wish I knew the names of these toys I'm recommending... My brain has definitely left the building.

[GrayMatterWife]

At 8-9 months, my kids' favorite toys were plastic measuring cups, wooden spoons, and socks.

Seriously. Got way more mileage from these than from any toy. Go figure.

[Pollyanna]

At 8-9 months, my kids' favorite toys were plastic measuring cups, wooden spoons, and socks.

Seriously. Got way more mileage from these than from any toy. Go figure.

Yes, this. Our children also like anything that is NOT a baby toy, ie: the phone, the remote control, cameras, keys, footballs, etc. Empty boxes are also a huge hit as well as tissue boxes so they can pull the tissues out one by one (this also works with wipes). Oh, and hot rollers keep my kiddos busy as babies so I can get ready in the morning (I have kept old sets just for this purpose).

[migirl]

I third the stacking cups, my kiddos *still* play with those!!

[HouseofWool]

At 8-9 months, my kids' favorite toys were plastic measuring cups, wooden spoons, and socks.

Seriously. Got way more mileage from these than from any toy. Go figure.

I have to second this. Sophie loves to unfold laundry, bang around on pots, oxo brand rubber scraper is a great teether because of the rubber handle. She also likes to dig in the bottom of whatever closet or cupboard was left open. A great favorite is the hard plastic case that her digital thermometer came in - it doubles as a musical instrument. She has a bunch of mardi gras beads and a peice of sew in interfacing. She also has a pile of toys that don't get played with.

As for toy store toys, she likes her little FP 4 key piano (the same type we all had as kids) stacking rings, wooden blocks, FB Peek-a-Blocks. Sassy stacking cups.

She is just starting to pull up, so I will have to dig and find all of the walk behind toys we had for Caleb.

[Urowife]

Thanks everyone! Yes, currently, DD's favorite toys are the remote, my iPod, laptop, and the portable phones. She tries to eat them all!

we might end up getting the FP laugh and learn home, Peggy. I've heard good things about it.

[peggyfromwastate]

J likes the other stuff, too. It's just fun to play with her with the *laugh and play home* and I've found it entertains her. She does get into everything else mentioned above also!

[spotty_dog]

Eddy loved his LeapFrog Learning Playground around this age. Natalie generally beelines for her brother's toys, or more specifically, the metal pots and pans for the play kitchen hold a special appeal. (A couple bucks at IKEA.) She's recently learned that if you hold a pot in each hand you can smash them together and make beautiful music!