Timeless Baby Toys

So it's been a few days since I have been able to write a post! My life just got crazy busy (with a one year old and another on the way, when is my life never crazy!)


Today I wanted to talk about toys that are great and will last. I don't exactly mean toys that have been around forever when I say "timeless". I mean toys that will keep the interest of your baby for more than a few months. Whether the toy says 0-3months or 6-18months, some toys will keep your baby's interest months longer than others. Here is what I have found that last long past what the label suggests.

Blocks- My son received two sets of "squishy" blocks that he loved from the moment they were opened and still is an all-time favorite! When he was younger he liked being able to pick it up and he liked the texture of the block. (It is like a rubber duck bath toy) You could also squish it and air would come out of a little hole on one side (again, like a bath toy) and he loved feeling the air. As he has gotten older we love to build and stack with the blocks. He loves putting them in the back of his trucks and pushing them around. They are also wonderful for teaching colors!

Ball- If you can find a "baby-size" ball it will be a toy worth keeping until adulthood (my husband plays with the ones my son got for Christmas and birthday all the time!) It is great to help your baby learn coordination because he/she has to hold it with both hands. Before my son was able to hold/push/throw the ball he loved to watch us roll it to him. He would giggle and giggle! He was then able to hold it and drop it which was fun too! Then we were able to sit on the floor together and roll it back and forth! Now we are learning how to throw (outside) and kick (outside also) the ball, but he still loves to roll the ball back and forth. BALL is often one of the first words that babies can say so it is always fun to play with a toy that your baby knows by name!

Peek-A-Boo Books- I know this is not exactly a "toy", but my son reminded me today of how ageless these books can be. We have 3 "Peek-a boo touch and feel" books that my son just loves! Each page has a little flap with a baby dressed up underneath the flap. Each page also has a "touch and feel" spot where there is a type of fabric or something with texture for your baby to feel. When my son was a little baby it was good to have these books because they were short and really did not have a story. The flaps were surprising an kept him interested....sort of. We usually only made it to page 2 or 3, but it was good to get him familiar with book and mommy or daddy reading to him. Now he likes to "read" them by himself! He loves picking up the flaps to see what is underneath and loves touching the "touch and feel" parts.

Hammer- I about strangled my dad because when Christmas presents were all said and done, my son ended up with THREE new hammers! One in particular that makes hammer noises! But what I found out is that they were not as annoying as I thought (not really annoying at all) and they were a toy my son loved and still loves. When he was a little baby the hammer was great because he could hold onto it. It was the perfect size for his little hand and it helped him with his grasp (but I do not think he needed help, he had a death grip at birth!) When he shook it, it was like a rattle and made noise. He was very excited to be able to create that noise on his own. It was helpful in introducing the concept of cause-and-effect to him. As he got a little older he learned (again, thanks to my dad) that it was fun to bang on things with the hammer. This helped with hand-eye coordination (which we are still working on!) and it makes loud noises which are always fun! Now he is learning what the hammer is actually used for and how to hold it properly. He plays with his hammer on his tool table and it is so cute to see him use it like it is actually supposed to be used!

Bubbles- Bubbles are great for any age really. I am not sure if this is really considered a "toy" or not, but it is a great thing to have around. You can buy a container of bubbles for under $1 or you can make your own! For the really little ones, they just like to watch the bubbles as the float up and pop! This is great for little baby's sight development. When they get a little bit older and become more interactive they might start popping the bubbles or trying to touch them (or avoid them). This helps with hand-eye coordination. And when they get even older they will chase them, jump high to catch them and blow them around. This is a great way to distract a fussy baby or toddler, or to get more than one child paying attention to the same thing.


These are all simple and cheap things to get, and I know there are more things that could be added to this list (and I might add more as time goes on) Let me tell you, it was a struggle to take these pictures because as soon as I pulled out all these toys, my son was right in the middle of it (as you can tell by the first picture) He is a testimony that these are truly timeless toys! Happy playing and as always, God bless you and your family!


Until the Whole World Hears,
Katie
grace.faith.dirt@gmail.com