We don’t have many toys, and most of the ones we have are baby toys. Buying toys for her has been a hit-and-miss affair, with generally more misses than hits. Things we expect her to really like are totally ignored, while she plays with empty cornflakes boxes instead. And then for almost half a year Ingrid had very little interest in any toys: she’d rather climb or slide or swing, or read books, or play with things she found around the house. So we bought almost nothing for several months.
Earlier this spring we got her a little bucket and a shovel, and both have actually been used. Encouraged by this experience, as well as her gradually growing interest in building blocks (which we have) and dolls (which she has played with in playgroup), we decided to get her a few more toys. So yesterday we went toy shopping, and it looks like the money wasn’t totally wasted.
She got her first doll, and she seems to like it. At least she keeps bringing the doll with her, so they both sit on my knees, or the doll gets to sit in her highchair. I was surprised by how hard it was to find a normal, plain doll, that requires no batteries, does not talk, pee, or do other tricks. Almost all dolls advertised “9 different functions!” and had labels saying “don’t forget the batteries!”. But I succeeded, and we came home with a pleasantly normal old-fashioned doll that does nothing except close its eyes when it lies down.
We also bought a Duplo set. She’s done no building yet, but she likes to hand me blocks one by one while I build, and then methodically tear my buildings apart. It’s also fun to pour all the blocks out of the box onto the floor, with a huge clattering noise.
Any favourite toy tips for an almost-two-year-old?
One that I used to make for children some years back, and have heard a lot of positive response from, is called a Quiet Book — cloth pages with different activities sewn to each page. One page has a shoe to tie; one has a tepee to unzip; one has different shapes to snap and match; one has a train with button wheels to count, etc. A pouch in the back to hold a surprise, which might be a small doll or a cookie. Made out of heavy canvas with a denim cover and fabric paint, it’s pretty durable, and the activities can span a decent range of ages.
Mine were sewn together along the spine, but now that I think of it, I bet if you made buttonholes at the edges of the pages and fastened them together with yarn or binder rings, you could swap out pages to introduce new activities as you went.
Wonderworld Wooden Tea Set (from Amazon) has been one of our success purchases. She offers us tea ever since she got it for Xmas. She was then 15m old and now 21m.
As she has an older brother then all vehicles are in as well. Especially trains (Thomas’s range).
Thanks for the tips!
Oliver and Maria both like the easel from IKEA. Another hit is a ride on car that they have started to use from the age of 10 months and is still fun for a 3 year old.
Ah, an easel, that should be fun! Yours was a magnetic one, wasn’t it?
My youngest son is almost two years old and he loves little bags (preferable the shape of a paper size A4 made in a material that is similar to an oilcloth) that he carries around the house filled with books, cars and other interesting stuff!
He also plays a lot with a toy stove with all its accessories (saucepans, little spoons, turners…).
Other favorite toys are balls, cars, excavators and a spade with a long handle (almost like a shovel).
Thanks Louise!
Sounds like we should try some kitchen toys then, whether it’s a tea set or saucepans.
We’ve got a few balls as well as a little car, but both keep her occupied for very short intervals only.
Our easel has one magnetic whiteboard and one blackboard. In the beginning they were just moving around magnets on the whiteboard but now they are more interested in drawing with chalk on the blackboard. I have not dared to introduce whiteboard markers yet as I still have to wash off chalk from furniture and clothes sometimes :-)
I think Ingrid might really like that one!
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