Monday, September 24, 2007

Baby Toys

With the latest recall and awareness of lead painted toys, I'm sort of glad I didn't invest much in commercial toys for my kids. So, what do my children play with? I've found that children have a greater interest in "real" everyday things such as the laundry basket you see in the picture above. Their list of "toys" also include:
  • cardboard boxes
  • plastic cups, bowls and spoons
  • back scratcher
  • pots and plastic ware found in the kitchen
  • ladles (also found in the kitchen)
  • plastic bottles - you can make your own shakers, but right now baby is happy just banging an empty one on the floor
Balls are also a favourite in my home. Baby at 8 months now have already learned to throw the ball. It's a small ball just the right size for his tiny hands. One thing I learned at Kindermusik was to label the actions as we do them. So, I would roll the ball to baby and say out aloud "Roll the Ball". Or there is a song/chant that goes along with the actions.

Here is one that you can sing to the tune of "Farmer in the Dell."

We roll the ball, it's rolling.
Now roll it down the track.
We roll it down to Baby,
And Baby rolls it back.

Then when you bounce, throw, toss or kick the ball, you just change the words accordingly.
Baby also has developed a love for books. Yes, more often than not they do end up in his mouth. But I also see that he is trying to control his hands to open and close the book.

Mamas Tips:
Don't get caught up too much with commercial toys that entice you with their brain development capabilities. "Toys" that you find around your house are not only inexpensive, but they also do help in baby's development. Actually, non-battery operated toys probably do more in encouraging creativity as children think of different ways to play with it.

So, what are some toys your children play with?


6 comments:

  1. My kids like to play with remote controls, handphones & other electronic gadgets besides their cooking toys... LOL :)

    Janice Ng

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  2. It is amazing how children sometimes prefer the "non toy" items to play with over the expensive toys we buy them.

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  3. j@n!ce:
    Yes, they tend to gravitate towards those things too :)

    stefani:
    You are right. I've learned my lesson and don't bother so much with expensive toys anymore.

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  4. Hi Lian, I'm with you.:) I don't really spend on commercial toys. Dillon's fav toys incl spoons, ups, plastic containers, pots & pans.... haha maybe he'll be a chef in future?

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  5. My kids love remote controls too, old mobile phones, old tupperware containers, old plastic jelly moulds, used wet wipes canisters, yoghurt cups and anything that's not their actual toys, haha!

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  6. heh.. sound so familiar to me... hahaha, Jeremy like to play with tupperware, spoon, cup, plastic plate... aiya those easily get in my kitchen . oh yah, remote control.. luckily i haven bought so much toys for him... waste $$$ only...
    heh, like ur boy pix who play with the laundry basket .

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