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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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If you had to pick 5 toys for a 6 month old...

51 replies

Youseethethingis · 07/11/2019 12:12

What would you choose?
DS will be 6 months at Christmas and I’ve got him a wooden music box, Christmas Box and Baby’s First Christmas bauble, plus a pop up book of Twas the Night Before Christmas and the illustrated version of the first Harry Potter book. Clearly these are for the long term and I hope they will be used for years to come. It’s what I wanted to do to mark his first Christmas.
However - there are many friends and family members who have been asking what to get him and I just don’t know! We get things as and when he is ready so play gym, bouncer and play nest are all set, plus he was given lots of rattley and cuddly toys when he was born which have been steadily coming out the cupboard as he is more able to engage with them.
I don’t want a house full of unused items if I can avoid it so I would like to know what you all found the most well used and loved toys for your babies, maybe up to one year? And what was a waste of space and money?

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Mallowmarshmallow · 07/11/2019 12:15

Stacking cups? They cost about £2 in sainsburys and my children loved them for years. (And they don't take up much room either...!)

Mallowmarshmallow · 07/11/2019 12:16

Lovely books....as people to choose their favourite book froM their childhood.....

Groovester · 07/11/2019 12:17

Bath toys

moreismore · 07/11/2019 12:18

Def yes to stacking cups.
Also toy drum/xylophone or similar.
Toy cars with push buttons that make noise.
The books with lift flaps and textures (felt flap ones are great to start with)
Bath toys if you don’t have any.
Teething toys.
Soft activity cube.
Mega blocks (more towards one year and beyond)
Push along toys for starting walking.

Firefly111 · 07/11/2019 12:18

I second the stacking cups! My nearly 1 YO DD loves them and they keep her entertained for ages!!

InDubiousBattle · 07/11/2019 12:21

Stickle bricks, duplo, bath toys, toot toot (but go have a listen to one before you actually have them in your house, kids love them but they are very annoying- you've been warned!). My d's is almost 6 and we still have a big boat (toy company just called 'B' I think, Smyths used to have them), I think it's the only toy to have survived from him being 1. Musical instruments?

IToldYouIWasFreaky · 07/11/2019 12:22

Hide n Squeak Eggs. DS loved them from about 6 months (grabbing and chewing!) to about 2 years (putting in/taking out of the box, matching the lids etc)

They also don't take up much room and are excellent for travel as they pack up small.

Shape sorter toys got lots of use too, as did bath toys, especially those foamy ones that stick to the side of the bath.

BeanBag7 · 07/11/2019 12:24

Could you ask for money towards a larger item like an activity cube or baby Walker? Or for money towards a class your baby might enjoy - swimming lessons or baby sensory?

If not I second the Hide n Squeak Eggs or bath toys, and you can never have too many books.

kitk · 07/11/2019 12:28

The "That's not my..." books are great for little kids. I'd be inclined to ask for small cheap things and say if they want to spend more please could DS have some cash for his bank account. My DD barely got any presents until she was 4 as people saved money for her instead and she now has close to £1000 that she doesn't know about

ColdRainAgain · 07/11/2019 12:32

Stacking cups, set of cloth cubes, hide and squeak eggs, pull along xylophone (cause I actually want 6 items, so one has to double up....), megablocks.

You asked for toys - books are definitely essential too.
Moreismore's list is pretty perfect.

wishywashy6 · 07/11/2019 12:32

Books, a toy for the bath, clothes for the next couple of sizes up
Mine both got a lovely wooden puzzle set from a family member with their name engraved on which they both played with for years to come

Ohilovedinosaurs · 07/11/2019 12:34

Second the hide and squeak eggs. Both of my dds adored them.

Vtech walker or something similar

Sensory things like balls that light up (Tiger is good for things like these)

donttellmetwice · 07/11/2019 12:36

My lo will be 3 months. Ive suggested a child safe mirror, bells, juggling scarfs and general 'sensory' toys 😁

Bear2014 · 07/11/2019 12:42

Tomy eggs
Stacking cups (doubles as bath toy)
noise making phone/remote control
xylophone

This cow thing
www.amazon.com/VTech-Critters-Moosical-Frustration-Packaging/dp/B071FK778Y/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=baby%20toy%20cow&qid=1573130543&sr=8-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

were the most played with things by my DC between 6-12 months.

newreality1 · 07/11/2019 12:49

A toy train with characters to push down to make sounds and flashing lights was a very popular toy with us. I think it was Vtech or Fisher Price.

So many lovely books that we used over and over again.

Megablocks

Hide n Squeak Eggs were a firm favourite too!

Acunningruse · 07/11/2019 13:13

Lift the flap books, from 12 months that's all DS/DD wanted

BiddyPop · 07/11/2019 13:16

Little wooden trolley of wooden building blocks

Stacking cups and bath squirter toys

Couple of little cars - perhaps from a set/company like Fisher Price/Playmobil etc so others can add to it in time and build up to houses, trains, people...etc

Dolls and clothes to change - there are plenty of dolls that are good for both boys and girls

Shape sorting toy - Fisher Price do nice ones

Books:
Board books to read and pull at now, especially with different textures to explore
Small reading books - little stories to read together - there are so many choices out there, some are lots of pictures, some have lots more words, and across any subject you want to think about!
The Hungry Caterpillar, Lost and Found, The Gruffalo, The Tallest Giant in Town, The Tiger who came to Tea, the Mog series, …..all sorts.
Classic books - hardback versions of things like Beatrix Potter tales, the Narnia stories, Wind in the Willows, etc, and there are also great collections of short stories for children too
Richard Scarry books on how things work, or other books like Usborne do nice ones about all the things you would find on a farm, and a different page about all the things you would find in an airport etc

Soft fluffy blankets will be useful too, especially as they start to get a little older to snuggle under or use as capes for imaginary play etc

A toy kitchen/shop - and lots can be added in time to come with crockery, baking sets, play food etc - and lots and lots of imagination games can go on - other good things (in time) for this could be a cash register and a little basket or bag to "go shopping", or small sweeping brush and pan set to be able to "help mummy and daddy"....

And while not a toy, if someone wants to get useful storage to put toys into - easily accessible for DC but also easy to tidy away into and with different sections so blocks can be kept separate from cars and separate to toy food etc.

Allegorical · 07/11/2019 13:21

Bath toys as they are the one toy I regularly replace as they get manky so more of them is always welcome.

SmallAndFarAway · 07/11/2019 13:48

YY to the eggs, I'd also get a scuttlebug which can be used very soon

MamaRaisingBoys · 07/11/2019 14:10

Tomy Eggs
Stacking cups
Board books

ritzbiscuits · 07/11/2019 16:09

Building blocks - my son is 6 and still plays with them. We have a few different types, wooden alphabet ones, some larger Janod cardboard ones etc.

Also definitely yes to stacking cups in Sainsbury's!

MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 07/11/2019 17:03

Definitely stacking cups!

Other favourites in this house have been
Talking Fisher Price cookie jar shape sorter
That's not my...books
ELC set with toy phone, car keys and remote control

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 07/11/2019 17:05

Pop up tent and/or tunnel

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Nousernameforme · 07/11/2019 17:08

Sophie the giraffe as a nice teething toy.

OrangeSwoosh · 07/11/2019 17:14

Hallit musical instruments have been very much loved here

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