How many toys do they need?

[GingerNut]

My DD is 9 months old. She has lots of toys - a Jumperoo, a gym, various Vtech things, books, stacking cups, blocks, the rings-on-a-stick thing (don't know what else to call it!), various different shakey or rattley musical things, soft toys, mobile phones, chewy teething toys, a taggie - pretty much every sort of baby toy!

My parents look after her four days a week and yesterday my dad was telling me that we'll have to get more toys, that she's bored with what she has.

Now, I know the gym isn't holding her interest any more because she doesn't want to lie down, but I would have thought most of the other stuff should still be okay, especially as she plays with things in different ways now that her coordination is better.

I'm inclined to think that we just need to show her different things to do, and find different ways to interact with her to keep her busy. She's happy to play with all sorts of stuff from around the house too, which I think is great for her, as long as it's safe.

How many toys do they really need? I don't want to deprive her but we can't afford to replace everything every few months! I wasn't really planning on getting more stuff till her birthday, and not much then.

 

[tommyg]

My dad would tell you "you don't need money to entertain a wean" commented as he and my neice who was about a year at the time were plopping pebbles from the garden into a bucket of rain water he would fish them out and she'd plop them in. I read a thread on here the other day about household objects that kids play with.

Hence I'd agree you need to find new ways to interact with her rather than buying new toys however you could try taking some of the toys away for a few days and then rotate the ones that she has out. So that toys appear new and fresh again.

 

[justarascal]

Think of about how many toys you had when you were little, do you think she needs more? I think these days we have too many toys for out LO and they get overwhelmed and don't concentrate on any one thing for very long.

If I were you I'd actually take some toys away and let her only have a few to play with at a time, then rotate them (hide them, bring "new" ones out).

 

[minichicky]

I would say she probably doesn't actually play with half those things properly!! Ie, does she actually put the rings on the peg, stack the cups etc?
Isaac has sooooo many toys but when I look properly, he doesn't actually play with them as he should. Its only just now hes beginning to learn they do more than go in his mouth!!! Youll probably find, as you said, the more she grows, the more she will learn to do different things with what shes already got.

 

[GingerNut]

Nope, she either bashes things or chews them still, that's why I think there's probably more potential in most of them!

To be honest I'm surprised at him - when we were kids they were so broke they went hungry at times, I'm sure we didn't have as many toys as DD has, and we survived!

I agree about less toys, I tend to leave most of them tidied away and only take out a couple of things on any given day, while my parents put everything out at once and then worry that she's bored. I might just have to have a chat with them about it all - I just don't think that buying her more and more stuff is the way I want to parent.

 

[KayBea]

Have you tried rotating toys? So take a few away for 3 or 4 days then swap them with others for 3 or 4 days..
Also my sisters LO loves playing with wooden spoons and bashing them on the floor..

X

 

[MrsT&Ben]

Have you tried rotating toys? So take a few away for 3 or 4 days then swap them with others for 3 or 4 days..
Also my sisters LO loves playing with wooden spoons and bashing them on the floor..

X

I do this, i store all of los toys in a cupboard and get different toys out everyday.
Most of the time he's more interested in playing with the remote control or chasing the cats around I wish we'd not bought so many toys!!!

 

[shortie1990]

Tbh Riley isn't interested in most of his toys, if he's got something he can hold, eat, and bash the tv cabinate with, he's happy!

I'd rotate the toys though so then they will seem new

 

[OmarsMum]

What you mentioned are more than enough for her age hun. Once she's walking she will have other interests like moving around, running, pushing ride on cars, dancing, helping in cleaning, etc.

DS is 16+ months & he doesnt spend more than 20 mins twice a day playing with toys, he's more interested in exploring, moving around, talking, singing, dancing & playing with us.

Once she's 1+ years she might need different types of stimulating toys (play dough, crayons & colours, building blocks, etc.) but for now what she has is more than enough I guess.

 

[bbyno1]

Aliyah has all that.
Our house looks like it has literally turnt into toys r us! lol.
She still gets bored im sure but then i go and buy her a new toy and she will just look at it for 30seconds and chuck it on the floor! She just gets bored easily i think x

 

[kc1980]

Maybe it's your dad who is bored with her toys??
I know that the reason I get toys for our LO ( and I mostly buy second hand) is because _I_ want something new to play with.

 

[sunshine114]

Give her a washed out empty ketchup bottle. After all the money we have spent on toys, DS loves a flipping empty plastic bottle. Thinks the label is the funniest thing he has ever seen!