Fisher-Price Rock-A-Stack February 11, 2009

The Rock-A-Stack is another classic toy. Your basic ring stacker, with fun beads in the top ring that roll around when shaken. The first thing our 6 month old did when we brought this home was to take all the rings off and play and chew on the base and post, an unexpected source of fun. The post easily (for an adult) unscrews from the base, making a lovely bludegeoning tool.  Our son enjoys playing and mouthing the rings and is just now starting to get the whole stacking concept. He also likes to figure out what toys he can fit on the top of the post and into the rings. This hasn’t been quite as big of a hit as the FP shape sorter but it’s a fun toy that’s easy to find in most toy stores, cheap (under 10 bucks), and is appropriate for a wide range of ages, from sitting and drooling to naming colors.

Munchkin Caterpillar Spillers February 8, 2009

This toy can keep my son occupied for a long time and can be used in a multitude of ways. The cups link together to make a cute caterpillar, which my son giggles at and then proceeds to take apart. He likes to nest the cups into each other, put balls into them, and play with the propeller thingy on the “tail” cup. He also likes to touch the little holes in the bottom of each cup (each one is in a different pattern) and let’s face it, they are good for chewing too. I stack them and he knocks them over, I’m sure he’ll be able to stack them himself soon. We mostly use them on dry land but we keep one in the bathtub to play with and he is fascinated with watching the water pour out of the holes in the bottom. I also use it to “rinse” him in the tub, not very effective, but fun. As he gets older, the different colors, numbers on each cup, and gradation of sizes will make undoubtedly add to its appeal and learning potential. It was around 6 bucks and widely available – I got mine at Target.

Fisher Price Brilliant Basics Shape Sorter February 7, 2009

I had to start with this classic toy, Fisher Price’s Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks . This has been one of my son’s favorite toys since we got it when he was about 6 months old. At first he just took off the lid and would dump the pieces out, inspecting each one and playing with the lid and bucket. It would keep him occupied for at least 10 minutes at a time – a lifesafer for haggard parents! Now that he is over a year he can succesfully put the circle shapes into the correct hole  (sometimes ) and it is fascinating watching him try to figure out which shapes go into which hole and how to orient them correctly. I anticipate this being a big hit for a long time to come.  All that for just $9!

If you are paranoid about toy safety like I am, you’ll be glad to know that Healthy Toys.org (a site worth bookmarking, by the way) found that this toy rates low on their toxicity tests. It is also one of those rare plastic toys that is not made in China (made in Mexico).