Motherhood: Simple Toys 0-12+ Months
The last year has been a whirlwind, to say the least. As someone who had spent ZERO time around children prior to having a baby (seriously, I’m the youngest of five - by A LOT - and basically no one in my family has had any kids!), it’s been a bit of a crash course. There is just SO MUCH STUFF for little ones. It’s extremely overwhelming and, in my opinion, just not necessary. Toys are a great example!
Other than a random stuffed animal and a wooden rattle, we had ZERO toys for Marin when she was born. I didn’t know what to buy and the last thing we wanted to do was clutter the house with crap she might not even like. I held off on buying anything for several months, opting for the random wooden spoon or cardboard box laying around the house. I’ll admit that some of those items continue to reign supreme in the favorite toy category, but we have since purchased a few things that have proven to be money very well spent.
As always, I’m sharing our experience in hopes others can glean some insight and maybe, just maybe, make that first year a little easier on everyone.
As a side note, I didn’t include any books in this list because we have become pretty avid readers and I thought a list of our favorite children’s books deserved its own post. Stay tuned!
S I M P L E T O Y S : 0 - 1 2 + M O N T H S
Play Kits : Hands down, the BEST money we’ve spent. As someone who had no clue what to buy, let alone what was ideal for each stage of mental and physical development, this has been incredibly helpful. We signed up when Marin was about five months old and subscribed through month 12. These are, without a doubt, Marin’s favorite toys and they entertain her for hours on end. You could totally buy this subscription and not buy any other toys. We basically haven’t! Ha. Can’t recommend enough.
Wooly Rabbit : We name all of Marin’s toys (anyone else?!) and this guy has been lovingly referred to as Pierre since his arrival. He’s small enough for little hands and great for car rides. The ears are perfect for gnawing.
Padded Mat : I realize this isn’t really a “toy”, but Marin has used this mat extensively over the last year. It’s a great place for her to safely sit and play, especially during those early rolling + sitting days when she could easily topple over. She still sits and plays on it for extended periods today!
Stacking Pyramid : An Etsy find, this stacking pyramid looks really beautiful and is such a fun toy. Just a heads up, though, it’s made in Russia and we found it took a REALLY long time to arrive. If you’re willing to wait, I think it’s a worthwhile purchase.
Teether : I held out on buying a teether for quite awhile, but I recently bought these and they’ve been great! The two-prong style allows little ones to be able to gnaw all the way back to their molars, so in theory, these are good for quite some time. Just beware… there will be drool EVERYWHERE. ha!
Play Gym : This is the first big “toy” we purchased, and it was money VERY well spent. Marin used this thing extensively for the first ten months. We now have the mat stored away and the tent portion installed, which she really enjoys as well. I would definitely buy this again if I had to do it all over again.
Pacifier Clip : This may seem like an odd toy, but we have two of these (fabric & leather) and they are not only handy, but Marin LOVES to chew on them. She never took a pacifier, but we hook all kinds of random rings, teethers, and toys to the end and then clip them to her car seat, stroller, etc. Endless entertainment that never falls to the ground!
Activity Center : We debated an activity center FOREVER. Do we really need it? Where do we put it? How long would she actually play with such a thing? Well all these months later, I’m glad we made the purchase. We actually ordered several options and this is the one we kept. I wasn’t blown away at first, but it’s proven to be a nice-to-have - especially when I need to keep her contained for a second! The legs adjust easily allowing for her to stand inside to play at a higher height yet pull up and walk around the outside at a lower height as she’s gotten older. We bought the little chairs and the doll house that connects to it as well, which should be nice as she gets older. I also like that the legs collapse for easy & compact storage.
This post is not sponsored or in partnership with any of the aforementioned brands but the article contains affiliate links. When you shop via the links above I may make commission on a sale at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.