https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 14 May 2026 05:45:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2438278 Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:51:44 +0000 birdofafeather 2438278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: Skip the table, just bring the train stuff! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2438255 Wed, 27 Jan 2016 00:03:03 +0000 daniellemybelle 2438255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@birdofafeather: DH vetoed anything relating to arts &amp; crafts in the living room :bummed: Our train table and kitchen are upstairs and too big to move! I ended up with Megablocks and a couple random baby toys I found. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2438178 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 22:14:22 +0000 birdofafeather 2438178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Blocks, magnatiles, trains, kitchen, crayons/colored pencils and paper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437529 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:11:59 +0000 daniellemybelle 2437529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: It's so funny because we have been to multiple play dates where they have this toy! It's so popular! We don't have it :sad: There's no way I am hauling the kitchen downstairs!</p> <p>@avivoca: You know, LO has liked Mega Blocks for a while, even before she could actually build stuff... I might just do those!</p> <p>@Cole: I don't want to hide my new rug, haha! But boxes are actually a good idea and I can set that up away from the rug. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437516 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:04:02 +0000 Cole 2437516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would lay a big quilt over your rug, it feels like at our play groups someone's kid always runs off with something I don't want in my rug. You could then put down crayons and paper. If you have time today you could grab a couple of boxes from the grocery/liquor store and let them color those and cover them in stickers. Blocks are a good option too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437515 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:03:11 +0000 avivoca 2437515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: Bring out the mega blocks! H loved hers when she was 1! I bet the babies would like to bang them together too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437510 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:01:37 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2437510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have this toy and its great for multiple kids. Or maybe the play kitchen? </p> [attach=1506/16/o1kkmq.459x446.Screen-Shot-2016-01-26-at-12.01.18-PM.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437507 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 12:00:03 +0000 daniellemybelle 2437507@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Those are good ideas! I'm going to try to think of a simple sensory bin I could set up that wouldn't be too messy.</p> <p>@ValentineMommy: I wish all our baby toys weren't packed away! :sad: </p> <p>@T.H.O.U.: Definitely! But I trying to think of what would be good because a lot of the stuff LO plays with (Magnatiles, Mega Blocks) are a little older. Maybe just wooden blocks?</p> <p>I was also thinking I could just put paper and crayons out on the coffee table but we just got a new rug and I would hate for it to get crayon on it :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437367 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:51:54 +0000 Anagram 2437367@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you have an activity table? What about setting up a simple sensory activity downstairs the kids can do before heading upstairs? (bins of rice with measuring cups from your kitchen, gallon ziplock bags full of squishy things, or those colored sensory bottles?) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437333 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:34:54 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2437333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would bring down toys that could be shared by multiple kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437331 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:33:55 +0000 ValentineMommy 2437331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This probably isn't much of a help, but weirdly, after having my baby, my (3y) toddler is super interested in the babys toys now. He plays with all of them like he's never seen them before.</p> <p>I think as long as you have baby appropriate stuff, that the toddlers will be able to fend for themselves, more or less. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/best-toys-to-bring-downstairs-for-playdate#post-2437311 Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:21:01 +0000 daniellemybelle 2437311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Help me think through this. We are hosting our play group tomorrow and will have I'm thinking about 10 kids ranging from infants to 4 years old (most of them are 1-2 though) and their moms. </p> <p>We have a decent sized playroom that houses all our toys, but it is upstairs while the kitchen and living room are downstairs. Usually at playdates the moms will visit in the kitchen and living room while the kids play nearby but that won't work for us. </p> <p>I'm thinking I will set up the snacks &amp; drinks in the kitchen and have a few toys in the living room to occupy the kids while moms arrive &amp; make plates. Then after a little while, we'll move up to the playroom.</p> <p>What to bring downstairs to occupy toddlers? Magnatiles have been my go to but I think they are advanced for a lot of the babies. </p>