https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:53:21 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2639309 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 17:51:50 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2639309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm the opposite. We always valued peace and quiet - we stayed away from toys with bells and whistles. I feel a little bad about it whenever we visit the toy store because she's always in awe of the flashy baby toys. Now that she's 4, I'm looking for a karaoke mic and mini speakers :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2639271 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 15:59:24 +0000 daniellemybelle 2639271@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was the opposite of you, @Bao: I preferred wooden, classic toys that were more open-ended or more "educational" until LO started watching TV basically and I saw how much she loved licensed character stuff. I still don't get her that kind of stuff personally very often but I am happy for friends &amp; family to get it for her because she gets so excited! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2639241 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 15:02:21 +0000 caterw 2639241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>same- we used to get light up/ battery toys and I don't think they are a good value or stimulating for DD. I definitely prefer dolls, kitchen stuff, and other things that use her imagination. We recently decluttered her stuff and she barely noticed that we got rid of a garbage bag full of junk she never uses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2639238 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 14:57:52 +0000 catomd00 2639238@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had outlawed licensed characters and stuffed animals. My kid is obsessed with her many giant stuffed character toys. :crying: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2639188 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 14:10:07 +0000 Bao 2639188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cole: what type of Montessori activities do you have? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2638878 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 08:08:28 +0000 looch 2638878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I did the typical FTM thing, which is to pick toys based on my preferences. I have learned that my son has opinions and if he's not interested in something, just leaving it around isn't going to make him play with it. So, I ask him before I buy, or let him decide. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2638875 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 08:03:06 +0000 Cole 2638875@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmmm, my daughter is only two so we still have time to go but so far we started preferring open ended, no batteries, pretty to look at and that's still my strong preference - but I'm not as militant about it now. At her first birthday she received multiple battery operated toys and I took them all back. Now they get saved for the car or just get heavily rotated if she loves them. </p> <p>I'm happy though that we've managed to keep things pretty simple through toy rotation though, she typically has out her kitchen with about 1/3 of the accessories, two gross motor toys, duplos, doll stuff, art stuff that's out of reach and about five Montessori type activities. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/have-your-toy-choices-changed-over-the-years#post-2638869 Wed, 19 Oct 2016 07:51:51 +0000 Bao 2638869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not as far as age appropriate, but types of toys. </p> <p>When my girls were babies I had a lot of toys that made noise, lit up, basically not very open ended toys. Don't get me wrong, they enjoyed them but they lasted such a short time. Now I aim for toys without batteries as much as possible. More open ended toys, that can last through their stages and not get thrown in the closet after 6 months so I can get my money's worth out of them! </p>