Stimulating toys

Shazzer · Post by **Shazzer** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:58 pm

I've been searching for a blanket that stimulates baby's senses (you know what I mean - one that he can lie on his tummy and explore the crinkly bits, different material to touch, mirror etc) in vain!

I already have a baby gym with a hanging mobile so I don't need the mobile bit. Lasten Parhaat Kirjat is giving as a freebie a really lovely play blanket worth 35 euros. The catch is that we need to order two books every month from them in order to get this blanket

Am also looking for some finger puppets.

Please share what toys you found that not only brought delight to the baby but also served to open up a world of creativity, physical coordination, mental and visual stimulus etc. Some of our purchases have been a hit and miss - gathering dust and money down the drain!

Our baby boy is going to be 4 months old in a week's time. Thank you so much!

P.S. English books for babies/children are practically non-existent here! What did you do about that? Carted a whole load from home country? Ordered from internet?

**Sponsor:**

scoobymcdoo · Post by **scoobymcdoo** » Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:30 pm

Books, books and books!

There are some great ones that have all the touchy feely bits in, especially the 'That's not my....' range. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0746 ... y&v=glance Sophie loves them. Thay are made of really thick cardboard that has lasted us over a year now.

Any house hold objects make great toys- most of Sophie's toys are made up from the utensil section of IKEA- wooden spoons, whisks etc. Old cartons, Pringle crisp packets filled with dried rice make great shakers, balls to chase around, old boxes, feathers, kitchen roll inners etc.

I would like to add that I have never been one for following the age guidelines on toys. As long as the toy is supervised and put away when finished then I feel it is ok for Sophie- many parents I know disagree with me!

Looking back at Sophie's photos, her favourite toys at 4 months old were her Squishy http://www.babyzoop.co.uk/toys10to20/skwishclassic.htm , her ball, her books and her swing- she was sitting unaided by then though.

Hope to see you soon

Hannah

Mölkky-Fan · Post by **Mölkky-Fan** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:16 am

I bought an orange toy dragon with crinkly bits, mirror, etc in Etola in:

Hakaniemen torikatu 4
MA-PE 10-18, LA 10-15
Puh. 020 765 194

My nephew I understand plays with it continuously (or maybe my sister is just lying to keep me happy!)

I seem to remember it was 20 something euros. Etola, although not a toy shop, does have a good but small selection IMHO.

Amandine.K · Post by **Amandine.K** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:07 am

I think they have finger puppets in Ikea (I got mine from there over a year ago, don't know if they still do them).

They have quite much English books for children at the Academic bookstore next to Stockmann as well.

CH · Post by CH » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:14 am

Shazzer wrote:Lasten Parhaat Kirjat is giving as a freebie a really lovely play blanket worth 35 euros. The catch is that we need to order two books every month from them in order to get this blanket

Just a slight correction... usually with book clubs (and I think it's the same for Lasten Parhaat Kirjat, at least the online rules said so) you need only to pay for 2 of the montly book packages (the package they send you each month, if you don't cancel) before you cancel your membership for the gift to be free. If you cancel your membership before that, you just pay for the gifts you got. But otherwise you don't need to buy anything. But remember to cancel the monthly book before the deadline, or send it back within 2 weeks of getting it (that's why I don't join book clubs, because lazy as I am I always end up paying for the monthly books).

Shazzer wrote:Am also looking for some finger puppets.

I bought some from IKEA. WWF seems to also have some: http://www.wwf.fi/osta/pehmolelut/sorminuket.html

One toy shop that I have always thought about visiting, but so far haven't yet checked out, is Virike-aitta at Etelä-esplanadi (http://www.kolumbus.fi/virikeaitta/yhteys.html). At least they say that they try to get stimulating toys. They have mainly wooden toys in their window, though, and I'm not really too keen on them.

scoobymcdoo · Post by **scoobymcdoo** » Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:41 am

Virike-aitta is a lovely shop with great traditional wooden toys at not so traditional prices!

We go in there to look but we'd need a new mortgage to afford half the stuff.

Finger puppets in IKEA- very nice. Sophie has just started taking an interest in them.

Hannah

Shazzer · Post by **Shazzer** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:10 pm

Excellent! Thank you all!

Please post more UK online baby stores that I can order toys and other baby items from. Have you had any problems with ordering stuff online from the US? Taxes, customs etc?

Also please recommend more book titles for me!

Thanks again!

enk · Post by **enk** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 10:22 pm

Shazzer wrote:Have you had any problems with ordering stuff online from the US? Taxes, customs etc?

I bought a lot of old FisherPrice toys from ebay when my eldest was born
and I had no probs with taxes or customs, although shipping was usually
more than the cost of the toy. On the other hand, I usually paid only
1-5 USD for the toys anyways

A side note: many people were wonderfully nice and when they heard
that I was expecting my firstborn, they included presents in the packages
for him

-enk

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