Baby Toys That Aren't Toys and Essentials

My daughter doesn't have a lot of "toys" because we just aren't that interested in consuming a bunch of shiny plastic objects for limited enjoyment. She does have a few things that we have picked up used or that have been given as gifts. I think these toys are great.

Violet, at 7 months old, feels she is a better judge of an object's interest and enjoyment quotient than anyone who distributes to Toys 'R Us though, and has found many of her own toys.

Her top 10 in no particular order:

1. Dog toys. She likes to play tug o' war with the dogs using their rope toys.
2. Spoons. She likes wooden spoons, metal spoons, baby spoons, anything spoony is her favorite.
3. Shoes. Much like the dogs, she loves to find a shoe and chew on it, be it her own or someone else's. In addition, she enjoys chewing on feet and socks either together or separately.
4. The dishwasher. If the dishwasher is open, she is in it. This is true wether there are dirty or clean items inside, so loading the dishwasher has become a speed sport.
5. Books. While these are purchased for the baby's enjoyment, it's hard to read to someone eating the book.
6. The covers on the baseboard heating. She learned to take the one in the bathroom off. Fun!
7. Her own clothes. If you take a sweater off her while she is playing, she will pick it up and toss it and sway it around. If you give her a stuffed animal she looks at it like you are crazy.
8. My elliptical trainer, especially when I am on it. We are learning the word, "NO!"
9. The springy door stopper that she can flick and it makes a "BROING!" sound.
10. Her toothbrush. When she is in the bath and fussy, none of her bath toys- Not even Mr. Squid!- will make her happy. But her toothbrush has yet to disappoint. She brush brush brushes those two teeth. Not too surprising given that since she's been born my husband and I have needed major dental work. She knows what's good for her.

That said, she has taken immense pleasure in her 80's Johnny Jump Up my mom "reclaimed" from a dumpster somewhere and washed for us, her used horsey jumper, some rubber blocks that squeak that we picked up for a dollar at a consignment shop, and a couple xylophones that we purchased used at Once Upon a Child. We have saved hundreds of dollars with the used toys, hand me down clothes from family members, and used cloth diapers we have purchased. Not only have we saved money, but we have followed the first R of resource preservation, which is to reuse.