Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This is one way that bloggers make money, but it is at absolutely no extra cost to you if you choose to make a purchase based on my suggestions! If you would like to read more about how this works, check out my Disclosure Policy!
My little baby boy turned one year old yesterday and this mama heart is not okay. But in honor of little Carter being one, here are a bunch of cute pictures of his newborn days. This last year of being a mom has been the hardest, most rewarding year of my entire life. I am excited to watch him grow and forever thankful that I get to work from home while it happens.
Now, the real purpose of this blog post. Raising a baby can be expensive especially in a world of marketing tactics telling you that you need the latest and greatest toys. They often play into the mom feelings of “best for motor development” or to “help your baby learn.”
They play into the mom guilt thoughts that “your child needs this toy for the best motor development. And trust me, it is so easy to believe that your sweet baby will never walk if you don’t buy a certain toy. Or won’t be able to write their name. Or whatever the skill the toy is trying to teach. But there are really a ton of options for great things for babies to play with that don’t cost $100.
I have seen about a hundred suggestions for the “BEST” kid friendly toys. And “MUST have things for the registry.” So I thought I would add to the conversations. One disclaimer is that I am not trained in anything kid related, so every kid will be different and some of these toys might not be recommended for ever child.
Here are my top ten Carter approved toys
1. Tupperware
Obviously, Tupperware or plastic meal storage containers is at the top of the list. These ones are his favorite at grammy and grandpa’s because of all of the different sizes. He could spend 30 minutes just playing with these. The snapping lids are good for his motor skills and they are fun to throw around.
2. Sponges and other cleaning brushes
These are especially one of our favorites when we play in the plastic kid pool, but they are also fun indoors. Sponges are the perfect size for his little hands to grab onto. Lately, he has really been into our dish cleaning brush that we bought. He grabbed it from the bag before it even made it to our sink.
3. Cardboard boxes
This is still a little bit too much for him, but as he gets a little bit older, he is learning to love them. I have read so many hacks on giving them crayons while inside the box. Then he can color on the box and not on the walls. I am excited for his birthday party to let him play with the wrapping paper and boxes! You also don’t have to purchase cardboard boxes if you are getting packages, but with a 10 pack of them you could probably help build a cool fort.
4. Blocks
Okay, this is actually a toy, but it does not make sounds. Carter has been loving these blocks for a while now. We love knocking down towers, throwing blocks into a container to make noise, and banging the blocks together. In the future, we will work on the alphabet and spelling with them, but for now, he is working on motor skills like picking things up and making towers.
5. Coffee Cans
I first read about using metal coffee cans on another mom blog, but Carter has loved playing with his two coffee cans. He has one plastic one with the lid that has a block in it to shake and one metal one that he loves throwing the blocks into. They are fun for a rattle, drum on, or to roll. Now that he is standing, he loves standing on them to get on the couch.
5. Bottles filled with rice, beans, or water.
When I stopped pumping and focused on exclusively breastfeeding, I found that we had a lot of bottles that were just hanging out in the cabinet and never getting used. Now he plays with 3 of the bottles from the cabinet. One is in that bathtub for water. One is in the pool, and one is in the car with beans and rice in it.
The small disclaimer here is just to make sure that the lid is on tight or glued down if you put beans and rice in it because it could be a choking hazard.
6. The Nose Sucker Bulb
He has been LOVING this nose sucker lately. He is learning to squeeze it so the air goes into his face. The best thing, it was free from the hospital. We got a NoseFrida from our registry that we actually used for his nose, so this bulb has really never been used.
7. Our homemade water table
In the beginning of summer, I wanted a water table for him to play with. I actually bought one and then canceled it within an hour because I had talked myself out of it. Instead, we used a plastic container filled with other bath toys, blocks, and bottles. We did end up finding a water table on the side of the road for free. The only big difference is that he can now stand at the water table, where the container was on the ground to sit and play with.
8. Pots and Pans
I can not believe I almost forgot the absolute favorite toy of all. Pulling all of the pots and pans out of the cabinet is one of the top past times while I am trying to cook a meal. He loves pulling all of them out and using them like a drum. Or sometimes he just pulls them out and crawls into the cabinet instead!
If toys aren’t in the budget, don’t stress.
The point of the blog post is really that you don’t need to spend money on toys for most kinds under two because they are just as excited playing with trash as they are expensive toys that you purchase. A lot of things we have bought for him mostly include diapers and books. Other than that, we have had hand-me-downs or gone without.
There are plenty of things that they can use to learn their gross and fine motor skills that are already in your home. If you are a new mom on a budget, do not stress about buying all of the fancy toy kit subscriptions. If you want to buy them, go for it. But if they are not in the budget, there are so many fun things that you can play with at home that you probably already have.
If there is something that you really would like, check on Facebook Marketplace or second-hand thrift stores before ordering from Amazon. But just in case you are like me and need to tell people what he wants for his birthday, here are a few actual toys that you can add to a list.
Here are 6 actual toys that he does really like as well:
1. The Tummy Time Turtle Mat
Sometimes he still likes playing with this, but he liked it a lot more before he could crawl and move around. It just fills with water and turns into a great no mess sensory pad.
2. The Ring Stacking
I am sure he will grow into this one more as he gets older, but for now we really like just pushing it down. We have a giant one that is as tall as he is that we got as a Christmas gift. He likes standing up against it. We have also had friends over with 3 and 4 year old kids who play with the stacking ring as well, so I am confident that it will be a toy that lasts a while. In the future, we will be able to use it for colors, but for now it is great for helping to develop his grip and other motor skills.
3. The Bath Toy Boats
These boats are a bath time favorite, but they have slowly slipped out of the bathroom and into the toy boxes. They are also great for the water table. They have numbers and link together to make a train so they are a toy that will last well into toddler years! For under $10, they are a great deal!
4. Ball Pit with Balls
We put the ball pit on his list for his birthday and I am actually really excited for him to be able to enjoy the ball pit in his room. This could also turn into a safe place for them to play while you need to get a thing done. This ended up being a little pricey (around $35) after adding the balls, but if you are asking for birthday or Christmas gifts, this would be a great addition.
5. Crinkle Books
The soft fabric books have been an absolute favorite since he has been able to grab onto things when he was really little. We got black and white contrast ones when he was really little and they have a little squeaker in them too! At 1 year, he still likes holding them and playing with them. They are a great car toy because they are soft and easy to grab.
6. Animal Pacifiers
If you are a pacifier using parent, Carter has also loved his animal pacifiers. He has a giraffe and a little chick. He didn’t really use the pacifier on them a ton, but he loved playing with the giraffe and chewing on the pacifier part. I have soo many pictures from when he was little with his little giraffe. They are also great for in the car because they are easy to find if they are thrown out of the car seat or dropped somewhere. Now that he is a little older, we mostly keep his giraffe in the car!
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what toys you buy your kids because they will end up playing with trash, shoes, dog toys, or other household items. What was your kid’s favorite toy?
Share this with another mom or save this pin for later:
