Montessori/Waldorf families, have a couple of questions.

[Only]

Originally Posted by danner Nah. We use glass at the table at every meal, and everyday china too. We use stainless for our upstairs living/sleeping area, just in case. But at the table if they are not well behaved, we eject them like drunken football fans. Plus, those straws are sturdy!

You remind me of my mother! She was absolutely like this.

Does anyone have recommendations for toys appropriate for a child UNDER one. My daughter will be six months at Christmas time but I can't decide which toys would be a favorite for her. She loves noise and sticking toys in her mouth of course. I would like one or two items she can grow into.

[Brooke789]

My twins were 6months their first Christmas. DS's favorite gift was the Haba Krinklering. DD's was a little soft Kathe Kruse 'first doll'.

[PerfectFifth]

~Felt food
~Child-size real-life stuff, like aprons, tools, utensils
~I don't know if you were looking for spam, but I sell these (http://www.etsy.com/listing/10704465...dler-color-and). I made the original one for my toddler, and he loves it.

A friend of mine who is a Montessori teacher suggested puzzles with little knobs, like on this one (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS.../chrisficti-20 According to her, the fine pincer grasp required to grasp the tiny knobs is great training for learning to hold a pencil later on.

Originally Posted by Only You remind me of my mother! She was absolutely like this. Does anyone have recommendations for toys appropriate for a child UNDER one. My daughter will be six months at Christmas time but I can't decide which toys would be a favorite for her. She loves noise and sticking toys in her mouth of course. I would like one or two items she can grow into.

Wooden alphabet blocks are AWESOME. WE got some for DS1 when he was around 7 months old, and at 27 months, he still gets so much use out of them. At first he just chewed on them, then knocked down towers I built, then made his own towers, then started identifying the numbers and letters... the uses go on and on.

[danner]

When my son was about to turn 1, we took him to our local child-friendly toy store and let him browse. We were there for over an hour and we had fun. He looked at so many things. This is what he ultimately chose:



To this very day (6 months later) he is still picking it up and pushing it around, mesmerized by the way the colors change. I get that it is plastic, and I am careful about plastic and would not have chosen it if I was ordering online, but I am so glad we went to the store and let him pick it because he loves it. I think a 6 month old could enjoy it in a limited way, and grow into it as she starts to becoming a bit more mobile.

[leadmare]

Subbing for the great suggestions.

[ecocentric]

My suggestion for under one would be to get yourself some nice kitchen gear- stainless steal measuring cups, funnels, wood/bamboo spoons, etc. The kitchen was ds favorite playspace, and you can use such "toys" for a long time.

[Only]

Originally Posted by PerfectFifth A friend of mine who is a Montessori teacher suggested puzzles with little knobs, like on this one ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001QVI94G/ref=nosim/chrisficti-20 According to her, the fine pincer grasp required to grasp the tiny knobs is great training for learning to hold a pencil later on. Wooden alphabet blocks are AWESOME. WE got some for DS1 when he was around 7 months old, and at 27 months, he still gets so much use out of them. At first he just chewed on them, then knocked down towers I built, then made his own towers, then started identifying the numbers and letters... the uses go on and on.

I actually was thinking of these two toy types but didn't know if I was crazy being that she's do young!

I figured with the puzzles even at a young age I can sit with her and show her animals or whatever the designs are, and with the blocks say the alphabet etc. as she grows older she can play with them more independently and will get plenty of use out of them!

Originally Posted by danner When my son was about to turn 1, we took him to our local child-friendly toy store and let him browse. We were there for over an hour and we had fun. He looked at so many things. This is what he ultimately chose: To this very day (6 months later) he is still picking it up and pushing it around, mesmerized by the way the colors change. I get that it is plastic, and I am careful about plastic and would not have chosen it if I was ordering online, but I am so glad we went to the store and let him pick it because he loves it. I think a 6 month old could enjoy it in a limited way, and grow into it as she starts to becoming a bit more mobile.

This is another great idea. She could definitely grow into something along these lines!

[Fashionably Green Baby]

Thanks everyone so far!

My kids are 7, almost 4, and 16 months so I need a wide rangw

[Green Decals]

I can't post pics, but our big items are the doll house, play stands, kitchen, shelves, Haba pram, wooden doll cradle, and barn. All of them were bought used on Craigslist except for the stroller, which was a yoyo.com thing last year from Santa for DS2 (I paid $60-something with coupon codes!). Look around and stalk Craigslist - search for "wood" and "wooden" in the baby/kids and toys/games sections. Ebay can be hit or miss. Last year I made them some more dress-up stuff, and each year's Halloween costumes go into and/or come from the dress-up stuff (no superheroes or junk costumes, just like no superhero or junk toys). This year they are getting a wooden castle and knights as their big gift - though I have found wooden knights and horses to be too cumbersome and impractical for their play, so we are doing the Schleich ones. I am only getting ones that have covered faces (masks, etc.) to maintain the open-ended play though. I found a lot on Craigslist and snagged a few more at the craft store on Black Friday. They are one step away from plastic superhero figures, which I am struggling with, but my standards will not be breached.

Stockings this year will have new beeswax crayons (ours are getting pretty tiny!), pulleys and string, tape, knitting towers, and dye-free candy canes. Think outside the box, and buy used. If you search for "Waldorf" expect to see a big price tag - try "wooden", "wood", "handmade", etc. Also, focus on replacing the plastic things that they play with the most, then adding in key elements like cloth and structure that is all theirs (play stands or a table, for instance) then fill in the rest as you go.

[babyfever2012]

Subbing. I'm staying away from mainstream toys and media; opting for more creative, natural, and open ended toys.