Best balls for babies & toddlers according to redditors

https://www.amazon.com/Oshaberi-Doubutsu-Talking-Animal-Rabbit/dp/B00BCGHUD6

We bought a large inflatable pool and 200 plastic balls. Good even before they start walking.


http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Center-Family-Colors-Styles/dp/B000058TJ3


http://www.amazon.com/Non-Toxic-Phthalate-Crush-Non-Recycled-Quality/dp/B0043SE83A

I got my niece an Oshaberi Doubutsu Talking Animal Ball and my sister almost killed me after 15 minutes of non-stop squeeking. I can't even imagine an airhorn. Video of the sound

These are just your run of the mill sponge balls.

Which personally, I wouldn't put in one's mouth. I'd recommend a bit gag or a soft gag. There are plenty of people with smaller mouths or jaw issues that keep them away from larger ball gags.

Raid your kitchen. Set out some wooden spoons, a spatula, and a couple pots for her to play with.

But honestly, it sounds like she's a normal six month old. Six month olds have a very limited attention span. Playing with one toy for a few minutes then getting bored is developmentally normal. It's ok to let her be bored for a few minutes. Ignore initial cries for help and see if she picks up a different toy on her own.

Some things going forward you might buy are blocks, a ball similar to this one, and a ring stacker.

Perfect. It will go nicely with my other ball.

Mine will be 7 months old the day after Christmas and I'm asking for:

• Sleepers in 12 and 18M
  
• Board books
  
• Walker - Not for walking really, more for the things on it.
  
• Poppin Pals - A classic!
  
• Stacking Cups
  
• Textured Balls
  
• Wooden Car
  
  My in-laws are getting us a convertible car seat. We are picking out the one we want and they're ordering it. Memberships would be good too! We have an aquarium close by that would be a good place to go when it's rotten outside. Which is pretty much all summer here!

Honestly I can guess that the painted tamas will not be the best. But that price for all the stings and a natty is not terrible.
But the link below is a way better deal imo. Screw the book and cheap paint.
http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Kendama-Entertaining-High-Quality-Eco-Friendly/dp/B00W0EDK0G/ref=pd_sim_21_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51ZMZX5dBgL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1WWMNVT7Q5N8816W8PVE

Well that sucks. I know it's probably many years too late, and no one seems to have the massive ones for sale on-line, but if you want one like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Sunny-Patch-Finney/dp/B0049UVG7S/

PM me your address and I'll buy it for you.

I'm thinking a variation of this.

I grew up with "wall walkers." They were octopus things that you threw at a wall and it would walk down. (Holy crap. They still make them.)

They're basically dirt magnets. Keep track of it and - PLEASE - Don't ever run it over with a vacuum. It will turn into a gooey substance that will smell like hell and you will need to buy a new vacuum.... GOO... GOO everywhere....

If your goal is distraction for children who aren't clients, you may want something that doesn't require requests. Board games miss pieces or children don't know the rules = request. Coloring book has no blank pages = request. Keep it simple.

• Box of crayons (not colored pencils, because they need sharpening)
  
• Tray of paper
  
• Balancing blocks or jenga
  
• Larger legos, if you're concerned about choking, building blocks
  
• Plastic figurines or small plush toys
  
• Stress balls
  
• Tangle Fidget Toy
  
• Puffer Balls

I have either these balls for my tiny one or this magnet tin for my big kid.


Thanks for the contest!

Books, books, books! My babies love(d) Look, Look! (three year old loves "reading" it to his brother), Black & White, Art Cards, the Babyfaces series (esp Hugs and Kisses and Smile!. The World Snacks series is also great; they're bright, (mostly) well-written, and not irritating. Plus, My toddler still loves them, and we started reading them to him when he was three months. I like Yum Yum Dim Sum and Let's Nosh! best. Indestructables are great for babies who eat books. And the Leslie Patricelli books have been a huge hit around here since toddlerdude was a wee baby.

Don't forget non-board books good for reading, such as a Mother Goose (there are also "chunky" ones that are kid-safe), Beatrix Potter, The Wind in the Willows, or even Shel Silverstein.

Toys for this age that I like are sensory balls, music makers, rattles (we had to buy two of those because wee babydude likes it so much), stackers, links, these bead things (a large, four-sided activity cube is gold for this age through toddler hood--like this), stacking cups, and baby's first blocks. We have veriations on all of these (or the exact one listed), and they are popular with both our three year old and the eight month old.

Balls! Especially this set by Infantino.

Gifts for Babies/Toddlers

• Spin and Learn Color Flashlight
  
• Shapes & Sharing Picnic Basket
  
• Turn & Learn Driver
  
• Tap n’ Learn Hammer
  
• Singin’ Soccer Ball
  
• Click & Count Remote
  
• Baby’s Learning Laptop
  
• Take Along Tunes
  
• Cinderella Carriage Pull Toy
  
• Octopus Bath Toy
  
• Stack & Sing Rings
  
• Number Blocks
  
• Texture Ball Set
  
• Roll n' Swirl Ball Ramp
  
• Laugh & Learn Lantern
  
• Lil' Critters Ferris Wheel
  
• O Ball Rattle
  
• Touch & Teach Elephant Book
  
• Caterpillar Stacking Cups
  
• Catch & Count Net
  
• O Links Rattle
  
• Bendy Ball
  
• Shape Sorter and Stacker Bundle
  
  Gifts for Mom
  
  
• Love You Mom: Colouring Book
  
• Burt’s Bees Toes and Hands Kit
  
• Family Tree Picture Frame
  
• What I Love About Mom: Fill In The Blank
  
• MOM Picture Frame
  
• Mom Butterfly Sun Catcher
  
• Superpower Mug
  
  
  Gifts for Dad
  
  
• DAD Picture Frame
  
• Favourite Child Mug
  
• World’s Greatest Dad Parking
  
• Best Dad Ever Mug
  
• What I Love About Dad: Fill In The Blank
  
• Sh*t My Dad Says
  
• Working Hands Creme
  
• Potty Golf Set Gag Gift
  
  Gifts for Grandma
  
  
• Grandma Keepsake Box
  
• NANA Picture Frame
  
• I Love You, Grandma Book
  
• Grandma’s Book of Crosswords
  
  Gifts for Grandpa
  
  
• PAPA Picture Frame
  
• Grandpa Grilling Apron
  
• Grandpa’s Book of Crosswords
  
• Grandpa Mug

My daughter loved these blocks(still does at 18 months) they can chew on them and have fun knocking them over!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0030F67N6/ref=pd_aw_fbt_21_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=R4HRMMPG67HMQYTC09HG

Also another toy she loved is
https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Brilliant-Basics-Stack-Roll/dp/B000LSZVJQ

These tactical balls are also great!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DJPK8PA/ref=pd_aw_sim_21_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=K6VXY5MNPR7BCGXJD35C

Also try a door bouncer or regular bouncer she liked that too for about 20 mins. Also playing in the mirror.


I also did edible finger painting at this age use plain Greek yogurt and mix it with food coloring. Put them in the tub with it and let them go nuts!

http://www.amazon.com/Edushape-See-Me-Sensory-Balls-Translucent/dp/B001AMK6G0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302482374&sr=8-1

Here, you can have these. No excuses now.

So I just got home from a cross-country trip with my 14 month old (12 months adjusted, she was a preemie). It wasn't 11 hours but it was a total of 8 hours on a plane plus a couple hour layover. So far this year we've done three long trips to other states so we've been able to experiment some. I don't know what your budget is, but this is what worked for me:

1. $129.99 - Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet, 8" HD Display, 32 GB, Kid-Proof Case. This was our absolute SAVIOR. It was a gift from my mom for her birthday and it has a two-year no questions asked warranty. Most of the apps are geared towards toddlers but there's a couple good free ones for 1-year-olds that are simple ("Balloon Pop!" and "Sago Mini Sound Box" are favorites of hers). The tablet comes with some kid's shows that you can download to it to watch without wifi when you're on the plane. Does your daughter have any videos or shows that she's obsessed with? Ours LOVES Cocomelon videos on YouTube - it takes a couple extra steps to get these working, but it was super worth it. If she does, try to find extended versions - like Cocomelon has compilation videos ("Hello Song & More") that go for about 30-40 min each. The short version is I used this YouTube downloader and transferred the files over after updating the firmware and restarting per this forum post. If you go this route, I would highly recommend getting the TouchLock app (below).
   
2. Free - Touch Lock app - 100% recommend this if you want her to watch any videos on the flight, phone or tablet. Mine loves to touch all over the screen while she's watching which means she's always accidentally pausing her video. This makes it to where you have to tap 4 times in a certain spot (or type a PIN, etc) to make the screen interactable again. If you do end up getting the Fire tablet, I followed these directions exactly to get it working on mine - you just have to play the videos from the parent's profile.
   
3. Free / $1.99 for no ads & extra content - Sensory Baby Toddler Learning app - Cute basic app for Android/iPhone where you pick some fish and some backgrounds and wherever the baby touches the screen it makes bubbles/stars/whatever, the fish swim towards their finger and it vibrates for some haptic feedback. Our daughter is enthralled by it, I ended up paying for it because it just had really good functionality for a free app.
   
4. $11.99 Volume Limiting Soft Kids Headphones - If you go the video or game route you're absolutely going to want some headphones for her to be able to listen. If she tolerates stuff on her head (hats, hoodies), she'll be fine with these. Ours doesn't, so I just kind of drape them over/behind her in the car seat and it's fine.
   
5. Post-it Notes! I read about this when I was searching for toy ideas and it was somewhat of a winner. I had an old book that had different post-its in it and she loved pulling them out and feeling the glue part on the back. It was also apparently hilarious when I stuck them to my forehead and they fell off into her lap.
   
6. $3.99 for two - Baby Buddy Secure-A-Toy Straps - If yours likes to throw toys at all grab a few of these to attach them to baby/car seat/etc. Look for some cheap toys that you can specifically attach that make SOME noise but not much. You can hit up consignment sales and stores (Once Upon a Child) to find a lot of discounted toys, and Goodwill is great for kid's books.
   
7. $11.99 - Ribbon Tag Ball with Rattle or $11.67 - Ribbon Tag Ball with Bells - We got one from a consignment sale for like $1 that looks like the first but has bells like the second. Used a toy strap to attach it to the car seat handle and it kept her entertained on the first flight until she fell asleep.
   
8. $9.99 - Shaker Trio - Something that was recommended to me as a birthday gift and she loves them. They make enough sound to keep her entertained but they're not loud enough to bother anyone else really. We had a few other shaker-type toys that we were rotating too - some like this $2.99 rattle you can also attach with a toy strap.
   
9. $7.99 Sassy Wonder Wheel Activity Center - You can stick this to the tray table (might need a wet cloth to get it to really stick) for some pretty easy entertainment. It has like no resistance on the wheel so she can get pretty crazy spinning it.
   
10. Touch and Feel books - Check reviews to see which ones are actually good but I have a ton of these, two small ones came with us on the plane. Goodwill tends to have these in stock in decent condition, unlike their lift-the-flap books.
    
    Also if you didn't already buy her a seat, ask the gate agents at check-in if there's room to take her car seat on the flight (assuming you're traveling with one). So far on our nine flights (counting layovers), our "lap infant" has had a seat on all but I think two. It's SO much easier putting her in an infant car seat and pulling the hood down a bit if you have one, makes it way easier for them to sleep. Stock up on bottles or pacifiers for take-off and landing, but if she doesn't take a pacifier try not to overfeed her so that she's refusing the bottle. With any luck she'll hopefully have a couple decent naps on the flight but it's still hard. Good luck and you can do this!

Wow - i didn't realize my reply would be so long, but i'm bored and work and to be honest, it was a little cathartic to write it all out....I don't mean to be intrusive or nosy or seem like i know everything, because that's not the case at all...i just think maybe by sharing our story it might be a little less scary for someone else!

Good luck!! It sounds like you're going through the EXACT scenario that we went through. We initially called early intervention at 10m because she was behind in gross motor (late rolling, not sitting up, barely crawling, not playing with toys in both hands, not babbling, feeding issues, etc). We ended up not going with EI because of their bullshit hoops we needed to jump through, so we started at a private place and we saw an IMMEDIATE change. She caught up so fast and that little push was just what she needed to help move past so many of her struggles...some of which i didn't even know were struggles until they were pointed out to me. Our PT is seriously an angel. Here are some things they told us from day 1. Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor or therapist and i'm not saying you should do these things, but now looking back they seem so obvious to me and i wish i would have known much earlier in the game to help her catch up:

• lots and lots and lots of tummy time. spend and much time on the floor as possible
  
  
• get rid of any bouncers, walkers, bumbos, sit up seats, exersaucers, or anything that props the baby up. The toy does all the work so the core gets lazy. Obviously this is difficult if you have more than one kid or need to put the baby down and the floor is not optimal, so these things can be used but no more than 15 minutes per day or in 5 minute intervals. But baby wearing is much more recommended.
  
  
• Practice sitting up using the Boppy (the nursing U shaped one, not the infant lounger) with a toy in front, ideally something tall at shoulder/eye level so they can look straight ahead. Sit the baby on the floor and wrap the Boppy around their hips for stability.
  
  
• Practice sitting up by putting a push-walker or something in front of them that they can sort of lean forward on. This helps with keeping their butt/hips on the ground and using their hands instead of using their legs as sort of "kickstands". This helps with falling protection...it helps them realize their hands can be used with sitting up and they will learn to catch themselves if they lean to one side or the other. Our little one forgot she had hands and would use her face to break her fall.
  
  
• When you're holding the baby on your hip (assuming they have some core stability and can hold their head up), hold them from the bottom instead of around their waist. This forces them to use their core to sit up and balance instead of you holding them up. This one was huge because we also have a 2.5 year old so we hold her constantly and i would have done this from day 1 if i had known. Something so simple has such a major impact on development.
  
  
• The PT had us buy one of these to help strengthen her shoulder girdles. You kind of prop the baby up in a sitting position and have them hold this and it shakes as they're holding it. This helped with the rolling because she was stronger and could push herself past that point where she would get stuck on her side.
  
  
• I would say 90% of her therapy has been using a yoga ball and we do a lot of work at home with it. Basically you sit the baby on her butt on top of the ball and hold their hips and slightly roll the ball side to side and front to back where they're leaning and have to catch themselves and pull themselves back into a straight sitting position. We do this for as long as she can stand it and it was incredible to see her progress.
  
  
  A couple other things that I brought up during our eval that were concerning to me that you may want to look out for is babbling and eating solids. Our daughter wasn't babbling at all, unless in her carseat or high chair, so there was an obvious speech delay. It turns out (as i mentioned already) that it was because of the diaphragm issue, so it's gotten MUCH better now that she's engaging her core and much more mobile. We were told this was normal for preemies and that as the core got stronger, the speech would increase and it was 100% true. She's 15 months actual/13 months adjusted now and she's starting to say words. But this is something we're keeping a close eye on at the moment.
  
  Feeding - this was a big one because we started solids around 7 months actual and we had a lot of trouble with it. In hindsight, we probably should have waited a little longer, but it was more experimentation than anything. We started purees at first but noticed that the reflux increased with some things so we thought maybe a food allergy or too much acid or something, so i kept a close watch on what we gave her. It turns out it wasn't an allergy at all, but she was just eating too fast so it would come up as soon as she got back on the floor. Partly because she wasn't sitting and had a full belly and was constantly on her stomach so it was just getting pushed up...and partly because she was eating too fast and got a lot of air and would burp and spit up.
  
  Once we moved onto more solid pieces (puffs, yogurt bites, etc) she would start out eating fine and after about 10 minutes or so she would gag or choke and it would get worse the longer she would eat. It was scary because there were a few times where we had to flip her upside down and bang on her to get the food out of her throat. So i was ready to address that ASAP. Turns out the issue was nothing related to swallowing or anything...but because she was tired. Because she's sitting up in the chair, feeding herself, chewing, breathing, swallowing all at the same time, her core was working overtime and after 10 minutes or so, she would get lazy and stop chewing and then she would choke. Her eating improved ten fold as soon as she started sitting up. So we were told to feed her in shorter intervals, more times throughout the day and just experiment with textures and use our instincts. And were also told to take an infant CPR class just in case.
  
  So where we're at now, we are 3 months into therapy (we were 1x per week for 8 weeks and now we're bi-weekly) and she is exactly where she should be at 13 months adjusted. She's very close to walking independently (she's doing it along furniture and with a walker) and as soon as she gets to that point, we will likely graduate out of PT. She is eating anything and everything and is gaining weight like crazy and is now fully on whole milk. She went from 12m clothes to 2T/24m within a month and is now wearing size 6 diapers. To put it in perspective, my 2.5 year old is in size 6 diapers and in 3T clothes!

I like open ended toys like texture balls, music shakers, art supplies(fat crayons, washable finger paint, bathtub paint), bath toys like floaters and cups.

Sorry for my links. On mobile. These are all toys I’ve bought for my kids or the kids I watch have and I like them.

Balls: Infantino Textured Multi Ball Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJPK8PA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ABb0AbG0B9NF6

Music toys: Fisher-Price Rattle 'n Rock Maracas, Green/Yellow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FBW7CNA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LEb0AbZ8NXJMF

Oball Shaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008J1QP7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IGb0AbFB3HK8Y

Bath toys: Munchkin Lazy Buoys Bathtub Toys https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LWZZ76/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PJb0AbW8FZ0F2

You asked and you shall receive!

Colored safety glasses as party favors!


I loved the "touchable" test tube bubbles when I was a kid, perfect for your theme!


Plastic magnifying glasses


Atomic Super Balls!

Eyeball rings

Microscope center piece.


Brain pencil toppers


If you have time to make cookies!

If you have time to make jello




You can use these bio-hazard bags as goodie-bags! :)



I tried to look for everything in packs of 12 or more, so hopefully these help you! :)



item

Now you can. About $40 and free shipping for 200 of 'em.

You can get around 1000 for $20-30 on Alibaba, but shipping will probably be a bitch.

These were a big hit with my kid when she turned one: https://www.amazon.com/Edushape-See-Me-Sensory-Translucent-Assorted/dp/B001AMK6G0

And maybe a book about baby's first birthday:
https://www.amazon.com/Birthday-Leslie-Patricelli-board-books/dp/0763644498

Rockstar


Now I want energy drinks lol

Someone posted this gem on some post about the best thing they’ve ever bought from Amazon. I can’t say it’s buy it for life but it looks like it could potentially drive someone nuts.

Hammer Ball Marble Run?

Or Battat Pound-a-Ball?

B. Whacky Ball? (same things different names)

Shes' gonna need a wig

And a good set of goggles

someone needs to wear these maybe even her...

You should decorate the lab with this

These would be great to fill with candy as party favors

.... or ....

TEST TUBE BUBBLES!!!! These things are touchable bubbles. PRO TIP: USe ONLY OUTSIDE. Shit makes a mess on the carpet. Easy to vacuum... but still...

Crazy cookie cutters which are perfect for this!

Temporary tattoos

Atomic super balls would be fun too!

A jello brain mold

Biohazard bags for party favors maybe

A geyser aka mentos/coke mixer for kids. That looks fun enough to get for myself. lol

Gravity goo something I would also play with. lol

Insta-snow seems like a good experiment for kids

I should stop now. I used to love planning my kids parties when they were little. Damn them for growing up.

Hmm maybe get the two year old a Pop Up Tent for outdoor and indoor play. Also pick up some plastic balls

For the older you could do amiibo I'd give you Amazon links for these but the ones your son would want would be cheaper for you to get in a store like target or TRU.

Also I highly second the bubble ideas

Nothing better than watching my kiddo develop her fine motor skills!

Also, seeing you be exceptionally generous to others so often is enough to Make me smile, Rasta!

you know there would be guys out there like...

On the subject of bouncing, I found a cheap alternative that makes great balls to practice with at a fraction of the price. 12 Icy Bouncy Balls for under 15 bucks!

Compared to Oddballs bouncing balls they're a little smaller, (60mm instead of 68), but they've got at least 90% of the bounce of the pro balls. Just the thing if you want to learn bouncing and don't want to shell out bucks on equipment. Plenty of spares to lose or share, too.