(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best pretend play toys

I think the free night of sitting is an awesome idea. I have done it several times. I usually make something up in photoshop and print it out or you could hand-draw something. It wasn't awkward for me at all, but I think the parents felt a bit odd about using it (probably not all would, but mine did). Like when they asked me to sit, they were like "can we use the coupon?" I said of course. Then DB still tried to pay me at the end of the night..LOL. Plus they didn't stay out as late as they usually would, so I could tell they were trying not to take advantage. I have also had the kids pic put on an ornament.


8month old- Will be walking soon, so how about something they can play with now/push later? This one is out of the price range you said, but I know there are less expensive versions. I got my lil' one this activity walker and she loves it

She also likes the Little Tikes Mower

Or type "ball popper" into Amazon. Just about every company makes some version of a ball popper and the kids usually have fun chasing balls all over. She may be too young, but this is great too

For the 2.5: My son had this food set when he was little It is so much fun. by Melissa&Doug. It comes with a play knife and you "cut" through the velcro holding it together. Even I liked playing with it..lol

For unique instruments, how about something like this I had to look up the name. There are lots of versions

I thought of it because my son has this one you take the stick out and run it along the back :)

Other ideas for different instruments: maracas, xylophones, recorder or flutophone, ocarina, harmonica. I found a tiny Ukulele at the dollar store the kids couldn't get enough of it.

Affordable is relative, but nothing good comes cheap.

The top of the mountain is Tomenosuke. Their blaster replicas are the best, but their price and availability reflect that. They do limited runs, and they sell out quickly.

Sometimes you can find them on eBay, but the price is usually somewhere in the $1-2K range.

They do offer very high quality kits, but at $599 they aren't cheap and they are VERY hard to get your hands on them. But this is hands down your best option for quality vs price.

For about half the price of a Tomenosuke kit, you might find one of the Off-World Manufacturing props. They aren't bad at all, but they are pretty expensive for what you get, and they feel like a toy in your hand. They're also hard to find now. Sometimes you can find them on eBay. Hell, I've got one- make me an offer.

From there, your next option is to get a kit with parts molded from either a replica or stunt prop. This is sort of hit or miss, as the quality of the molded pieces can vary wildly. Expect bubbles, maybe misshapen pieces. They are a good option if you have the skills and initiative to DIY and make a decent prop.

The absolute rock-bottom priced option is to get this $9.99 toy that was obviously based on the Blade Runner blaster.

It has been a popular choice for propmakers on a budget. With some putty, patience and paint you can have a passable prop. Or for $9.99 you can have a toy that sort of looks like what you're looking for.

So sorry- that's as good as it gets. I was in the same boat you are and I did a lot of homework and found that there isn't really any cheap way to get one of these that's worth a damn.

I got one of the Off-World ones, and it's OK. But then I wound up getting a custom one that was made by Richard A Coyle and I've been pretty happy with it. It's legit, metal, made from the same materials as the original and it looks and feels great.

But I'm old. And I'm financially in a place where I can buy something like this to scratch that itch I've had since I was a kid. Just don't tell my wife. She'd kill me :)

EDIT: HERE'S AN UPDATE FOR YA, OP

I found an option for you that is probably the best bang for your buck:

A Daiki Kogyo version for $199

We have the KidCraft “vintage” style kitchen. It’s held up to a lot of abuse and G still loves it (he got it at Christmas when he was 13 months). It’s a little taller than some of the other kitchens, which is great for my super tall kid. We do have it anchored to the wall so it can’t tip. My husband got annoyed with the fact that all of the doors except the microwave have latches, so the microwave door wouldn’t stay closed in our super not-level house - he wound up drilling a small hole and using some super strong magnets with epoxy so it has a magnetic latch now. I will note that the kitchen was a huge pain to assemble, but I did it on my own so it would have gone much faster with two people.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/KidKraft-Vintage-Kitchen-in-Blue/dp/B0040MK48W

I know a few people who have the Ikea play kitchen and love it. It has a slightly smaller footprint than the one we have, in case that’s something you’re looking for. I didn’t want to deal with an Ikea trip and my FIL wanted to buy the kitchen, so it was easiest for us to get one through Amazon. I definitely recommend anchoring whatever you get to the wall so it can’t tip with rough play. We used the same furniture anchoring straps we used for anchoring dressers, etc.

We have a bunch of the Ikea fabric play food - I love that if it gets gross, you can machine wash and air dry it all, but we haven’t had to do that yet.

The only pots and pans/utensils we have are the little skillet and lidded pot set from Green Toys, which comes with a ladle and spatula. They’re the perfect size for the KidCraft kitchen and super durable. We got them when G was at peak throwing phase so they’ve survived a lot of abuse and still look like-new.

My daughter is 2 now but has been really into pretend play for a while. We got the IKEA kitchen because it's not too big and pretty sturdy. We also love the IKEA toy pan set and the cooking utensils. I added 2 lights that shut off by timers - one for "task" lighting and the other in the "oven". I like that the kitchen is pretty small but can also be set up at another height as they grow. These tubs from IKEA also perfectly fit in the shelves or directly under the kitchen for storage. https://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/70177255/

For the play food, she loves this magnetic food cutting set so much :
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZW6JG1?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Learning Resources also makes really high quality play food - and they are usually appetizing and whole foods instead of all pizza, etc.

I looked into this and basically there isn't any research on mobile apps. It's all based on TV viewing which I would argue is not directly comparable. There are a lot of blowhards with strong opinions. There's a decent article with sources on the BBC here. Some people have the TV on all the time 'in the background' in a way that I don't see so much with mobile apps, time sponging as they are. Bear this in mind with regard to TV studies, also that slack jawed torpor that TV viewers have compared to interacting with an app or game.

I don't have formal expertise. I have a kid aged 18 months. My kid gets taken out every day for at least an hour in the real, outside world and interact with both parents at home.
Not yet speaking but significant receptive vocabulary, e.g. knows parts of the body, partially with assistance from a Fisher Price app. I think that people miss something important when they say 'oh, that kid spends too much time on an app. We didn't have that when I was a kid, it's bad for it, you should take them out to play more'. This is a completely different world from 40 years ago and a lot of it has moved into your phone or tablet.

Saying that you or I grew up without this stuff is utterly meaningless. I didn't have the TV on when I was small because we didn't actually have a TV. I can remember my parents getting their first TV when I was about 5 years old, it was someone else's cast off and did not work properly. Even when it did, it took several minutes to warm up and had analogue tuning that was VERY sensitive and always slipped. There were only 3 channels and you had to look in the newspaper or a special magazine for the programme listing. It was a very 'active' and deliberate activity, nothing like being able to watch a video easily today. It was the same story with children's music. All of this was on vinyl (later on tape also) and if we wanted to listen to something then this meant getting the record out of it's sleeve, out of the paper sleeve, cleaning it, turning the amp on, turning the record player on and then putting the record on. After 20 minutes you had to change sides- or your parents did if you were too little to be trusted with the record player. Later, when we did have a TV that mostly worked, my mother was very strict about what programmes she approved.

I did not have many expensive toys but the other children I knew (and their slightly younger siblings' toys when I was a bit older) weren't so very different in concept from things like some of the apps on my tablet. One I remember especially was the Fisher Price activity centre as shown here Yes, obviously it is physical rather than a touchscreen but the repetition and interaction is not so much different from some toddler/baby apps available today. It used to get fixed in baby's cots. What about the Fisher Price pull along phone?. It was very popular and you can still get a version of it today although few children would recognise it as a telephone given that nobody uses a phone like this today. Just like phones are touchscreen today, so are the apps. I remember also the Toy record player (music box with changeable discs) pictured in the first link and Toy TV - a wind up music box with a scrolling background. These were the types of toys most kids 'just played' with, often just winding it up and sitting there staring at it until it wound down, then doing the same thing again. I did this myself when I visited other peoples houses. I feel that interacting with a music or video app (e.g. YouTube kids) is at least as intellectual.

As a child I read childrens' comics and later newspapers and books. Today, I haven't bought a paper newspaper or book in years. It's a different world.

TL;DR There aren't any relevant studies for todller time spent on apps, it's all based on TV viewing which I would argue is quite different from negotiating within and between apps, something that I would consider today a life-skill.

A toys r us gift card might be a safer treat for a little girl that age, it looks like she might not have full use of her remaining hand so toys and video games that require dexterity would be hard to use. When my sisters were that age they loved baby dolls and barbies and dress up clothes and fancy hair bows/tiaras. It looks like she likes to paint her fingernails so that would be an inexpensive little gift :) and all little girls love webkinz stuffed animals and those little shopkins things, which are a good portable toy to take with to hospital visits.

Personally, I've always wanted to get this Minecraft magnet set, and I don't even play Minecraft but I feel it would be fun to create interesting little landscapes every so often that I could admire all the time! XD

What games does he like? My suggesting is a game prop. Like if he is a fan of portal 2 - http://www.amazon.com/Valve-Portal-Device-Replica-Version/dp/B0082F0ZOG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1346529475&sr=8-2&keywords=portal+gun

world of warcraft- http://www.epicweapons.com/products/frostmourne.php

Get my point? If he is nerdy enough he will love it. Just make sure the item is something that plays a major role in the game. Like if he is a fan of Zelda and you buy him an ocarina he will only be slightly amused, but if you buy him a quality Master Sword/Hylian Shield combo made of actual metal and not some cheap plastic/resin he will be ecstatic.

Hope this helps :)

I too am a huge proponent over quality over quantity (even if $$$).

Boy, I'm trying to think of why my kid did when he was 1...I am pretty sure he got his first Duplos at age 11 months.

OK I checked my order history with amazon to remind myself. Lots of fridge magnets. He would sit on the floor next to the fridge and rearrange his magnets and I could actually get some work done. I remember this set was well loved: Melissa and Doug animal magnets. He also liked this Fisher Price piggy bank .

Otherwise it was lots of board books and simple things that we made. I remember we had a big coffee can that we cut a slot into the lid and then he would insert baby food jar lids into the slot (same idea as the FP piggy bank).

1 year old was a tough age to find decent stuff for at the toy store.

Here's a couple.

• https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Plated-Train-Money-Box/dp/B002HECWUI/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1480105277&sr=8-19&keywords=Knight+coin+bank
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Choken-Puppy-Hungry-Eating-Saving/dp/B00VDW75D4/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1480105326&sr=8-1&keywords=Dog+coin+bank
  
  
• www.ebay.com/itm/Money-Piggy-Bank-Burgonet-European-Knights-Armor-Helmet-Savings-Box-20cm-/121770002150?hash=item1c5a0ec6e6:g:y7sAAOSw0HVWBVJz
  
  This one is out of your price range but it covers a number of bases and I hope you find it as amusing as I do!
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Protect-Cold-Cast-Bulldog-Bradford-Exchange/dp/B00UGH9KAS/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1480105326&sr=8-18-spons&keywords=Dog+coin+bank&psc=1
  

yeah its actually a piggy bank

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https://www.amazon.com/Toynami-Futurama-Hypnotoad-Vinyl-Coin/dp/B00GC28PI4

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edit: wow its going for $80 now!? i bought it on amazon a few years ago for like $35

This is actually the one we're hoping to get but the one he fell in love with at the store was this: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Junior-Workshop-Closed/dp/B0016DE80I/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1481251626&sr=1-2&keywords=black+and+decker+tools+bench

If you just want a sword I'd go with this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K5OLKIW?pc_redir=1413174336&robot_redir=1
I painted mine black over the green, it looks good and feels great to hold and swing

I bought my kid this laser tag toy and its awesome we play with it all the time. If there are siblings somewhere in your family you can give it to all of them as a shared present. My parents always did this with "the good stuff" on Christmas. It always sorted itself out eventually.

Is this a good thing to bring our laser tag toy guns and grenades to? We just got them and they could use a good testing out! Also just got a Google Cardboard in the post in case anyone wants play with VR. Needs putting together though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01137DEEW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

looks like the old needle point sculpture toy. Looks like they bought a wall's worth of this.

https://www.amazon.com/Lilys-Point-Impression-Needle-Frame/dp/B004N7HEYG

https://www.amazon.com/Toy-Cap-Gun-Police-Revolvers/dp/B00DHOZKEW/ref=pd_aw_lpo_21_bs_img_1/135-6647121-3562852?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NAEGC25DVKTQJMJRDE7H

Shape seems to fit quite nicely with this toy. Either this toy is a well made replica, or that gun is this modified toy or similar

and I mine.

Would you be amenable to high noon as an acceptable time? I'll gladly let you select the location.

It's an old magnet toy. You hold it such that the balls wrap around the end and come back the other way. Like an older version of something like this

Brio push cart. Useful to learn to walk. Additionally they love pushing things. Better this than have them pushing chairs around the house.

Toys with a string to pull. Like [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Classic-Chatter-Phone/dp/B001W03MBQ)

Bobby car (Wikipedia says it's from the age of two, but it's rather from a bit over one)

A xylophone

Building blocks

It does look really good. It has a metal hilt and is modeled after the saber he used in ESB. They always seem to be out of stock everywhere. It seems like other venues sell them for around $600 USD.

If you want a compromise, you can get the Obi Wan Ultimate FX on Amazon.com for just over 80 bucks. Granted it's a plastic handle, but, it's still a blue lightsaber, right! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJZFLSE?colid=KANO7NVAW0H5&coliid=IUCDVHSW3QV2N&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

BQ Cabbage Patch Dolls, though I never had one. People beat each other up trying to get those for their kids. Crazy. The crazes that I participated in were clackers and Magic Rail Twirler (though I don't think we called them that).

Yesterday well, I didn't do any acro. But, I was a good friend and helped J. pick out and buy the colors for her new place, because some times that is more important than getting a workout in. Also, B. made yummy salmon, carrots, and rice for me. And, I had my follow up with the integrated med person. We did a bunch more blood work (again) this time testing a fully thyroid panel (because my hair is falling out and my temperature is on a steady decline) and re-testing my iron cause if it didn't improve at least somewhat she's going to make me take stronger iron pills. And, we have the phase 2 plan in place - finish up these supplements this weekend and Monday starts hardcore probiotics and a starch-free high fiber diet for a month to feed all the beasties we want in there without feeding the bad ones. Not sure how the hell I'm going to do a starch-free diet. I'm going to live on chicken, salmon, carrots, greens, oranges and psyllium husks, I think. sigh

Today

• Work - more gulp. My Emma meeting.
  
• Exercise - gym at lunch, z-health this afternoon
  
• Life - Um, I'm not sure. Cook for the kiddo. Maybe make some cookies and pop them in the freezer for Saturday (birthday shenaningans but someone else is bringing cake). There was something I was thinking of doing while the kiddo was at class...but I can't recall what.

Look at some pretend play toys and workshops. Black and Decker has an Amazon Exclusive workbench that is very realistic.

https://www.amazon.com/Decker-Junior-Workbench-Workshop-Realistic/dp/B0016DE80I

The Force Effects Light sabers are a pretty must have in most collectors items, but if that's to expensive there are cheaper ones without a removable blade such as Obi Wan's and Yoda's.

There are also retractable ones such as Yoda's, Anakin's and Darth Vader's.

Legos.

Ministeck

This knight outfit

Rubber dinos, kinda like this

Portal Gun, pay the almost negligible difference for such a valuable commodity.

Thank you, this is probably what I'll end up going with: http://www.amazon.com/Toy-Cap-Gun-Police-Revolvers/dp/B00DHOZKEW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1415911700&sr=8-3&keywords=cap+guns

>Think I had a toy one like that

I just had the pull along phone with eyes that everyone has as a kid...

This particular activity board is like a people of the world dress up one, so she can mix and match clothing. They had ones as well.

I'm not sure where the animal magnets came from but they either are or are very similar to these.

Or get these guys... I'm in my 30's and am wondering how I am going to convince my wife I need these.

Fat chance. Nerf only makes anti-zombie broadswords

Pin Point Impression Needle Frame

I've heard them referred to as a "Bed of nails." this link calls it a "pin point impression toy" or "needle art."

Uh... Choken Puppy Hungry Eating Dog Coin Bank Money Saving Box Piggy Bank https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VDW75D4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9vXxybJ67MAS7

Starts at $12 on Amazon and so many others.

Maybe this? I don't know; I have a lot of 'silly' stuff on there. For I am a silly person.

Science Gifts

• Glow in the Dark Space Puzzle
  
• Glow n’ Grow Terrarium
  
• Crystal Growing Lab
  
• Meteorite Dig Kit
  
• Grow a Hedgehog Kit
  
• Magnet Science Kit
  
• Volcano Making Kit
  
• Tin Can Robot
  
• Solar System Model Kit
  
• Glow in the Dark Slime Kit
  
• Crystal Mining Kit
  
• Magic Science Kit
  
  
  Shopkins
  
  
• Brush Buddies Toothbrush
  
• Fashion Spree Makeup Spot
  
• Season 3 2-pack Basket
  
• Season 3 Bundle
  
• Season 3 Basket Bundle
  
• Pop n’ Race Game
  
• Season 3 12-pack
  
• Poster Book
  
• Sticker Activity Book
  
  Dress Up
  
  
• Doctor’s Kit
  
• Disney Princess 300+ piece Jewelry Kit
  
• Doc McStuffin’s Dress Up Kit
  
• Disney’s Frozen, Anna’s Coronation Gown
  
• Disney’s Frozen, Elsa’s Snow Queen Gown
  
• 3 Pair Dress Up Shoes
  
• Tool Belt Pretend Play
  
• Kids Construction Vest
  
• Dress Up Tiaras
  
• Snow White Dress
  
• Cinderella Dress
  
• Sofia the First Dress
  
• King Costume
  
• 12 Animal Masks
  
• Sheriff Callie Dress Up Set

https://www.amazon.com/Toysmith-Retro-Magic-Twirler-colors/dp/B0009XIF3W

Dog.

It's the Toynami Futurama Hypnotoad Vinyl Coin Bank https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GC28PI4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TaVzzb7A3BHKE

Just got off the phone with a credible source of Derek's, FACT CONFIRMED. His name was Steve, I recorded it.

They still sell exact replicas of those.

https://www.amazon.com/Basic-Fun-Fisher-Classics-Chatter/dp/B001W03MBQ/ref=pd_aw_lpo_21_bs_lp_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Q6X76JT32AWXRS2AENKR

It's the Fisher Price Retro line.

Because toddlers.

http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Classic-Chatter-Phone/dp/B001W03MBQ

They still sell the classic version!

Amazon link without the referral tag.
For the lazy: $150 for 4 laser tag guns. 4.6/5.0 stars

Negative. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fisher-Price-Classics-Chatter-Telephone/dp/B001W03MBQ