Where to buy good toys (thanks for all the suggestions) but new request- father is highly gifted as all our kids- age recommendation questions

[TravelingChris]

So Amazon was a complete fail.  

I remember I used to get good toys from some company called Timber-- something.  It isn't Timberlake😀 cause I already tried that.  Like I remember I had this hand held activity that I think I got from them.  I know I got cool wood toys from them too. Back then, I think I used a catalog. 

But anything you could recommend for good basic toys--not Marvel, Disney, etc.  

I have three children I have to buy things for- a 12 year old who will mostly be getting art supplies so I don't have such a problem for her, a 4 yo and a newborn.  Now newborn won't have a birthday until Nov 2022 so I don't know if I should buy some stuff for a six month old or not or just buy those later for him.  But again I don't want junk/

Edited October 15, 2021 by TravelingChris
new question

[Noreen Claire]

timberdoodle?

[maize]

I've found nice wood toys on Etsy.

[HomeAgain]

We like Hearthsong, Etsy, and some of Timberdoodle's selections.

[Dmmetler]

Lakeshore Learning is another option. 

 

Melissa and Doug

[MercyA]

A hearty yes to all of the above. You might also look at Nova Natural, Maisonette, and Fat Brain Toys.

I love toys. 🙂

[Junie]

Another vote for Melissa and Doug.  We also have a ton of Fisher-Price baby and toddler toys that survived all six kids.

[TravelingChris]

Thank you so much for these site recommendations.  Now for the new question-  I know that 3 and up stuff is often a safety hazard for a younger child but are the under 3 recommendations based on anything other than when an average child walks, sits up, etc?  I haven't talked enough with my ddil to tell anything about her but my son is super gifted and all my kids were doing all sorts of things way before the average.  So is there any harm to giving toys that he may not be able to use as a newborn-- he will most likely be born sometime in the second half of November- but would be able to use by later spring?  As it is, the two of them will have to keep a close eye on him just like I had to keep a close eye on my 2 youngers because by the time my second was born, ds was already 4.5 and had legos, et

They all used toys, books, and learning material way before they were supposedly old enough.  

[HomeAgain]

My big issue would be choking hazards.  Beyond that, I didn't really worry much about "age appropriate".  If I couldn't be absolutely certain I could leave a kid with it for 2 minutes while I peed, I didn't give it to a kid who was still mouthing things in order to find out about them.

[MercyA]

38 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

My big issue would be choking hazards.  Beyond that, I didn't really worry much about "age appropriate". 

Same. But if there are already big kids in the house playing with things with little pieces, I'm guessing parent is already on top of that. 

[TravelingChris]

1 hour ago, HomeAgain said:

My big issue would be choking hazards.  Beyond that, I didn't really worry much about "age appropriate".  If I couldn't be absolutely certain I could leave a kid with it for 2 minutes while I peed, I didn't give it to a kid who was still mouthing things in order to find out about them.

 

58 minutes ago, MercyA said:

Same. But if there are already big kids in the house playing with things with little pieces, I'm guessing parent is already on top of that. 

Yes but aren't all things labeled for under 3 supposed to be choke free anyway?  I thought that was the difference between blocks, for example, that are okay for 2 or 18 month olds and blocks thst specifically say 3+

[MercyA]

2 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

 

Yes but aren't all things labeled for under 3 supposed to be choke free anyway?  I thought that was the difference between blocks, for example, that are okay for 2 or 18 month olds and blocks thst specifically say 3+

Yes! I just meant that I would be okay with a 3+ toy for a child under 3 IF I knew his or her parents were careful about choking hazards. 

[TravelingChris]

5 minutes ago, MercyA said:

Yes! I just meant that I would be okay with a 3+ toy for a child under 3 IF I knew his or her parents were careful about choking hazards. 

So definitely buying toys that are meant for 6 months or a year old or 18 months would be fine.

[maize]

We have enjoyed Uncle Goose blocks--there are so many varieties!

https://unclegoose.com/

[MercyA]

14 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

So definitely buying toys that are meant for 6 months or a year old or 18 months would be fine.

I would say so, yes!