Toys for baby while at allotment

[lozza_9]

Hi all

I am starting to take my 5 month old son to the allotment alot more as the weather is improving. At the momment I am taking toys from the house to the allotment which is a bit of pain if they get muddy and they are surface wash only

Anyway I was wondering what everyone else do, is it worth buying some cheap toys form somewhere and leave them at the allotment? can anyone recommend any shops to buy cheap toys, need cheap so if someone breaks into the shed again I dont care they have taken the toys.

Cheers

Lozza

[mapcr77]

I'd say a charity shop? Helps everyone!

[lainey lou]

Hi Lozza
My children are 9 and nearly 6 and are great at enertaining themselves at the lottie, they usually play dr who, the shed being the tardis and the darleks are, well, the darleks!!! We leave a few bits down there, skipping ropes, felt tips etc.
Why not check out freecycle see if you can get a few toys from there to keep at the lottie or, or try your local paper or charity shops. Good luck!

[jackie j]

Is the baby in a pushchair. Why not have a playpen/ travel cot that way baby will be able to move about as gets older, toys will stay clean, until old enough to throw them over the side. Make sure whatever you use its in the shade and use sun cream hat etc.

[lozza_9]

Is the baby in a pushchair. Why not have a playpen/ travel cot that way baby will be able to move about as gets older, toys will stay clean, until old enough to throw them over the side. Make sure whatever you use its in the shade and use sun cream hat etc.

Hi Jackie,

Yes baby is in Pushchair ( free from freecycle ) but I like the idea of the playpen. He cant sit up on his own yet but I think in a few weeks he will be.

Thanks,
Lorraine

[jackie j]

As a mum of five aged nearly 12 through to 29 years ( hate to say it been there got the t shirt !!! ) Though only got lottie last year but had garden.

[Pootle]

Try Ikea for some cheap toys - they're pretty good. Also Freecycle - while you're there one of the old fashioned travel cots would make a great playpen and wouldn't take up too much space when packed away in the shed. My children were always nosey and loved their play nest - lets them sit up and see whats going on even if they're not really sitting unsupported yet! Another place to try would be your local NCT group - ours has sales every other month and you can get some great toys there...happy hunting!

[Winged one]

I'd say a few things that you might use in the bath would be good. So plastic bricks, stacking cups, washable books, plastic cars, wooden bricks - that kinda thing. You could get a small bucket and spade for later in the summer. A plastic bottle with some rice with the lid well sealed on (sellotape or glue) as a rattle, and maybe a different one with some pasta or sand or pebbles for a different sound. Just clean empty containers to stack, throw, squash and generally explore. An old plastic bowl and spoon from the kitchen to mix things (pretend or real) or make a drum!! A couple of board books.

Maybe a sealable bucket (like ye olde nappy buckets with lids) for storing some play sand with moulds, spade, fork, rake etc and a large plastic tablecloth or something to spread it out on for playing. (Maybe in a few months time though).

If you want to store in the shed, depending on how secure it is (from wildlife rather than people in this instance), it might be worthwhile having a packet of wipes (milton, bleach etc - there's various ones on the market nowadays) for wiping toys on arrival to make sure they are clean.

[lottie dolly]

car boot sales often have lots of toys,have you thought about some kind of mobile to stick in the ground,or a scare crow,if its just some old clothing on a T shaped stick,it hopefully would provide some moving entertainment,as the wind/breeze blows it about,go on give it a name

[janeyo]

My 9 month old will only let me have about 20-30 mins before he lets me know he's had enough! Luckily my lottie is back garden so don't have to go very far!

My 2 never played much at 5 months, just liked to watch the world go by. Does anyone on the lotties have chickens? My son is fascinated with them and will watch them for about 20 mins too.

Other than than, car boot sales for old bricks, megablocks, plastic toys, maybe an old saucepan and spoons to bang.

janeyo

[vicky]

My toddler has outgrown his travelcot (not mint condition as used as garden cage!) if you're ever near Ongar, Essex... If Lozza doesn't want it it's going on freecycle shortly - any takers?!
Now he's 18 months the sandpit is the best outdoor toy, he will spend hours mucking in it. It's one of those on legs and as soon as he could pull himself up he would play in it. Before he could walk it was fab as he would be happily 'stranded' wherever I put it!
Vicky

[lozza_9]

My toddler has outgrown his travelcot (not mint condition as used as garden cage!) if you're ever near Ongar, Essex... If Lozza doesn't want it it's going on freecycle shortly - any takers?!
Now he's 18 months the sandpit is the best outdoor toy, he will spend hours mucking in it. It's one of those on legs and as soon as he could pull himself up he would play in it. Before he could walk it was fab as he would be happily 'stranded' wherever I put it!
Vicky

hi vicky

I have family in hornchurcg/romford. Is that far from you?

loz

[vicky]

Lozza - Have pm'ed you!

[lozza_9]

Thanks all, especially Vicky

Thanks for your advice all, got some toys from ikea and from freecycle, also the travel cot from Vicky.

Also thanks Vicky for the lovely cup of tea ( needed after visiting Ikea) and the use of the living room while we feed Arthur.

Lorraine, Steve and Arthur Warman

[bluemoon]

Hi,Lozza. Thanks for this thread. I'm my grandchildren's new 'minder' and had hoped to fit in my time on the lotties in the evenings and weekends, however if I'm ever going to catch up after this awful weather we've had I'm afraid I'm going to have to take them along. One is almost three, so can be given a patch of his own to cultivate, but our granddaughter is five months old and I had wondered how I'd keep her amused when up there - some great advice here.