Upon walking into a toy store, usually my mind goes on the fritz and I have no idea what to buy. Does my little girl like balls, noise makers, dolls – what, in all of the abundant choices, would make her happy?

Well, as luck would have it, the non-toy toys are always the biggest hit in our house, so here’s a quick list of easy to make (or re-purpose) toys at home. These are for the inquisitive baby/toddler age 12 months to 2 years. Oh, and none of these ideas are new or even terribly inventive, just useful.

1) Spice jars filled with dried beans. It’s so easy to fill the jar (plastic or glass, though glass makes a better sound) with whatever dried substance you have. Any kind of bean will do, or even rice. Your baby will love the sound and by watching the beans shake, she’ll start to figure out how noise is made.

2) Pastry brush or wooden spoon. These are great for banging, sucking, smacking and any other type of permissible hitting exercise. (Be careful with siblings or pets around and this one needs a bit more parental supervision than others). And keep an eye on your baby – if they tend to shove the spoon down their throat then they are probably not ready for spoons.

3) Pots and pans. Whether baby sized or large, pots and pans are tons of fun for babies to make noise with, hide stuff in, and organize. This, for us, is an especially useful activity while I’m trying to cook dinner…we can all play in the kitchen together!

4) Tupperware or any plastic containers. We’ve dedicated a cupboard to all things plastic and whenever she feels like organizing and sorting, our little one heads over and starts in. We’ve left the child safety gadgets off of this cupboard so she can access it any time she wants – which, incidentally, also makes her feel independent and in control.

5) Stones. Now, this one might be a little tough to accept as a toy. Stones are hard, loud, and can easily break other things. Plus, you have to find a stone that is NOT a choking hazard, meaning the bigger the better. Just be sure to remove all breakable items from the play area. Smooth rocks are best as they have a really cool surface and typically are cold. And, as the baby holds it, it will warm up – a pretty cool lesson in temperature.

When thinking about what will entertain your little one, consider this – the entire world is new to them, so everything needs to be explored. Just because you know how a lid fits on to a plastic container doesn’t mean that your child does. And if they do, then it could open even more avenues of play – sorting, stacking and organizing. That’s good for at least a few minutes of play.

Most importantly, avoid any materials that stain, are sharp, things with loose pieces or threads (that can choke), anything that might be harmful if put in the mouth, and small choking hazards.

photo credits: top piotr zurek, middle Stuti ~, bottom banna123456

Cut to our daughter now at almost 2 years old and what is her most dominant feature?  Her pacifier.  We call it a chewpete (from the spanish word for sucker that I’m certain I’m not spelling correctly).  First off there is absolutely no sleeping without 2 of them – one for her mouth and one for her hand.  She doesn’t keep it in all night long but she needs it right there next to her.  Unfortunately is acts as her lovey as well.

Second is every other time of the day.  It all started innocently enough.  Sophie was allowed her chewpete at night and when she hurt herself.  Then we moved and all of the upheaval surrounding packing and moving affected her so we gave it to her when she was distressed throughout those days.  Then she got really sick and it was one of the only things that calmed her down and, while she was vomitting and so unhappy I didn’t have the heart to take it away.  But now she’s all better and throws a fit when she doesn’t have it unless she is really distracted, like on the playground.

I’m just so unsure of what to do now – do I go through the hassle of weaning her or simply deal with it until she’s ready to part with it?  And, mind you, she does have the personality that leads me to believe that she will one day wake up and be done with it…she’s shown similar fortitude in the past.  Unfortunately I think her father, her grandmother and I have become as addicted to it as she is as the chewpete calms and quiets her.  Not a bad thing when you’re out grocery shopping and the waterworks start to flow.

I never considered I’d be a mom who allowed a pacifier and yet here I am.  Just one more instance in a string of things that I didn’t know that I didn’t know.  Now I know and I’m at a loss as to what to do about it…