Good toys for 1-2 year old?

[FabFiona]

Rather than buying, I'd recommend you join your local toy library. A years membership will be cheaper than buying 2-3 toys. I buy a few bigger quality pieces that involve open ended imaginative play (which is a bit old for 14 months) but otherwise I rarely buy toys. We have 'new' toys in the house every fortnight which means the kids never bored with toys they've already played with and mastered. Toy libraries are also great for the environment as they encourage recycling and generally have more expensive and educational toys that aren't found in Target etc.

At that age, anything that involves posting something, shape sorters or putting balls into something is great for their development.

You can find your local toy library here - http://www.toylibraries.org.au/locations.php

[Aussiegirl777]

DS will be 20 months old at Christmas and he is getting a Thomas tent, a trike (I'm thinking the one that has the handle to push them that later comes off and they can peddle it themselves), a Duplo set (farm), playdoh.

I'm also now adding to his list a paintbrush because I love the idea of painting water onto the bricks on our back patio and a torch - I never would have thought a torch but I think that is a great gift item.

[Phteven]

Have a look for a bilibo. My boys have been using theirs for about 5 years.

[Novella]

Plain old washing pegs. MIL gavevdd1 some for her birthday one year and she loves playing with them

Play dough accessories, you can get big tubs with cutters and rolling pins.

If you have concrete outside the big fat pieces of chalk are great, I got a box of crayolla ones do under $4 for over 20 of them

[TaRhLi.]

Forgot to add - Balloons and Bubbles are also hours of entertainment