Stacking cups! The best toys are really open-ended and can be used for all kinds of things. Stacking cups can be used to stack/knock down...again and again and again and again. They can also be used to pour everything from sand to water to shredded toilet paper or whatever else she finds to get into.

Stacking cups can become imaginary cars or baskets or whales or even imaginary people.

I've seen all kinds of brands of stacking cups. The best ones I know of are from Discovery Toys (disclaimer: I've bought them but I don't sell them). They are in mathematical proportion to each other, so kids can learn that the size 4 cup holds twice what the size 2 cup holds. In addition, they have pictures molded into the top so the child can make pictures with ink or by pushing the cup into Playdough or damp sand.

http://www.thingamababy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/cups.jpg

This is an example of "marketable" cups that look nice to parents but aren't nearly as useful:

http://www.justkidsstore.com/images/product/136_12_0330.jpg
Source(s):
Used with three kids. My kids start playing with these when they're around 7-8 months old, and still use them for things at ages 10-12. My 4-year-old actively uses hers. But right around 11 months was when all three used them as favorite playthings.

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My four daughters each have liked different toys. But all of my kids love it when I read to them. Dr Sues books are great, but their tastes have varied as they aged.

Reading to your kid is better than any toy. Having interaction time with Mommy or Daddy is a much better gift.
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I think that activity cubes are great for toddlers. It'll keep them busy for hours.

Here's a link to a bunch of different ones on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=activity+cube&x=0&y=0
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