Sorry, forgot to add one more thing. I got my daughter the Fisher Price house toy. She absolutely loves it. It comes with two modes-learning (colors, numbers, alphabet) and music. Every time she does something (rings doorbell, turns on light, opens/closes window, door and mailbox, drops balls into the downspot, turns the hands on the clock/numbers on the front music plays, etc. She starts bopping up and down along with the music too. It also comes with a shape sorter. She can sit and play, crawl through the door, or stand to reach the stuff on the top. I think it runs around $60-again out of your price range, but something to think about. I did see one at a consignment shop, so maybe you could look around where you live.
alison