Play Time
Moulin Roty "I Am Working" Valise Wooden Tool Set
$52.00Let your little ones enjoy as they pretend to build projects while learning what each tool is meant to do. This set is packaged in a wooden carrying case illustrated...
Kid O 0 to 9 Numbers and Shapes Magnatab Toy
$20.00Help your little one learn the fundamentals of numbers and shapes and how to write them with the sensory-reinforced Kid O’s Numbers and Shapes Magnatab Toy. Included: Magnatab board, & the...
Chewbeads 100% Chewpals Silicone Teether Butterfly
$12.00Chewbeads’ Chew Pals Butterfly Teether is perfect for distracting your little one anywhere and ideal for soothing their sore gums with its textured surface! The size of this teether is...
Mudpuppy 1000 Piece Puzzle Cool Cats A Z
$16.99Put together this 1000 piece family puzzle to reveal a series of "Cool Cats" that represent letters of the alphabet. This fun and eye-catching puzzle feature art by Carolyn Gavin....
Mudpuppy 1000 Piece Puzzle Hot Dogs A Z
$16.99Put together this 1000 piece family puzzle to reveal a series of playful "Hot Dogs" that represent each letter of the alphabet. This fun and eye-catching design are by Carolyn...
Mudpuppy 1000 Piece Puzzle The United States
$16.99The whole family can put together this 1000 piece puzzle of the United States. The completed puzzle features a colorful map of the U.S. including illustrations of the attributes of...
Mudpuppy 1000 Piece Puzzle Your World
$16.99Put together this 1000 piece family puzzle to reveal "Your World." The completed puzzle features a vibrant and playful assortment of animals on a world map. The pieces come packaged...
Janod 12 Fruits Crate Wood
$18.00Let's play at the merchant with these pretty wooden fruits of all colors! This crate is ideal for playing to cook a good meal or to do the market. It...
Omy Design 12 Piece Neon and Metallic Art Pastels
$22.00Let your creativity express itself with this palette of 12 oil pastels in bright, fluorescent, and metallic colors.This new Beaux-Arts quality graphic tool completes our writing range and promises you drawings in...
Janod 12 Vegetables Crate
$18.00Wooden tray with 12 assorted vegetables also in wood (Chinese cherry) : 2 leeks, 2 radishes, 2 potatoes, 2 mushrooms, 2 tomatoes and 2 carrots.
Omy Design 16 Pack Magic FeltMarkers
$18.0016 Custom OMY Magic felt tip pens! These Magic felt pens can erase or change color with the help of two special white pens included in the packaging. The box...
Omy Design 16 Pack Neon Metallic Pencils
$18.00Make coloring extra fun with these bright and neon colored pencils 16 assorted colors : 10 neons and 6 shiny colors The box becomes a pretty pencil holder for your...
Hape 2 in 1 Kitchen and Grill Toy Set
$44.00Role-play cooking a delicious meal together with your child with this realistic 2-in-1 Kitchen & Grill Set that includes metal accessories, clicking, turnable knobs, and an adjustable clock. Product size...
Fat Brain 24 Piece Squigz Starter Building Set
$26.00Fat Brain’s 24 Piece Squigz Starter Set is the perfect toy to give to your little one to use in any environment, to stick on everything from walls, to bathtubs,...
Animiles 3D Helmet Kids Black Dragon
$35.00Unique 3D design, 100 % in-mold shell, lightweight construction 270 grams. Breathable with 6 vents, front, top and back. One soft piece of inner padding for easier washing. Adjustable spin...
Animiles 3D Helmet Kids Blue Dragon
$35.00Unique 3D design, 100 % in-mold shell, lightweight construction 270 grams. Breathable with 6 vents, front, top and back. One soft piece of inner padding for easier washing. Adjustable spin...
Animiles 3D Helmet Kids Grey Shark
$35.00Unique 3D design, 100 % in-mold shell, lightweight construction 270 grams. Breathable with 6 vents, front, top and back. One soft piece of inner padding for easier washing. Adjustable spin...
Animiles 3D Helmet Kids Pink Leopard
$35.00Unique 3D design, 100 % in-mold shell, lightweight construction 270 grams. Breathable with 6 vents, front, top and back. One soft piece of inner padding for easier washing. Adjustable spin...
Animiles 3D Helmet Kids Pink Shark
$35.00Unique 3D design, 100 % in-mold shell, lightweight construction 270 grams. Breathable with 6 vents, front, top and back. One soft piece of inner padding for easier washing. Adjustable spin...
Animiles 3D Helmet Kids Purple Leopard
$35.00Unique 3D design, 100 % in-mold shell, lightweight construction 270 grams. Breathable with 6 vents, front, top and back. One soft piece of inner padding for easier washing. Adjustable spin...
PlanToys 40 Unit Blocks Set Natural
$32.00Show off your imagination and creativity through block building! The natural wood color blocks provide a limitless way of playing as they are open-ended toys, allowing kids to play as...
Nosefrida 4in1 Not Too Cold To Hold Teether
$9.99Skip the chilly teething rings and help baby soothe their sore gums without getting frostbite on their hands. The Not-Too-Cold-To-Hold Teether has a stay-warm handle for the baby to hold,...
Mudpuppy 500 Piece Puzzle Keith Haring
$15.99Two puzzles in one! The Keith Haring 2-Sided Puzzle features 2 versions of Haring’s iconic Pop Art masterpiece. Puzzle pieces have a matte finish on one side and glossy on the...
Mudpuppy 70 Piece Puzzle Geography Map of USA
$16.99Learn all 50 states by name, capital city, shape, location, and even state nickname with Mudpuppy's Map of the U.S.A. Geography Puzzle! This double-sided 70 piece puzzle includes puzzle pieces...
Play is essential for children because it contributes to their intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. When children play, they exercise their creativity, develop their imagination, master their dexterity, improve their cognitive ability and build physical strength. Experts agree that the best kinds of play allow kids to set their own goals, negotiate challenges, develop and share ideas, and make their own rules.
But how can we make sure our kids are getting enough healthy, unstructured play time when they’re growing up in an overscheduled and stressful environment, when parents are overly focused on producing high academic achievers, and safety concerns prevent us from letting our kids roam around freely and unsupervised? Perhaps the best thing we can do for our kids is to make sure they have the right kinds of toys at home to make play time most rewarding.
First and foremost is safety. Safe toys for young children are sturdy, without sharp parts or splinters, free of pinching hazards, and easy to clean. If the toy will be used by an infant, it’s important that parts aren’t small enough to become a choking hazard.
Toys must be made from non-toxic materials and coated with lead-free paints. You should steer clear of antique toys, second-hand toys and homemade toys that have not been tested and approved by a certified testing lab, or may have been produced before the current regulations governing toy manufacturing were in effect.
In addition to being safe, a good toy will match the child’s appropriate stage of development and abilities.
The best baby activity toys for infants between 0-6 months are things they can reach, grasp, suck on, shake, and make noise with. Some age-appropriate toys for little babies are squeeze toys, teething toys, soft dolls, textured balls, and board books.
Infants between 6-12 months are starting to crawl, sit up and pull themselves to a standing position. They are capable putting things in and out of containers and placing objects on top of each other. Some of the best baby activity toys for this age group are dolls, vehicles with wheels, bath toys, large beads, nesting toys, large soft blocks, wooden blocks, and push & pull toys.
As your child continues to grow, look for toys that will encourage them to explore, create, pretend, imagine, and learn from trial and error.