Bashful Bunny is a popular fellow with scrummy-soft Jellycat fur and lovely long flopsy ears mean that with just one cuddle, you’ll never want to let go. Irresistibly cute and...
Bashful Poodle comes from fabulous France, and has sugar-pink fur that you can’t help but cuddle. She skips down the avenue, fluffy ears flapping, and snaffles a croissant - what...
Bashful Bunny is a popular fellow with scrummy-soft Jellycat fur and lovely long flopsy ears mean that with just one cuddle, you’ll never want to let go. Irresistibly cute and...
Lots of pacifiers lost? Say no more, this cute silly buddy will be the solution to this problem. Floppy, sloppy, silly and soft, this playful pacifier holding silly buddies, tie...
Fluttering in with a cheeky grin, it's beautiful Beatrice Butterfly! Rosy and cozy with a beany bottom, soft textured wings and suedey antennae, this bobbly buddy loves yummy nectar and...
This delightful collection of your favorite animals, made from Natural rubber colored in soft pastel shades, each containing an enclosed rattle, will provide stimulation and comfort for any newborn. Includes: Pink...
Dressed in pink plush, this baby is the perfect first doll for any little one. Cute and cuddly, this 12"newborn baby doll with a soft fabric body is ready to...
Dressed in pink plush, this baby is the perfect first doll for any little one. Cute and cuddly, this 12"newborn baby doll with a soft fabric body is ready to...
Bashful Bunny is a popular fellow with scrummy-soft Jellycat fur and lovely long flopsy ears means that with just one cuddle, you’ll never want to let go. Irresistibly cute and...
Blossom Tulip Tessa Bunny is so glad you came to see her! She needs another player for her new game, Sometimes when she’s bounding, her flowery ears flapping, she tumbles...
Fuddlewuddle Pig is rumply-scrumptious, in tousled marshmallow fur. Flumpy and dreamy, this podgy pink piglet has squidgy-soft trotters and suedey ears and snout. A cute curly tail and gentle expression...
The Silicone Happy Stacks are the new must-have Montessori toy. Classic stacking cups just got a massive upgrade. This set of 7 square silicone stackers teaches stacking, nesting, counting, and...
Itzy Ritzy Teething Mitts are safe on baby’s gums, and the glove design keeps the baby from getting scratches on his or her face. It's also ideal for babies who...
The Bibs Loops are meant to be both practical and great fun for your child. They are perfect in the stroller or bed for hanging toys, for playing, and even...
The Bella Tunno Happy Links set includes 5 links for teething playing and organizing. Attach them to the stroller, rocker, play gym, or carrier to bring the fun wherever you go. ...
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.