Play Time
Maileg Maileg Safari Friends Rhino Plush Toy...
$28.00Safari Friends are made of the softest linen and are available in many different colors. They can sit and give the best hug you can imagine. Recommended age: All ages...
Maileg Maileg Rabbit Doll Size 2 Classic in ...
$38.00A classic rabbit made of soft natural linen and cotton fabric that gives a lovely hand feel and look. Size 2 rabbits fit into the Maileg dollhouse and all furniture...
Maileg Maileg Rabbit Doll Size 1 Brown in T-...
$34.00This little rabbit is sure to steal your heart! The rabbit looks very handsome in a striped sweater and complementary pants. Have fun watching your little one's imagination unfold to...
Maileg Maileg Rabbit Doll Size 1 Classic in ...
$34.00A classic rabbit made of soft natural linen and cotton fabric that gives a lovely hand feel and look. This adorable rabbit doll wears a classic striped t-shirt and brown...
Gibbs Smith Book Frankenstein: A BabyLit Anatomy ...
$12.00A BabyLit® Anatomy Primer BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design...
Jellycat Jellycat Maurice Macaroni
$32.50Maurice Macaroni is a blue-grey penguin, gorgeously squat with a round cream bib and custard-yellow tufts. With waggly flippers, stitched suedette feet, and a down-turned piped orange bill, Maurice is...
Jellycat Jellycat Bartholomew Bear Bedtime
$30.00Tawny-tousled and full of softness, Jellycat Bartholomew Bear Bedtime is the perfect bedtime buddy. Wearing a red plaid pjs you can read him a story, sing him a teddy bear lullaby, or...
Abrams Appleseed Book Bugblock
$17.99Learn all about insects in Christopher Franceschelli’s Bugblock, a buzz-worthy addition to the bestselling Abrams Block Book series, featuring full-color art by David Partington, a member of Peski Studio. In Bugblock, readers will...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Moon
$30.00 – $60.00Gorgeously textured with velvety craters, Jellycat Amuseable Moon is full of fun! A midnight matey for bedtime hugs, this pearly-white pal is curvy and cuddly. With squidgy cord booties, a weighted...
Jellycat Jellycat Maya Octopus
$18.00 – $130.00With eight soft jumbo corduroy tentacles and a wide embroidered smile Jellycat Maya Octopus is the perfect companion for giving the biggest of hugs. Her sil-like fur in a dusky...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Rainbow Birthday Cake
$32.50 – $60.00Celebrate in color with Jellycat Amuseable Rainbow Birthday Cake! This joyful cake has four soft layers in pink, purple, yellow and green, fluffy icing with chocolate flecks and a suedette...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Ramen
$40.00Jellycat Amuseable Ramen is full of kawaii charm, from the cream-and-red bowl to the suedette chopsticks. Filled with wavy cord noodles, suedette spring onions and fluffy boiled eggs, as well...
Jellycat Jellycat Tails Book Kitten
$18.50The Jellycat Kitten Tails Activity Book is crammed with cats! This crinkle fabric book is full of fun pictures and kitty tails of many kinds! Cordy, stripey, spotty, fluffy –...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Taco
$33.00Jellycat Amuseable Taco is a bundle of fun with a very colorful hairdo! Fiesta-funky with foldy suedey lettuce and tomato, it's all about the green and scarlet! With a soft...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Sports Basketball
$50.00Appearing on the court in rich orange fur with black felt line shaping, Jellycat Amuseable Sports Basketball is a cheery three-point winner of a gift. With a joyful smile, fine cord...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Sports Tennis Ball
$27.50The perfect partner for any tennis enthusiast! Eye-catching on and off the court in zingy yellow velvet soft fur, Jellycat Amuseable Sport Tennis Ball is all set to play with a...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Sports American Fo...
$45.00With silky soft tan-hued fur, cream suede lacing detail, and soft stripes on either end of this classically shaped sports favorite, Jellycat Amuseable American Football is a captivating catch (and...
Jellycat Jellycat Amuseable Doughnut
$30.00A treat for the eyes, Jellycat Amuseable Doughnut is a burst of kooky sweetness! With soft golden dough, berry-pink icing, stitch rainbow sprinkles and cordy fudge boots, this doughnut's weighted...
Cottage Door Press Busy Noisy Safari Book
$19.99Beep, beep! Hop in for a wild and silly animal adventure! Join dog and cat as they embark on a safari ride and meet new animal pals along the way....
Chewbeads Sunshine Stacker Teether Toy
$18.00Chewbeads Sunshine Stacker Teether is the perfect addition to any playroom. Made with 100% silicone, this colorful and safe stacking toy provides a world of entertainment, plus introduces fine motor skills, counting,...
Steiff Steiff Musical Pull Toy Hoppie Rabbit
$46.00Hoppie Rabbit is one of the best-selling styles for children, and she’s now available in a music box version for infants. Pull her string, and delight your baby with a...
Bunnies By The Bay Avery The Aviator Snow Goose Plush Toy
$34.00Avery The Aviator Snow Goose is as fun and adventurous as they come! This stuffed plush animal is ready to fly right into your home, and heart, and encourages you to do...
Bunnies By The Bay Cubby Bear Plush Toy
$26.00Lots 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...
Jellycat Jellycat Lavender Dragon
$32.50 – $120.00See that flash of lilac, high in the sky? Jellycat Lavender Dragon is about! Gliding to earth, this long, lopsy dragon makes such a fabulous entrance. With sparkly ears, wings,...
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.