Cruise through early developmental stages with the PlanToys Baby Walker - Orchard! This toy can help develop fine and gross motor skills while encouraging children to walk on their own...
Cruise through early developmental stages with the PlanToys Baby Walker! This toy can help develop fine and gross motor skills while encouraging children to walk on their own two feet....
Let your child's imagination run wild with this beautiful Castle Building Blocks Set that features all the shapes needed to build their own castle, city, race track, or whatever their creative minds...
The perfect gift for one-year-old’s, the Micro Kickboard Mini 3in1 Deluxe Scooter grows with ages 1 through 5, is virtually indestructible, and is the highest-rated scooter of its kind. Micro...
Feeling snoozy? Cuddle up close to scrummy Perry Lying. Our polar bear pal is loveably lazy and soft as a snowdrift. He's flumpy, flopsy and irresistibly soft in velvety vanilla...
Tsumiki means "building block" in Japanese. This doll-house-shaped wooden block set has beautifully soft colors. A magnetic cover conceals a magical world of shapes just waiting to be piled up,...
For baby’s first steps in life 30 alphabet cubes (upper and lower case letters) and numbers. An abacus to play at counting. Dimensions 43.5 x 35 x 41 cm (17.1...
So much to discover with this lovely wooden garage. Use the crane with the magnetic hook to load the containers on the trucks. Age: 3 years+ Includes 2 cars, road...
Your child is the captain of these vessels, as they sail the Seven Seas -- rolling along on any smooth surface! Included on board each is a captain of the...
This open-ended game is a fun challenge for young children! The Rainbow Bowls Sorting Game comes with six colored bowls, each of which has three matching wooden pieces in the shape of...
Watch your child’s imagination take over as the Kinderboard becomes a seesaw, balancing toy, slide, stepping stool, boat, resting nook and so much more! Originally introduced in Waldorf Early Childhood...
Watch your child’s imagination take over as the Kinderboard becomes a seesaw, balancing toy, slide, stepping stool, boat, resting nook and so much more! Originally introduced in Waldorf Early Childhood...
Step into the jungle with the Black Panther plush, a stunning and lifelike representation of one of nature's most mysterious creatures. Made with luxurious black plush fabric, this panther embodies...
This adorable Cooper is a classic dog with golden fur all throughout and floppy ears. Bring home this unique dog for a great, realistic addition to your collection. High quality...
This Husky has light grey and white fur, pointed ears, and comes in a resting position. High quality materials make for a soft, fluffy touch Super Flopsies lay in a...
This Giraffe has a lovely speckled pattern, plush horns, and comes in a resting position. A best pick for anyone who wants to add an extra-large amount of fun to any...
This Elephant has a neutral grey body, big floppy ears, and comes in a resting position. A best pick for anyone who wants to add an extra-large amount of fun to...
This Lion has golden brown fur, a long, furry mane, and comes in a resting position. A best pick for anyone who wants to add an extra-large amount of fun...
The majestic Slushy Polar Bear lives in the arctic, sporting heavy fur and even being an excellent swimmer! Made in a simple yet elegant way with quality, care, and a...
A beautiful chocolate brown stuffed horse is available in a super size now. High quality materials make for a soft, fluffy touch Super Flopsies lay in a resting position for...
Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow Pastel is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your...
Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow Natural is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your...
Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow Monochrome is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your...
Parking Garage is the perfect addition to any BRIO World, connecting the railway and roadways together in a single destination. Each of the three levels of the Parking Garage...
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.