Awaken your child's curiosity with this colorful little Rainbow Ball has a velvety soft texture will engage a baby's senses. A toy that infants and toddlers will use over and...
An open-ended and versatile toy, this Wooden Nesting Bridge set can be used as a stacking and nesting toy, or as bridges for toy cars and scenic play. Each set...
Grimm’s 6 Piece Rainbow 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 children...
This Set of Boxes is a versatile toy for children: they can stack and sort the boxes by size and color, build with them, use it as dollhouses or carports,...
This Set of Boxes is a versatile toy for children: they can stack and sort the boxes by size and color, build with them, use it as dollhouses or carports,...
If children have learned to walk, they like to pull something behind them. The blue Elephant is a great companion! Materials: lime wood, non-toxic water based color stain. Authentic Grimm's...
With so much to touch and explore, this is the ultimate infant ball! Bababall is woven together by a series of bands made of different textures, vibrant colors, and patterns...
Snuggle up with Bartholomew Bear Soother. This tufty, ruffly toffee bear is hugging a dreamy-soft fudgy blankie. With short fur paws and a choc-drop nose, this bear is more giggle...
Playing 'Rock a Bye Baby' when Bashful Bunny is pulled, this musical pull's star has risen high to become a firm favourite for bedtime. The musical box is tucked amongst...
Mudpuppy's Little Artist Board Book Set is comprised of colorfully illustrated portraits of visual and performing artists who have made a historical impact on the world. Illustrations by Lydia Ortiz and words...
Forget what you've heard: Bucky Bigfoot isn't shy! This buttercream character loves meeting new people! Wonderfully scruffy from rambles in the forest, Bucky's got big ears, a big fanged grin...
The colorful Click Clack Ball features handles that click with every twist. Filled with tiny beads inside, this baby ball also rattles when shaken. Perfect for infant stimulation! Ages 0...
Cozy Lamby Pookie is all about that plush life with their soft curly and sheepish smile. Olli Ella Cozy Dinkum Details: Cozy Dinkum Dolls can be posed in multiple sleeping...
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...
I live in a beautiful treehouse perched high in the sky. Won’t you come to visit me? We can go on adventures in the magical treetops, take long, delicious naps,...
Where I come from, the ice and snow are always sparkling. I love building snow forts, slurping marshmallows in hot chocolate, and most of all, helping people. I believe we...
A magical gift for little girls, tweens, teens, kids, and of all ages. This soft plush provides comfort and play activity for your little ones. Measures 30 inches
With a plush finger puppet permanently attached to the book and peek-a-boo holes in every page, this charming board book is a fun way for parents and children to play...
With a plush finger puppet permanently attached to the book and peek-a-boo holes in every page, this charming board book is a fun way for parents and children to play...
Newborns will love snuggling up with Baby T. Rex! Baby T. Rex learns to stomp, roar, and explore her world before drifting off to bedtime with her loving family. Featuring...
Harvey Bear is the king of naptime. Golden-brown and wonderfully lazy, Harvey will flop at the drop of a hat. With a rumpled tummy, huge weighted paws, a bobble tail...
Hibernating Bunny is a teeny-tiny, caramel-coloured dreamer. Tucked cosily in a fleecy, berry nest, or sometimes snoozing beside it, this sweet little bun has soft, foldy ears, a snuffly muzzle...
Jellycat Amore Cat is a great snuggle in cat form. This sleepy silly is perfectly podgy in textured fur. With waggly whiskers, dreamy eyes, a swooshy tail, and teeny paws,...
Get your five-a-day in an adorable way with Amuseable Avocado! Scrummily green and soft, our veggie chum has a natty two-tone jacket in speckled fur. We love that squashy, suedey...
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.