Manners don’t come naturally to everyone! But did you know that elephants are known for their impeccable etiquette? It’s true! This hilarious guide to good manners offers many fun teaching...
This adorable finger puppet brings the much loved story to life. The puppet is beautifully designed with wooden head and bright fabric bodies and skilfully hand made to bring the...
This adorable finger puppet brings the much-loved story to life. The puppet is beautifully designed with wooden head and bright fabric bodies and skilfully hand made to bring the favorite...
The basket can be used everywhere in the miniature home for storage. The design is fashionable and fits the rest of the Maileg interior articles perfectly. Age: 3 years+ Material:...
From the superstar creators of My Mom Is Magical! and My Dad Is Amazing! comes this vibrant, humor-filled board book—the perfect way to tell your loved ones you're bananas for them. Do you...
Is your grandpa more fun than a ton of treehouses?More adventurous than a sea of sailors?Smarter than a school of fish? Celebrate all the things that make Grandpa grand with...
Is your grandma more fabulous than a flock of flamingos?More magical than a million mermaids?More adventurous than a pack of pirates? Celebrate all the things that make Grandma great with...
Ladies are big, but ladybugs are little. Heads are big, but toes are little. Illustrated in a bright, graphic style, Leslie Patricelli’s bald, hilariously expressive baby acts out each pair...
From Hello!Lucky, the creators of My Mom Is Magical! and My Dad Is Amazing!, comes a joyful tribute to all the things that make YOU one of a kind! You are more lovable...
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...
From a grinning crocodile to an elegant flamingo, from a perky meerkat to an endearing hippo, there are many wild creatures to discover in this captivating book. Adapted from designer...
Calling little fans of farm animals—and design-loving parents! An oversize graphic showpiece has now been adapted as an accessible board book. This bucolic board book presents stylized animals in...
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...
NameTrains Letter Car J is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
NameTrains Letter Car F is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
NameTrains Letter Car G is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
NameTrains Letter Car K is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
NameTrains Letter Car I is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
NameTrains Letter Car H is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
NameTrains Letter Car D is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
NameTrains Letter Car A is crafted from locally sourced and sustainably harvested hard maple. Magnets allow you to attach cars to form names and words. Age: 3 years+ Non-toxic finish....
This little locomotive is the perfect start to a great train and complements our clear-finish letter cars. The Clear Finish NameTrains Engine is crafted from local sustainably harvested native maple...
Complete your train with this accessory vehicle. The NameTrains Clear Finish Caboose is crafted from local sustainably harvested native maple hardwood and is compatible with our and other wooden railway...
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.