Play Time
Hape All in 1 Easel
$90.00Paint, write, or draw with chalk. This adjustable-height double-sided wooden easel has a place for everything. Includes 3 paint pots, double-sided easel with blackboard and magnetic whiteboard and paper roll....
Glueckskaefer All In One Stacking House Red
$67.00This all-in-one dollhouse contains all the basics you need to set up house for your dolls: chairs, tables, benches and other individual pieces that may be used the young interior...
Hape Alphabet Abacus Educational Toy
$25.00Hape’s Alphabet Abacus is the ideal toy to give to your developing toddler! This toy gives the ABC’S a playful twist to make learning fun! Suitable for children 3 years+...
Penguin Alphabet Street Book
$17.99There’s so much to discover in this ingenious book! Read the funny rhyming text, lift the flaps, and learn the letters of the alphabet. And when you’re finished, flip the...
Ambosstoys Ambosstoys Primo Ride On Toy Rosso Red
$249.99Primo ride-on toys combine classic Italian design with the finest craftsmanship to create a timeless ride on the scooter for toddlers and design lovers. PRIMO is the ultimate toy,...
Ambosstoys Ambosstoys Primo Special Ride On Toy ...
$249.00Primo ride on toys combines classic Italian design with the finest craftsmanship to create a timeless ride on the scooter for toddlers and design lovers. PRIMO is the ultimate...
Kiko+ & gg* Amechan Bubble Wand Set
$30.00Amechan: Sweet bubbles. Make magic eco-friendly bubble for a fun summer!! A welcome alternative to plastic bubble wands and a lovely little sweet-shape dish. Includes 3 x handcrafted wooden wands...
Jellycat Amuseable Birthday Cake
$32.50Amuseable Birthday Cake is snuggly-scrumptious, with tussly fur so beautifully baked. This party poppet wears a squashy hat of heavenly splodgy buttercream, topped with velvety strawberries and a striped jersey...
Jellycat Amuseable Pink And White Marshmallows
$28.00Trouble comes in twos! Amuseable Pink and White Marshmallows have a lot in common, like praline cord boots, stitchy smiles and rosy blushes. Linked with a pink satin ribbon, these...
FL Children's Books An ABC of Equality
$15.99A is for Ability, B is for Belief, C is for Class. The best-selling book An ABC of Equality introduces complicated concepts surrounding social justice to the youngest of children. Each...
Wee Gallery Animal Alphabet Cards
$20.00Wee gallery animal alphabet cards are the perfect gift for newborn baby, toddler, or any age in between. The high-contrast animal illustrations create a mesmerizing display for babies, while the...
Brio Animal Farm Set
$96.00The 30-piece Animal Farm Set is ready to bring you back to nature with a peaceful farm setting. The battery-powered Cargo Engine is on the route and ready to collect...
Tonies Animal Songs Audio Play Figurine
$17.99Things are about to get wild! Meet and learn about different animals as you dance and sing along to this wonderful collection of original and traditional songs inspired by all...
Moulin Roty Apres La Pluie Tooth Fairy Mouse Doll
$34.00From After the Rain collection, this little stuffed toy is designed as the tooth fairy mouse. She holds an envelope with a floral design inside, perfect for keeping baby’s teeth!...
Wee Gallery Art Cards Baby Animals Collection
$16.00Babies are fascinated with black-and-white designs. Right from the start, these art cards begin developing a baby’s visual perception. Printed on sturdy board, these cards will stand up to baby’s...
Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby Black and White Co...
$16.00Babies are fascinated with black-and-white designs. Right from the start, these art cards begin developing a baby’s visual perception. Printed on sturdy board book material, these cards will stand up...
Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby Ocean
$16.00Babies are fascinated with black-and-white designs. Right from the start, these art cards begin developing a baby’s visual perception. Printed on sturdy board, these cards will stand up to baby's...
Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby Original Collection
$16.00Babies are fascinated with black-and-white designs. Right from the start, these art cards begin developing a baby’s visual perception. Printed on sturdy board book material, these cards will stand up...
Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby Rainforest Collection
$16.00Babies are fascinated with black-and-white designs. Right from the start, these art cards begin developing a baby’s visual perception. Printed on sturdy board book material, these cards will stand up...
Wee Gallery Art Cards for Baby Safari Collection
$16.00Babies are fascinated with black-and-white designs. Right from the start, these art cards begin developing a baby’s visual perception. Printed on sturdy board book material, these cards will stand up...
Hape Art Paper Roll
$10.00Perfectly sized for Hape art easels. Perfect for drawing, painting, and other creative expressions.
Plushies Asha White Leopard Plush Toy 20 Inch
$48.00This Asha White Leopard is a spotted feline made with amazingly soft fur that is in a resting position. Its understuffed body gives an extra comforting feel in your arms....
Londji Astronaut Jobs 36 pieces Puzzle
$17.00Astronaut Puzzle is perfect for budding space travel fans. A colorful illustration of an Astronaut waving from the moon is packaged in a high-quality mat board cylinder. This puzzle has...
Manhattan Toy Atom Teether Toy
$12.00The Atom Teether Toy is out of this world! Twelve bendy arms perfect for teething, surround the colorful plastic ball center. Each arm features vibrantly colored plastic clacking rings that...
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.