Play Time
Hape Stay Put Rattle Set
$16.00Babies will be enchanted by the Stay-put Rattle Set’s differing sounds, bright colors, and aquatic animals. Moreover, with their handy suction cups, playtime is possible anywhere, anytime! Age: 0+ Months...
Brio Steam Train and Tunnel
$30.00The BRIO World Steam Train & Tunnel is beautifully crafted with a classic design and wooden details. The golden age of the toy train is back as this handsome steam...
Steiff Steiff Unica Unicorn Plush Toy 14 inches
$48.00Steiff Unica Unicorn is a fantasy animal that makes fun a reality for all ages! The newly redesigned version of this favorite animal is handmade from superior-quality white plush fabric....
Grapat Stick Gnomes Set
$46.00These sticks can be gnomes, goblins, fantastic creatures, trees, animals, or anything else the child imagines because the open-ended toys give children the chance to become what is necessary according...
Laurence King Publishing Stickyscapes Superheroes Sticker Book
$10.99Try out your superpowers with this superhero sticker book! This astonishing double-sided panoramic play scene folds out to a length of four feet and contains a superheroes' cityscape on one...
Penguin Stomp Stomp Book
$8.99Flip the flaps, move the sliders, and trace the trails in this bright, quirky board book about dinosaurs!Where will Little Dino play today? Flip the flaps, move the sliders, and...
Janod Stringable Circus Theme Wooden Beads
$26.002 games-in-1: toddlers will enjoy using the 5 solid wood (beech) figurines to tell themselves many stories and develop their imagination. Older children will enjoy stringing the beads to develop...
Manhattan Toy Style & Groom
$28.00A fresh look awaits with the help of the imaginative Style & Groom wood hairstyling set. Includes one hair dryer, one straightener, one comb, one hair clipper, one baby-safe...
Wonder & Wise Submarine Playhome
$159.00Where’s the best place to be? In a submarine under the sea, of course. Kids will love the sub with its mesh windows realistic printed details and plush propeller. And who...
Sunnylife Sunnylife Bubba Float M the Mon
$49.00Let your Sunnykid pick their BFF (Best Float Friend) for a summer full of adventures. Let the little one have fun with this Bubba Float that features 3D googly eyes with gradient...
Sunnylife Sunnylife Bubba Float Unicorn
$49.00Let your Sunnykid pick their BFF (Best Float Friend) for a summer full of adventures. Let the little one have fun with this Bubba Float that features 3D Unicorn elements with rainbow...
Sunnylife Sunnylife Luxe Pool Ring Shell
$40.00The makeover your pool has been waiting for. Make the sunny season one to remember with Sunnylife's Insta-famous floats. If you like summer then put a ring on it with...
Sunnylife Sunnylife Mini Float Ring Monty the M...
$29.00The adorable Sunnylife Mini Float Ring Monty the Monster features a neon ombre print and playful 3-D googly eyes. Designed for smaller bodies, this mini-sized floating ring ensures little ones are comfortable and...
Sunnylife Sunnylife Mini Float Ring Shark Attack
$25.00Let your little ones pick their BFF (Best Float Friend) for a summer full of adventures. Let the little one in on the fun with the Sunnylife Mini Float Ring....
Sunnylife Sunnylife Mini Lucite 4 in a Row Neon
$110.00The range of luxurious and limited edition Lucite games in the new gleaming Neon colorway is inspired by the warm sunshine beaming through the sky on a hot summer's day....
Sunnylife Sunnylife Mini Lucite Backgammon Neon
$130.00The range of luxurious and limited edition Lucite games in the new gleaming Neon colorway is inspired by the warm sunshine beaming through the sky on a hot summer's day. ...
Sunnylife Sunnylife Mini Lucite Chess & Checker...
$160.00A range of luxurious and limited edition Lucite games in the new gleaming Neon colorway are inspired by the warm sunshine beaming through the sky on a hot summer's day....
Glueckskaefer Sunset Stacking Puzzle Purple
$62.00A stacking and building puzzle in the beautiful tones of the sunset! Build and play with the blocks, and then you can reassemble them as a delightful sunset!Handcrafted in Europe...
Tender Leaf Toys Supermarket Grocery Set
$46.00A set of Tender Leaf branded grocery products. Each item has a beautifully printed label illustrated with fun food. Set includes ice cream tub, popcorn, cat food, a tin of...
Madame Alexander Sweet Baby Nursery Bows and Bears Doll
$48.00Sweet Baby Nursery Bows & Bears Doll is perfect for your little one to hold and to have years of play with! This light skin tone with blue eyes baby...
Janod Sweet Cocoon Alphabet Puzzle
$32.00It's time to get to grips with the alphabet! Introducing a toy that will amuse your child whilst prompting them to discover the letters of the alphabet! These include placing the...
Janod Sweet Cocoon Shapes and Colors Wooden...
$34.00Your child will learn shapes and colors through 2 levels of play with this adorable wooden dog. The objective is to turn the wheels to align identical shapes or those...
Janod Sweet Cocoon Stacking Stones
$42.00By using these 20 natural wood stones, your child will discover construction and balance. This wooden toy is part of the Sweet Cocoon collection, a delicate colors range, inspired by...
Janod Sweet Cocoon Xylo Roller 2 in 1 Toy
$54.00Young musicians will love this wooden xylophone! 2 in 1 toy, it is also a pull-out toy they can take everywhere from their first steps. Thanks to a rubber part,...
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.