Play Time
Sophie La Giraffe Baby Seat and Play
$79.00Sophie La Girafe Baby Seat & Play is a 2-in-1 activity toy that combines awakening and comfort! Sophie La Girafe Baby Seat & Play Details: Comfort: A seat able to maintain the...
Elegant Baby Bath Squirts Barnyard Party
$22.00Bath Toy Get ready for lots of fun in the tub. Now, the party doesn't have to end when it's bath time for your little one! They're perfect for beach...
Elegant Baby Bath Squirts Boat Party
$22.00Get ready for lots of fun in the tub. Now, the party doesn't have to end when it's bath time for your little one! They're perfect for beach and pool...
Elegant Baby Bath Squirts Garden Party
$22.00Get ready for lots of fun in the tub. Now, the party doesn't have to end when it's bath time for your little one! They're perfect for beach and pool...
Elegant Baby Bath Squirts Mermaid Party
$22.00Bath Toy Get ready for lots of fun in the tub. Now, the party doesn't have to end when it's bath time for your little one! They're perfect for beach...
Elegant Baby Bath Squirts Princess Party
$22.00Get ready for lots of fun in the tub. Now, the party doesn't have to end when it's bath time for your little one! They're perfect for beach and pool...
Elegant Baby Bath Squirts Zoom Zoom
$22.00Get ready for lots of fun in the tub. Now, the party doesn't have to end when it's bath time for your little one! They're perfect for beach and pool...
Bella Tunno Bella Tunno Happy Links Ombre
$15.00The Bella Tunno Happy Links set includes 5 links for teething playing and organizing. Attach them to the stroller, rocker, play gym, or carrier to bring the fun wherever you go. ...
Bear Company Belly Blanket Lil Alma Llama
$58.00The Lil Alma Llama Belly Blanket is great for playtime and tummy time providing a soft surface for your baby. Your little one will enjoy playing with the stuffed head and...
Bear Company Belly Blanket Lil Spout Grey
$48.00Lil' Spout Belly Blanket is great for playtime and tummy time providing a soft surface for your baby. Your little one will enjoy playing with the stuffed head and tail. The...
Bear Company Belly Blanket Lil' Willow Fawn
$48.00The Lil' Willow Fawn Belly Blanket is great for playtime and tummy time providing a soft surface for your baby. Your little one will enjoy playing with the stuffed head and...
Bibs Bibs Loops Linking Toy 12 Pieces
$16.99The Bibs Loops are meant to be both practical and great fun for your child. They are perfect in the stroller or bed for hanging toys, for playing, and even...
Penguin Big Little / Grande pequeño Book
$7.99Ladies 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...
BlaBla BlaBla Knitted Doll Koa the Koala
$66.00 – $78.00Handmade doll made from the softest Peruvian cotton. Koa is a sweet and easy-going koala, He can climb all the way to treetops, as long as he never looks...
Mudpuppy Board Book Set Little Artists
$14.99Mudpuppy'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...
Abrams Appleseed Book Kindness Rules (A Hello!Lucky)
$8.99Manners 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...
Abrams Appleseed Book Super Pooper and Whizz Kid
$9.99Introducing two new potty pals kids and parents will adore, Super Pooper and Whizz Kid: Potty Power! is a humorous potty-training book with a hip sensibility and a playful take on...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Bumpy Pink
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Crater Red
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Rubbabu Bouncy Ball Toy Golf Blue
$6.00 – $10.00A soft, velvety ball that bounces well on floors and carpets. Made from foamed natural rubber it's squishy and safe for babies and toddlers. The tactile texture makes it fun...
Fat Brain Toys Building Blocks Pip Squigz
$26.00Fat Brain Toys Pip Squigz is the perfect toy to give to your little one to use in any environment, to stick on everything from walls, to bathtubs, to windows, and...
N&L Find Bunny Plush Toy Blue with Gray Ears
$33.00 – $106.00Bunny in Blue with Gray Ears! Looking for a tiny, loving person to cuddle with and can be your child's best friend, or companion in sleep, on a journey, and in playing....
N&L Find Bunny Plush Toy Gray with Gray Ears
$33.00 – $106.00Bunny in Gray with Gray Ears! Looking for tiny, loving person to cuddle and can be your child's best friend, companion in sleep, on a journey, and in playing. Perfect as a...
N&L Find Bunny Plush Toy Pink with Gray Ears
$33.00 – $106.00Bunny in Pink with Gray Ears! Looking for tiny, loving person to cuddle and can be your child's best friend, or companion in sleep, on a journey, and in playing. Perfect as...
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.