Play Time
Albetta Albetta Crochet Stick Rattle Leo Lion
$30.00This beautifully crafted Albetta Crochet Stick Rattle Leo Lion is hand-crocheted from top-quality cotton and makes a wonderful unisex baby shower gift. All little ones are sure to love its...
Sophie La Giraffe Soft Maracas Rattle
$20.00Adorable Sophie La Girafe Soft Maracas Rattle with many exciting discoveries for baby Baby will love to shake this back and forth to watch and listen to all of its...
Lamaze Lamaze Stack Rattle and Roll Blocks
$20.00A perfect first stacker for baby! No more frustration. No more tears. Just easy stacking that encourages little ones to keep exploring and keep discovering!Roll into a happy tactile-learning adventure with...
Lamaze Lamaze 3-in-1 Clip & Go Bear
$22.00This cuddly bear is full of surprises!It starts as an adorable plush bear with a big round face. But then, pull on its legs and - goodness! - there's a...
Knitted World Crochet Ring Rattle Fawn
$18.00This easy-to-grasp ring rattle is lovingly hand-crocheted using luxuriously soft yarn derived from the pulp of organically grown and sustainably harvested bamboo trees. Bamboo is the world’s fastest-growing plant (growing...
Maileg Maileg Poodle Dog Plush Toy
$40.00If the dream about a dog is far away, it can come true now with this sweet puppy. It is made in exclusive materials that give the dog a beautiful...
Maileg Maileg Dog Plush Toy
$40.00If the dream about a dog is far away, it can come true now with this sweet puppy. It is made in exclusive materials that give the dog a beautiful...
Maileg Maileg Safari Friends Rhino Plush Toy...
$38.00Safari Friends are made of the softest linen and are available in many different colors. They can sit and gives the best hug you can imagine. Maileg Safari Friends Rhino...
Maileg Maileg Rabbit Size 5 Doll Sweater and...
$85.00This classic rabbit is made of soft natural linen and cotton fabric that gives a lovely hand feel and look. This Maileg Rabbit Size 5 Doll is dressed in a very beautiful...
Maileg Maileg Rabbit Size 4 Doll Knitted Shi...
$64.00The classic bunny and rabbit collection is made of soft natural linen and cotton fabric that gives a lovely hand feel and look. This rabbit is dressed in a lovely...
Maileg Maileg Safari Friends Medium Hippo Ol...
$38.00Meet Maileg Safari Friend Medium Hippo. This hippo is not like most hippos. Medium Hippo would rather cuddle up with you than swim in a lagoon. It is not every day you...
Maileg Maileg My First Bunny Plush Toy Dusty...
$26.00My first bunny in Dusty Rose is perfectly made for small hands. It is made in a soft plush quality and has a gold ribbon around the neck. It is...
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. ...
Sophie La Giraffe So'Pure Early Learning Gift Set
$32.00An ideal set to develop baby's dexterity and senses! Contains two products made from 100% natural rubber a colo'rings teething ring and 2 balls and 2 cubes. Age: 0 months Colo'rings...
Jellycat Jellycat Rolbie Sheep Cream
$35.00Jellycat Rolbie Sheep is gorgeously round, with a fluffy cream fleece and gentle beigey face. Friendly and fluffy, this sheep may be tubby but can leap over any stile or...
Malarkey Malarkey Munch Mitt Constellation
$19.99The Malarkey Munch Mitt Teether is a “handy” textured teething solution that prevents your little one from dropping it. It provides easy access pain relief to sore gums for infants who...
Maileg Maileg Mini Dining Table Set Toy
$60.00Invite your friend for Sunday supper at the dining table. The set contains a round table and 2 metal chairs. Oval table measures 6.5" x 3.5" Chairs are 5" tall...
Maileg Maileg Rabbit Doll Size 5 Smocked Dress
$85.00This Maileg Rabbit Size 5 is wearing a beautiful dress with a smock effect on the front. She also wears beautiful underwear with nice details and the detailed shoes complete...
Cali's Book Cali's Book Bedtime with Mozart
$29.00Children go through their bedtime routine with the help of gentle classical music. Cali's Books Bedtime with Mozart Animal Sound Musical Book excerpts from six magical melodies accompanies text and illustrations...
Jellycat Jellycat Tumblie Pig
$30.00Flopsy, fuzzy and full of curiosity, Jellycat Tumblie Pig is daydreaming again! This milkshake-pink piglet has a suedey snout, foldy ears and a teeny tail, not to mention a perfect...
Jellycat Jellycat Gilbert The Great Blue Whale
$85.00Curvy and cheery with the biggest balleen grin, it's Jellycat Gilbert the Great Blue Whale! Beautifully blue, with a combed grey belly, half-moon tail, and flappy fins, Gilbert's a jolly...
Jellycat Jellycat Fleury Petunia Soother
$25.00Jellycat Fleury Petunia Soother would like to invite you to a lazy garden party! Where? Right here on this fuzzy fur lawn! Jellycat Fleury Petunia Soother Details: Suitable from birth. 40 degree Celsius wash only;...
Jellycat Jellycat Fleury Daisy Soother
$25.00Jellycat Fleury Daisy Soother would like to invite you to a lazy garden party! Where? Right here on this fuzzy fur lawn! Jellycat Fleury Daisy Soother Details: Suitable from birth. 40 degree Celsius...
Jellycat Jellycat Fishiful
$17.50This squishy sweetie Jellycat Fishiful is full of printed patterns, right down to those big, bold printed eyes. That mouth is perfectly poised for blowing bubbles, which is what this fishy...
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.