Play Time
Manhattan Toy Activity Toy Under The Sea Narwhal
$12.00Under The Sea Narwhal activity toy features a variety of fabric textures, soft sparkly tusk and giggle function. These Under The Sea-themed travel toys all feature a C-clip for easy...
FridaBaby Not Too Cold To Hold Teether
$12.99Skip the chilly teething rings and help baby soothe their sore gums without getting frostbite on their hands. The FridaBaby Not-Too-Cold-To-Hold Teether has a stay-warm handle for the baby to...
FL Children's Books Baby Loves Yoga An ABC of First Poses...
$12.99Baby Loves is a new range of giftable preschool ABC books that taps into the trends that matter. Stunningly illustrated with a cut-to-white aesthetic, each pocket-sized book is a perfect...
FL Children's Books Baby Loves Earth An ABC of Our Planet
$12.99Baby Loves is a new range of giftable preschool ABC books that taps into the trends that matter. Stunningly illustrated with a cut-to-white aesthetic, each pocket-sized book is a perfect...
Bella Tunno Under the Sea Teething Flashcards
$13.00These are not your average flashcards. They are learning tools that are also toys and teethers. A trifecta of toys. A hattrick of teethers, a three-peat of learning. LEARN: ...
Bella Tunno Count On It Teething Flashcards
$13.00These are not your average flashcards. They are learning tools that are also toys and teethers. A trifecta of toys. A hattrick of teethers, a three-peat of learning. LEARN: ...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Polar Bear
$13.50Jellycat’s exciting If I were a polar bear book is colorful and sturdy enough for your child to grip by themselves, perfect for interactive play. Product Details: Suitable from birth. Features...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Puppy Black...
$13.50If you were a dog for a day, would you chase rabbits or roll around in the garden? Would you have long ears or pointy ones? So many questions! Looks...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Lamb
$13.50If I Were a Lamb' is a leaping, springing, joyful ride through the imagination. Little lamb fans can picture being a lamb with this fun and funky board book. They...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Koala
$13.50Do you like climbing trees? How about eating leaves? If I Were A Koala is a charming chunky board book, with feely panels and joyful pictures. Tots can ponder being...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Dinosaur Or...
$13.50Life as a dino is one big stomp, as you'll find out in If I Were A Dinosaur! Happy, bold, and easy to hold, this board book is full of...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Rabbit Grey
$13.50If I Were A Rabbit is a beautiful board book that's so much fun to read together. Encouraging tots to think and create, this bouncing bunny is a story star....
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were an Elf
$13.50Skip into Santa's workshop with If I were an Elf! This beautiful board book has fun feely panels and lots of jolly, joyful pictures. A present to whirl little helpers...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Tiger
$13.50If I Were A Tiger is a cool jungle journey, where little readers get to be big cats! Get stripey and silly with this chunky board book, and explore feely...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Pup
$13.50If you were a puppy for a day, would you chase rabbits or roll around in the garden? Would you have a squidgy nose or a silky one? So many...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Fox
$13.50Get merry, furry, and mischievous with If I Were a Fox! This chunky board book is bright and cheery, from gingery ears to brushy tails. Packed full of giggles, playful...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Pony
$13.50Trot into lots of storytime fun with If I were a Pony! This playful board book has cute feely panels and colorful pictures to get ideas racing! From swishy tails...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Hedgehog
$13.50What would it be like to have spines and paws? The If I Were A Hedgehog Board Book invites little ones to think and imagine. With tough board pages and...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Butterfly
$13.50A beautiful board book for your little ones to enjoy, full of feely panels and perky pictures! Have a think and a giggle, flap your wings and play make-believe, butterfly...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Flamingo
$13.50Take a dip in the lake and spread your wings with If I Were A Flamingo! A beautiful board book for tots to enjoy, full of feely panels and perky...
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Turtle
$13.50This adorable board book wonders what it would be like to live as a turtle. Imaginative and colorful, this little book is sure to be a hit with your child....
Jellycat Jellycat Book If I were a Penguin
$13.50Little Jellycat, in association with the Council For Promoting How Brilliant Penguins Are, presents the If I Were A Penguin Board Book! Bright, fun and very strong, with a cute...
Jellycat Jellycat Vivacious Vegetables Radish
$13.50More stretchy than crunchy, Vivacious Radish is a refreshing friend! Perky in pink-white ombre fur, with a plume of stitchy green velour leaves, this affable vegetable pops up to say...
Fat Brain Toys Teeting PipSquigz Loops Orange
$14.00Little explorers can’t help but get sucked into the sensory excitement of these bendy, rattly, chewy, suction-cup creations!Their vivid textures instantly inspire little fingers to grab and feel while their...
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.