Play Time
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...
Bear Company Giant Juliette Pirouette Ballerina
$60.00This Giant Juliette Pirouette Ballerina is a sweet and cuddly toy for your little one. Wearing a cute pink dress with a matching head bow. Measure 30 inches
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Natural Bridge
$60.00An open-ended and versatile toy, this Wooden Nesting Bridge set can be used as a stacking and nesting toy, or as bridges for toy cars and scenic play. Each set...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Rainbow Bridge
$60.00An open-ended and versatile toy, this Wooden Nesting Bridge set can be used as a stacking and nesting toy, or as bridges for toy cars and scenic play. Each set...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Small Stacking Boxe...
$60.00This Set of Boxes is a versatile toy for children: they can stack and sort the boxes by size and color, build with them, use it as dollhouses or carports,...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Small Stacking Boxe...
$60.00This Set of Boxes is a versatile toy for children: they can stack and sort the boxes by size and color, build with them, use it as dollhouses or carports,...
Sophie La Giraffe Reverso Playmat
$59.99Sophie La Girafe Reverso Playmat has an elegant design and with light colors which can be easily integrated into a living room! Sophie La Girafe Reverso Playmat Details: 2-in-1 playmat A play...
Sophie La Giraffe Tenderness Creation Birth Set Medium #1
$59.00Sophie la girafe sophiesticated birth set. This set has a little something for baby and parent to enjoy. This set contains a sophie the giraffe toy, plush lovie, customizable notecard,...
Sophie La Giraffe Classic Gift Set Teether
$59.00Calisson’s Classic Creation Set is ideal for your little one, perfect for their growing teeth! Made of 100% natural rubber Made in France Includes Sophie la Giraffe toy Soothes sore...
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...
Maileg Maileg Lullaby Friends Bunny Yellow
$58.00Lullaby friends is a collection of beautiful items for babies. This bunny has a soft cuddle cloth and will play a calm lullaby when you pull the tail. Age: 0+...
Maileg Maileg Lullaby Friends Pig
$58.00Lullaby friends is a collection of beautiful items for babies. This pig has a soft cuddle cloth and will play a calm lullaby when you pull the tail. Age: 0+...
Maileg Maileg Lullaby Friends Elephant Grey
$58.00Lullaby friends is a collection of beautiful items for babies. This elephant has a soft cuddle cloth and will play a calm lullaby when you pull the tail. Age: 0+...
Sabo Concept Wooden Rainbow Toy Mustard
$58.00This set of 7 gorgeous rainbow stacking elements come nested inside each other. Let the creativity of your child grow as they can building mazes and tunnels for cars, making mountains and...
Sabo Concept Wooden Rainbow Toy Marsala
$58.00This set of 7 gorgeous rainbow stacking elements come nested inside each other. Let the creativity of your child grow as they can building mazes and tunnels for cars, making mountains and...
Glueckskaefer Rattle N Roll Ball Tower Rainbow
$57.00The delightful sound of the wooden balls as they rattle through captivates the attention of young children, providing a soothing sound that can be calming! The marbles slowly fall downwards...
alilo alilo Smart Bunny Baby Rattle Blue
$56.00Alilo Smart Bunny is a popular media companion especially designed for children aged 0-4 years. Due to its ease of use, robust material, and versatility, it encourages the kids’ creativity....
alilo alilo Smart Bunny Baby Rattle Pink
$56.00Alilo Smart Bunny is a popular media companion especially designed for children aged 0-4 years. Due to its ease of use, robust material, and versatility, it encourages the kids’ creativity....
Miniland Baby Doll Black Curly Hair Caucasian ...
$56.00Miniland Caucasian Black Curly Hair Girl 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of soft...
Miniland Baby Doll Dirty Blond Caucasian Girl ...
$56.00Miniland Caucasian Dirty Blond Girl 15" Doll is anatomically correct, which means that they show the physical differences between boys and girls in a realistic way. They are made of...
Olli Ella Olli Ella Cozy Dinkum Doll Mousy Pickle
$55.00Meet the newest and most snuggly collectible Olli Ella Cozy Dinkum Mousy Pickle! Mousy Pickle, so cuddly and cute, loves to doze in its soft fluffy suit. Made for snuggles and...
Olli Ella Olli Ella Cozy Dinkum Doll Lamby Pip
$55.00Meet the newest and most snuggly collectible Olli Ella Cozy Dinkum Lamby Pip! Lamby Pip, so cuddly and cute, loves to doze in its soft fluffy suit. Made for snuggles and...
Olli Ella Olli Ella Cozy Dinkum Doll Bunny Moppet
$55.00Meet the newest and most snuggly collectible Olli Ella Cozy Dinkum Bunny Moppet! Bunny Moppet, so cuddly and cute, loves to doze in its soft fluffy suit. Made for snuggles...
Jellycat Jellycat Nozzy Polar Bear
$55.00Nozzy Polar Bear just got in from a tussly, blustery blizzard! No wonder this scruffled scamp is ready to flump! With big squashy paws, a boopable nose, petal ears, a...
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.