Play Time
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...
BlaBla BlaBla Mermaid Rattle Harmony
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla Mermaid Rattle Melody
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla Original Boy Elephant Rattle Blue
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long
BlaBla BlaBla Original Bunny Rattle
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 7" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla Original Girl Elephant Rattle ...
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 7" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
Blabla BlaBla Rattle Bunny Fleur
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla School Book Boy Bear Rattle
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla School Book Boy Cat Rattle
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla School Book Boy Monkey Rattle
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla School Book Girl Bear Rattle
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla School Book Girl Cat Rattle
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla School Book Girl Monkey Rattle
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
BlaBla BlaBla Sheep Rattle Wooly
$29.00Handmade baby rattle made from the softest Peruvian cotton. 100% cotton with poly fill. Approximately 8" long Hand or machine wash in cold water on gentle cycle Lay flat to...
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.