Play Time
Rattan Doll Day Bed Meadow
$130.00Tuck me in! Poppie’s fashionable day bed will provide the basis for endless play. Children love to play mummy or daddy, placing their soft toys under blankets and telling them made-up stories. For...
Micro Kickboard Micro Mini2Grow Deluxe Magic LED
$129.99The Micro Mini2Grow Deluxe Magic LED is the perfect companion for the first years of your child's life. Thanks to its multifunctionality, it can be used from the age of...
PlanToys PlanToys Baby Walker
$126.00Cruise through early developmental stages with the PlanToys Baby Walker! This toy can help develop fine and gross motor skills while encouraging children to walk on their own two feet....
Sabo Concept Wooden Castle Building Blocks Light Pink
$125.00Let your child's imagination run wild with this beautiful Castle Building Blocks Set that features all the shapes needed to build their own castle, city, race track, or whatever their creative minds...
Jellycat Jellycat Perry Polar Bear Lying
$110.00Feeling snoozy? Cuddle up close to scrummy Perry Lying. Our polar bear pal is loveably lazy and soft as a snowdrift. He's flumpy, flopsy and irresistibly soft in velvety vanilla...
Egmont Wooden Garage with Crane
$100.00So much to discover with this lovely wooden garage. Use the crane with the magnetic hook to load the containers on the trucks. Age: 3 years+ Includes 2 cars, road...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Little Land Yachts ...
$100.00Your child is the captain of these vessels, as they sail the Seven Seas -- rolling along on any smooth surface! Included on board each is a captain of the...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Rainbow Bowls Sorti...
$100.00This open-ended game is a fun challenge for young children! The Rainbow Bowls Sorting Game comes with six colored bowls, each of which has three matching wooden pieces in the shape of...
Plushies Black Panther Plush Toy 25 Inch
$98.00Step into the jungle with the Black Panther plush, a stunning and lifelike representation of one of nature's most mysterious creatures. Made with luxurious black plush fabric, this panther embodies...
Plushies Cooper Plush Toy 25 Inch
$98.00This adorable Cooper is a classic dog with golden fur all throughout and floppy ears. Bring home this unique dog for a great, realistic addition to your collection. High quality...
Plushies Husky 28 Inch
$98.00This Husky has light grey and white fur, pointed ears, and comes in a resting position. High quality materials make for a soft, fluffy touch Super Flopsies lay in a...
Plushies Giraffe Plush Toy 25 Inch
$98.00This Giraffe has a lovely speckled pattern, plush horns, and comes in a resting position. A best pick for anyone who wants to add an extra-large amount of fun to any...
Plushies Elephant Plush Toy 28 Inch
$98.00This Elephant has a neutral grey body, big floppy ears, and comes in a resting position. A best pick for anyone who wants to add an extra-large amount of fun to...
Plushies Lion Plush Toy 28 Inch
$98.00This Lion has golden brown fur, a long, furry mane, and comes in a resting position. A best pick for anyone who wants to add an extra-large amount of fun...
Plushies Slushy Plush Toy 28 Inch
$98.00The majestic Slushy Polar Bear lives in the arctic, sporting heavy fur and even being an excellent swimmer! Made in a simple yet elegant way with quality, care, and a...
18-G Paint Plush Toy 27 Inch
$98.00A beautiful chocolate brown stuffed horse is available in a super size now. High quality materials make for a soft, fluffy touch Super Flopsies lay in a resting position for...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Large Rainbow Paste...
$96.00Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow Pastel is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Large Rainbow Natur...
$96.00Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow Natural is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Large Rainbow Monoc...
$96.00Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow Monochrome is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your...
Brio Parking Garage
$96.00Parking Garage is the perfect addition to any BRIO World, connecting the railway and roadways together in a single destination. Each of the three levels of the Parking Garage...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Large Rainbow Toy
$96.00Grimm’s 12 Piece Rainbow is a versatile toy perfect for your growing little one. Toddlers can use the rainbow for stacking and sorting, and as they get older your children...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Large Stacking Boxe...
$90.00These unique variations and markings are proof of quality, not defects. Enjoy the markings that make your Grimm’s toy unique! Toddlers will love stacking and nesting the six colorful boxes,...
Grimm's Authentic Grimm's Large Rainbow Set o...
$90.00Toddlers will love stacking and nesting the six colorful boxes, which fit perfectly inside one another, all while developing color recognition and hand-eye coordination. As kids grow older, these boxes will...
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...
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.