A mini plush toy that is perfect for a tiny hand. The mini-sized bunny has the sweetest look and a very soft hand feel. All ages Material: Polyester; Filling: Recycled polyester/PE...
Color you must, Jedi and Padawan. Color the galaxy with Darth Vader as he rules the Empire and keeps an eye on his rebellious kids, Luke and Leia. Featuring artwork...
Sticker, learn, and play! Create your own real and imaginary Paris with over 100 stickers that will bring this panoramic play scene to life.One side represents actual, present-day Paris, while...
Sticker, learn, and play! Create your own real and imaginary London with over 100 stickers that will bring this panoramic play scene to life.One side represents actual, present-day London, while...
The Body Book is an exciting way to explore all the amazing things our body can do. What’s going on inside our bodies? How do we move, eat, think, and breathe? Children...
Nap Time: White Noise Tonie plays soothing white noise, providing an ambient environment that helps your child fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Tonies Nap Time White Noise Audio Play...
In a charming London neighborhood home, Roger and Anita’s beloved Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita have become the proud parents of 15 puppies. Now, join a cast of irresistible, tail-wagging characters...
Soft and soothing in gentle sage, the texture treat! This doughnut-shaped rattle has a gently jingling tum! Take this poppet along for buggy adventures! Suitable from birth Made from 100%...
Soft and soothing in gentle sage, the texture treat! This doughnut-shaped rattle has a gently jingling tum! Take this poppet along for buggy adventures! Suitable from birth Made from 100%...
Soft and soothing in gentle sage, the texture treat! This doughnut-shaped rattle has a gently jingling tum! Take this poppet along for buggy adventures! Suitable from birth Made from 100%...
Soft and soothing in gentle sage, the texture treat! This doughnut-shaped rattle has a gently jingling tum! Take this poppet along for buggy adventures! Suitable from birth Made from 100%...
These cups feature multilayered dough colors, fun surprises, and charming patterns that are sure to delight. Lucky you. Sparkling puffy clouds and a full-spectrum rainbow transport you to a land...
These cups feature multilayered dough colors, fun surprises, and charming patterns that are sure to delight. Part art. Part science. All fun. Explore our planet in a whole new...
X marks the spot. Three paces left and straight past the palm tree, you'll find a buried treasure of glittering gold. Product Details: Includes 7 oz. of dough Color: blue,...
The cheese bell is an exclusive way of serving your favorite cheese for you best friends. Age: 3 years+ Cheese bell and cheese included Material: Metal/Polyresin Size: 1 inch
A perfect-sized chair for the mice family. It is made of metal with a golden finish and has the most beautiful details. This chair fits together with all tables in...
Cordy, colorful, cute, and kooky, that's Vivacious Vegetable Carrot! Gorgeously textured and squeezably soft, this bright orange buddy has a punky green leaf-do! A veggie with plenty of energy, this...
Vivacious Vegetable Egg Plant just arrived in a very special veg box! Stretchy-soft in blush plum fur, with a sweet friendly smile and a green stalk hat, this one is...
Time for a trot with this fuzzy, squashy donkey! Hee-haw! That’s Bashful Donkey chuckling. He’s a practical joker who loves to play pranks! He’s a softy though, in squashy...
Little Harriet was born into slavery on a plantation in Maryland. Though life was hard, Harriet persisted. She used all of her strength and bravery to escape slavery and journey...
When Agatha was young, she read books every night, but always had her own idea for how they should end! As an adult, her crime novels, with their twists and...
Meet Ada Lovelace, the British mathematician, and daughter of poet Lord Byron. Part of the beloved Little People, BIG DREAMS series, this inspiring and informative little biography follows the colorful...
From the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of John Lennon, the boy from Liverpool who dreamed of peace. When John Lennon formed a band while...
Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to...
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.